Pultruded composites compete with traditional construction materials: Fid-Bau Portal

Pultruded composites compete with traditional construction materials

Martin, Jeff

Jeff Martin of the Martin Pultrusion Group Inc explains how pultruded composites are competing with wood, PVC and aluminium in the construction market. Pultruded profiles in window systems have earned a maintenace-free reputation over the last 20 years and are now recognised for superior perormance in dimensional stability and thermal performance. There are many reasons why fibreglass profiles will continue to grow in market share in windows, e.g. they have a lower projected life cycle cost compared to any other window material. The area where we should see pultrusions focus in the future is in commercial construction. The high strength, low weight and, when painted, the weatherability of composites, has enabled several landscaping product manufacturers to replace wood with composite pultrusions. Wood and steel materials have shared the market for seawalls over the years. A California company has begun selling a planter based on a pultrusion which is 9 inch by 9 inch (22.8 cm by 21.6 cm) in a U shape and, like the decorative columns, it has detail that makes it appear to be made of wood.