Barrie, Ont. decking manufacturer ends production

Carney Timber Company, a Barrie, Ont.-based manufacturer of Xtendex-brand composite decking products, has ended its operations.

Parent company Wash.-based McFarland Cascade recently announced that it had made the decision to shut the plant down in July. The company is currently seeking proposals from manufacturers in North America and overseas for its extrusion operations.

According to McFarland Cascade, approximately 60 people were affected by the plant closure. The extrusion and injection molding equipment from the facility will be auctioned off at a later date.

“The production process [for Xtendex] is demanding on equipment, which adds to the expense of the product,” explained McFarland Cascade’s consumer product line manager Gregory Phillips. “Canada’s high energy costs and the weakening U.S. dollar also impacted the product’s price tag, and our determination to close the Barrie, Ont. plant.”

The company said that it had enough supply of Xtendex to continue to serve customers through most of 2008. McFarland Cascade also said that it would continue to actively seek a manufacturer who can help deliver the product at a more “affordable” price.

“The composites field is constantly changing, and we are prepared to fully embrace improvements and new technologies that will allow us to continue to product Xtendex,” said Phillips.