CertainTeed Company History

Quality Made CERTAIN . . . Satisfaction GuaranTEED. More than
just a slogan, it’s our name. And since 1904, when the General
Roofing Manufacturing Company began producing asphalt
roofing materials, quality products and satisfied customers
have been the hallmark of CertainTeed Corporation.
One Man’s Dream
First established in 1904 by George M. Brown, the General
Roofing Manufacturing Company was created to produce a fire
resistant and less expensive alternative to wood shingles. In 1917,
the company changed its name to CertainTeed to reflect its
expanding product line and Brown’s business philosophy. In
1923, it began manufacturing gypsum wallboard for new home
construction.
During World War II, CertainTeed lent its extensive management
and production expertise to the war effort, but in 1946 began
investigating the potential of a new product—fiber glass
insulation. Within 10 years, CertainTeed was supplying roofing
materials, gypsum, and fiber glass insulation to the booming
construction industry and had established itself as a leader in
the country’s effort to supply affordable housing to former
GIs and their families.
In 1965, CertainTeed took its first step into PVC. Its later
acquisition of Plains Plastics made CertainTeed a major
manufacturer of plastic pipe. In 1969, the company
began offering solid vinyl (PVC) siding to builders and
contractors. A natural addition, vinyl siding incorporated the
company’s extensive research and development efforts in PVC
pipe, while expanding its building materials product line.
Today, CertainTeed is part of the worldwide Saint-Gobain
organization. Saint-Gobain is a global manufacturer and
distributor of flat glass, building products, glass containers
and high-performance materials.
With over 1,000 subsidiaries in more than 50 countries,
it is the world's largest building materials company and a
leading distributor of building products. Founded in 1665
and headquartered in Paris, France, Saint-Gobain had
worldwide sales of $64.4 billion in 2008 and employs
approximately 210,000 people. www.saint-gobain.com
Building Products Today
The Siding Products Group, which supplies siding and
accessories, is just one of a number of operating groups that
make up CertainTeed Corporation. The Siding Products Group
includes a polymer plant that manufactures Certavin,™
CertainTeed’s proprietary PVC resin. This resin is used by
the Pipe and Plastics Group in the production of its PVC pipe
as well as by the Siding Products Group to manufacture vinyl
siding and accessories.
Because of this vertical integration, CertainTeed is the only
supplier of vinyl building products that controls the entire
process from raw materials, machinery, manufacturing, sales,
and marketing through to you. CertainTeed’s polymer plant in
Louisiana and three PVC extrusion plants ensure consistently
high quality raw materials and building products for its
customers nationwide.
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CertainTeed Vinyl Siding Master Craftsman Education & Development Program
2. Company History
Objectives
This chapter will give you some insight into the history
of CertainTeed:
• Beginnings
• Commitment to vinyl siding products
• Commitment to quality
Today, among approximately 9 manufacturers and over 30
brand names, CertainTeed is number one in sales of vinyl siding
and accessories. More importantly, CertainTeed siding products
have consistently landed at the top when building products are
rated by trade magazines such as Builder, Remodeling, and
Residential Architect.
In the years to come, you can expect the Siding Products Group
and CertainTeed Corporation to continue its ongoing search
for innovative products that will keep it—and you—out in
front of the competition and a perennial favorite of builder’s
and homeowners.
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CertainTeed Vinyl Siding Master Craftsman Education & Development Program
Summary
• CertainTeed was established in 1904 to produce a
fire-resistant roofing shingle and quickly grew into a
manufacturer of building supplies.
• In 1969, CertainTeed began offering solid vinyl siding to
builders and contractors.
• CertainTeed is one of the few vertically integrated suppliers
of vinyl siding in the market today.
• CertainTeed siding products consistently land at the top
when rated by building trade magazines.