Product Change Notification For Sales Territory Reps and Customers 4.23.13: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

1. What is being changed?

1-3/8” Residential (SD) door fabrication currently offers wood or mill option fiberboard (MDF) rails.

Another mill option will now be included:

2-piece laminated industrial grade particle core rails

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

1. What is being changed?

2-piece laminated industrial grade particle core rails

▲▲▲ Fiber Orientation ▼▼▼

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

2. What are the causes for this change?

a. PROTECT Lynden Door from ongoing shortages in MDF material now used for most 1-3/8” SD rails o MDF production capacity is greatly reduced, and is

worsening, in North America – 10 mill shut-downs (closed & dismantled) in last 5 years

o Little immediate likelihood of growth in capacity for MDF o MDF mills are large & capital intensive and new mills will

be slow to enter supply chain

b. PROTECT Lynden Door customers from delays, stock outs or price increases caused by diminished MDF availability

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

a. PRICE: NO IMMEDIATE EFFECT o MDF costs are rising and are predicted to continue to

increase o Industrial grade particle core prices are relatively stable

and are predicted to remain level under current demand/capacity levels

b. LEAD TIME: NO IMMEDIATE EFFECT o MDF is subject to allocation with lead times pushing out

and predicted to increase o Industrial grade particle core currently offers stock for

immediate delivery

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

c. PERFORMANCE: NO EFFECT o 2-piece MDF core rails have been produced in 1-3/8” Lynden

Door SD doors for over a year (millions of units); industrial grade particle cores closely resemble the performance characteristics of MDF in this application

o Lynden Door utilizes only Industrial Grade particle stock: "For industrial end uses and more demanding industrial applications, including cabinets, fixtures & furniture components. Equal or greater density rating to MDF.“

o Stile & rail door makers like Simpson and Karona have used this process successfully for years

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

c. PERFORMANCE: NO EFFECT (continued)

o Laminating two pieces together provides purchasing/ availability benefits AND enhances strength; particularly in respect of Elasticity (deflection)

o Good legibility for top rail printing o Extensive testing in lab; field tests; and multiple

production test runs o Specific performance testing to WDMA* standards for:

Screw Withdrawal Elasticity (deflection) Water Submersion – Swell Rates Bonding Quality

* Where applicable

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

d. PERFORMANCE: TEST HIGHLIGHTS

o Screw Withdrawal Exceeded Tru Cut & Sierra solid MDF Screw holding results are maximized by correct

orientation of the particle stock ALL tests exceeded the WDMA 180 lb. standard duty

minimum threshold o Elasticity

Comparable to 2-piece MDF Exceeded 241 lbs. of force to deflect the rail .15”,

which is significant

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

d. PERFORMANCE: TEST HIGHLIGHTS

o Water Test No face telegraphing after extended soaking;

exceeded MDF results (MDF did telegraph) Swell (moisture uptake) results are maximized by

correct orientation of the particle stock – the industrial grade particle core makes the door MORE RESISTANT to moisture uptake through the rails, than MDF cores. This native characteristic can be further enhanced by application of a light sealer paint coat.

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

d. PERFORMANCE: TEST HIGHLIGHTS

o Bonding Bond results met/exceeded normal Lynden Door

performance standards for SD doors Customers are advised to take care to protect rails

from sunlight exposure as they are more sensitive than MDF in this regard

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

e. NOTES

o This change does NOT apply to fire doors o This change supports Lynden Door’s continued ability to

lead the industry with a full 2-1/4” rail on Residential doors

o Specifications (Cut Sheets) will be changed at next printing; Cut Sheet PDFs found on the Lynden Door website & catalog contents will be changed when that printing takes place

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. What are the customer implications?

e. NOTES (continued) o “RAILS” content found on applicable Lynden Door SD Door

website pages have been changed as follows:

1 3/8" doors: Minimum 2 1/4" (before trim) mill option fiberboard rails or 2-piece laminated industrial grade particle core. http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10a, http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10b, http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10c, http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10d http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10e http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd10f http://www.lyndendoor.com/products/residential/sd20a,

PCN: 1-3/8” Residential 2-piece Industrial Grade Particle Core Rails

3. Summary

This product change can be described as a proactive step to ensure uninterrupted material sourcing while maintaining – or improving - current price, lead time and performance standards. There is overwhelming evidence that MDF supplies will continue to be adversely effected by a combination of factors over which Lynden Door has no direct control.

What we do control is our ability to understand our supply chain and take innovative measures to assure the continued timely delivery of the best doors, at the best price for our customers.