Former military housing converted to rental home `paradise`

Vol. 6, Issue 2 • Spring/Summer 2010
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Green Scene
Understanding Indoor Air Quality and its
Importance for Building & Remodeling
Page 2
Design Trends
Keep Pace with Pionite’s Motion Collection
Page 3
The Home Depot puts Valencia in the
Spotlight with Premium Stocking Profiles
Page 3
CounterTopics Trivia
Take this challenge for a chance to win a VT prize.
Page 4
Service Update
VT Industries offers Continuing Education Course
Page 4
Continuous Improvement Teams Improve Processes
Page 4
Fabricator’s Forum
Article Submitted by: Island Home Building Materials
You know you’re in paradise when the project you
are supplying VT countertops for features sunny
skies almost everyday of the year with temperatures
in the mid-70’s to mid-80’s and you can see Diamond
Head in the background.
The project is named Kalaeloa and is located on
the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. Part of a three phase
rental housing development by Carmel Partners,
this project is converting former military housing
for civilian use. Carmel acquired the property in
2006 with work to upgrade the units beginning in
2008. The scope of work includes remodeling the
kitchens and baths, installing new drywall, new
floors and new paint for the interiors and exteriors
of the buildings. Lush and vibrant landscaping was
also added.
Land is at a premium since Oahu is an island and
there is only so much land for development. When
the military turned the property over, developers
arrived and several large projects got underway in
an area formerly known as Barber’s Point. Kalaeloa,
a Hawaiian word meaning “The Long Point” sets
itself apart from the other projects with vibrant
landscapes and spacious rental homes that define a
true island lifestyle.
Fabrication Skills on Display.
Page 4
PERSPECTIVES
By Trisha Clausen-Schmitt
Vice President of Corporate Marketing
This past Spring has been a busy season for VT as
we have been busy preparing for the Kitchen and
Bath Industry Show (KBIS), and the launch of our
new advertising campaign as well as introducing our
PRO Team members to the advantages of a VT hosted
microsite.
Kitchen and Bath Industry Show
The world’s largest tradeshow dedicated solely to
the kitchen and bath, KBIS, was held in Chicago on
April 16-18, 2010. VT emphasized our commitment
to our fabricator customers and to providing the
kitchen and bath industry with beautiful and durable
countertop solutions by showcasing both our Fine
Laminate Countertop product line as well as our Stone
Surfaces product lines.
Former Military Housing Converted
to Rental Home ‘Paradise’
With over 37,000 people in
attendance, our booth saw ample traffic as attendance
was up nearly 30% from the previous year. We had a
Marsh has used VT Countertops before and wanted
them for the Kalaeloa project. “We really like the
Labrador Granite pattern because it is the perfect
compliment to the cabinetry we selected,” says
Marsh.
Island Home Building Materials, a full-service
building materials supplier that offers countertops,
cabinetry, windows and doors, was there to meet
Kalaeloa and Marsh’s needs. “We have worked
with Island Home before and found that they have
great products, such as the VT Countertops, at very
competitive prices so we contacted them to help
us with these renovations,” said Marsh. In addition
of the VT Countertops, Island Home also supplied
the project with all wood traditional style shaker
cabinets.
About Carmel Partners
Carmel Partners was founded in Colorado in 1965
and was family operated. Today Carmel has more
than 600 professionals and owns and operates more
than 18,000 apartment homes in Hawaii, Seattle,
California, Denver, Washington DC and Virginia.
Located about 35 miles from congested Waikiki,
Kalaeloa offers three communities: the 280 unit
Makai, the 120 unit Kaimana and the 105 unit
Kaimana. Home sizes range from townhome-style
units, duplex apartments, and two, three and
four bedroom units. All three communities are
conveniently located near shopping, restaurants,
schools and prized golf courses. Eleven different
floor plans are offered with generous square
footages, full sized washers and dryers and large
entertaining areas that are perfect for Hawaiian
style outdoor entertaining. Central air conditioning
makes it comfortable for the occasional hot and
humid summer days. For active residents there is a
workout facility, basketball courts, tennis courts, a
baseball diamond and meandering paths for walkers.
