Profile extruder Deceuninck North America LLC is seeing an explosion in demand for laminated PVC lineals for window applications.
The Monroe, Ohio, company said it recently added three lamination lines to match growth for laminated window profiles.
"The demand for lamination tripled in the past year," stated Deceuninck North America President and CEO Filip Geeraert in a Jan. 9 news release.
High performance laminations allow real and simulated wood grains and colors and a wide selection of colors to enhance the aesthetics and quality of window framing in commercial and residential buildings, the firm said.
"There is an almost endless variety of colors and styles with laminations that you can't get with straight vinyl," said Jeff Lowinski, vice president of technical services for the Window and Door Manufacturers Association of Washington, D.C. in a telephone interview. "If you can print it, you can laminate it."
Deceuninck North America's Solex laminates feature a broad color palette so that homeowners and builders can combine interior and exterior decoration schemes. Colors available span the range from clay, to browns, to hunter green, to cherry to bronze. Wood laminates include pine, oak, maple, some of which are real wood laminates.
Lowinski said laminated vinyl window profiles have to perform well under adverse conditions. They must resist scratching, hold their color and rely on adhesives that remain durable under widely varying temperatures. The extra cost of laminated profiles make them most suited to high-end construction.
Deceuninck North America did not disclose the cost of the laminate expansion. The U.S. company is part of the Deceuninck Group based in Hooglede, Belgium. The Monroe subsidiary had profile sales of about $84 million in 2012, according to Plastics News' North American pipe, profile and extruders survey.
