Hoover Expands from Wood to Metal in a Bold Building Safety Play

AUGUSTA, Ga. – December 04, 2025 – For over 70 years, Hoover Treated Wood Products, Inc. has been the silent guardian within our walls, a leader in fire-retardant-treated wood (FRTW) that protects structures from the inside. Now, in a strategic move that signals a significant evolution, the company is stepping outside. Hoover has officially acquired Arconic Architectural Products, LLC, a major manufacturer of aluminum cladding, and launched a new division, Hoover Architectural Solutions, LLC.

This acquisition is more than a simple business transaction; it represents a fundamental expansion of Hoover’s long-standing mission. By moving into the exterior aluminum cladding market, the company is pivoting from a specialized interior materials provider to a comprehensive supplier for the entire building envelope. The deal, completed on July 15, 2025, sees Hoover assuming approximately $105 million in net pension obligations and taking control of the well-regarded Reynobond® brand, setting the stage for a major disruption in the building materials supply chain.

From the Inside Out: A New Era of Building Safety

Hoover’s identity has long been synonymous with life safety. Its flagship products, like PyroGuard™ and ExteriorFireX™, are deeply embedded in building codes and trusted by architects and builders to meet stringent fire-retardant standards. The acquisition extends this legacy from the wooden skeleton of a building to its metallic skin.

"As the leader in FRTW, Hoover has always put life safety, innovation and customer trust at the center of what we do," said David Gillrie, CEO of Hoover Treated Wood Products, in a statement. "This acquisition is an exciting next step. Hoover Architectural Solutions gives us the opportunity to deliver that same standard of safety and quality to a broader set of building materials."

The new division will operate out of the former Arconic facility in Eastman, Georgia, manufacturing Reynobond® Fire Retardant (FR) and Polyethylene (PE) panels, while also selling Reynoplate® and Reynoclad® products. This portfolio provides a spectrum of solutions for exterior cladding and signage. The strategic logic is clear: to offer trusted protection from the inside out, creating a single, reliable source for critical safety components in construction.

This move aligns perfectly with a growing industry-wide demand for integrated systems. As building designs become more complex and performance standards more rigorous, the interplay between interior and exterior components is more critical than ever. By controlling both FRTW and exterior cladding, Hoover can ensure a more cohesive approach to fire and life safety across the entire building envelope.

Tapping into a Booming Cladding Market

Hoover's expansion is not just mission-driven; it's a calculated entry into a thriving and dynamic market. The global aluminum cladding market, valued at over $56 billion in 2024, is projected to surge to nearly $109 billion by 2034, growing at a compound annual rate of 6.8%. This growth is fueled by global urbanization, infrastructure renewal, and a powerful shift towards more sustainable and safer building practices.

One of the most significant trends driving this market is the heightened focus on fire safety. Following high-profile building fires linked to flammable polyethylene-core panels in past years, regulators and designers globally have pushed for more stringent codes. This has accelerated the adoption of fire-resistant (FR) core materials, like the Reynobond® FR products Hoover will now manufacture. The Reynobond brand already carries the necessary certifications to meet North American standards, including NFPA 285 and ASTM E84, giving Hoover an immediate, code-compliant foothold.

Beyond safety, the market is also shaped by the demand for aesthetically versatile and sustainable materials. Aluminum cladding is lightweight, durable, and available in a vast array of colors and finishes, making it a favorite among architects. Furthermore, aluminum's high recyclability and its contribution to thermal efficiency align with the rise of green building initiatives and LEED certification goals, making it a material of the future.

A Strategic Play in a Crowded Field

Entering the North American aluminum cladding market means stepping into an arena with established titans. Brands like 3A Composites' Alucobond, Mitsubishi's Alpolic, and Fairview's Vitrabond have long dominated the space, building reputations on decades of innovation and reliability. For a new entrant, building such trust from scratch would be a monumental task.

This is what makes Hoover’s acquisition of Arconic Architectural Products so astute. Instead of starting from zero, Hoover has acquired a legacy. The Reynobond® brand is already a known and respected entity, consistently ranked among the top players in the market. Architects and contractors are familiar with its performance, and building officials recognize its testing certifications, which can significantly streamline the permit approval process. Hoover isn't just buying a factory; it's buying market access, brand equity, and a proven product line.

"Becoming part of an industry leader with a long legacy of safety and innovation is a tremendous opportunity for our team," noted Sebastien Jacob, the new General Manager of Hoover Architectural Solutions. "Hoover is committed to continued investment that will expand our capabilities and support long-term growth."

This commitment to investment will be crucial as Hoover positions itself against competitors who are also heavily invested in material science, advanced coatings, and digital fabrication technologies. The challenge will be to integrate the Hoover standard of quality and customer service into the new division while continuing to innovate in a market that never stands still.

Simplifying the Blueprint for Builders

Beyond market share and strategic positioning, the most immediate impact of this acquisition will be felt by the professionals on the ground: the architects, contractors, and procurement managers who build our cities. The construction industry has long been plagued by fragmented supply chains, forcing professionals to juggle multiple suppliers, coordinate staggered deliveries, and manage varying standards of quality and compliance.

Hoover's new, expanded portfolio offers a compelling value proposition: simplification. A builder can now potentially source a significant portion of a building's safety-critical materials—from the interior fire-retardant wood frame to the exterior aluminum rainscreen—from a single, trusted entity. This consolidation promises greater efficiency, streamlined logistics, and the assurance of a consistent standard of safety and code compliance across different material types.

As David Gillrie stated, the goal is to make the construction process "simpler, more efficient, and more reliable for our customers." In an industry where project timelines and budgets are perpetually under pressure, this promise of a simplified, one-stop-shop for essential building components is a powerful market differentiator. The move reflects a broader trend toward integrated solutions, where manufacturers are no longer just selling products, but providing holistic systems that solve complex construction challenges. For Hoover, protecting buildings 'from the inside out' is no longer just a mission statement, but a tangible business model poised to reshape how the industry thinks about safety and supply.