Twenty-six years ago, Francesco Morsilli founded the Warwick-based Dryvit Systems and became a pioneer in developing a unique exterior-wall-cladding system. Since founding Dryvit in 1969, Morsilli's exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) products have helped to eliminate many of the prohibitive costs typically associated with constructing a well-insulated new home or large-scale professional building.
"Whether you're building a new home or renovating an older one, a Dryvit system is cost effective to install and extremely thermally efficient," says Paul Hill, who was appointed president and CEO of the company i 1990. "In fact, it's the most thermally efficient wall system available today." EIFS
EIFS was developed in Europe in the 1940s and 1950s as a method of rehabilitating war-torn buildings. EIFS is a unique system, using an insulation board, a fiberglass-reinforced base coat and a finish coat.
EIFS can be used for the exterior surface of a new building or to "retrofit" an existing building. Unlike traditionally-installed insulation, which is placed in between the studs, the insulation board component of EIFS is applied to the outside of the structural walls of the home. This provides a thermal blanket that protects it from the elements. Heat retention in winter is maximized, and cooling loss in summer is kept to a minimum., which reduces energy costs.
Morsilli saw the potential for EIFS in this county and negotiated with its German inventor to buy the trademark license and patent rights to manufacture it in the United States. Morsilli -- who worked with architects, building code commissions, and state and local building officials -- soon began promoting EIFS for non-residential construction projects. Since then, the company has lent its touch to such buildings as the Utah Jazz Arena in Salt Lake City, the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and the Mall of America of in Bloomington, Minnesota, among a host of others.
Dryvit has also developed a product known as Outsulation, which consists of insulation board, a fiberglass reinforced base coat, and a finish coat. Outsulation is used in residential, commercial and industrial structures, including hotels, motels, retail stores, and healthcare facilities.
"You can easily and economically incorporate architectural details, -- arches, columns, cornices, period details, door and window treatments -- that will add elegance, style, and personality, not to mention value, to your home," says Hill. "Dryvit's 100 percent, acrylic-based texture finishes -- combined with dirt- and mildew-resistant chemistry -- provide legendary performance."
Another advantage to using EIFS, Hill says, lies in its versatility and flexibility. "It is often said that Dryvit has the ability to make an old building look new or a new building look old, whatever look the designer or building owner seeks."
Dryvit Systems has excelled in marketing and selling EIFS in North America to the point where the company now enjoys an estimated 40-percent market share. Dryvit's West Warwick manufacturing plant is one of five currently maintained by the company. Dryvit is also making waves in Poland, the Czech Republic, and England with Outsulation. Likewise, Dryvit has expanded into Mexico, Indonesia, and the Pacific Rim countries as well.