ITW ACQUIRES SPEEDY PRODUCTS
ITW Buildex, Itasca, IL, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Speedy Products, Inc., North Saint Paul, MN, effective January 31, 2002. The transaction complements the existing product lines offered by Buildex while expanding its traditional markets to include the fire protection, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and cabling trades.

Ramunas Venclovas, general manager, praised the combination of product lines as “an excellent strategic fit for our business as we continue to provide innovative and labor saving products to the construction market.” Known to the trades as Sammys™, the threaded rod anchoring system offers labor efficiencies to contractors for vertical and horizontal installation in wood, steel, concrete and drywall.

Dennis Wiles, national sales and marketing manager, anticipates “deeper market penetration within existing Buildex channels, as well as within the fire protection market, based on the excellent reputation of the Sammy products.”

ALL POINTS GRANTED PATENT FOR COMBINATION BOLT
All Points Screw, Bolt & Specialty Co, Pompano Beach, FL, has been awarded a patent from the United States Patent Office for its Combination Sidewalk Bolt. Sidewalk bolts are used in the hurricane protection industry to attach hurricane panels and tracks to exterior structures.

The Combo Sidewalk Bolt embraces a flat, low-profile head. It may be installed using either a slotted or Phillips bit. The Phillips drive greatly speeds the installation of the bolt. The combination slotted/Phillips aspect of the bolt allows a second option should one of the drives experience stripping.

All Points Screw, Bolt & Specialty Co. is a full-line fastener manufacturer specializing in the hurricane protection and aluminum industry.

PGT PARTNERS WITH FLASH
PGT Industries, Sarasota, FL, has been named a strategic partner of the Florida Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), a Tallahassee, FL-based non-profit charitable organization dedicated to disaster safety education.

As a partner, PT executives will provide technical support to FLASH staff as well as provide materials and expertise for demonstration projects such as FLASH’s Blueprint for Safety consumer and builder educational outreach program.
Upcoming partnership projects will include demonstration homes in Jacksonville and Ormond Beach, FL, in which PGT’s WinGuard impact-resistant windows and doors will be featured, as well as a CILB-registered provider course entitled “Structural Changes in the New Florida Building Code and Designing for Wind-borne Debris Protection.”

PELLA™ INTRODUCES HURRICANE-RESISTANT WINDOWS, DOORS
After years of design and development Pella, Pella, IA, is introducing hurricane-resistant windows and doors that are Dade County Florida certified.

The hurricane-resistant windows and doors feature an advanced polymer interlayer present between two sheets of glass. This technology does more than meet strict code requirements it also offers larger unit sizes (up to 50 square feet), higher design pressure (DP) ratings, a dual glazing system that maximizes energy-efficiency and visual quality, the company says.

Studies conducted following Hurricane Andrew indicated that much building damage was caused by window and door failure. When windows or doors fail, hurricane-force winds enter a home causing the walls and roof to be forced out. In test after test, Pella’s hurricane-resistant windows and doors withstood the impact of a nine-pound two-by-four piece of lumber hurled at 34 mph.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
Ocean Shutters Mfg. Inc. was incorrectly identified in a list of exhibitors for the World of Hurricane Protection Trade Show and Conference in a brochure produced and distributed by Hurricane Protection magazine. We regret the error.

Ocean Shutters Mfg. Inc. will exhibit at the show in booth 715.

EXTERIOR WALL EXPERT FEATURED AT TWO BUILDING TRADE EVENTS
Mark Baker, president of IBA Consultants, Miami, FL, and an international curtain wall and glazing expert, was the featured speaker at two recent building trade annual events. Baker spoke on the new Florida Building Code and job site testing at the Ft. Lauderdale Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute at the end of January and on structural glazing failure at ASTM’s Ninth Symposium on Science and Technology of Building Seals, Glazing and Waterproofing in February.

With more than 15 years of experience with exterior wall systems, Baker is considered an expert in the investigation of high-rise cladding failures, investigation and documenting deficiencies, preparing specifications for remedial work and inspecting and testing repair work.

IBA Consultants are renowned exterior wall, roofing and waterproofing specialists offering review, inspection and testing services to architects, developers, owners and construction managers in the high-rise construction industry.

BRENNAN JOINS POMA
Ron Brennan has joined Poma Corp., West Palm Beach, FL, as its new director of sales and marketing for the shutter division. In his new post, Brennan will be responsible for expanding the company’s line of custom aluminum products as well as opening new channels of distribution.

Brennan has almost 30 years of experience in the hurricane shutter business. He began working for Bernardo Aluminum during the early 1970s and has stayed directly involved with the industry ever since. He was president of Florida Shutters, Inc., Vero Beach, prior to relocating to the Palm Beach area.