Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/401422
Vinyl Manufacturers Association steering committee chair reports to the industry The following is an open letter from current VMA steering committee chair Peter E. Williams Jr. on the or- ganization's 2014 activities and plans for the year ahead. We just concluded our 2015 mid- year meeting for the Vinyl Manufac- tures Association (VMA) in Plano, Tex., at which we refl ected on the progress we had made over the last year, and we are very excited about the next 12-14 months ahead. Our single biggest accomplish- ment in 2014 was the development and implementation of the VMA certifi cation pro- gram (VMACP) for the VMA member extruders. Currently, all extruder members of the VMA are in the process of fi nishing up the certifi cation process and are all looking to be certifi ed by year's end. The VMACP is meant to assure the industry, fence and rail- ing fabricators, dealers and installers that the products they are selling meet and exceed industry standards, specif- ically ASTM F964 and the more strin- gent VMACP, and that those products are made through a quality process with a quality formulation. With the work of the VMA steer- ing committee, the VMA is ready to launch the next phase of the VMACP, where it will license the VMACP to its Tier III members (fence and rail- ing fabricators, dealers, contractors and installers), to differentiate them in the marketplace and allow them to give the same assurances as men- tioned above to their customers and the end purchasers – that they too are purchasing products that meet and ex- ceed industry standards, specifi cally ASTM F964 and the more stringent VMACP, and those products are made through a quality process with a quali- ty formulation. The VMA objectives for 2015 in- clude educating the industry on the VMACP and the Tier III licensing program and how it can help them differentiate their products and stand above the competition through a series of e-mail blasts, webinars, newslet- ters, and an informational booth and education seminar at FENCETECH 2015 directed at fence and railing fab- ricators, fence dealers, fence contrac- tors and installers. Membership in the VMA for fence and railing extruders, fabrica- tors, dealers, contractors, and install- ers reap many benefi ts, including: • Participation in and contribution to the development of industry stan- dards • The opportunity to develop an effective network of industry peers, vendors and potential customers who care about the vinyl industry and the products they sell. • Advancement of your fi rm's reputation through the promotion of your active participation in the VMA and the ability to proudly display the VMACP seal and the VMA logo on all of your literature, web sites, quotes and marketing mate- rials. • A listing of your fi rm as a mem- ber in good standing in the association directory and web site, including your listing in either the Tier I VMA certi- fi cation program or the Tier III VMA licensing program. • A platform to voice your ideas, concerns and issues in both formal and informal settings. • Participation in an educational platform to advance the VMA's strate- gic objectives and to collectively lob- by for needed building code and trade reform. As you can see, if you are in the fence and railing vinyl business, you cannot wait any longer to join the VMA, get active and start promoting the quality products you are selling. Please go to http://americanfen- ceassociation.com/vma-2/ to down- load a member application or look for it when you receive your AFA 2015 membership renewal in November. For more information you can also contact your Tier III representa- tive, Jessica Burton (jessicab@polyvi- nylc.com), the incoming VMA steer- ing committee chair, Sam Williams (info@polyvinylc.com), AFA execu- tive director, Tony Thornton (tony@ americanfenceassociation.com) or myself (pwjr@easternfence.com). Respectfully, Peter E. Williams Jr. CPA C.E.O. / C.F.O. Eastern Wholesale Fence Co., Inc. Medford, N.Y. Be Sure To Visit The World Fence News Crew At FENCETECH 2015! Booth No. 925 February 3-6, 2015 Orange Co. Convention Center Orlando, Florida World F ence ews N News from the World of Fencing, Access Control and Security © Self-closes gates up to 260 lbs with adjustable closing force Internal mount External mount Hydraulic Gate Closer and Hinge World's most trusted hinges for gates up to 260 lbs • Hydraulic closer & hinge in one small, powerful package! • Dual bearing glide system for consistent superior performance • High strength aluminum — tested to 500,000 cycles • ADA compliant • Multiple adjust options — closing speed and final snap action • Powerful hydraulics • Visibly small footprint • Highly tamper resistant • Maintenance free – no messy grease P: (714) 677-1300 E: info@ddtechusa.com www.ddtechglobal.com