Vinyl siding has competition from other plastics in home construction.
Building products manufacturer Alside added a new board and batten product to its portfolio of composite cladding extruded from a glass-reinforced polymer with weatherable pigments and impact modifiers and then adhered to a graphite-infused polystyrene foam.
Called Ascend, the brand of siding was named the most innovative building material of 2021 at the virtual International Builders' Show and has been lauded for combining beauty, performance and easy installation, especially compared with fiber cement and engineered wood.
Ascend is in a class of its own as a "non-vinyl/non-cementitious" composite product, according to Alside officials.
A growing number of other siding products also are manufactured with plastic materials other than PVC, prompting the Alexandria, Va.-based trade group Vinyl Siding Institute to change its name to the Polymeric Exterior Products Association (PEPA) earlier this year. The name change also reflects the trade group's move beyond siding into products that complement it, including trim, decking, fencing, roofing, windows, railing, doors, gutters and downspouts.
For siding, injection molded polypropylene products and profiles of composite wood and polyethylene, including Trex decking, are providing new options for evolving customer preferences.
As of June, Ascend also comes in a popular 12-inch vertical profile suitable for the modern farmhouse and other trends in addition to a 7-inch plank. The products have Class A fire ratings, withstand winds up to 180 mph, offer a 2.0 R-value and don't need sealing.
"From the moment we introduced Ascend, in 2020, sales were strong out of the gate, confirming the market's demand for a superior siding solution," Shawn Hardy, vice president and general manager of product and marketing for Alside parent company, Associated Materials LLC, said in an email.
Sales have increased year after year, showing both market approval and the effectiveness of the product, Hardy added.
"By continuously innovating and enhancing our offerings, we aim to further solidify our position as a leader in the siding manufacturing industry, providing our customers with the best possible solutions for their needs," Hardy said.
Both products are manufactured in West Salem, Ohio.
With estimated sales of $390 million, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based Associated Materials, which is owned by SVP Global LLC, ranks No. 19 among North American pipe, profile and tubing producers, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.
In addition to "non-vinyl, non-cementitious" siding like Ascend, some builders and remodelers are incorporating Trex decking boards into facades, especially for commercial applications. The boards can be installed vertically or horizontally and feature an open-joint façade system to provide airflow over a rainscreen assembly.
Trex officials see a $100 million-plus market opportunity for the Transcend decking line, according to a Q1 2024 investor presentation.
With sales of $1.09 billion, Trex Co. Inc. is the No. 7 pipe, profile and tubing extruder in North America, according to PN's latest ranking.
Another recently introduced product, Everlast advanced composite siding, is described as a proprietary mix of inorganic materials with polymeric resins that have an acrylic cap for color. The siding colors are produced online as the product is extruded.
Everlast siding is manufactured by Oakmont, Pa.-based Chelsea Building Products Inc., which identifies all the inputs as calcium stearate, calcium carbonate, impact modifier, blowing agent, process lubricant, virgin PVC, a substrate colorant, PVC regrind, acrylic capstock and three acrylic cap colorants.
Everlast competes mostly against fiber cement with its water resistance and sturdy composition, Chelsea officials said. The product was nominated for a 2024 Best of International Builders' Show award in February.
With $136 million in annual sales, Chelsea Building Products is the No. 40 pipe, profile and tubing extruder in North America, according to PN's latest ranking.