Superior Walls
Licensee Models
See links below to learn more about our Licensee Opportunities and discover which model could work for you to — Get In On The Ground Floor.
About Licensees
Superior Walls precast concrete foundation systems have more than 35 years of success in new home construction, with more code related testing than any other precast concrete foundation on the market. Energy-friendly Superior Walls are the sustainable building solution that saves valuable natural resources.
Standard Licensee Model
For licensees to manufacture and install Superior Walls System Products within a defined geographical area, and to hire
a sales force to sell the Superior Walls wall system to all builders and developers within their territory, and to achieve a significant market share within
an agreed upon time period.
Manufacturing Model
For licensees who want to manufacture and install Superior Walls products for their own residential and light commercial projects, and not sell Superior Walls to anyone else. This may include regional builders or developers who desire high quality foundations of Superior Walls. This applies only to areas not currently serviced by an existing licensee.
Simply Superior™ From The Beginning
About Superior Walls
SUPERIOR WALLS CORPORATE HISTORY
Superior Walls of America, Ltd. was founded in 1981 by Lancaster County home builder Mel Zimmerman after years of research and development on a precast foundation system. The system was designed to eliminate age-old problems of home building while providing a quick and easy way to build better and dry basements.
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1986
Superior Walls Established Its First
Licensed Operation.Superior Walls has since grown into a multi-million dollar, multi-site manufacturing operation throughout the United States.
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1990s
As Satisfied Builders And Homeowners Spread The Word...
Superior Walls worked hard to become the industry leader in precast residential foundations.
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2000
New Corporate Headquarters
Continued growth and demand led Superior Walls to establish a new corporate headquarters in the rolling hills of New Holland, Pennsylvania. While more and more people caught on to The Superior Advantage, Superior Walls began to emerge in the media as the future of foundation building.
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2001
"Innovative Housing Technology Award."
Superior Walls was featured in the March 2001 issue of Popular Science magazine for having received the National Association of Home Builders "Innovative Housing Technology Award."
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2001 and 2002
Superior Walls — Foundation Of Choice
Also during 2001 and 2002, Superior Walls was the foundation of choice for the New American Home at the
International Builders' Show. -
2003
The Xi Wall™ Introduced
In early 2003, Superior Walls introduced the new Xi wall to eager builders and homeowners alike. With added insulation and strength, the improved wall represents the foundation of the future for the building industry.
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2008
Chosen For This Old House™
In 2008, Superior Walls Xi wall panels were used as the foundation for the This Old House Weston Project.
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2009
NAHB Certification
In 2009, Superior Walls became the seventy-first product and one of the first 25 manufacturers to have products approved to earn points toward the NAHB Research Center National Green Building Certification.
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2010
Chosen For Extreme Makeover: Home Edition™
In 2010, Superior Walls signed on as a supporter of ABC-TV's popular show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The company supplied and installed custom-made energy-efficient basement and crawl space foundations for a variety of homes featured on the home improvement show.
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2011
Contiued Growth And Expansion
In 2011, Superior Walls renewed their relationship with ABC-TV's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Also in 2011, Superior Walls introduced the Ui Wall – an uninsulated, four-foot high precast concrete foundation designed primarily for use in garages.
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2012
Introduction Of The Xi Plus Wall™
Building on the success of the popular Xi walls, in 2012, Superior Walls introduced the Xi Plus wall system. Based on the proven design of the Xi wall system, the enhanced Xi Plus walls are available with a built-in insulation value of R-21.3 and a four-inch insulated footer beam.
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2014
Expansion Into Canada
In 2014, Superior Walls opened 2 new licensee manufacturing plants in Canada.
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2018
Superior Green-Building Reputation
In 2018, Superior Walls products were selected for The Net Zero House project coordinated by THIS OLD HOUSE® TV show in Jamestown, Rhode Island. That same year, Superior Walls Xi Plus panels were also used as the foundation in the THIS OLD HOUSE® 2018 IDEA HOUSE in Narragansett, R.I.
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2020
Expansion Into Colorado
In 2020, Superior Walls opens a new licensee manufacturing plant in Nunn, Colorado.
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2021
Continued Expansion Into Canada
In 2021, Superior Walls continues to expand into Canada. The Shaw Group opens a new licensee manufacturing plant in Nova Scotia to service Atlantic Canada.
Now with more homeowners creating basements with enjoyable extra living space, Superior Walls continue to be in high demand while revolutionizing the foundation building industry.
Learn more on the Superior Walls website.
Have a question?
Frequently Asked Questions
We consider business experience and vision, financial liquidity, education and personal experience, as well as the willingness to follow a technical system.
