Hanson Versathin Chip One

American Brick Company (Ambrico) recently announced a fall special on the Hanson VersaThin Midwest Collection at the company’s headquarters in Warren, MI.  For a limited time, Ambrico, retailer of Hanson VersaThin and other popular thin brick brands, has reduced prices on select colors from the Hanson VersaThin Midwest Collection.

Featuring rich colors for fall and winter in classic designs, the Midwest collection from Hanson VersaThin is a budget-friendly choice for builders who are looking for a high quality thin brick product that is easy to install and that doesn’t require extensive maintenance.  The VersaThin line was designed to be fireproof, maintenance-free and highly sustainable.  Made from local natural resources including sand, gravel, crushed stone and clay, the thin brick products from Hanson Brick are an environmentally-friendly option for those looking to improve a building’s R-value and are an easy-to-use alternative to clay bricks.

Builders and contractors who want to update an existing structure with thin brick and those who are putting the finishing touches on a new construction project can look at samples of thin brick products from Hanson VersaThin and other popular lines at the Ambrico showroom in Warren, MI.  Offering a large selection of samples and professional service from in-house thin brick experts, the Ambrico showroom is popular among builders and contractors who are looking for an affordable solution to traditional clay bricks.

Hanson Versathin Autumn Blaze

According to the experts at Ambrico, the products from Hanson VersaThin offer a high level of durability and are some of the top thin brick products on the market today.  The company offers more styles, colors and texture options than any other thin brick product line and currently features more than 200 colors, 12 coatings and 4 regional collections, making it a clear favorite among professional builders and contractors.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com

American Brick Company (Ambrico) recently announced the addition of the latest house siding options for fall and winter to its product showroom, recently opened in Warren, MI. Customers now have access to samples from the most popular thin brick and brick veneer designs and colors just in time for fall. With access to the latest designs from top thin brick producers like Glen-Gery Brick, McNear Brick and Block and Robinson Brick, Ambrico customers now have access to a multitude of house siding options.

The addition of these fall products brings the latest innovations in house siding options directly to builders and homeowners who are looking for an alternative to traditional clay bricks. Unlike clay bricks that fade and crack over time, thin brick is the only house siding option that stays looking great for years after it is installed. The thin brick products that Ambrico sells in the company’s showroom have been hand-picked by the company, selected for their vibrant colors, classic designs and quality of craftsmanship. Customers who need assistance with finding the perfect thin brick product for their project can receive assistance from helpful Ambrico staff members at the showroom, and can also learn more about all of the products that the company sells.

Along with the latest product additions for fall and winter, Ambrico reports that they are frequently adding to the vast array of thin brick offerings at their showroom, making it easy for customers to find exactly what they want. Whether it’s a traditional design that mimics the look of red brick or a more modern take on an old favorite, thin brick offers everything that builders are looking for when it comes to house siding options.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility. The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom. For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary: The EZ-Wall System from Ambrico has been trusted for over 50 years.  Offering attractive thin brick designs and a simplified installation process that can be completed quickly and efficiently, Ambrico has installed thin brick facades on everything from sports arenas to hospitals.

Warren, MI, September 12 2011 – The EZ-Wall Installation System from American Brick Company (Ambrico) has made thin brick installations even easier for those looking to renovate an existing structure or who are putting the final touches on a new project.  Used in more than 10,000 installations, EZ-Wall has been proven to be a smart choice for builders looking for a simple way to complete thin brick installations quickly and easily.

The EZ-Wall Installation System has been used for over 50 years in a variety of construction projects.  From schools and sports arenas, to hospitals and shopping malls, the thin brick experts at Ambrico recommend EZ-Wall to anyone looking for the easiest way to install faux brick that looks great and is highly durable as well.

Ambrico, the North American leader in thin brick distribution, both manufactures and distributes the EZ-Wall brick system from the company’s headquarters in Warren.  The company reports that thin brick (also referred to as brick veneer or faux brick) has become increasingly popular among builders thanks to the large variety of designs and colors available and the quick installation time.  Unlike traditional clay bricks, which can take days or even weeks to install, thin brick installed with EZ-Wall are often done in a day or two.  There are also many different designs and colors available, making it easy to find the perfect product for your building needs.

