DuraLife decking makes production upgrades
DuraLife by Barrette Outdoor Living has made a multi-million dollar investment in upgrades at its Biddeford, Maine facility to double the production of composite decking materials in 2021.
The company said that the investment in equipment and manpower will provide a premium service to its customers by ensuring all needs will be met within a two-week distribution lead-time.
As part of these upgrades, new state-of-the-art automated equipment and multiple extrusion lines have been added at the plant to optimize efficiencies in the production process, allowing for faster production of deck boards. This new equipment will also offer operators the ability to more efficiently monitor and track line performance ensuring there is no compromise to quality.
In addition to its investment in machinery, DuraLife has also added 65,000 square feet to its supply yard to provide storage for the additional volume of decking being produced. Operations at the plant have also moved to 24/7 — increasing shifts from two to three, seven days a week.
The extra manpower has not only contributed to increased production but has also created more than 30 new jobs in Biddeford and the surrounding area, the company said.
“The investment in our DuraLife facility is significant and enables us to achieve faster speed without compromising the quality of our decking products and the addition of manpower to our workforce is a win-win for our company and for the local community,” said Sylvain Bellemare, vice president of engineering and process improvement at Barrette Outdoor Living.
Barrette Outdoor Living supplies exterior home products to the residential market, including vinyl, aluminum and steel fence and railing; composite decking; and other outdoor products sold through specialty retailers, home centers and lumberyards. Barrette Outdoor Living employs more than 2,000 people at 10 locations throughout the United States and at its distribution center in Canada.
DuraLife, acquired by Barrette Outdoor Living in 2018, operates a 100,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility in Biddeford.