Products manufactured in a nondescript downtown New Liskeard building are being shipped across North America.
It’s not a secret, but some people might be surprised to find that a brand of subfloor tiles and wall panels originate in the community.
OvrX Manufacturing produces the Barricade basement insulation system, which consists of rigid Styrofoam (supplied by Dow) bonded to oriented strand board (OSB).
“We started in 2002 and had our first sales in 2003,” said company partner Harold Drew. “We started with the subfloor tile and then the wall panels came a few years later.”
The panels and tiles are available in major hardware retailers such as Rona, Home Depot, and Lowe’s, and 300 to 400 others in the company’s distribution chain.
Drew and Clint Johanson started OvrX with two other partners who have since left. Drew has more than 20 years of experience with manufacturing systems and Johanson is an industrial designer.
“Clint is the idea guy. He and I stayed with it and we built our own manufacturing line together. We bought equipment, put it together and got it working. We improved the efficiency of it over the years quite a bit,” Drew said.
The Barricade system acts as insulation and a vapour barrier. Each two-by-two foot tile has a tongue and groove fit that makes it quick and easy to install. It allows for unrestricted movement of moisture or water to floor drains, and for constant airflow beneath the floor, which prevents the buildup of mildew and moisture.
The two-by-eight foot panels, which are constructed of the same material, replace the need for stud walls and bat insulation, and drywall can be affixed directly to them. The panels have an insulation rating of R12 and the tiles are R3.2. Both the tiles and panels also dampen sound.
Originating in Charlton, the company moved to New Liskeard in 2006 to start production.
“That’s when we really started to move into full truck loads and got deals with bigger retailers,” Drew said.
They made solid inroads into the U.S., but then the economic downturn occurred.
“We are starting to get to the point right now that people from the states are starting to talk to us again and look at us,” he said. “What helped us in Canada is that we offered insulation and the other guys didn’t.
“Once we got into one big box store, the others came knocking right away.”
Rick Ksiezopolski, sales manager, said the product has been well received at U.S. trade shows.
“They like it because of what it offers and because it is a Canadian product, and not made offshore. We focus on sound building science — cold air on the floor and warm air on top creates condensation — but our insulation prevents that condensation.”
The operation employs between 12 and 14 people. The peak selling period for tiles and panels is from September to May.
“It is an indoor product and people don’t do those kinds of renovations in summer,” said Drew.
“We are looking at expanding our products to offer something that can be used in the summer as well.”
The Market Street plant has no plans to relocate, being close to its OSB suppliers. The Styrofoam is shipped from different locations, depending on the required thickness.
“You could argue we could produce it in Toronto and be in a hub where there is a lot more transportation available, but you still have to pay for the truckloads of wood to get there,” Drew said. “In the big scheme of things, we are shipping all over, so Toronto to New Liskeard does not make a big difference.”
Click here for more articles regarding New Liskeard.
