The format for this newsletter has changed from my traditional homilies,

in favor of the Fridthjov Nilsen story; a story about one man’s creativity that has had a profound impact on the use of aluminum for windows and doors and the environment for 50-years; a story that has come near to being obscured by time and circumstances. We hope you find it interesting. ■

MLP™—two years in development

MLP™ —the most important innovation in pour and debridge technology in nearly a half century—is being much talked about and discussed by those looking for alternatives for improving

Winter 2012

From the Chairman,Jim Dunstan

1

2

In this issue:

Letter from the chairman

MLP—two years in development

Hands on Haiti

25 Year Club

Letter from the chairman

Fridthjov Nilsen

See: Interview at the expo – www.azonintl.com

the performance of aluminum windows and doors.

MLP™ utilizes an encapsulated mechanical lock to provide the greatest composite sheer strength of all thermal barrier designs. This unequaled sheer strength lends itself to allowing manufacturers/designers more flexibility in visualizing the greatest spans and loads in the market.

The increased thermal barrier cavity allows for a greater separation of metal and improved thermal properties including U-factor and condensation resistance. Our AZO/Tec® department can work with you to maximize your design according to your product requirements. ■

The Fridthjov Nilsen story commemorating 50 years since the invention of thermal barrier

A tribute to

50 years of

thermal barrier

A tribute to

50 years of

thermal barrier

AZON USA INC.643 W. Crosstown ParkwayKalamazoo, MI 49008-1910USATel: 269.385.5942 Fax: 269.373.9295

www.azonintl.com

AZON UK LTD.Unit 2, Withey Dyffryn Court Alder Avenue, Dyffryn Business Park Ystrad MynachHENGOED CF82 7TT UKTel: + 44 (0) 1443 865090Fax: + 44 (0) 1443 865099

AZON KOREA INC.E1-Space60-1 Samsung-Dong Kangnam-Gu, Seoul 135-870 KoreaTel: + 82 (0) 2 544 5906Fax: + 82 (0) 2 544 5908

Hands on Haiti update

The 2010 Azon Newsletter featured an article entitled Aftermath

about the Michigan-based Hands on Haiti nonprofit that supported an impoverished boys’ orphanage and school in the town of Gressier located very near the epicenter of the January 12, 2010 Haiti earthquake. The outpouring of donations to Hands on Haiti provided relief supplies that were delivered to desperate earthquake survivors in early August 2010.

Since the buildings in the orphanage complex were destroyed in the earthquake and the landowner expressed no plans to rebuild, parents of the students who attended the school supported by Hands on Haiti approached the principal, Mr. Rony Mathieu, wanting to know what his plans were for resuming school for their children. Even though he had no financial means of his own, Mr. Mathieu took it upon himself to start a new school from the ground up. Mr. Mathieu was able to recover the students’ school records from under the rubble a few weeks after the earthquake, which was of great importance to the children’s future educational plans. With support from friends, the students and their parents,

Mr. Mathieu literally started holding school under the shade of a tree.

By June 2010, organizations such as UNICEF came to their aid, giving the school a large tent, water tank and latrines. Mr. Mathieu was able to set up the tent on property of a larger school also destroyed in the earthquake. He also had a friend make bench-type desks. In August 2010 Act Alliance, an international aid organization, built the school a pole barn style shelter consisting of a tin roof with tarp-wrapped outer walls. This gave the school more space, allowing it to serve more students. This past summer the

large UNICEF tent was dismantled and most parts were recycled into a more substantial shelter with a tin roof. A small office was also built, giving the school a secure place to keep records and supplies.

Because Hands on Haiti had a good working relationship with Mr. Mathieu in the past, it was decided to join with him by supporting the new school, aptly named Academy of Hope. The school was registered with Haiti’s Ministry of Education and it serves both boys and girls in all grade levels. A hot lunch is provided for the students each school day, which is something they did not received at the previous school.

Hands on Haiti believes every child has the right to an education. Education transforms lives and helps break the cycle of poverty that traps so many children. By supporting Academy of Hope, Hands on Haiti has a direct impact on well over seventy-five people in the local Gressier community. The students, teachers, their families, school cooks and local food vendors all benefit from their help. The goal of Hands on Haiti is to bring impoverished Haitian children hope for a better future through education. “Feeding the body only lasts until the next meal, but feeding the mind lasts a lifetime.” ■

Special recognition is given to those who have contributed their time, talent and twenty-five or more years of employment service with Azon.

Margaret Roberts27 years

Jim and Ruth Dunstan35 years

Scott Freeland26 years

Tami Lee28 years

Matt Deittrick26 years

Jeff Ford29 years

Randy Cleaver32 years

Don Hyames25 years

Don Poffenberger25 years

AZON POLYURETHANE (Shanghai) LTD. CO.Shanghai OfficeRoom 2804-2807, 28th FloorHua Yuan World Square1958 North Zhongshan RoadShanghai 200063PR ChinaTel: + 86 (0) 21 6212 2213Fax: + 86 (0) 21 6211 0004

Patti with Haitian children by a makeshift school

Patti Sauvé, president www.handsonhaiti.org