Alpen Purchases Fiberglass Window Business Back from Serious
September 27, 2012

by Tara Taffera, ttaffera@glass.com

Alpen High Performance Products, based in Boulder, Colo., today purchased the assets of its Colorado-based fiberglass window and architectural glass operations back from Serious Energy Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif. Brad Begin, one of the prior owners of Alpen before its sale to Serious, is back at the helm as CEO, and he spoke to USGNN.com™ magazine today about the purchase.

“We [my business partner and I] had a long-time continued interest at potentially buying it back,” says Begin. “When Serious bought Alpen they made investments that were well executed and successful and we as prior owners always loved the products. We see a continued momentum.”

Begin says one of the main advantages of the sale is that there will now be local owners involved in the day-to-day operations.

Alpen’s window and glass operation was founded in 1981 and operated continuously under the Alpen brand until its acquisition by Serious Materials (now Serious Energy Inc.) in 2008.

The fiberglass window products previously sold under the SeriousWindows brand will now be sold under the Alpen brand. Serious Energy, which owned the company for four years, is working in tandem with Alpen HHP to ensure a transition back to the Alpen brand. The company’s operations and customer service staff will remain intact, according to Alpen.

“Clearly it will be the same people producing the same product and out of the same facility,” says Begin. “We are working hard for a smooth transition of the brand and we don’t anticipate significant issues, as we have operated under the Alpen name for more than 30 years. We have a strong reputation as an innovator in the commercial environment and have achieved success globally and nationally.”

He adds that the company is poised for tremendous growth based on its commitment to high-performance fiberglass products, and that there are opportunities to add complementary products.

“I think fiberglass is well understood as being the fastest growing window frame building material over the last decade and it has been embraced by all the major name brand window companies,” says Begin.

“By providing a product at higher performance levels we can exercise a competitive advantage in the market we think is rapidly growing and needs a higher performance product.”
Serious Energy had not yet responded to USGNN.com’s requests for comment at press time.