Wausau, Wis. - Linetec, one the nation’s largest paint and anodize finishers, is building a 30,000-square-foot addition to its anodize facility in Wausau, Wis. To support the addition and growth of its business, the company also is increasing its anodize staff by more than 10 percent.

By January 2014, a 33 percent increase in capacity for anodize finishing of architectural aluminum will be on-line and available. Examples of customers’ products include window and door systems, storefront framing, sun shades, light shelves, canopies, column covers, panels and flat sheets.

“We’re as busy as we’ve ever been,” said Linetec’s president, Rick Marshall. “This is the sixth building expansion in the past 10 years. We continue to grow and serve our customers with the quality and reliability that they’ve come to expect from Linetec.”

He continued, “Supporting our growth in capacity, we’re growing our staff, too. Not only are we filling the additional jobs due to our anodize expansion, but we’re also bringing on more people to meet the all-around increased demand for our finishing services.”

Unlike other finishes, anodizing highlights aluminum’s metallic appearance. Because it is an integral part of the substrate, the anodic coating results in a hard, durable substance providing excellent wear and abrasion resistance with minimal maintenance. Linetec also pioneered environmental innovations in anodize that resulted in its industry-leading, eco-friendly anodize process. Compared with traditional anodize, Linetec’s process reduces waste by as much as 90 percent, decreases energy use, creates recyclable byproducts and enhances the durability and lifecycle of the finished product.

Construction of Linetec’s anodize facility addition began in August and will be completed by the end of October. “We plan to be up and running before November. Along with extra capacity, the extra space gives us the opportunity to increase efficiency by streamlining our process, improving the workflow and enhancing productivity,” noted Andy Joswiak, Linetec’s vice president of operations.

Jon Close, Linetec’s vice president of sales, added, “We also are increasing our warehousing capacity to provide more room for our Linetec Managed Inventory program. This further benefits our customers by keeping their material on hand and providing just-in-time finishing; whatever they need, whenever they need it.”

In addition to expanding its capacity, Linetec also expanded its geographic reach. Earlier this year, it added more service and distribution routes, including its first regular route to Toronto, Canada.

Linetec is one of the nation’s largest paint and anodize finishers, and the largest independent architectural finisher. Located in Wisconsin, Linetec serves customers across the country, finishing such products as aluminum windows, wall systems, doors, hardware and other architectural metal components, as well as automotive, marine and manufactured consumer goods. The company is a subsidiary of Apogee Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ: APOG). Linetec is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).