Vinyl Trends
Vinyl Trends is a privately held Canadian manufacturer and distributor of flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products, serving North American retailers, OEM partners, and distributors from facilities in Cambridge, Ontario and Winchester, Virginia.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersCambridge, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Vinyl Trends does
Vinyl Trends Inc. is a privately held Canadian building products company founded in 2000 by Rob Kuepfer in Cambridge, Ontario, that manufactures, distributes, and develops flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products for the North American market. Its portfolio is organized around three channel types: Distribution Brands (EasyStep, Eternity, Tranquility, Starter Plus, Comfortboost) sold through regional and national distributors; Retail Brands (notably Natural Underlayment) sold through Home Depot, Lowe's, Rona, and Home Hardware; and OEM private-label manufacturing for partners such as Sika, Goodfellow, QEP, Roberts, and Home Hardware. The company also offers international distribution services to overseas manufacturers seeking North American retail access.
The underlying technology centers on materials science applied to underlayment and ancillary building products. The Eternity 1 rubber underlayment blends virgin latex with recycled tire crumb to a 25 lb/ft³ density at 1.8 mm and achieves acoustic ratings up to Delta 27 dB / IIC 73 / STC 63. The Comfortboost product layers acoustic foam with a reflective film claimed to reflect 97% of radiant heat, and the Natural LVT line is positioned as the only ZeroVOC underlayment on the market, using a V.O.C. BLOCKER technology. The Seal Guard SG seaming system is patented and provides a building-code-approved vapor barrier seam up to 20x wider than competing systems. The company also holds exclusive Canadian distribution rights for TuffBlock, an HDPE-based instant foundation block.
Vinyl Trends operates manufacturing and distribution in both Cambridge, Ontario (head office) and Winchester, Virginia (VTUSA), enabling cross-border production and fulfillment. Since 2000, the company states it has diverted over 100 million pounds of industrial and automotive scrap from North American landfills, and it has appeared on the Canadian Business Profit 500 list of fastest-growing Canadian companies for five consecutive years. The customer base is concentrated among four major big-box home improvement retailers and a handful of OEM/private-label partners, with the business described as founder-led, privately financed, and primarily vertically integrated in product development, manufacturing, and channel management.
Vinyl Trends firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vinyl Trends
- Legal name
- Vinyl Trends Inc.
- Website
- https://vinyltrends.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Vinyl Trends is a privately held Canadian manufacturer and distributor of flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products, serving North American retailers, OEM partners, and distributors from facilities in Cambridge, Ontario and Winchester, Virginia.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vinyl Trends industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Flooring Underlayment
- NAICS
- Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Other Building Material Dealers (44418)
- SIC
- Carpets & Rugs (2273), Unsupported Plastics Film & Sheet (3081)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Carpet Cushion & Underlay Manufacturing (IMAOAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Floor Covering Backing & Primary Substrate Manufacturing (IMAOAJAK), Flooring Underlayment, Moldings & Trim Retail (CRAIAGAI), Industrial Matting, Flooring & Safety Rubber Products (IMANALAI)
Keywords
Where Vinyl Trends is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Vinyl Trends business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Distribution Brands: Manufactured underlayment products sold through distribution channels across North America. Brands include EasyStep, Eternity, Tranquility, Starter Plus, and Comfortboost.
- Retail Brands: Own retail brands sold through major retailers including Home Depot, Lowe's, Rona, and Home Hardware. Natural Underlayment brand specifically services retail customers.
- OEM Private Label: Private label manufacturing for OEM partners including Sika, Goodfellow, QEP, Roberts, and Home Hardware. Services partners with custom branding of underlayment and related products.
- International Distribution Services: Leveraging retail partnerships and market knowledge to offer distribution services for international companies looking to enter the North American market.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Products sold through multiple retail and distribution channels with variable pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Vinyl Trends product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vinyl Trends manufactures, distributes, and develops flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products. The company operates across three channels: distribution brands, own retail brands, and OEM private label production. Its portfolio includes premium rubber underlayments, zero-VOC underlayments, reflective insulation underlayments, surface protection mats, and instant foundation blocks. Products are sold through major North American retailers, distribution networks, and OEM partners.
