News Release

For: Westech Building Products; 7451 Highway 62 East; Mount Vernon, IN 47620

Contact: Michael Isser (516) 781-0180; FAX: (516) 781-3761; e-mail: info@isserpr.com

                                                    For Immediate Release 

Super Long-Life PVC Vineyard Post Called ‘A Revolution’:

An Alternative to Wood and Steel, New Lightweight 50-Year Post

Slashes Shipping, Installation Costs; Increases Yield; Is Organically Safe 

The new vinyl vineyard post -- being co-marketed by VinPost International (VPI) and Westech^® Building Products -- will not split, rot, warp, be consumed by insects or retain heat.  

        The patented posts weigh up to 60 percent less than wood posts, which makes them less expensive to ship and faster and easier to install.  They also do not leach harmful chemicals into the soil – making them the obvious choice for organic growing practices that have been gaining popularity in use in the industry. In addition, fruit and canopy wire retention clips are already formed on the posts, saving countless hours of onsite wire stringing work.  With chisel shaped ends, the posts are easily installed manually, or with simple impact or vibration equipment, without digging holes in most types of soil.

VPI President Brad Jones, who co-developed the post through years of research and testing, says the PVC vineyard post offers vineyard owners “many upsides and not a single downside compared to using wood, steel or other conventional materials.

“PVC is stronger, lighter, more durable and requires less maintenance than wood, and the posts are expected to last at least 50 years before replacement,” he adds. “It’s a monumental improvement over conventional wood posts since approximately 10 percent of all wooden vineyard posts, having reached the end of their life cycle, must be replaced annually.” 

Available in several lengths, the PVC posts are made with titanium dioxide (Ti0₂) -- which make them resistant to UV deterioration from the sun’s rays and other natural additives that make PVC resistant to other blights that plague wood or even metal or recycled plastic posts.

“We can’t wait to start using the new vinyl post,” says Anthony Burée of the Le Vieux Pin winery in Canada’s grape-rich Okanagan Valley.  “I think this really fits with what we are trying to do with our wineries (Le Vieux Pin is one of three), especially in regard to sustainable practices, environmental focus and state-of-the-art vineyard management.  This will be a huge competitive advantage for us and something that could revolutionize the industry,” he concludes.

            “With this revolutionary new product, vinyl may be well on its way to achieving the same popularity in the agricultural market that it has achieved as a maintenance-free alternative to wood in windows, siding, fencing, deck, railings and other home improvement products,” asserts Westech’s Sales and Marketing Director Bill Zell.

            Westech will be responsible for international sales and marketing of the vinyl post while VPI will have sales responsibility for the product in the United States and Canada.

About VinPost: VinPost International is a privately held company, based in Oliver, British Columbia, Canada.  The firm is the patent-holder and marketer throughout North America of VinPost agricultural posts, the lightweight, long-lasting alternative to traditional vineyard posts.

About Westech: Based in Mount Vernon, Indiana, United States, Westech is a leading manufacturer of vinyl profiles used by a network of fabricating distributors used in the development of customized vinyl fence, deck and railing systems. Westech is an affiliate of the Westlake Chemical Corporation, a vertically integrated multi-national petrochemical company with more than 40 years in the polymers business and operating 14 manufacturing facilities across North America.

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(June 2007)

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