The National Association of Home Builders recognizes the latest and greatest new products and services from exhibiting companies at the International Builders' Show.
This year, construction industry experts and media judges looked at 200 entries in eight categories to determine which will receive one of the Best of IBS Awards.
Judges consider the products' innovation, functionality, design and user-friendliness to determine the winners.
Plastics processors are among the 40 finalists in several categories, including best window and door, most innovative building material, best outdoor living product and most innovative construction tool. The finalists include:
• Endura Products Inc. for its FusionFrame-brand composite door frame, which consists of a wood frame with a maintenance-free composite exterior.
The Greensboro, N.C.-based company says FusionFrame doesn't require additional shimming and contains innovative features that make it fast to install a door unit properly. Endura also says a unique design prevents thermal bowing common to other composite products.
Endura also has a multipoint lock product that is a finalist in the window and door category. The product adds two locking points to entry and doors in addition to the deadbolt. The benefits include deflecting impact during attempted break-ins and forming a better seal against the weather by pulling the door further into alignment. Also, the locking system is compatible with most off-the-shelf hardware.
• Arcitell LLC for its Qora-brand Cut LedgeStone TightStack building material for residential and commercial siding. The panels have a rigid foam core, fiberglass-reinforced layers and a surface layer that incorporates real materials for the look and feel of real brick and stone.
The Sugarcreek, Ohio-based company says it uses a proprietary phenolic rigid foam and compounding technology in the manufacturing process. Most Qora cladding panels weigh 2-3 pounds per square foot, which is a fraction of the weight of comparable traditional materials.
Each Qora Stone panel also has a quarter-inch "breather button" to keep water and vapor away from the wall assembly.
• Barrette Outdoor Living for its injection molded decorative screen panels made from polypropylene. The panels come in two sizes and a range of colors and patterns for use as a deck cover or divider wall for outside or inside the house. The Middleburg Heights, Ohio-based company says the PP panels are twice as thick as traditional plastic lattice and have been engineered to withstand extreme weather temperatures and resist impact.