The company, which operates a facility at 351 N. Garver Road in Monroe, saw North America sales increase by 11 percent in 2017 to almost $150 million spurred by strong business development, operational investments and the roll out of new products. A significant contributor to that was a 17 percent growth rate in window and door system sales.
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That kind of growth is having an impact on multiple levels in Butler County, Geeraert said.
Deceuninck North America invested $15 million in 2017 for multiple higher speed extrusion lines and upgrading older equipment, he said. It also opened in November 250,000 square feet in additional warehouse space, bringing its total size to about 1.3 million square feet of building space for manufacturing and warehousing.
The company purchased six extrusion lines this year, some of which started arriving this month and all of which should be up and running by mid-year, Geeraert said. It also purchased two lamination lines, both of which will be installed later this year, he said.
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Staffing has been increased to accommodate rapid growth, with the amount of employee totals rising from 350 in 2013 to 550 in 2017, with 100 of those positions added in the past 15 months alone, Geeraert said.
The company initially struggled with that growth before holding a summer job fair that drew more than 200 people, he said.
In January, it increased starting wage by $3 an hour to $16 an hour, something Geeraert said is “more than competitive for this region.” Employees also are now allowed to select which benefits they want, with declined benefits translating into a returned financial portion.
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In December, the Tax Credit Authority approved a 1.35 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for Deceuninck because of the company’s expansion project, paving the way for the company to create 85 full-time positions and retain 480 jobs. That means $4.5 million in new annual payroll and retaining $22.5 million in existing payroll.
“This year, we expect to grow again (by) double digits, which means that we also will continue to hire people,” Geeraert said.
Rick Pearce, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe & Trenton, said its “exciting” to hear of Deceuninck’s growth.
“They’re a world leader in the vinyl extrusion of windows and door frames and this is a testament to their quality and commitment to their products,” Pearce said. “Obviously a growth in their workforce will bring more residents to the Monroe area, which will increase the tax base.
“It also confirms southwest Ohio is a great place for business.”
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Geeraert said the company’s rapid growth is attributable to four things: its dedicated “family of employees,” its ability to deliver a quality product on time and complete, its continued focus on innovation and its emphasis on listening to its customers.
“We have a customer council that meets twice a year to make sure we are working on the right things, to make sure that their needs are fulfilled,” he said. “In the end, the customer pays our paycheck every week, so if they are not happy, we will not have a customer.”
This year will see Deceuninck launching a host of new applications, including a next-generation commercial pressure plate for curtain walls and a fiberglass pultrusion product that is expected to replace commonly used aluminum.
“A lot of new things will be happening in the next couple of years,” Geeraert said.
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