The History of Style Crest Inc.
From a college idea to a national building products leader, Style Crest has demonstrated unwavering commitment to the manufactured housing industry and the vinyl siding market through innovation, quality products, and relationships built on shared success.
The Idea: 1967-1969
The Road Trip that Sparked an Idea
In spring 1967, Bowling Green State University seniors Tom Kern and Eric Haas were driving to Washington D.C. for a meeting on emerging industries. As they crossed Pennsylvania, they noticed something troubling: manufactured home after manufactured home with dangerous, rickety entry steps. Some were little more than wooden planks. Others looked ready to collapse.
Tom and Eric saw an opportunity and immediately felt that the emerging plastics industry they were studying could help them solve this safety problem.
Back in Tom's family garage in Norwalk, Ohio, they got to work. That summer, they prototyped a new, fiberglass entry step—using a sturdy wooden base coated in fiberglass for strength and durability. They also experimented with polyurethane foam cabinet doors that looked like wood without the maintenance.
Their paths diverged after graduating in 1968. Tom spent the next two years working at an automotive facility for the next two years while continuing to ideate and refine the business plan that would eventually give rise to Style Crest®.
The Beginning: 1970
$12,000 and a Vision
In 1970, with $12,000 in savings and the backing of a small group of investors, Tom partnered with Eric to open Poly-Foam International, Inc. in Fremont, Ohio. Starting with their two prototypes, 15 employees, and a rented building, the company began manufacturing both fiberglass steps and cabinet doors.
The Style Crest® brand was born and quickly became synonymous with the high-quality fiberglass steps that were popping up in communities across the region. Marketing in these early days was straightforward and memorable: bring a set of steps to a local dealer and demonstrate their durability by slamming them with a sledgehammer. Steadily, they won over customers with a product that spoke for itself.
1970s : Expansion and Diversification
Becoming Your Complete Solution
By 1973, and with growing momentum, we recognized an opportunity to serve you better. Style Crest® evolved from solely manufacturing and became a full-line distributor of manufactured housing parts and supplies. We grew rapidly, responding to the needs of our customers by expanding our product catalog to more than 4,000 products by the end of the decade.
As our product lines expanded, so did our team—growing from 15 employees to over 60 in less than a decade as we sought to meet the needs of our customers.
1980s : The Growth Decade
Infrastructure, Acquisition, and Innovation
The 1980s brought significant infrastructure development and strategic expansion:
1980: Realizing it was no longer feasible to sell and service customers from the backs of pickup trucks, we founded PFI Transport as a dedicated fleet to provide reliable, profressional delivery services to our customers across the East Coast, Mid-West, and Southern U.S.
Early 1980s: We acquired Anchor Sur Products, manufacturing the primary anchoring system for manufactured homes. Hearing our customers' need for a more robust and attractive alternative to aluminum foundation skirting, we also started manufacturing vinyl skirting, a product that remains core to our business to this day.
1984: Rapid growth necessitated opening a second distribution center in Tampa, Florida, allowing us to better serve our customers in the Southern U.S. by putting product closer to them.
1985: We relocated our corporate offices to expand our production capacities to better serve our customers. During the latter part of the decade, we would relocate and expand our Florida and Georgia distribution centers as well - cementing our committment to do what it takes to imrove the service we provide to our customers.
1987: In response to the growing needs of our customer base, we expanded our vinyl skirting product line and opened a third distribution center in Fremont, Ohio. This new location now allowed us to support customers in the Midwestern states.
1990s : Becoming an Industry Leader
Recognition for Doing Right by You
For Style Crest, the 1990s proved that quality and service matter.
1991: Opened a fourth distribution center Hometown, Pennsylvania to meet the growing needs of the East Coast market.
1992-1993: Launched Resource Materials Corporation (RMC), manufacturing vinyl siding to serve the needs of homebuilders across the region. We introduced FairField® vinyl siding— our first product line that still remains a cornerstone product today, representing our unwavering committment to quality.
1994: Opened two more distribution centers: Reidsville, North Carolina, and Waco, Texas.
1996: Won the "National Supplier of the Year" award from the Manufactured Housing Institute, earning recognition for our vision, dedication, and innovation.
1998: Won "National Supplier of the Year" again and acquired Harco Products, Inc., a respected West Virginia distributor - allowing us to further improve our product and service offerings.
2000s : New Products, New Solutions
Innovation Driven by Your Needs
The 2000s ushered in significant product improvements and strategic acquisitions.
2000:
- Purchased Keck-Hall Supply in North Carolina
- Built new corporate headquarters in Fremont
- Opened seventh distribution center in Collins, Mississippi
2001:
- Became exclusive distributor of Magnavox Security Systems
- Created Style Crest® Sales division for Coleman® brand HVAC products
2003: Fleetwood Homes named Style Crest® one of 22 suppliers (out of 150) to receive their "Circle of Excellence" award. We earned it through on-time deliveries, accurate orders, and swift problem resolution—continuing to deliver the basics our customers deserve.