And, a stunning white sand beach is just a mile away.
Richard Marsh, Capital Improvements Supervisor
for Carmel, runs the renovation program converting
drab military housing into the attractive and tropical
styled rental residences. He works with a staff of
nine making up a team that Marsh says is the “nicest
bunch of people anyone could hope to work with.”
The Kalaeloa kitchens feature VT’s Caprice edge profile and
Formica’s Labrador Granite laminate.
steady flow of attendees in our booth, and we feel the
quality of the leads were some of the best we’ve seen.
2010 Advertising Campaign
In the April and May editions of Builder and Kitchen
and Bath Design News we introduced the two new ads
for our 2010 advertising campaign. These eye-catching
new ads feature two distinctly beautiful landscapes
which blend seamlessly into postformed laminate
countertops and tout the environmentally friendliness
of the product.
Pro Team Microsites
In an effort to promote our Pro Team fabricator
network, VT Industries has introduced the concept of
Microsites as a promotional and educational tool for
Pro Team members who may not have a website or as
an extension of their own website.
continued on page 2
The Kalaeloa rental homes reflect the true island lifestyle complete
with lush and vibrant landscaping.
All wood traditional shaker style cabinets are perfectly complimented
by the Labrador Granite laminate countertops.
GREEN SCENE
Understanding Indoor Air Quality and its Importance
for Building & Remodeling
By Rachel R. Belew
Consultant
GreenGuard
Indoor air quality is one of the most important components
of healthy, sustainable building and remodeling. Here’s what
you need to know to ensure cleaner indoor air and healthier
occupants—and why you should care.
more polluted following renovation, cleaning, or new
construction.
The issue of IAQ is more concerning today than ever
before. Growing concerns about climate change and
What is indoor air quality (IAQ)?
environmental sustainability have prompted many of
Indoor air quality (IAQ) refers to the quality of the air
us take measures to protect our natural resources,
we breathe inside our homes, offices, classrooms, and
like energy, and reduce outdoor pollution. Moreover,
other buildings. Scientific research has shown that the
the genesis of green building rating systems, like the
cleaner the air we breathe, the healthier our minds and
U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in
bodies. On the other hand, poor IAQ can lead to or
Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program,
worsen a myriad of health problems, including upper
has spawned unprecedented growth in sustainable,
respiratory complications, nosebleeds, nausea, asthma,
environmentally-sensitive building practices.
and possibly even cancer.
while these are certainly worthwhile causes, we often
Children are particularly
Yet,
susceptible to these IAQ-related health risks because
compromise our indoor environment through our
they breathe in more air relative to their body size than
efforts to save the outdoor environment—without
adults, and because their bodies are still developing.
even realizing it. Energy efficiency is a good example:
“Indoor air pollution is a very serious—and common—
actually creating an airtight bubble that traps harmful
health threat,” says Gail Vittori, co-coordinator of the
Green Guide for Health Care and co-director of the
Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems, a
nonprofit sustainable planning and design firm. “It’s
understandable that people generally assume that the
by sealing up our buildings to save energy, we’re
VOCs and other pollutants inside.
Certain recycled
content products can also be a source of concern, as—
depending on the material—they, too, can emit a slew
of chemicals into the air we breathe.
buildings in which we live, work, learn, and heal are
“It’s imperative that we make our health—and our
safe and healthy environments; however, there’s ample
family’s, and our employees’, and our tenants’—a
evidence that indicates that’s not always the case.”
priority above anything else,” Bloech says.
“What
good is a beautiful-looking ‘green’ room or building if,
ultimately, it harms the people inside it?”
What causes poor IAQ?
