NADRA Consumer Product Awareness Charter Update

By: David Elenbaum, NADRA National Director

(864)-371-9697

Decking Industry Pros:
As you all know me, I’ll promise to cut right to the chase and tell you what I’m thinking without adding time consuming pleasantries,

Previously and at my request, Michael Beaudry sent you a letter and presentation on our CPAC program concept (If you can’t find it, let us know). In that letter and presentation there were details of how the CPAC program will take shape and why it is important to our industry. This program stems from a basic discussion at a Principia Conference involving standardizing test protocols. During this discussion, I took on the challenge along with NADRA’s help to begin to develop this program into what it is today. It’s not rocket science, it simply takes what you are doing already, steamlines it for you, put’s it into a nifty program with a big fat rubber stamp from your industry, and allows your customers to see that you are responsible.

As an outdoor living contractor and owner of a retail building supply, I have an understanding of the need to have this program. Guys, when it comes down to your products, there is no program that certifies what you tell us about them is true. There is no way of knowing that the product has met the specs, and there is no way of knowing if what we are repeating to our customer is factual information. I am not implying that anyone here is lying about board performance or test data, but let’s say someone was. How would that have an effect on my business? On yours? On our industry? It has happened before, and all of you have reps who say the other guys stuff is crap because of this, this, and that….. It’s time for those days to end.

Over the years, we have seen a multitude of product enter the industry and fail. We have seen a multitude of “garage extruders” make up their own rules and compete. I have seen decking that came apart, disintegrated, faded to white, or just plain looks like garbage after a few years. All those companies promised me that they had a good product and have good test data. And, yes, I am seeing this today in capstocks.

I am asking YOU to help us. To help yourselves. My committee needs money to get this program off the ground. We need it to pay for Jeri and her work, to prepare the materials to boost the program, to set up the process. Guys, WE (you and us) need this program. Please don’t wait to see who’s in before committing, please help pull the rope and get on board now. I have already pledged money and have pumped time into this over the past 3 years.

I am asking this of you not only as a friend, an industry colleague, or expert in the industry. I am asking this of you as a customer, and most of all, a responsible deck builder.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or to discuss your role in the committee and program. If you are not the right person, tell me who is and I’ll beat their door down. We are going to have a meeting at Deck Expo about this as well. Information will be shared with you so you may attend.

Now you can see why I normally ask Michael to speak for me. He softens it a bit.

Thanks Guys,

David Elenbaum
davidelenbaum@gmail.com
(864)-371-9697