When Off The Rack Won’t Do (NAPSA)—A growing number of homes, even modest ones, now have custom closets with storage and style. These impressive storage spaces offer homeowners a way to organize their homes, simplify their lives and save a precious commodity: time. “The more welive, the more stuff we accumulate,” said Anthony Vidergauz, CEO of California Closets. “Our systems organize the objects we save from life’s journeys.” After helping to organize customers’ treasures—and lives—for more than 20 years, the company has grown into an estimated $175 million industry leader with more than 150 locations in 11 countries. Its product line has extended well beyond bedroom closets to include home office systems, pantries, garages and generalutility areas. The backbone of these utility systems is particleboard. Each year, the company purchases about 175 million square feet of composite panels that are fabricated into partitions, shelves, drawers and other components. Less expensive than other panel products, particleboard provides excellent holding properties. Hardware screws, for example, can be firmly secured into it. Panels with a smooth surface help ensure consistent lamination and machinability for the company’s fabricators. Recent improvementsin particleboard have made it stronger and dimensionally stable. “You can’t even compareit to what was being produced 10 to 15 years ago,” said Luiz Panchihak, director of design. To make sure the composite panels surpass structural expectations, the @ Today’s particleboard is excep- tionally strong and durable, plus it is made from recycled wood waste, which benefits the environment. company has an engineer right in the design department and it regularly consults a materials specialist. While particleboard provides the structure of the closet prod- ucts, thermo-fused melamine and high-pressure laminates help create the clean look that has become the company’s trademark. The company recently introduced a color called “Quiet,” which infuses light gray andsilver flecks into an off-white background. It has become a favorite alongside Classic White, the company’s most popularcolor option. A palette of about seven color choices—from very light to very dark—isin the works. With increased strength and a growing palette of fashionable colors, particleboard is helping California Closets stay ahead of the market. For more information, contact the Composite Panel Association (CPA) at www.pbmdf.com.