One of the main sources of indoor air pollution is
volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
organic
compounds
are
Most volatile
human-made
chemicals
that are used to manufacture and maintain building
materials, furniture, cleaning products, and personal
care products.
“Volatile” means that the chemicals
can easily enter the air at room temperature; “organic”
means that they’re carbon-based. VOCs emit from the
products we encounter every day—from our drywall
and paint to our flooring and tiles to our furniture and
electronics. Even so-called “green,” “sustainable,” “ecofriendly,” or “environmentally preferable” products on
the market today can emit VOCs. And many VOCs are
toxic in high concentrations, such as formaldehyde, a
known carcinogen that can emit from certain fiberglass
insulation and engineered wood products.
How to ensure good IAQ
Experts agree that the best way to reduce indoor
air pollution and create cleaner, healthier indoor
environments is to manage the source of the pollution.
Start by choosing products that have been scientifically
certified for low chemical emissions by third-party,
independent organizations like the GREENGUARD
Environmental Institute. Third-party certifiers serve as
unbiased watchdogs in the marketplace and can help
you determine which “green” claims are legitimate and
which are not. Be wary of manufacturer or industry
claims that a product is “green” or “environmentally
preferred”; often, these marketing claims are overstated
and/or unsubstantiated.
“In most cases, achieving good indoor air quality
doesn’t require a total overhaul of a room or building,
Why should you care about IAQ?
People spend 85 to 90-percent of their time indoors—
but it does require awareness and due diligence,” says
Bloech.
“As long as you follow these simple steps,
whether it’s at home, in the office, at school, at the
you’re well on your way to creating a cleaner, healthier
doctor’s office, or at the grocery store. And according
indoor environment.”
to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
indoor air is two to five times more polluted than in
the outdoor environment. It can be up to 100 times
Perspectives
For more information on indoor air quality and lowemitting products, visit www.greenguard.org.
continued from page 1
Search engines have become an extremely popular
and efficient way to find products and services. VT is
investing in our PRO Team network via microsites to drive
consumers to experience the expertise and quality of a
professionally installed postformed laminate countertop
experience.
These microsites will give a brief overview of your
company’s services, products, service area, important
links to website, social media outlets, vendor sites, etc…,
as well as show photos of your showroom or photos of
completed projects or other photos of interest which add
the important visual element to your company’s listing.
For more information about VT’s Pro Team microsites,
please contact Jennifer Witzke at 800.827.1615 ext 363 or
[email protected].
VT INDUSTRIES’ new countertop ads for
the 2010 advertising campaign.
2
The Home Depot puts Valencia in the
Spotlight with Premium Stocking Profiles
Recently, The Home Depot re-evaluated their
stocking postformed laminate countertop offerings.
During this re-evaluation, The Home Depot looked at
both the stock laminate colors as well as the stocking
edge profiles. They have since added Wilsonart’s
Milano Rosso laminate paired with the Valencia
edge profile, Wilsonart’s Jeweled Coral laminate also
paired with the Valencia edge profile.
This refresh is very exciting, as buyer decisions are
influenced by home center stocking items. When
consumers are going through the decision-making
process, they are influenced by items they see in-stock
and on display in retail locations, including home
centers. John Bowling, vice president of home center
sales notes, “By the last week in September the stock
countertop refresh will be complete and available to
consumers in all store locations. Congratulations to
The Home Depot for leading the home improvement
industry, and unfolding the growth for VT’s Valencia
edge profile.”
In many cases our fabricator customers have teamed
up with The Home Depot to fabricate and install
the blanks purchased from The Home Depot already.
It’s no secret; Valencia, Barcelona, and Geneva are
“hot” in the countertop market and are only gaining
momentum. With your support, we see this as a great
opportunity to raise awareness and sell the features
of the premium edge profiles, promote the value
added features of our premium edge profiles paired
with premium laminates, and raise the bar in terms
of quality and satisfaction. “This refresh by The Home
Depot allows us to really show off how great VT’s
postformed premium edges look when paired with
premium laminates on a national stage,” explains
Doug Clausen, VT Industries President & CEO.