With EZ-Wall, Ambrico takes the guesswork out of installing a new facade to replace outdated vinyl siding or cracked and faded clay bricks.  The results are impressive – a faux brick installation that has the timeless, classic look of real bricks, without the hassle of cracks and fading.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary: American Brick Company (Ambrico) reports the increased use of thin brick in many different types of constructions projects, as builders and contractors search for affordable alternatives to traditional clay bricks.
Warren, MI, September 6, 2011 – In today’s economy, builders and contractors are on the look-out for ways to bring down costs while also delivering high quality construction solutions for every project. While it isn’t always easy to find both low cost and great quality, thin brick products have become increasingly popular among those looking for an alternative to traditional clay brick installations. The American Brick Company (Ambrico), based out of Warren, recently reported that the increased use of thin brick in many different types of construction projects reflects just how popular thin brick is becoming.
An environmentally-friendly and affordable alternative to typical clay products, thin brick has been used with remarkable success in many different types of construction projects. From remodels of existing buildings such as hospitals, sports arenas and homes, to new construction projects that require a siding solution that is both long lasting and attractive, thin brick is an affordable option that is designed to work with almost any type of building design.
The thin brick experts at Ambrico have seen a dramatic increase in the use of thin brick products, thanks to the increased demand in eco-friendly, affordable alternatives to clay brick. Thin brick products are renowned for their durability and are known for retaining their color and design for much longer than traditional brick products that fade and crack over time. Readily available in a variety of colors and designs, thin brick products win when it comes to versatility and value. Ambrico maintains a showroom at the company’s Warren headquarters that features the latest designs from top thin brick manufacturers, including Hanson Versa-Thin and McNear Brick & Block.
Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility. The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom. For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary:  American Brick Company (Ambrico) has reported an increase of thin brick installations in recent years.  The company reports that thin brick and brick veneer has proven to be a popular option for those looking for an easy to install alternative to traditional brick products, along with something that is also economical and durable.

Warren, Michigan, July 18, 2011 – Thin brick installations are on the rise, according to American Brick Company (Ambrico), providers of thin brick distribution and installation services for nearly 50 years.      The company reports that affordable thin brick products have become a popular favorite in today’s economy.  The eco-friendly alternative to clay bricks have generated a large following in a construction market where everyone is looking to maximize tight budgets while still achieving a great end result.

According to Ambrico, the wide variety of designs and colors of thin brick products or “faux brick” that are available have made it a popular option for a variety of projects.  Thin brick and brick veneer provides the classic look of traditional brick, yet lasts for years longer than clay bricks.  While clay bricks eventually develop cracks and begin to fade in color, over time, thin brick looks as it good as it did when installed for years without extensive maintenance or replacement.

Ambrico sells a large selection of the top thin brick and brick veneer products available today in the company’s showroom in Warren.  Offering the latest designs from companies such as Clover Creek, Endicott Clay and Metro Brick, Ambrico’s showroom is a great resource for those who want to learn more about how thin brick can add style to the look of any type of new construction or building redesign.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the-art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary:  Thin brick installation season is in full swing, reports Ambrico, Warren’s top provider of thin brick installation services and thin brick products.  The company and its partners are hard at work this spring, providing high quality thin installations to a wide variety of clients.

Warren, Michigan, June 2011 – American Brick Company (Ambrico) recently reported another busy season of thin brick installations.  The company, who recently partnered with some of the industries top thin brick manufacturers, has reported that more thin brick installations than ever are taking place in many different types of construction projects.  Hospitals, sports arenas, business parks and projects of all sizes have seen the benefits of installing thin brick products over traditional clay brick products.  Offering popular benefits like affordability and durability, thin brick is a smart alternative to fragile clay products that can crack and fade over time.   Thin brick products also appeal to those looking for a greener alternative to clay bricks, as thin brick is composed mainly of recycled materials and doesn’t require periodic replacement.

According to Ambrico’s thin brick experts, thin brick works for almost any type of construction project.  In addition to tin brick installation services, the company also offers a large variety of thin brick products lines, with samples available for viewing in the Ambrico showroom.  Located in Warren, the showroom features the most popular Ambrico thin brick product offerings from Clover Creek Brick Company, Endicott Clay Products, Glen-Gery Brick and other thin brick lines.  The showroom is staffed with experts in thin brick installation who are always prepared for the busy summer season.  According to one of the in-house showroom experts, “Spring and summer are definitely a busy time of year for us.  We are ready for the rush, so customers can expect to still receive great one-on-one service no matter how late in the season those projects are started.”  For those who are planning in a hurry, Ambrico also offers consultative advice to help clients finalize designs.  Installations are typically completed in hours – not days.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary: Ambrico reports that spring is the best time of year for thin brick installations and thanks to the easy installation of brick veneer, there is still time to get those projects done before the weather heats up.

Warren, Michigan, May 2011 – Springtime is the best time for thin brick installation, according to American Brick Company (Ambrico).  Ambrico, creators of the popular EZ-Wall System and industry leaders in thin brick sales, report that now is the perfect time of year to get those thin brick installation projects completed.  The company typically sees an increase in installations during this time of year, as many companies work to get their project done before the weather heats up.  Although thin brick installation requires far less effort when compared to traditional brick installation, the mild temperatures of spring are always preferable when it comes to any type of construction project.

