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Industry Profile
Aesthetics,
Performance, Value
In little more than a decade, Vinylbilt Shutters
has created a program that offers its cusomers something for every
consumer.
D&WC: Please give a detailed
description of your company and its history.
Shannon Hodges, Business Unit Manager:
Vinylbilt Shutter Systems, Inc., established in 1992, has succeeded
in creating uniquely beautiful and durable shutters of Polyresin
3, a fire-retardant, washable, virtually indestructible vinyl compound.
Vinylbilt shutters have the aesthetics of their fine wood counterparts,
but enhanced performance and value.
The company’s founders adapted the knowledge they gained from
years in the extrusion industry—where they pioneered the production
of vinyl window and door systems—to create a new and improved
interior shutter system.
Today, Vinylbilt operates out of a 50,000-square-foot fabrication
and distribution facility with 42 employees in Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, and is supported by a sales and marketing team of seven
employees based in Atlanta, GA.
D&WC: Is there one product or
line that stands out above the rest?
Hodges: Vinylbilt Shutter Systems has
solely concentrated on the shutter product category by offering
fabricators all necessary components, profiles and hardware in both
2-1/2- and 3-1/2-inch louver sizes to assemble custom shutters to
be sold through retail dealers and designers.
D&WC: Is your business
computerized? Do you have a company Web site, and how is it used
to communicate with customers?
Hodges: For the retail dealer and consumer,
Vinylbilt’s Web site provides valuable product information.
Visit us at www.vinylbiltshutters.ca.
For the fabricator, Vinylbilt offers fabrication software programs
covering order entry to fabrication. Most of our fabrication equipment
is fully integrated with the system and has the capabilities for
bar coding, scanning and wireless networking.
D&WC: Who are your customers?
Do you work through distributors or sell direct to the retailer?
What parts of the country do you service?
Hodges: Vinylbilt Shutters are primarily
sold to retail dealers and designers through a network of independent
fabricators. Vinylbilt has three fabricators in Canada, 11 fabricators
across the United States and two international customers.
In addition to the full Vinylbilt sales and marketing team, our
Vinylbilt fabricators utilize their own dealer sales force to take
our shutter product to market nationwide.
D&WC: Where do you see yourself
and your company five years from now? Are there additional areas
within the industry that you would like to get involved in?
Hodges: Vinylbilt will continue to lead
the shutter market in quality and product innovations including
upcoming special finishes, specialty shapes and motorization.
Our goal is to educate retail dealers and designers about the added
value and profitability that can be achieved by selling shutters,
specifically Vinylbilt Shutters.
D&WC: What are your strengths
in the marketplace? What are some of the key factors involved in
your growth and success?
Hodges: Vinylbilt provides a strong
vinyl shutter program that is unchallenged in today’s marketplace.
Traditionally, the number of potential shutter consumers was limited
due to installation application or cost. Our vinyl product enables
retailers and designers to offer virtually every consumer a superior
product that provides the classic look of wood shutters with ease
of installation and a high perceived value.
Consistent quality has been the driving force behind the success
of this proven product. For the past 13 years, Vinylbilt has provided
a beautiful finished product that is easy to install and maintain,
all at an extraordinary value. These qualities not only have been
the key to our success, but to the success and growth of our fabricators
and their retail dealers as well. The retail dealers and designers
that we meet in our seminars tell us that because Vinylbilt Shutters
meet all of their needs; it is the only shutter product they need
to offer.
The Vinylbilt program offers the fabricator the ability to provide
a high-quality shutter to the retail dealer or designer within 10
working days or less. The retail dealer or designer then has the
ability to exceed the consumer’s expectations by offering a
quality custom-made shutter in a time frame that is much shorter
than the typical six-week lead time for custom shutters.
D&WC: What distinguishes you
from the competition?
Hodges: For the dealer and designer, Vinylbilt offers a superior
shutter product with enhanced performance and value.
For the fabricator, Vinylbilt is a complete turn-key shutter program
combining equipment, product, training and marketing support with
13 years of market success.
D&WC: Do you offer any products
or services other than window coverings?
Hodges: Vinylbilt provides complete
equipment set-up and fabrication training as well as comprehensive
sales and installation education.
Vinylbilt partners with its fabricators to present dealer seminars
covering “Why & How to Sell Shutters” and basic to
advanced measuring and installation. Through our fabricators, we
have 17 seminars scheduled for the first half of 2005 in key markets
throughout the country.
Vinylbilt Shutter Systems
1327 Northbrook Pkwy.,
Ste. 410
Suwanee, GA 30024
(770) 995-2222
(877) 874-8877
fax: (770) 995-2237
www.vinylbiltshutters.ca
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