Superior Walls of America pioneered the residential process in 1981 and obtained the first of many patents for our system in 1986.
Superior Walls are in demand with builders and homebuyers, and market share continues to grow. Research by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) confirms that a majority of builders who have used Superior Walls prefer them over other methods and will continue to use them in the future.
The demand for and use of prefabricated building components is steadily increasing. With the continued labor shortages that plague the building industry, product demand is expected to remain high. In fact, industry research shows that within the next several years, most new homes will be built using prefabricated structural components.
Superior Walls of America is the original residential precast foundation system, and has established brand acceptance and recognition. We've set the standard and continue to lead the way with ongoing product development, quality assurance programs, and certified employee training.
Criteria for determining a manufacturing area include geographic location, population density, housing start considerations, and additional factors. We also consider the relative distance to existing Superior Walls operations and the service level of that territory along with other planned SUPERIOR WALLS territories.
We do not directly finance licensee start-ups, however, some licensees have found financing through the Small Business Administration (SBA).
You are expected to begin manufacturing within 180 days, but you will want to start developing the market with sales and installations as soon as you become a licensee. One of our existing licensees may supply you with product until you begin manufacturing
Superior Walls have been installed in over 30 states and provinces to date, and sealed engineering approvals are available when required. For commercial construction projects, you are required to obtain local engineering seals. Superior Walls will work with your preferred local engineer to facilitate those seals.
There is a royalty payment to Superior Walls of America, due monthly, on either gross sales or linear feet of production volume from the prior month.
If you do not find the answer to your question listed within our FAQ's, you can always contact us directly at info@superiorwalls.com
Helpful Information Before You Proceed
The Next Steps
The first step is to complete the License Candidate Questionnaire — Click Here. Your answers will help us to understand the extent of your business experience and knowledge of the market area. It is also designed to help you develop questions for us as we move forward in the process.
Once SWA receives your completed questionnaire, we will contact you for an informal telephone review session to clarify the information, and answer your questions. We encourage, and welcome any and all questions you may have of us.
When we first meet with you in person to discuss available license opportunities, we will provide you with a copy of our FDD. This initial meeting might be on a plant tour, a visit to our corporate headquarters, or some other occasion where we meet specifically to discuss a license opportunity. The FDD is a comprehensive source of information about our license opportunity, and includes detailed information, SWA financials, and a copy of our license agreement. The signed FDD receipt and completed application must be submitted to SWA to continue the process.
As your interest continues, you'll want to join us on a tour of an existing license operation. On the tour, we observe and discuss the manufacturing process and talk about all aspects of running a successful Superior Walls business. We also like to include a job site visit where we can watch and discuss the installation process.
As your interest continues, the SWA executive committee will review your experience, interest level, and progress to this point. With their encouragement, you can determine to move forward in the process.
At this point, you will need to develop your sales and marketing plan, and your business plan. These plans are required following the preliminary evaluation. SWA will then review your plans and financial statements in our final review of your suitability as a licensee.
While under consideration for a Superior Walls license, we will invite you to our corporate headquarters in New Holland, PA. During your visit, you'll meet many of the people who manage our business and support our licensees. You will be provided the opportunity to present a plan for developing the open license territory for which you applied. You'll learn more about our training programs, systems and procedures and see how the forms and other equipment are manufactured.
Once SWA decides to offer you a license, we will provide you with the prepared license agreement. There is a required fourteen day waiting period before you can sign the agreement. The License Fee is paid with the execution of the agreement. Training, Certification, and Set-Up Fee is all paid before training begins.
Congratulations on your decision to join SWA. Together, we are changing the way homes are built across America and throughout the world. We welcome you and look forward to helping you every step of the way, from your start-up through the running of your successful Superior Walls business for many years to come.
You will want to begin selling and installing walls as soon as possible, so some training sessions can be scheduled right away. Manufacturing training is usually the last segment, and is timed relative to your manufacturing plant's start-up schedule.
When the License Agreement is executed, you should begin meeting with local building code officials to educate them about Superior Walls and secure acceptance in your market. SWA trains and assists you in working with code officials.
Other SWA plants will assist you by manufacturing walls for you so that you can start selling and installing almost immediately. Your sales team should start selling as soon as they are trained on the product. Your goal at this stage is to have sales coming in steadily by the time your manufacturing plant is up and running.
Together, we've planned and prepared for your plant start-up. Your key personnel are onboard and have been trained and certified by SWA. Sales have been growing and installations are running smoothly. Now, you're ready to begin manufacturing your own Superior Walls.