Ambrico has over 50 years experience with thin brick, or brick veneer installations.  The company credits the durability and easy installation of thin brick for its growing popularity with project owners and contractors looking for an alternative to traditional clay brick products.  Offering colorful options in many classic designs, thin brick products are an affordable option for those looking for a classic look that is designed to last.

Many homeowners and business property owners who are completing spring time construction projects often turn to thin brick for their building needs.  The installations are fast and don’t require extensive technical skills or heavy manual labor, making them a sound solution for any type of construction design.  From simple, classic designs to contemporary thin brick veneer, Ambrico offers a wide selection of thin brick products in its showroom in Warren.  For those planning an upcoming spring or summer construction project, Ambrico also provides consultative advice which can be a great help for those who are on a tight schedule.  Once the designs have been determined, the installation often takes just hours – not days – to complete.  Builders and contractors can have their project completed long before the hot summer months begin while staying within budget.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Summary: Ambrico sees business jump during spring and summer months as homeowners and building professionals take advantage of warmer weather to complete projects on time.

Warren, Michigan, May 2011 – According to American Brick Company (Ambrico), the spring and summer months are generally the most popular time of the year for thin brick installation and other home and building projects.   Ambrico, industry leaders in thin brick sales and installation, recently reported that as the summer months get closer, construction projects really start to heat up.   While everyone from homeowners to professional builders jump to take advantage of warmer weather, the team at Ambrico is ready to help at the company’s product showroom in Warren.

The Ambrico showroom features the company’s patented EZ-Wall Thin Brick system, along with products from Ambrico thin brick partners, Metro Brick, McNear Brick and Block and others.   Fully-staffed with thin brick experts who can answer installation questions and offer advice, the Ambrico showroom is an important stop for anyone who is planning a thin brick installation this season.

Ambrico reports that thin brick installations are becoming increasingly popular among those looking for a high quality product that is both easy to install and that offers environmental benefits as well.  The thin brick products that Ambrico sells replicate the look of traditional clay bricks but have a substantially lower environmental impact.  A typical thin brick product is made up of 40%-100% recycled materials and leaves a much smaller carbon footprint.  As an added benefit, thin brick or “veneer brick” lasts for years of enjoyment, unlike clay bricks which eventually crack and have to be replaced.

With the Ambrico EZ-Wall installation system, both homeowners and builders can get a timeless, classic look that won’t break the spring and summer project budget.  Known for being affordable and easy to install, the EZ-Wall system combines high-quality weather grade panels with clay kiln-fired thin brick to result in a product that looks like a traditional brick, but is easier and cheaper to install, making it an affordable option for property owners.

Headquartered in Warren, Michigan, Ambrico includes a showroom, brickyard and manufacturing facility.  The company offers free estimates and information for builders and contractors interested in learning more about brick veneer installation, and also maintains a large selection of brick veneer samples to view in the state-of-the -art Ambrico showroom.   For more information, please visit ambrico.com.

Question by Justin M: Will Kinect come standard with the applications Paint Party and the brick smash one?
I liked those games they introduced from the start.
I am getting my Kinect on thursday, and would like to know if it comes with paint party and the brick smashy ball game thing.
and please no anti kinect answers

Best answer:

Answer by Walter S
No. Paint party was just a mini game concept. It hasn’t been made or put into any games and it doesn’t cme with kinect. Kinect comes bundled with kinect adventures which is 20 mini games I think one them is the brick breaking game you mention. Im not 100% sure though.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

At a time when most of McDonald’s competitors are still shell-shocked from the recent recession, the fast-food giant is undertaking its biggest store-by-store makeover in the chain’s 56-year history: The 500-pound clown of fast food is trying to look more like a grown-up.

It’s a $1 billion-plus undertaking that McDonald’s and its franchisees hope, by 2015, will have the vast majority of America’s 14,000 McDonald’s looking comfortable enough to hang out in long after you’ve gobbled down your burger, fries — and smoothie.

For the next generation of McDonald’s customers, the notion of what a McDonald’s restaurant looks like inside and out could be turned on its head. Goodbye, fiberglass tables and industrial steel chairs. Adios, neon-yellow, bright-red interiors. Hello, wooden tables, comfortable faux leather chairs and interiors newly painted in muted oranges, yellows and even subtle greens.

