Contractor’s Corner: O.C. Taylor, LLC in Raleigh, North Carolina

It was January of 2015. I was working in sales for a large remodeling company in North Carolina when I received a call from a factory rep named Bo. Bo represented a large, well-established company called Louisiana-Pacific and wanted to talk to me about an engineered wood strand siding product called LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding.

I had heard about this product from our main fiber cement manufacturer months before, and had even attended a presentation attacking this “new” wood product. If memory serves me well, they claimed it would swell, rot, attract woodpeckers, lower your resale value and was possibly responsible for climate change (well, maybe not that last part). Having been in sales for 20 years, all this money and effort on their part actually made me more curious. What were they afraid of?

The Bait

Bo graciously invited me to tour their facility in Two Harbors, MN. The tour was to take place in February. As a lifetime resident of North Carolina, I was pretty sure the temperature was below freezing in Minnesota during February. “Thanks, but maybe when it gets warmer” was my initial reply – until he elaborated that there could be a snowmobile excursion planned as well. Quickly my mind envisioned myself traveling the frozen tundra alone with herds of elk around every corner, just like on TV! I quickly informed him that my schedule was open and I would love to attend. At the time, I was thinking, “Why not get first-hand information on how to sell against this SmartSide product?”

The Tour

Once we arrived in Minnesota, I quickly learned a couple of things. First, it is unwise to rely on dress socks for warmth when the temperature is below freezing. Second, the staff and representatives of Louisiana-Pacific are truly nice and friendly. They made us feel as if we were valued partners and not just another channel for distribution.

Upon touring their forest areas (by snowmobile, of course), I learned much about the Aspen trees that make up the LP strand product. No need to replant (each tree is technically part of the same organism and self-propagates at the cut stump) and the wood is naturally rot-resistant.

Touring the factory, we witnessed all the steps and processes involved in producing SmartSide siding. The additives and binders that make it perform as designed, the durability tests and quality control features, the warranty (that was 20 years longer than my current siding provider and even had a five-year labor component!). I learned how their warranty has not changed repeatedly, unlike my other supplier. Needless to say, I was impressed.

After the tour, I inquired as to why we were just hearing about SmartSide products in North Carolina. Apparently, it has been on the market since 1996 and only recently has the manufacturing capacity opened up to serve my market. In fact, they use a test site in Hilo, Hawaii, to test for resistance to rain and termites. (Hey Bo, when can we go there?)

Conclusion

Upon returning, I drew up a plan to offer LP SmartSide siding to my clients. I attended the LP BuildSmart training, put together my presentation and have not looked back. In my area, there are dozens of remodelers quoting fiber cement to replace Masonite every day. Now, I have a product with a better warranty, richer texture, longer length and impact resistance. Thank you, Louisiana-Pacific, for my education and support!

Images courtesy of O.C. Taylor, LLC