LOCKHART, Texas – Ankmar Door has opened a dedicated facility for the production of its CladPanel garage doors in Lockhart, Texas, south of Austin.
According to Greg Clarke, Ankmar president and CEO, "This is part of a progressive – and aggressive – initiative by Ankmar to promote our signature CladPanel products on a market-by-market basis. By placing a fabrication center in the heart of Texas' thriving residential building industry, we are bringing our product to market in the most effective and streamlined manner possible.”
CladPanel doors are a cost-conscious "Certified Green" alternative to traditional wooden doors. The doors are made of unused Douglas fir recovered from mills and fused with exterior grade resins and waxes to create a homogeneous composite wood panel, finished by a front and back surface comprised of recycled newsprint.
“These doors are tough, rugged and durable: Texas tough and built to last,” says Tom Sojak, Ankmar senior vice president. "While the steel door business continues to be plagued by price cutting, we are focusing our efforts where our strength is greatest: a superior garage door with all the aesthetics, strength and durability of wood, but with significantly less warping, splitting or cracking.
"There are several key benefits inherent to CladPanel's market niche," Sojak reports. "First is, of course, aesthetics. CladPanel doors reflect popular garage door styles such as carriage house and can be painted or two-toned to bring out the architectural features of the home. There's also the booming "green builder" market that identifies with CladPanel's SCS Certification for 100 percent Recycled Content.
"And, of course, there's price. For homeowners and builders, there's the prestige of a wooden door, but at tremendous savings. For installers, CladPanel doors represent a potential area for profit and competitiveness."