Hurd Expanding Vinyl Window Production
Hurd Windows & Doors, which acquired Superseal Windows & Doors in January, will expand its manufacturing footprint and market presence with a new facility in Merrill, Wis. According to company officials, with Superseal manufacturing in Wisconsin alongside Hurd, the company can offer an even broader range of premium, high-performance and affordable wood and vinyl products.
The existing Superseal manufacturing facility in South Plainfield, N.J., will continue to operate. The addition of the new plant is considered a strategic move to expand beyond Superseal’s East Coast focus and better meet demand for vinyl windows in the Midwest and Western U.S. and international markets, officials explain.
"Demand for the product is there," says Dominic Truniger, Hurd president and CEO, who notes that the company is flourishing despite the fact that the new home market has yet to fully recover from the economic downturn. "Customers are excited to buy our vinyl windows and patio doors all over the U.S. and internationally."
The second plant will be located at the same facility as Hurd’s existing glass factory, which will remain operational. Hurd will begin making vinyl windows at the Merrill facility this fall, officials note. It is currently investing in state-of-the-art equipment and significant upgrades at the Merrill facility to prepare it for its new role as a Superseal vinyl window manufacturing plant. The company anticipates hiring up to 50 people within the next year and hopes to triple that number when the facility reaches full capacity.
"This expansion will accomplish the dual purpose of building the Superseal brand, while improving distribution efficiency through consolidated shipping of Hurd and Superseal products," Truniger explains. The new plant is also said to represent a continuation of Hurd's commitment to grow the vinyl window business alongside its well established premium wood windows and innovative mid-priced H3 windows.
Since the acquisition, Hurd has invested in re-branding Superseal to create an iconography and graphic template which better represents the high quality of the vinyl window and door products, officials note. With the new branding, Hurd has worked to more aggressively market the Superseal product line with all new collateral, as well as point-of-sale and promotional materials.