Oklahoma City-based M-D Building Products acquired Loxcreen Co., a privately held precision manufacturing company founded in 1946 on patents for fabricating window screens. 

The acquisition includes Loxcreen’s Canadian flooring group operated under the Bengard Manufacturing name in Mississauga, Ontario. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The combined sales of both companies will exceed $200 million annually. 

Ace Hardware is in the final stages of inking a deal that will replace Benjamin Moore, its signature national brand, with a program from Valspar paint, HCN has learned.

Clear Lake Lumber, the Spartansburg, Pa., manufacturer of kiln-dried hardwood lumber, is closing its American Made Flooring division and auctioning its inventory of hardwood flooring. Almost 300,000 sq. ft. are on the block, along with the division’s customer list, equipment and display racks.

Clear Lake said it is getting out of the flooring business so it can concentrate on its hardwood lumber manufacturing operation.

Energizer Holdings has announced a multi-year restructuring plan designed to save the company approximately $200 million, improve profitability and drive long-term growth. The St. Louis, Mo.-based manufacturer expects that a substantial portion of the actions necessary to achieve the targeted savings should be completed by the end of fiscal 2014 and the total savings are expected to be fully realized in fiscal 2015.

Monroe, La.-based LBM buying group Allied Building Stores appointed Dale E. Mercer, 50, as president, effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Mercer will succeed David Stiles, a 16-year veteran of Allied, who will continue to serve as president until the end of the year. Mercer joined ABS, a dealer-owned building materials buying group in October 2008, and most recently has served as its chief operating officer. Prior to joining ABS, Mercer was VP manufacturing for Bancroft Bag at its facility in West Monroe.

Whirlpool took the top spot amongst major appliance companies in the 2012 annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Whirlpool has led or tied for first place each year since 1996.

"We continue to look ahead -- driving innovation and staying focused on our commitment to U.S. manufacturing and customer satisfaction," said Marc Bitzer, president of Whirlpool Corp.'s North America region. "Our ongoing dedication to recognizing and solving consumers' needs is driving this type of recognition."

Hurd Windows and Doors was featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer in a Sept. 20 feature that highlighted U.S.-based businesses that are making a domestic and global economic impact. The 90-year-old custom window and door manufacturer was recognized for competing on a worldwide basis out of its Midwestern manufacturing facilities in Medford and Merrill, Wisconsin.

Wayne, N.J.-based GAF will open in Gainesville, Texas, a new manufacturing facility for polyisocyanurate (ISO), an insulation material used in commercial roofing systems.  

GAF opened its first ISO manufacturing facility in Statesboro, Ga., which began shipping material in August of this year. It plans four such facilities.