Diablo Partners with Habitat for Humanity for Weeklong Blitz Building Event

May 30, 2012 – Freud America, Inc., a superior manufacturer of Diablo premium construction cutting tools, partners with Habitat for Humanity, the nonprofit housing organization, as they team up with professional homebuilders across the U.S. to give hope to low-income families seeking affordable housing as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Home Builders Blitz 2012. During the week of June 4, Habitat for Humanity will build, rehabilitate or repair more than 200 homes as part of its Home Builders Blitz program. Freud America donated 1,250 Diablo 7-1/4” 24 tooth framing blades to assist more than 250 building industry professionals during their week-long Builders Blitz.

"We are excited to partner with Habitat for Humanity on this courageous effort," states Freud America President and CEO Russell Kohl.. "We know what a difference these construction companies are making by donating their time and resources and we want to contribute as much as we can."

Habitat´s Home Builders Blitz is a partnership between Habitat affiliates and the building community to build and renovate homes across the United States. Builders and Habitat affiliates work closely to organize all aspects of building, including securing subcontractors and suppliers, fundraising and seeking donations of materials. Builders participating in the program this year will work with more than 80 Habitat affiliates.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope.  Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitat.org, or follow us at www.facebook.com/habitat or at www.twitter.com/habitat_org or join Habitat’s blog community at www.habitat.org/blog.

Two Industry Leaders Unite To Launch The First Composite Decking Saw Blade On The Market

Freud America, Inc., a premier manufacturer of superior cutting tools, has announced an exclusive partnership with Trex Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking and railing products, to introduce the first saw blade specifically designed for cutting composite decking materials. Diablo, Freud´s premier brand of construction tools, will be introducing the new blade series for maximum performance and highest quality of finish when cutting composite decking materials.

"Through our agreement with Freud America/Diablo, we´re addressing the needs of both contractors and do-it-yourselfers, who for 20 years have not had the opportunity to purchase a saw blade designed with the efficiency, longevity and precision to cut composite materials," said Ronald W. Kaplan, chairman, president and CEO of Trex. "With this blade, we’re not only offering the confidence and security that comes with the industry-leading Trex and Diablo names, but we’re also expanding Trex´s brand presence into the tool departments of retailers across North America."

Proven Performance at a Competitive Price
The Diablo/Trex co-branded blade will be offered in three sizes – 12", 10" and 7-1/4" – for use on hand-held, miter and table saws. This new saw blade series has a modified triple chip tooth grind design, Perma-SHIELD™ non-stick coating, and specific TiCo™ Hi-Density carbide to deliver maximum performance. In addition, all Diablo/Trex saw blades have a super thin-kerf design which requires less cutting power, making them ideal for underpowered saws at the jobsite.

In fact, Trex and Diablo have conducted extensive field testing among contractors at composite decking job sites to evaluate the performance of the new blade. The tests consistently showed that the blade offers more efficient and cleaner cuts, less "gumming" of blade teeth and greater longevity when compared to standard saw blades currently in the market.

"Both the Trex and Diablo brands are synonymous with high quality and innovation within their respective industries, and we’re proud to partner on the launch of a blade that will be a true first on the marketplace," said Russell Kohl, President and CEO of Freud Tools. "These new blades provide cleaner cuts with no swirl marks and longer cutting life; making it a ‘must-have‘ tool for both professionals and DIYers planning composite decking projects."

The Trex/Diablo co-branded blade is expected to be available at retail locations in July 2012. For more information about Trex products, visit trex.com.

About Trex Company
Trex Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of high performance wood-alternative decking and railing, with more than 20 years of product experience. Stocked in more than 5,500 retail locations worldwide, Trex outdoor living products offer a wide range of style options with fewer ongoing maintenance requirements than wood, as well as a truly environmentally responsible choice. For more information, visit trex.com. You also can follow Trex on Twitter (@Trex_Company), "like" Trex on Facebook, or view product and demonstration videos on the brand's YouTube channel (TheTrexCo.).

