Thirty years after inventing composite decking and creating an entirely new building products category, Trex is entering its next era of growth. Trex is expanding beyond its category-leading decking business with a vision to become the defining brand in outdoor living. They plan to double the size of its business over the next four years.
The company’s growth strategy centres on continued investment in manufacturing capacity, product innovation, strategic partnerships and digital solutions. These investments are designed to make working with Trex a seamless experience for customers, contractors and consumers. Since 1996, Trex has broadened its portfolio beyond composite decking to offer a growing range of outdoor living solutions. These solutions help homeowners transform their gardens.
“Our founders challenged the status quo by developing a better alternative to wood,” said Adam Zambanini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Trex Company. “That entrepreneurial spirit remains at the heart of who we are today. Creating the composite decking category was just the beginning. Today, our opportunity extends far beyond the deck. We’re investing to lead the future of outdoor living with innovative, sustainable solutions that make it easier than ever for homeowners to create beautiful, low-maintenance outdoor spaces.”
From waste to innovation
Trex’s story began with an unexpected challenge. What to do with the growing volume of discarded plastic bags generated by a booming breadcrumb business. In the 1980s, entrepreneur and organic chemist Roger Wittenberg began experimenting with ways to make waste plastic film useful. After years of research and development, he combined shredded film with reclaimed wood fibre to create a durable material. The resulting material could resist rot, splintering and insects. This discovery laid the foundation for a new category of outdoor building products.
That breakthrough innovation became the foundation for Trex. Over the past three decades, the company has grown from a single-product manufacturer into a global outdoor living company and the world’s leading brand of wood-alternative decking. It is sold in more than 6,000 outlets across 47 countries. Introduced to the UK market in 2011, Trex decking is now available in over 300 merchants nationwide. Among the most recent products added to Trex’s UK portfolio are Trexâ Transcendâ Lineage in Carmel and Trexâ Enhanceâ in Tide Pool.
Trex has also built a network of over 50 UK TrexProâ installers. These independent professionals are committed to crafting quality decks with premium products.
The same value-from-waste mindset that launched Trex continues to drive the company today. Trex composite decking is manufactured from 95% recycled and reclaimed materials. The company has upcycled more than 6.4 billion pounds of recycled polyethylene plastic film into durable outdoor products – helping divert waste from landfills and waterways.
Looking to the future
Demand for high-performance, low-maintenance outdoor living products continues to grow as homeowners view outdoor spaces as an extension of the home.
“For three decades, we’ve challenged conventional thinking and redefined an industry,” added Zambanini. “As proud as we are of what we’ve accomplished, we’re even more excited about what comes next. Our vision is simple: to become the brand consumers think of first when they imagine their ideal outdoor space.”