BIDDEFORD, Maine — DuraLife by Barrette Outdoor Living recently announced a multi-million dollar investment in upgrades at its Biddeford, Maine facility to double the production of composite decking materials in 2021. The investment in equipment and manpower will provide a two-week distribution lead-time, the company said in a press release.
As part of the upgrades, new automated equipment and multiple extrusion lines have been added in the plant to optimize efficiencies in the production process. This new equipment will also offer operators the ability to more efficiently monitor and track line performance.
In addition to its investment in machinery, DuraLife has also added 65,000 square feet to its supply yard to provide storage for the additional volume of decking being produced. Operations at the plant have also moved to 24/7 — increasing shifts from two to three, seven days a week. This extra manpower has not only contributed to increased production, it has also created more than 30 new jobs in Biddeford and the surrounding area.
“The investment in our DuraLife facility is significant and enables us to achieve faster speed without compromising the quality of our decking products and the addition of manpower to our workforce is a win-win for our company and for the local community,” said Sylvain Bellemare, vice president of engineering and process improvement at Barrette Outdoor Living.
