Archbold firm raises canes for Capitol tree

Kathi Nagel of Fypon Ltd. collects candy canes routed from PVC that will be decorated by school children in Bennington, Vt., for the 60-foot Capitol Christmas tree in Washington.

ARCHBOLD A 60-foot tall Christmas tree from Vermont that will stand in front of the Capitol in Washington this month will be adorned with hundreds of plastic candy canes made in northwest Ohio.

Fypon Ltd., of Archbold, a maker of decorative urethane window and door trim, is donating materials and worker expertise to make 750 candy canes that will be hung on the capitol tree s branches when it is erected on Nov. 26.

We have the capability of making molds and doing something fun, so we were glad to help, said Kathy Ziprik, a Fypon spokesman.

The Fulton County company makes more than 6,000 products combined, but its primary market is the building industry, where its louvers, columns, entrance trim, interior, and exterior mouldings and decorative millwork are frequently incorporated into new housing.

The closest it had come to Christmas ornaments were plastic snowflakes it made during the holiday season as a promotional gift for employees, Ms. Ziprik said.

It would have not been involved in the capitol tree project if not for a chance meeting between a Fypon sales representative and a lumber company representative who happens to live in Bennington, Vt., the community selected to provide this year s capitol tree.

The Ohio firm learned that Bennington needed ornamental candy canes that could not only be decorated, but also would be weatherproof. So the Archbold company contacted the tree organizers and offered to make the candy canes and donate them.

They not only give us the materials, but they created the shapes for us, which is terrific, said Joann Erenhouse, director of the Bennington Chamber of Commerce.

Once they re decorated, they should look shiny and perfect.

Fypon cut up several one-inch thick sheets of white polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, into the foot-long candy canes.

Yesterday, the candy canes were shipped to Vermont where schoolchildren will decorate them with paint, stickers, and crafts materials. The labor and materials total about $4,500, the company said.

It all happened very fast, but when we found out that they were working on this Christmas tree and needed the candy canes, we immediately said yes, Ms. Ziprik said.

The Bennington chamber was required to make 3,500 tree decorations, arrange transportation to Washington, and organize a tree travel tour and lighting ceremony.

As part of the project, it has enlisted sponsors, with Fypon being one.

This has been a great opportunity for us, Ms. Ziprik said.

Contact Jon Chavez at: jchavez@theblade.com or 419-724-6128.