Trex teams with local dealer

View larger image Frederick Block Brick & Stone Vice President Steve Slaughter Jr. holds samples of the Trex composite decking next to a new display in the company's showroom on Martinsburg Pike. Dennis Grundman/Daily View larger image Trex Transcend, the manufacturer's new ultra-low-maintenance product, comes in four colors: Tree House, Vintage Latern, Fire Pit and Gravel Path. Dennis Grundman/Daily

By James Heffernan - jheffernan@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- For fans of Trex's outdoor living products, there's a new dealer in town.

Frederick Block, Brick & Stone on Martinsburg Pike now features the manufacturer's entire portfolio, including Transcend, Trex's new line of ultra-low-maintenance decking and railing.

The agreement between the two Winchester-based companies enhances FBBS's selection of masonry and hardscapes, according to Vice President Steve Slaughter Jr.

"It fits in well with what we're doing," he said. "We were looking to get into the composite decking business. We have customers who may be putting in a patio, but they also want to put in a deck."

For Trex, the deal helps strengthen the company's local market presence, a goal of President and CEO Ron Kaplan's since his arrival in January 2008.

While Trex's sales have been strong in the greater Baltimore-Washington region, "[market] penetration in our own backyard is not where we'd like it to be," said Chris Gerhard, Trex's director of field sales.

The company's traditional distribution channels include contractors, lumberyards and home improvement stores like Lowe's and Home Depot. Locally, it also has an agreement with building supplier Norandex.

"Frederick Block Brick & Stone is a family-owned company with a proud history, and we're thrilled to be partnering with them," Gerhard said.

Trex makes composite decking, railing and trim from a proprietary mix of recycled materials, including plastic shopping bags, reclaimed wood and sawdust. The result is a product with the look and feel of real wood but that doesn't rot, warp, crack or splinter.

The Transcend line, which began shipping in January, is "a game-changing product that quite simply exceeds all other materials in the marketplace," according to Kaplan. It features a thick wood-grained shell designed to resist severe weather, heavy foot traffic, and everyday nicks and spills, and comes with a first-of-its-kind 25-year fade-and-stain warranty.

The company recently retrofitted some of its manufacturing lines to produce Transcend, and so far it hasn't disappointed. Demand for the new line helped fuel a 26 percent jump in year-over-year sales in the second quarter to $115.5 million, and railing sales reached an all-time high in June.

Gerhard said he's not surprised by the attention Transcend is receiving given the extensive research and development that went into it.

"There have been a lot of changes in our industry in the last few years," he said. "I think people were waiting for someone to come out with a product like this, and the market is now ready to accept it."

In Frederick Block Brick & Stone, Trex has found a home in one of the area's most impressive showrooms for outdoor living. In addition to Transcend, which FBBS will stock in four colors -- Tree House, Vintage Lantern, Fire Pit and Gravel Path -- customers can order from the manufacturer's Accents, Escapes, Brasilia and Contours lines.

Slaughter said the deal required some additional equipment and retraining of sales staff, but he is optimistic that it will pay off.

"Our customers can now create their dream backyard in one stop," he said.