DESIGN TRENDS
The Home Depot countertop display featuring VT countertop blanks and accessories.
One way PRO Team members can capitalize
on Valencia’s national exposure is by creating a
personalized Microsite hosted by VT Industries. This
microsite will tie-in directly with the current PRO
Team map on VT’s website and will provide the
consumer who is looking to purchase VT Postformed
laminate countertops in their area with additional
information about your company, examples and
photos of completed jobs, and of course contact
information directly from our website. For more
information about VT Pro Team Microsites, please
contact your Territory Sales Manager.
Keep Pace with Pionite’s Motion Collection
Created with the commercial segment in mind, the
Motion collection from Pionite® Decorative Surfaces
offers 21 new patterns and was designed to keep pace
with the creativity, mobile lifestyles, and the constantly
evolving tastes of Americans in the 21st century. Director
of Marketing and Design, David Bell, explains, “We
developed the Motion line to keep pace with people’s
creative vision. That means different things to different
Motion! Twenty-one new colors from Pionite
inspired by America’s active and mobile
lifestyle. Whether it’s the realism of natural
woodgrain in Looks Likatre, the retro
feel of Crisscross or the subtle hue of Ice
Fishin,These unique colors and designs will
keep pace with your creative vision.
AT700 Groundswell
AO360 Summer Hea
t Wave
people because creativity is constantly changing and
moving forward.”
The overall feel of the motion collection blends the
g Star
AG041 Shootin
flair of a contemporary color palette with the comfort
and familiar feel of traditional textures and patterns.
For example, the colors Groundswell – a complex bronze,
Shooting Star – a deep grey, and Summer Heat Wave – a
radiant orange all embody action and dynamism. On the
contrary, a warm brown named Days End and a botanical
green called Tropical Getaway suggest serenity and calm
WX110 Smooth Paddlin
and a pause before re-entering the fast-paced lifestyle
of today.
AV110 Tropical Getaway
The Motion collection features a variety of patterns,
including near solids, translucent weaves, engineered
AT430 Days End
woods, and wood grains. Texmetals, a unique segment
within the Motion collection blends the look of textiles
and metals, as the name suggests as well as Compustone
patterns that are computer-enhanced quartz designs. The
overall look and feel of the collection varies from realistic
to retro to bold which means the selections fit a broad
range of applications including education, health care,
hospitality, commercial, and more.
With the addition of the Motion collection, Pionite®
now offers in excess of 250 high pressure decorative
laminate design options. For more information about the
Motion Collection or Pionite® Decorative Surfaces, please
visit www.panolam.com.
3
Answer this question based on this issue of
CounterTopics for a chance to win a VT prize.
View the newsletter on VT’s Web site at
www.vtindustries.com/trivia and submit the
correct answer by filling in your contact information
electronically by October 1, 2010. Limit one entry per
person, and one winning per year.
QUESTION:
Why won’t the special order screen take my factory color?
ANSWER:
When entering a factory color be sure to move to the
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key- using the tab key will result in the system pulling
up the color closest to your manual entry.
countertopics
true or false? VT Industries’ Continuing
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American Institute of Architects Continuing
Education System?
Our interactive team of experts will diagnose your
symptoms and offer their prescription for online relief.
Vol. 6. Issue 2 • Spring/Summer 2010
Congratulations to Barry Cameron, who works in the
Post Form Department at Apex Cabinet Company,
Apex, NC. He answered last Issue question correctly,
True, VT Industries will be hosting eight Kitchen &
Bath Design (KBDN) seminars in 2010. Barry won a
VT prize for the correct answer.
VTonline®
User Tip
As part of our commitment
®
to enhance your VTonline
experience throughongoing
training and education, we
invite you to participate in
VTonline by submitting your
questions or comments to:
[email protected].
VT Industries INc.
