Hurd Windows & Doors subsidiary Superseal to complete new vinyl window manufacturing plant in Merrill, Wisconsin, in early fall; facility will expand service to Midwest, western U.S., international consumers

Lorena Madrigal

MEDFORD, Wisconsin , July 13, 2011 (press release) – Hurd Windows and Doors announced that its subsidiary Superseal Windows and Doors will expand its manufacturing footprint and market presence with a new facility in Merrill, Wisconsin. 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 for the residential and light construction markets.

Hurd purchased Superseal, which already had a manufacturing facility in South Plainfield, N.J., in January 2011. The addition of the new plant is considered a strategic move to expand beyond Superseal's east coast focus -- to better serve product demand for its broad line of highly energy efficient vinyl windows in the Midwest and western U.S. and international markets. The expansion represents 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 Superseal products. With the new branding, Hurd began to more aggressively market the Superseal product line with all new collateral, as well as point of sale and promotional materials.

President and CEO of Hurd Windows and Doors Dominic Truniger explained that, while the new home market has yet to fully recover from the economic downturn, the company is flourishing. "Demand for the product is there. Customers are excited to buy our vinyl windows and patio doors all over the U.S. and internationally," said Truniger. "This expansion will accomplish the dual purpose of building the Superseal brand, while improving distribution efficiency through consolidated shipping of Hurd and Superseal products."

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. The company is 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.

The company's presence in Merrill is fitting, as the city already benefits from a diverse industrial and manufacturing base. Local municipal elected officials were instrumental in persuading Hurd management as to why this community was ultimately the right choice for the plant. Mayor Bill Bialecki worked tirelessly to draw Hurd's attention with the help of Rep. Sean Duffy (R) of the 7th District of Wisconsin and Rep. Tom Tiffany (R) of the Wisconsin 35th State Assembly.

"I was elected to fulfill a mission of expanding growth in Merrill and bringing in new jobs," Bialecki said. "Though there is still some work to do, this is another step in the right direction towards accomplishing both of those tasks."

"Job creation and getting the economy growing are important to the district and my top priority in Congress," said Duffy. "My staff and I stand ready to help attract and support great companies like Hurd and Superseal in their efforts to put our communities back to work. Ultimately, this announcement reflects what we already know: we have some of the hardest workers right here in Central Wisconsin and we will see more sustainable job growth if we continue to empower businesses to invest in communities like Merrill."

"The economy and new jobs are important to the district I represent and to my work in Congress," said Duffy. "I want to do what I can to attract and expand great companies like Hurd and Superseal to deserving communities like Merrill. There are people already living in the area with the skills to fulfill these needed positions and this major announcement by Hurd is a significant step in returning this area to higher levels of employment."

Representative Tiffany added, "Hurd has been part of the fabric of the Wisconsin community for decades. It was only natural for them to think of our state first when they considered expanding and creating more jobs. The undeniable attractiveness of Merrill did the rest."

Planning for the integration into the Merrill facility is currently underway, with the completion slated for early fall 2011.

ABOUT SUPERSEAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Celebrating 50 years in business, Superseal Window and Door Company is based in South Plainview, NJ. The company has set the standards for top-quality products and exceptional service in the vinyl window and door industry. Unlike ordinary vinyl lines, Superseal offers consumers an unlimited number of exterior painted colors and superior energy performance, best demonstrated by their flagship R5 rated 1100 series double hung.For more information, call 800-521-6704 or visit www.Supersealwindows.com.

ABOUT HURD WINDOWS & DOORS.
HWD Acquisition, Inc. is headquartered in Medford, Wisconsin. The company markets products under the Hurd brand, which is recognized for its 90-plus year tradition of building custom wood windows and doors to the highest standards of excellence and quality. Hurd products are sold exclusively through more than 400 distributors in the United States and Canada, and in 20 countries worldwide. With factories in Medford and Merrill, Wisconsin, Hurd products are manufactured in 600,000 square feet of production space. For more information, visit www.hurd.com. Toll free: 1-800-433-4873.

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