Fall 2015 News

In July, Tremco Group acquired certain assets of Chemtron Manufacturing Ltd., a Calgary-based manufacturer of construction adhesives, sealants and tapes.

The business will operate as Chemtron International, Inc. and will work closely with the Tremco Commercial Sealants & Waterproofing division (Tremco CS&W), due to synergies between the two businesses.  In 2014, Chemtron reported net sales of approximately $5 million. Glenn Molnar, previously co-owner of the company, will stay on as general manager and vice president. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The Chemtron product line includes adhesives, caulks, glazing tapes, mastics, sealants and related compounds for the OEM and construction markets. In addition to its headquarters and 52,000-sq.-ft. manufacturing plant in Calgary, Alberta, the company also has a distribution facility in Edmonton, Alberta.

Paul G.P. Hoogenboom, president of Tremco Group, says, “The addition of Chemtron will improve Tremco’s logistics with West Coast customers. Plus, Chemtron’s product portfolio, particularly its premium butyl and putty tapes, complements Tremco’s growing industrial and OEM businesses.” He continues, “At the same time, we expect to accelerate Chemtron’s growth by leveraging its products across Tremco’s significant North American sales and distribution network.”

The Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) provides a listing of materials and assemblies that have been evaluated by the association.  The ABAA seeks to ensure members’ products are up to code standards and requirements.

Recently, they announced that W.R. Meadows’ Air-Shield, one of its air/vapor and liquid barrier products, has  passed ABAA evaluation and is now listed on the ABAA website.

Russ Snow, W.R. Meadows building science specialist says, “As ABAA has become the voice of the air barrier industry, having a material evaluated by them provides a level of comfort for the consultant that the material being specified, and used, has undergone third party testing and meets all of the material properties being published.

Soprema Inc. also announced that three of its air and vapor barrier wall systems received ratings from the Air Barrier Association of America.  “These ABAA standards help ensure we’re providing the highest quality products to our customers,” said Jack Garnett, market development manager for wall systems at Soprema.

The Soprema products were tested in accordance with ASTM E2178 and E2357 standards.

Snow, at W.R. Meadows, adds, “In addition to evaluating products, ABAA goes one step further and evaluates the complete air barrier assembly, which is of great importance in ensuring protection against air leakage.”

For more information on ABAA listings, visit www.airbarrier.org.

Liberty Pumps, a manufacturer of sump, sewage and effluent pumps, has implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).  Liberty Pumps has been a family-owned company for the past 50 years.  The ESOP will continue Liberty Pumps’ commitment to local ownership.

“The ESOP will not change company operations,” says president/CEO Charlie Cook. “Our current leadership team is just outstanding and will remain in place. When a customer calls in, they will now be speaking to an owner.”

Employees are reportedly excited about the plan and the opportunity to provide the high level of quality and customer attentiveness that Liberty Pumps has become known for.

Three window flashing tapes from MFM Building Products now have ICC Approval. Each of the three WindowWrap products—PowerBond, PSX-20, and White—are 25 mils nominal thickness, self-adhering and are compatible with most building and window materials. They’re also self-sealing around fasteners to create a waterproof bond and prevent the infiltration moisture and air as well.

The ICC-ES acceptance indicate these products meet their criteria for Flexible Flashing Materials (AC148) as well as IBC and IRC 2015 standards. The tapes also comply with AAMA 711 according to independent, third-party testing.

Insulfoam, the largest manufacturer  of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in North America, has new branding for its line of EPS insulation, including R-Tech.  All products are now categorized under the brand names InsulRoof, InsulWall and InsulGrade, and will enable customers to quickly find the right products to use.”.

“EPS is the only insulation you can use anywhere in the building envelope,” said Ram Mayilvahanan, director of marketing for Insulfoam.

In conjunction with the new branding, Insulfoam has also revamped its website www.insulfoam.com

R.M. Lucas, a 103-year-old manufacturer of premium coatings, sealants and adhesives has a new headquarters and manufacturing plant. The new facility is located adjacent to I-294, a freeway belt route that circles Chicago and provides easy access for shipping and receiving to all points in North America.

The new 92,000-sq.-ft. facility features 12,000 ft. of offices, 5,000 ft. of research and development space and 75,000 ft. of warehouse and manufacturing. New state-of-the art mixing, filling and laboratory testing equipment is scheduled to be installed later this year. The company’s previous facility will continue operations with expanded capacity for asphalt products.  Robert Barry, president of R.M. Lucas, says, “We extend our thanks and gratitude to our customers and suppliers who have made this possible and with whom we hope for continued success.”

Penetron,  makers of crystalline concrete waterproofing and repair systems has opened a new production facility in Gomel, Belarus.  The Eastern European country, sandwiched between Poland and Russia, has seen considerable demand, which is so heavy that production began before dignitaries could officially open the factory in late July.

The plan is for the new Gomel plant to manufacture the full range of Penetron cementitious waterproofing products,  and export them to Ukraine and the nearby Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.

The company opened similar plants in Kazakhstan last year and another in Yekaterinburg, Russia, shortly before that.

Firestone Building Products recently celebrated a milestone with its Salt Lake City manufacturing facility.  Workers at the plant have logged one million man-hours without a lost-time accident.

The Salt Lake City plant which produces flat and tapered insulation for roofing systems has been recognized in the past by OSHA for worker health and safety.

“At Firestone, safety is more than a goal; it’s an integral part of our commitment to making our company a premier place to work for our teammates,” said Jason Lakatos, Salt Lake City Plant Manager.