1000 Industrial Park
P.O. Box 490
Holstein, IA 51025
CounterTopics
Trivia Question
VT employees and sales representatives are excluded from this promotion.
SERVICE UPDATE
Fabricator’s Forum
VT Industries offers Continuing
Education Course
Fabrication Skills
on Display
Looking for a way to dialogue with architects about
postformed laminate countertops? Let your VT Territory
Sales Manager present this hour-long course to architects
and get the conversation started! Specifying Postformed
Laminate Countertops, VTI Course 404, is a great way
to interact with architects, general contractors, and can
even be used as a tool to help educate salespeople of the
benefits of postformed laminate countertops.
professionals as well as promote your company in an
intimate setting.
This course has been registered with the American
Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems
(AIA/CES). This makes this course very attractive to
architects because they are required to earn a specified
amount of continuing education credits to maintain
their membership in these professional groups. Upon
This course aims to increase the knowledge of laminate,
completion of the course, one credit will be earned and
substrates, and the postforming countertop process.
reported to CES Records for AIA members. For non-AIA
Additionally, this course will summarize the environmental
members certificates of completion are available upon
qualities and explore the advantages of postformed
request.
laminate countertops. Generally presented in a lunch and
learn format, this is a great way to educate architects,
general contractors, and others about postformed
laminate countertops in about an hour. Additionally, it
If you are interested, please contact your Territory Sales
Manager for more information about the course and for
scheduling details.
is a great opportunity to network with fellow building
Recently, the Babcock Lumber branch located in
Hubbard, Ohio created a show booth for a vendor
show they attended. Manager, Doug DeTal built
the entire display from VT products including
the flower vase; even the back panel was built
using VT pallets. The crown molding at the top
of the booth features recessed lighting and was
constructed using two tops stacked on top of one
another. Formica’s Golden Mascarello and Blue
Storm laminates were used with VT’s Valencia
edge profile throughout the booth.
“We wanted to really show off our fabrication
skills and Formica’s 180FX laminate,” explains
Kathy Balsamico, Product Sales Manager, Babcock
Lumber. The booth was definitely a hit at the
show. “Everyone was amazed that it was laminate,
and postformed. Some even thought it was
granite,” notes Balsamico.
Continuous Improvement Teams
Improve Processes
Continuous Improvement events are taking place across
our employees in terms of a diminished accident rate,
the country at all six of VT’s domestic postformed
less scrap, and standardization of practices across all
laminate countertop manufacturing facilities. In the
manufacturing facilities. As a company we are driven to
third quarter of 2009, VT Industries took an aggressive
provide the finest products, on time, and at a fair price.
step in improving efficiency and quality within our
With the addition of the Continuous Improvement leaders
manufacturing processes, by assembling a continuous
and teams, VT Industries is ensuring these goals are being
improvement leadership team. This team, consisting of
achieved and our partnerships with our customers are
six individual team leaders, one from each manufacturing
being strengthened as a result.
facility, has come together to improve quality, focus on
lean initiatives, and to define standard work processes.
To date the group has held more than 22 Kaizen events.
During these Kaizen events, a singular production process
is examined and a team of employees and continuous
improvement leaders work together to eliminate
inconsistencies in the manufacturing process, reduce
scrap, improve efficiency, and create standard work for
that process. After the Kaizen event has taken place, the
leaders then continue to monitor the improved process
and measure the throughput.
With our investment in continuous improvement, the
goal is to ultimately improve quality, delivery and service,
as well as providing an ultra-consistent product, with
shorter lead times to better accommodate our customers.
The rewards are also of benefit to VT Industries and
VT West General Manager, Ryan Miller adds the finishing touches to
a protective guard on a countertop line as a result of a continuous
improvement initative.
Babcock Lumber’s show booth made from VT postformed
laminate countertops.
1.800.827.1615 EXT. 564
F 712.368.4111
WWW.VTINDUSTRIES.COM/DOORS