2004: Opened a new distribution center in Russellville, Alabama, consolidating our Georgia and Mississippi warehouses into a 328,000 square foot facility with 29 docks - improving our service to the region.
2005:
- Expanded Lakeland, Florida facility to 35,000 square feet
- When Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, we set up temporary distribution centers in Mississippi and Louisiana, helping get manufactured housing products to over 160,000 families who lost their homes.
2006:
- Added state-of-the-art packaging with built-in quality control at our Fremont plant
- October 1: Changed our name to Style Crest® Enterprises, Inc. and streamlined operations to serve you better
2007: New Style Crest® retail store opened in Prairieville, Louisiana, expanding direct customer access.
2008-2009: Introduced the EZ Step featuring the latest fiberglass technology featuring latest fiberglass technology. In 2008, we developed an additional safety feature - adding a slip-resistant coating to the treads and top landings of our steps. In 2009, we introduced the industry's first exclusive 10-year warranty for our steps, setting new quality and service standards.
Late 2000s: Launched Harbour Crest™ Premium Vinyl Siding for manufactured housing.
2010s : Continued Innovation
Building for the Future
The 2010s brought continued growth, acquisitions, and product innovation, as we continued to find ways to add value for our customers.
2011:
- Norandex, our newest vinyl products customer, named us "Vendor Partner of the Year," recognizing commitment to excellence
- Style Crest® officially branded and marketed HVAC Smart Components® and AccuCharge® systems. This technologically advanced HVAC product family provides improved efficiencies, performance, and savings for installers and homeowners.
- Opened a new, larger distribution center in Hammond, Louisiana, relocating the Prairieville facility
2012: Introduced REVOLV®—HVAC products designed specifically for manufactured homes. Split-system air conditioners, heat pumps, indoor coils, furnaces, and accessories engineered as a complete system for faster installation and better efficiency. We were the FIRST to offer a 10-year HVAC warranty, and we've maintained it for over 20 years.
2013: Revamped our vinyl siding program with modern embossing, updated colors, and the new SeaSide Collection. These changes allowed us to help ensure that our customers remained leaders in their own industries, armed with a modern product line for modern needs and tastes.
2015:
- January: Bryan Kern became CEO. Bryan started with Style Crest in 1995 and worked his way up through engineering, plant management, and operations—he knows this business inside and out.
- June: Acquired Atlantic Service & Supply in Texas and Florida, adding HVAC installation, skirting installation, and deck construction service capabilities for customers in the Southeastern U.S.
Mid-to-Late 2010s:
- Opened a new, larger distribution center in Archdale, North Carolina (relocating from Fayettville)
- Continued expansion of vinyl siding offerings reaching five product lines with multiple profiles in as many as 34 color choices
- Established HOMEX and RMC as our distribution channel brands
2020s : Recent Growth
Positioned for Your Future Success
2023:
- August: Secured $105 million credit facility to fund strategic growth
- November: Acquired Westland Distributing, expanding our distribution footprint across the Western US, and Alumi-Cover Awning Company, entering the aluminum shade market.
Today: We operate a nationwide network of strategically located distribution centers serving both the manufactured housing industry and exterior cladding and siding markets. We manufacture building products including vinyl siding and skirting, HVAC equipment specifically designed for manufactured homes, fiberglass entry steps, and fiberglass bathtubs and showers. We compliment this by distributing over 4,000 products including plumbing and electrical parts, vinyl skirting, doors, and windows.
What Drives Us
The Values Behind Our Partnership
We're Independent, Like You
We're not one of the big national brands, and that's by choice. We provide something they can't—a genuine partnership where your success drives our decisions.
We Value Real Relationships
We work hard to build the right relationships at every level. From sales to service to support, we're here to make your job easier.
Your Success Is Our Success
Whether it's a distinctive new product or creative service solution, we focus on creating opportunities for you. When you win, we win.
Quality You Can Count On
From inventing the fiberglass step in 1967 to developing industry-leading skirting products, we lead with innovation. Our products are backed by industry-leading warranties because we stand behind what we make.
Certifications That Matter
Our products are VSI and NGBS Green Certified. Our U.S. manufacturing facility maintains ISO-9001 standards. These aren't just badges—they're proof of our commitment to quality.
Looking Forward
From Tom Kern's observation of unsafe manufactured home entryways to today's comprehensive building products company, we've remained committed to innovation, quality, and your success. With distribution centers across the United States, manufacturing facilities producing high quality products, and over 50 years of experience, we're well positioned to support your success.
Our history of growth through acquisition, product innovation, and unwavering customer focus positions us for continued success. As we move forward, we remain guided by the entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving mindset that inspired Tom Kern over half a century ago—identifying unmet needs, developing innovative solutions, and building lasting partnerships that create shared success.
Ready to Partner With Us?
We've spent 50 years perfecting how we support customers like you. Contact us today to see how we can help your business grow.
