Becoming an Exterpark Decking Distributor

One catalogue, three collections, one commercial relationship

Exterpark supplies composite, bamboo and tropical hardwood within a single commercial relationship, each with its own fixing system. For a distributor operating in markets where specifiers want one accountable manufacturer rather than three suppliers, that consolidation is an argument at closing.

Documented reference projects include the Louvre Abu Dhabi, by Jean Nouvel, in Plantation Teak; Rambla del Mar in Barcelona, in Elondo; the Waldorf Astoria Maldives, in Angelim; and Bvlgari Ocean Mansions and Marsa Al Arab in Dubai. FSC certification applies to specific wood references, including Plantation Teak, Elondo and Angelim, rather than to the full range. More completed installations are shown in our project gallery.

What a distributor gets from Exterpark beyond the system

The value of the partnership is not limited to the fixing system. A distributor takes on a portfolio that covers composite, bamboo and tropical hardwood, so one line can answer a hospitality brief, a residential development and a public-space project without adding a second supplier.

Each collection comes with the documentation a professional sale requires: product data sheets, test certificates from AIDIMME, Tecnalia and Applus, installation detailing by substructure type and the patent references behind the fixing. That material is prepared for the specifier, so the distributor can support an architect’s specification without producing its own technical file.

Reference projects are part of the commercial toolkit. Installations such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi or the Waldorf Astoria Maldives give a distributor documented precedents to put in front of a developer or a hotel group in its own territory.

Support for professional customers continues after the first order. Exterpark’s technical team works with the distributor on project detailing, substructure questions and site queries, so the distributor is not left as the only source of technical answers for its installers and specifiers.

How to evaluate any decking distribution opportunity

Exterpark included. These are the questions that separate an industrial partner from a component supplier, and they apply to every brand on a shortlist.

• Does the testing cover the installed assembly or individual components? Most published test data refers to the board alone. Ask for the scope of each certificate, not only the figures on it.
• Is the substructure proprietary or sourced from a third party? Where board and substructure come from different companies, liability for a system failure is divided before the first installation.
• How is margin actually calculated? A headline discount percentage says little. Gross distributor margin is net resale price minus landed cost, divided by net resale price, where landed cost includes the net purchase price, international freight, insurance, non-recoverable duties and taxes, customs clearance, transport to warehouse, handling and storage, currency risk, and breakage, samples and showroom stock. Two suppliers quoting the same discount can produce very different margins once those are counted.
• What does territorial protection mean in practice, and in which jurisdiction? In the EU, exclusive distribution falls under Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/720 and the Vertical Guidelines, which set market-share thresholds and limit what can be restricted in active, passive and online sales. Any territorial arrangement should be reviewed by legal counsel in the territory concerned before it is signed.
• Which lead time is being quoted? Stock availability, production lead time, transit time and total delivered lead time are four different numbers. A single “standard lead time” figure, quoted without an Incoterm and a location, is not comparable between suppliers.

The criteria behind each of these questions, and how the three supplier models in the sector differ, are set out in our guide on how to become a decking distributor. (blog)

Frequently asked questions about decking distributor

What does Exterpark offer a decking distributor?

A multi-material portfolio within one commercial relationship: Tech composite, Bamboo and tropical hardwood in the Wood line, each with its own proprietary fixing system. Board, clip and joist come from one manufacturer under one technical file, rather than from separate suppliers.

Which fixing system applies to each range?

The Shark system covers the Tech composite and Bamboo collections. The Wood line uses Magnet S. Both are Exterpark’s own patented systems and form part of the same technical documentation as the board.

What technical documentation is available to distributors?

Product data sheets, laboratory test certificates from AIDIMME, Tecnalia and Applus, installation detailing by substructure type, and patent references. The testing covers the installed assembly rather than the board in isolation, which is what a specification document describes.

How should a distributor calculate margin on a decking line?

Gross margin is net resale price minus landed cost, divided by net resale price. Landed cost includes freight, insurance, non-recoverable duties, customs clearance, inland transport, handling, storage, currency risk and showroom stock. Comparing suppliers on discount alone is misleading until those costs are included.

What governs exclusive distribution agreements in the EU?

Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/720 and the accompanying Vertical Guidelines. They set market-share thresholds and restrict what can be limited in active, passive and online sales. Terms vary by territory and should be reviewed by local legal counsel.

Does Exterpark work with importers, timber merchants or building-materials groups?

All three, alongside flooring distributors and outdoor living specialists. The structure proposed depends on the role the partner takes on: importing and holding stock for a territory is a different arrangement from selling from established local points.

Which markets does Exterpark supply?

Projects in more than 80 countries, with distribution centres in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Specific commercial terms are agreed per market and per partner.