Product overview
Vinyl Trends is a building materials company that manufactures, distributes, and develops flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products. The product portfolio operates across three main categories: flooring underlayment (including Eternity, Natural Underlayment, Comfortboost, EasyStep, Tranquility, and Starter Plus brands), surface protection (Armortech brand for tool box liners, kneeling pads, BBQ mats), and outdoor building products (TuffBlock foundation blocks and Fento Knee Protection). Products are distributed through three channels: distribution brands sold to distributors, retail brands for retail customers, and private label products for OEM partners including Sika, Goodfellow, QEP, Roberts, and Home Hardware.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Eternity Underlayment: Premium rubber underlayment brand available across the US via multiple regional and national distributors.
- Natural Underlayment
- Armortech
- TuffBlock
- Fento Knee Protection
- Comfortboost
- EasyStep
- Tranquility
- Starter Plus
Products and services
- Eternity 1 Premium Rubber Underlayment Premium rubber underlayment blending virgin latex rubber with recycled tire crumb at 25lb/ft3 density and 1.8mm thickness. Approved for use under LVT/LVP (3mm and up), SPC/WPC, laminate, engineered wood, hardwood, and vinyl planks with direct attached underlayment. Supports Float, Double Glue, Single Glue, Nail or Staple installation methods on concrete, plywood, cement backer units, OSB, and Gypcrete substrates for residential and commercial applications. CRI Green Label Plus certified with antimicrobial protection.
- Natural LVT SG Premium Underlayment First and only ZeroVOC underlayment on the market with advanced acoustic barrier technology for Luxury Vinyl Tile flooring. Features V.O.C. BLOCKER protection, patented Seal Guard SG vapor barrier seam system, anti-crush technology, and radiant heat compatibility. Acoustic ratings of IIC71/STC67 and Delta IIC23. Exceeds California indoor air quality standards.
- Comfortboost Premium Underlayment Premium underlayment combining advanced acoustical foam with reflective technology. Fused aluminum film reflects 97% of radiant heat or air conditioning back into the home, reducing the 75% of heat loss in homes that occurs through radiant energy escaping through floors. Available through major retailers across North America.
- TuffBlock Instant Foundation Blocks Innovative, lightweight, durable foundation blocks made from high-density polyethylene. Designed for decks, sheds, mobile homes, and tiny houses. Features interlocking design for stability, weather and UV resistance, and eco-friendly recycled materials. Distributed exclusively in Canada by Vinyl Trends.
- Armortech Surface Protection Surface protection products for homeowners and construction industry including Tool Box liners, kneeling pads, and BBQ mats.
- Fento Knee Protection Knee protection products for outdoor building and construction applications.
- EasyStep Underlayment Distribution brand of flooring underlayment sold through distribution channels.
- Tranquility Underlayment Distribution brand of flooring underlayment sold through distribution channels.
- Starter Plus Underlayment Distribution brand of flooring underlayment sold through distribution channels.
Quantifiable outcome
- Acoustic ratings up to Delta 27db, IIC 73, STC 63 for vinyl planks; Delta 23db, IIC 67, STC 63 for laminates
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Vinyl Trends
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Vinyl Trends technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Vinyl Trends partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Earth EdgecoreEarth Edge is a sister company to Vinyl Trends based in Hickory, NC. They manufacture Made in USA kneeler pads and anti-fatigue mats with custom foam pad cutting capabilities and multicolor screen printing. Vinyl Trends attended NHS 2023 where Earth Edge hosted an extensive display.
- TuffBlockcoreVinyl Trends discovered TuffBlock at NHS 2018 and now distributes exclusively in Canada. TuffBlock is a plastic deck foundation block available across multiple Canadian retail banners and online. The success demonstrates Vinyl Trends' ability to partner with great brands and develop new markets.
- International Companies (Seeking Partners)minorVinyl Trends leverages their knowledge of US/Canadian markets and access to major retailers to offer distribution services in North America for international companies. They provide multiple levels of support from order fulfillment to exclusive master distribution.
- Home DepotcoreMajor North American retail partner with established strong supplier scorecard relationship.
- Lowe'scoreMajor North American retail partner with established strong supplier scorecard relationship.
- RonacoreMajor Canadian retail partner with established strong supplier scorecard relationship.
- Home HardwarecoreMajor Canadian retail partner and OEM customer. Established strong supplier scorecard relationship.
- SikacoreOEM partner serviced with private label underlayment products.
