F.A.Q. - Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Do you send out price sheets?

A. No, not currently. As mentioned in several parts of this website, Sylvan offers a vast array of customized panels and construction products for specific projects, specific designs, and specific locations. Daily maintenance of a such price sheet would be a significant use of manpower. Instead, we have directed our customer service efforts to responding to your specific inquiries, which you can direct to us by phone, fax, or our Request A Quote (RFQ) form in this website. For future reference, we will probably have a suggested retail price sheet for common items that have low price volatility, such as some of our concrete forming items.

Q. Do you keep inventory for small orders or quick shipments?

A. Yes, but only for a few concrete form items such as Dura-Pour® Plastic Overlay Form Panels, HDO Form, MDO Form, BB O&ES, Plastic Chamfer Strip, and Miter-Jaws™ Chamfer Cutters. In addition, we often have production over-runs or extra shop panels or that might be available on a quick-ship basis. Be sure to also check with us on ship times, because our order files may include near-term production of the item on your list.

Q. Do customers have to buy a minimum quantity?

A. No, but as a custom production company, Sylvan can provide better prices for larger quantities. Small orders have to accommodate the same amount of set-up and staging time as larger orders, thus creating a price advantage to buy in larger quantities. Except for the occasional inventory item listed above, we generally charge a set-up fee to make up for the down-time in setting up orders under 30 pieces. Please consult with your Sylvan Sales Specialist for more specific price information.

Q. Does Sylvan have standard sizes of panels & products?

A. Yes and No. Sylvan's composite panels are most economical on a square foot basis in 4x8 and 4x10 sizes. However, panels are also fairly economical in 5x8 and 5x10 sizes. In addition, Sylvan produces an almost unlimited array of sizes and thicknesses of panels up to 5' wide and 24' long. (Refer to the Request a Quote form for metric sizes.) These panels are custom produced for customers in which there is too much waste or too much labor to use the typical sizes, or the project contains specific design concerns that do not lend themselves to standard panel sizes. In addition, the many standard sizes of chamfer and mouldings and construction products are listed in the pertinent web pages. A Sylvan Sales Specialist can quickly guide clients through appropriate size and performance criteria prior to selection.

Q. Does Sylvan have regional distributors for its products?

A. Yes, but not for every product or in every part of the world. Our dispatch department coordinates partial loads across America and overseas every week. For areas in which we do not have a distributor, we can coordinate direct mill shipments and prices, pending credit approval.

Q. Can Sylvan Sales Specialists be reached in crisis situations?

A. Yes! Due to the customized nature of Sylvan's products, Sylvan's Specialist are often in conference with production staff to review the specifics and shipping schedule on every order. However, these Specialists can also be reached for quick response by cell phone or pager. As an additional back-up, we also have knowledgeable staff and managers on floor to answer general questions about products or order files. For this reason, Sylvan does not force customers to use our voice mail during our regular working hours, so that our receptionists and staff can be more responsive to your questions or concerns, and quickly relay critical calls to the appropriate person.

Q. Is your company related to Sylvan Learning Centers?

A. No. Instead of being "Hooked on Phonics", this Sylvan is "Hooked on "Composites"; meaning Composite Construction Products. The word Sylvan derives from the Latin word silvanus, meaning "of or pertaining to the woods or forest". Similarly, many of our composite construction products derive their structure from engineered wood components. In addition, our company was founded in an area in the Southwest Hills of Portland known as Sylvan.

Q. Is Sylvan a green supplier?

A. Yes. Sylvan's product line is derived from a variety of materials that are by-products of either sustained yield forests, passive solar generation, recycled materials, or "minimal use" enhancements that extend the product life-cycle and reduce consumption. Sylvan has engineered its products to utilize wood fiber from second, third, or fourth growth timber of 75 years or less, and to avoid utilization of virgin or old growth trees and other depletion resources. In addition, Sylvan favors production techniques that have a zero tolerance for V.O.C. emissions, and that minimize water consumption and waste disposal issues. We are proud to be known as "The Renewable Resource Company."