About Diablo
Diablo is the premium brand of contractor tools specifically designed to provide superior performance while withstanding the most extreme conditions for the contractor. Diablo is produced by Freud, a manufacturer of high quality woodworking tools for the last 60 years and a leader in the carbide cutting tool industry. Freud is the only manufacturer of woodworking tools in the world that produces its own MicroGrain Carbide with Titanium, called TiCo™ Hi-Density carbide. By producing their own carbide, Freud has the unique ability to formulate each tool for each specific application; thereby maximizing the cutting life and performance of the tool. Diablo´s full line of high-quality cutting tools includes saw blades, reciprocating saw blades, and more. For more information, visit www.diablotools.com or email our media contact at marketing@diablotools.com

Diablo´s Laminate Flooring Blades Provide
Flawless Finish and Long Cutting Life

The US laminate flooring market is projected to reach almost 2 billion dollars in sales this year. It’s a massive market that’s only getting bigger, and manufacturers such as Wilsonart, Shaw and Quick Step keeping improving the price point, durability, and ease of installation to drive this market. The quality of laminate flooring is better than ever. It’s now difficult to tell the difference between laminate and real wood flooring, and the product is so durable, you’ll find it installed just about everywhere, from commercial to residential environments. Installation is so easy that even do-it-yourselfers can produce professional results. But here’s the problem – laminate flooring is tough stuff to cut.

The strength of laminate flooring – the durable wear coating – destroys traditional saw blades. The durable wear coating is made from aluminum oxide, which is the same material used to make the grit on sandpaper. When you cut laminate flooring, you’re actually cutting sandpaper. Traditional saw blades aren’t up to this challenge. Before long the carbide breaks down, the blade stops cutting and it starts burning. It’s not uncommon to hear of traditional saw blades failing after installing only a couple hundred square feet of flooring.

Diablo is the only saw blade solution for a flawless finish and long life when cutting laminate flooring. These specialty blades are offered in a 10” (item #D1084L) and 12” (item #D1296L) diameter. Through the combination of exclusively formulated Freud-made TiCo™ HI-density carbide and Triple Chip Grind (TCG) tooth geometry, these Diablo laminate flooring saw blades provide exceptional results against the abrasive coating of laminate flooring. Mounted on a sliding compound miter saw or a table saw, Diablo laminate flooring saw blades give end users more cuts for their buck than any other blades on the market.

Installers are frustrated by the performance of traditional blades that just can’t hold up to abrasiveness of laminate flooring. So when searching for saw blades to cut laminate flooring, make sure to pick up the only solution that provides precision cuts and durability… choose Diablo.

DEMO DEMON — The Ultimate 7-1/4” x 24 Tooth Framing/Demolition Saw Blade

No job is too tough for this extreme blade

Specially formulated to deliver superior cutting life and durability in the most extreme construction situations, the new Diablo Demo Demon is outperforming other standard blades up to 6X in intense applications.

This blade is designed to provide exceptional performance and impact resistance through its radical new LOCK-TOOTH™ design and special DURA-BLEND TiCo™ carbide. Demo Demon’s advanced PYRAMID TOOTH GEOMETRY™, a high-performance 3-tooth grind sequence, provides superior tracking control and effortless cuts. With this unparalleled feature combination, the new Demo Demon is able to withstand impact from embedded nails and other obstructions.

No matter what the job: demolishing a roof, removing exterior siding or sub floors, or framing new construction - make sure to choose the Diablo Demo Demon.

Freud Introduces the Only Approved HardieBlade™ Saw Blade On The Market

Freud America, Inc., a premier manufacturer of superior cutting tools, has announced an exclusive partnership with industry leader James Hardie Building Products to bring the market an innovative blade with unprecedented cutting performance.

The new Diablo HardieBlade™ saw blade, manufactured by Freud, is the only approved PCD-tipped circular saw blade approved by James Hardie Building Products. These industry-leading blades provide cleaner cuts, longer life, and less dust generation when cutting James Hardie® fiber cement products. The new Diablo PCD HardieBlade™ saw blade series has a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) Triple Chip tooth design that reduces respirable dust generation by up to 50%* versus other PCD blades in independent laboratory testing. On average, the PCD blades last up to 60X longer than generic fiber cement carbide blades. During laboratory, field and in-house testing, the Diablo HardieBlade™ saw blades demonstrated truer cuts with greater resistance to abrasion. In addition, all Diablo HardieBlade™ saw blades have a super thin-kerf design which requires less cutting power, making them ideal for underpowered saws at the jobsite.

"We are excited about uniting with James Hardie to provide the contractor market with a superior blade," states Russell Kohl, President and CEO of Freud America, Inc. "Through our combination of unique blade features, this one-of-a-kind Diablo HardieBlade™ saw blade series will not only last longer than competitive blades but it also reduces the amount of respirable dust that is produced when cutting fiber cement products.

Diablo saw blades are available at independent hardware retailers and home centers. The Diablo PCD tipped HardieBlade™ can be identified by the green bar at the top of the packaging with the diamond icon. PCD saw blades are ideal for large projects and frequent, heavy-duty use in fiber cement products.