Recent Post on UDF-21, UCF-30, 21POLYPLUS & POLYMATRX

Good morning.

Last week, I issued a Post stating that I had left Gulf Synthetics and had started Encore Coatings.

In that Post, I spent a lot of time talking about the technical capabilities and know-how of both companies. As you would expect, Gulf Synthetics disagrees with my viewpoint and says that it developed the formulas used to make UDF-21, UCF-30, 21POLYPLUS, and POLYMATRx. That’s simply untrue, but they’re entitled to their viewpoint. To keep everything clean, I archived the Post.

So here’s where we’ll leave it:

As with any product, consumers should check out the top suppliers of the product they’re interested in. In our case, there’s only two suppliers, so it’s not hard to do.

Call both companies (Encore Coatings & Gulf Synthetics) and ask to speak to their technical director or anyone who can answer a technical question about one of the coatings they sell. You may hear “I’m just a sales person.” Keep asking until you finally get to the person who accepts technical phone calls. Once you get that person on the phone, ask them to describe their credentials, and their experience/tenure in developing coatings. Essentially, you’re looking for an assurance that there’s technical expertise behind the product you may buy. When consumers approach a buying decision this way, they normally make the right choice. So take a few moments and go through that exercise.

Additional News

Encore has released Encore PreTreat, a new base coat for Encore Coatings that will add additional years of service to your deck. Apply PreTreat first, then overlay Encore. PreTreat penetrates deeply into the wood grain and leaves behind molecular chain extensions that cross-link with the Encore Coating. Together, these two products form a monolithic (single) bond and provides valuable weatherproofing benefits. PreTreat also extends the coverage of the Encore Coating so your dollar goes further.

Be sure to check out all of our products on our website.

UDF-21, UCF-30, 21POLYPLUS, & POLYMATRx News

June 2010.

Hello. It’s been awhile since my last Post so I thought I’d put one out there to deliver an update.

I wanted everyone to know that I am no longer associated with Gulf Synthetics. The story is gory, so I’ll spare the details and try to stay on point with this Post.

As the developer and sole keeper of the UDF-21, UCF-30, 21POLYPLUS, and POLYMATRx formulas, I have started Encore Coatings. The formulas that made these brands so popular will now be Encore branded products.

As for Gulf Synthetics, they are rushing to develop their interpretation of my formulas and that’s very risky. There are too many unknowns to figure out. Yet, the word on the street is that they are shipping their version of my UDF-21 formulation in their UDF-21 branded pails. This is a potential disaster for the user and the marketplace as the user is their guinea pig and the marketplace is their lab. They’re doing this with the UCF-30, the 21POLYPLUS and POLYMATRx too.

A day or so ago, I received a call from an engineer that had a technical question about 21POLYPLUS. (He had kept my phone number from a previous conversation.) I explained that I was no longer with Gulf and he said he had knowledge of that. He said that he had spoken with the president of Gulf, Mitch Wood, and Mitch didn’t know what the dry mil specification for 21POLYPLUS is or where to find it, didn’t know the solids content of his product, and didn’t know the meaning of centipoise (cps). (Centipoise is a measure of a liquid’s thickness. For example, water has a cps of 1; ketchup has a cps of around 60,000). I would think that if the Gulf president really had the credentials to head up a reformulation effort, he would surely know these things (or someone there should be able to tell him). He didn’t, so the engineer called me.

A crystal ball is not required to see what lies ahead for Gulf Synthetics. It’s obvious. They will implement a propaganda campaign to convince the consumer that they have the original formulas for the coatings and that things are peachy. However, their actions will show otherwise. The consumer’s brand experience will fall well short of the brand promise. Dealers, contractors, and end users will become very skeptical. Warranty claims will ensue. Their products will stagnate and they will fade into oblivion as they take their place among Atari 64s, VHS tapes, floppy disks, and other products that were eclipsed by better technology. This is just my opinion, but such is life.

Speaking of life, it’s is better at Encore. I am collaborating and working with great, trustworthy people. I am developing new products. Our facility is wonderful and it has room for growth. Our Marketing Strategy and Sales Plan is in tune with the customer. And Gulf Synthetic dealers and contractors are making the switch to Encore. We will roll out at least one new product within the next 45 days. Things are fresh, we’re building a great brand, and we’re putting the past behind us. Things always work out for the best

Oh, I almost forgot – the centipoise (cps) of the UDF-21 formula is approximately 70,000 at 70 degrees F. Take note Gulf.