Coatings division leads best-in-class in-house paint production for more than a quarter-century

After graduating from the University of Oregon in 1994, Dale put his chemistry degree to work at JELD-WEN.

“I think JELD-WEN’s reputation has always been one of care for employees and the community. That’s what propelled me to take the job. It was my first and still is my only job out of college,” Dale said.

He has now been with JELD-WEN for 30 years, continuing to uphold the company’s commitment to improving every day by contributing to product quality and expanding the capabilities of the business.

JELD-WEN's five coatings operations – four in the U.S. and one in Latvia – produce more than 5 million gallons of finished product every year. The majority of that is primer.

The team also produces sealers and adhesives. “We’re always looking to differentiate ourselves from the competition,” Dale said. “So, we look for ways to vertically integrate and improve on cost and performance.”

The best of the best 

The quality of paint is based on longevity. “When you get to 25 years or more, everyone considers that best-in-class,” Dale said. JELD-WEN's paint can last for 25 to 30 years.

The secret to its longevity is in JELD-WEN’s proprietary formula. 

“We have a tremendous amount of capability, it’s just a matter of coming up with great ideas and creating new formulas, tweaking them based off what our customer wants.” 

At the beginning of 2024, Dale began to roll out architectural paint for wood doors, which he said is “the best of the best.” Dale believes the paint will soon be ready for steel and fiberglass doors as well. 

Since the inception of the coatings division, JELD-WEN has commercialized over 153 different door skin primers and approximately 300 different coatings, inclusive of exterior primer, edge primer, architectural paint and more. “We’re constantly working to expand our offering to best serve business goals and meet customer demand,” said Dale. 

Sustainability

In addition to cutting cost and increasing product durability, in-house paint production also contributes to JELD-WEN’s sustainability goals. “We’re not a waste generator,” Dale said. “For example, when we make a batch of paint, if we have wash water, we use the water in consecutive batches, so we don’t generate more.” 

Most paint typically contains VOC. VOC are volatile organic compounds that deplete the ozone layer. JELD-WEN’s architectural paint contains significantly less VOC – 81% less than average.

“It’s great that we are able to improve quality and sustainability in the coatings division,” Dale explained. “We are also conscientious of what’s good for our own people in terms of safety and health, and by making our own paint, we can ensure a higher level of health and safety for our employees.” 

A unique job

Dale enjoys the unique elements of his job and playing a role in different parts of the business. He spends a third of his time running the coatings division, a third managing and working with people, and a third in the lab formulating new products. 

“I love running a business, but I also enjoy the ability to create new, physical products – something that no one else has done that will directly influence customer success,” Dale said. 

After more than a quarter-century on the job, Dale’s goals remain the same: provide a high-performance product, service our customers well and constantly innovate.

With innovation inherent to the operation of the coatings group, creation of sustainable, long-lasting, and industry-leading products is just business as usual.