- GoodfellowcoreOEM partner serviced with private label underlayment products.
- QEPcoreOEM partner serviced with private label underlayment products.
- RobertscoreOEM partner serviced with private label underlayment products.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vinyl Trends competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- QEP: QEP designs and distributes flooring installation tools and accessories, including underlayment and surface protection products sold through Home Depot, Lowe's, and other retailers. Already a Vinyl Trends OEM customer, QEP also competes in adjacent product lines.
- Roberts Consolidated Industries: Roberts manufactures flooring installation accessories including underlayment, adhesives, and surface prep products sold through home improvement retailers. Already an OEM customer of Vinyl Trends, it is also a peer competing in the same channel with adjacent products.
- Schluter Systems: Schluter Systems makes waterproofing membranes, uncoupling membranes (Ditra), and associated flooring underlayments for tile and LVT. It is a major direct competitor in the high-performance underlayment/membrane category, sold through the same pro-channel distributors.
- MP Global Products: MP Global Products manufactures flooring underlayment (QuietWalk, Insulayment, QuietBoard) using recycled fibers and rubber. It is the closest direct peer to Vinyl Trends in North America, serving the same LVT/laminate/hardwood underlayment category via retail and distribution channels.
- DriTac Flooring Products: DriTac is a US manufacturer of flooring adhesives and underlayment systems sold through distribution and OEM channels. Comparable to Vinyl Trends' private-label underlayment business, particularly around moisture mitigation and sound control.
Broad incumbents
- Sika: Sika is a global specialty chemicals company with a strong flooring systems portfolio (adhesives, sealants, underlayments, moisture mitigation). Already an OEM partner/customer of Vinyl Trends, Sika is also a competitor in higher-end commercial flooring underlayment and surface prep.
- Mapei: Mapei is a global manufacturer of adhesives, sealants, and chemical products for the construction industry, including flooring installation systems. Its surface-prep and underlayment-adjacent lines overlap with Vinyl Trends' OEM/private-label and pro-channel offering.
- Leggett & Platt: Leggett & Platt is a diversified manufacturer with a sizable Flooring & Textile Products segment (carpet cushion, underlayment, hard surface flooring components). It is a much larger, broader incumbent whose underlayment and carpet cushion lines directly overlap with Vinyl Trends' core products.
Emerging players
- Protecto Wrap: Protecto Wrap manufactures moisture and vapor barrier membranes used beneath flooring systems. Its products overlap with Vinyl Trends' Seal Guard SG vapor-barrier seaming technology and are specified into similar commercial and residential flooring systems.
- Coverings ETC: A smaller emerging player offering recycled-content surface protection and underlayment products aimed at sustainable building projects. Comparable in product philosophy (recycled materials, ESG angle) though much smaller in scale and distribution than Vinyl Trends.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Vinyl Trends social profiles
Digital presenceVinyl Trends compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Vinyl Trends financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vinyl Trends leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Vinyl Trends funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vinyl Trends M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vinyl Trends
What does Vinyl Trends do?
Vinyl Trends manufactures, distributes, and develops flooring underlayment, surface protection, and outdoor building products. The company operates across three channels: distribution brands, own retail brands, and OEM private label production. Its portfolio includes premium rubber underlayments, zero-VOC underlayments, reflective insulation underlayments, surface protection mats, and instant foundation blocks. Products are sold through major North American retailers, distribution networks, and OEM partners.
Is Vinyl Trends a public or private company?
Vinyl Trends is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vinyl Trends founded?
Vinyl Trends was founded in 2000. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Vinyl Trends based?
Vinyl Trends is headquartered in Cambridge, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Vinyl Trends make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Distribution Brands are the primary driver. The others are retail Brands, OEM Private Label and international Distribution Services.
Who are Vinyl Trends's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are QEP, Roberts Consolidated Industries, Schluter Systems, MP Global Products and DriTac Flooring Products. Broad incumbents are Sika, Mapei and Leggett & Platt. Emerging players are Protecto Wrap and Coverings ETC.
Does Vinyl Trends have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vinyl Trends.
What industry is Vinyl Trends in?
Vinyl Trends's product category is Flooring Underlayment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAJAJ, Carpet Cushion & Underlay Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAOAJAK, Floor Covering Backing & Primary Substrate Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 325991 and its SIC code is 2273.