Market Update through Barrier's Eyes

News reporters and market statistics don't typically report on the future outlook, they cover what has happened in the past. The deluge of negative reporting on the housing industry in the past several months has given way to "mixed" signals the past week.

Are we past the bottom? Well, if they are reporting on the past and some comments are starting to break through more positively, it appears so.

We have noticed that product inquiries into the multi-family roof deck market have been increasing the past two weeks. It's too early to say our order rate will be on the rise...but it's always been a positive correlation in the past!

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Our Latest Arrivals...

We needed to take pictures of our newest additions to our family of products to show our patent attorney's the real life product we are trademarking. We wanted to share them with you too. We sampled it in our plant and the spread rate is true to life. Look for more information in the near future.

The Modular Building Institute's Annual Conference

This past week was the MBI (Modular Building Institute) annual show out in California. This is really THE biggest show for the commercial modular industry. Our favorite modular customer, Mule-Hide Products, was happy to report that they have been a sponsor of the show and attended for 15 straight years. (Next year is the 25^th anniversary of the MBI.) They are now seen as the leading roofing supplier to the modular industry. Walt Griffin, National Program Manager for Modular Business at Mule-Hide said: “The FR Deck Panel (a Blazeguard product) is receiving great reviews from its current manufacturing and leasing customers. This is contagious for customers who haven’t yet switched over and has created a great deal of curiosity regarding what they are missing. The many leads generated this past week will most assuredly translate into new and increasing business.”

Barrier’s own Mike Huddy also attended the show. Here’s his response: “This is one of my favorite shows. The audience is very targeted and nearly 70% of the total commercial modular manufacturing capacity is represented every year. It is definitely a must go show for us and this key segment of our business. I enjoy working with the professionals from Mule-Hide and being able to support their discussions on the FR Deck Panel. We have definitely become a product of choice for fire protection in the commercial modular roofing application.”

Drying Up of Subprime Lenders - Increase in Multi-Family Demand?

There have been several articles published within the past week (from the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and MSNBC). All talk about the sea changes occurring in the subprime lending arena. For the past year, we have seen so many new gimmicks offered by lending agencies to lure people into believing they can pay for something they really can't. The rules of this game are changing due to such high losses.

The silver lining for Barrier? The people affected will have to live somewhere...more than likely some form of multi-family dwelling. (One of Barrier's prime markets.)

China Stock Market Plunge...not alarming to housing economists

Multi-Housing News published an article yesterday sharing that housing and financing industry economists don’t think that the plunge in the China stock market will trigger major consequences in the residential real estate market.

The MBA (mortgage banking) isn’t changing its prediction for smooth sailing in both the economy and housing markets for 2007. Also, the Vice-President of Freddie Mac commented that the stock market fall off is unlikely to continue and it’s improbable that the economy will be hugely impacted.

The recent positive mood of the economists obviously wasn’t shaken a bit. This kind of positive feeling spreads in a welcome upward spiral. We anticipate a good recovery in the home building market.