Fiber Composites buys Louisiana Pacific WPC plant

Composite construction material supplier, Fiber Composites LLC (New London, NC) has acquired Louisiana Pacific’s (LP) Meridian, ID manufacturing and distribution site, and the WeatherBest brand name, with the deal expected to close in October 2007. As part of the company’s growth strategy, Fiber Composites committed to regional production facilities, but since its inception in 1997, all manufacturing took place in North Carolina. The LP site is located on 18 acres in southwestern Idaho and includes a 175,000-sq-ft manufacturing plant. Fiber Composites says this purchase makes it the second largest manufacturer of composite decking and railing, behind Trex (Winchester, VA), with the highly fragmented U.S. industry currently consisting of more than 30 manufacturers.

Fiber Composites markets Fiberon decking, railing, and fencing composites, which consist of highly refined wood flour and a formula of virgin resin versus the recyclate applied by some competitors. The product comes in four colors with an embossed, deep-wood-grain texture. Fiber Composites estimated that decking in general will grow 3-5%/yr, with composites expanding at 30-40%.—tdeligio@modplas.com