Take away all the McDonald’s signage — and the familiar front counter area — and customers who were to drive by or step inside wouldn’t likely know they were face-to-face with a McDonald’s. Even from the street, many of the changes are immediately apparent. No more clown-red roofs. No more confusion about what door to use. And that all-too-familiar white facade has been replaced with more inviting earth tones and glass.

Before any other media have eyeballed the changes — even before select restaurant industry analysts get a sneak peek later this week — USA TODAY was given a look at the McDonald’s remodeling plans in Tampa that will set the tone for the rest of the nation. After revamping 280 stores in various markets last year, McDonald’s is now opting for the Tampa model and will spread that design to upwards of 800 locations this year — roughly triple what it did last year.

“McDonald’s has to change with the times,” says Jim Carras, senior vice president of domestic restaurant development for the giant chain. “And we have to do so faster than we ever have before.”

McDonald’s isn’t just doing this to make customers cozy. It’s doing it to try to quash its rivals — particularly Burger King and Wendy’s — that don’t have McDonald’s deep pockets and the recent sales success necessary to make such costly upgrades. It’s doing it to try to pry customers away from slightly pricier casual chains, including Panera Bread and even Chipotle, the Mexican chain that had once been partly owned by McDonald’s. And it’s doing it to begin cementing a new image of McDonald’s in the minds of consumers.

If the new look proves to be a hit, it could redefine America’s biggest restaurant chain and nudge competitors at all ends of the spectrum to find some way to respond.

If consumers don’t buy in, however, it could become McDonald’s $1 billion folly.

With this change, McDonald’s risks looking so different from the McDonald’s most Americans have grown up with that a key part of its customer base — namely, families with young kids — could feel less welcome.

“Flashy decor may not sit well with Middle America,” warns Scott Hume, editor of the restaurant industry blog BurgerBusiness. “The trick is to go techno without going Jetsons.”

If the change works, “This could be a game-changer for McDonald’s,” says David Palmer, analyst at UBS.

McDonald’s McCafes already have borrowed the wildly profitable specialty coffee concept from Starbucks. Now, it’s also borrowing small pieces of Starbucks’ look and feel. Starbucks executives declined to comment on the changes.

McDonald’s — which for years has emphasized serving customers quickly then getting them out the door — will continue expanding its food and beverage menu, with plans to add even more upscale munchies. The chain no longer wants to rush you in and out. Now it wants you to stick around and tap into free Wi-Fi service as you sip a cappuccino or smoothie while having a Snack Wrap.

To do so, McDonald’s plans to spruce up its outlets like never before. Some are being remodeled. Others are being rebuilt from the ground up.

In addition to Tampa, McDonald’s is renovating stores in the New York City market, where the new designs — particularly the photos and paintings inside — are flashier than in Tampa. However, the changes in the Tampa market more closely reflect what the rest of the nation can expect to see in its local McDonald’s restaurants.

The biggest driver behind the redo: Nicer-looking stores attract more business. Even a smash-hit new product fails to attract as much business as a redesign, Hume says. The handful of Tampa-area stores that franchisee Blake Casper already has redesigned over the past year have seen double-digit sales boosts, he says.

“We want people to say that it feels like a modern building,” says Max Carmona, senior director of U.S. restaurant design.

Perhaps more than anything, the domestic modernization of McDonald’s is about simplicity. Some designs were borrowed from McDonald’s already ultramodernized outlets in Europe and Australia. Some ideas came from slightly more upscale competitors. Some even came from Apple.

“We’re not trying to be Apple,” he says. “But we can be inspired by them. When you’re inside an Apple Store, you almost feel like you’re inside an iPad — and you want to stay there. We want people to walk into McDonald’s and have the same feeling.”

Laughable? Perhaps. But the industry is taking it very seriously. “McDonald’s will have a much better chance of luring the most profitable customer (who orders pricey Angus Burgers instead of Big Macs) while retaining the entry-level visitor,” UBS’ Palmer says.

Some McRemodel highlights:

•Redoing roofs. The bright red roofs that have topped McDonald’s for several decades are getting the heave, replaced with flatter, more conventional roofs.

•Muting paint. The neon yellows and reds common to the interiors and exteriors are becoming history, replaced with much more subtle oranges, reds, yellows and even greens.

•Nixing fiberglass. The familiar fiberglass tables that have been a mainstay are being replaced mostly by wood.

•Updating chairs. Those industrial steel chairs are giving way to wooden chairs, colorful stools and, in some cases, vinyl-covered chairs that resemble leather. Some stores will have larger lounge chairs similar to the kind you might expect to find in a coffee shop.

•Doubling drive-throughs. To ease lines inside and outside stores, many locations are adding second drive-through windows to speed up service.

•Splashing color. McDonald’s hasn’t junked it’s familiar red and yellow colors altogether, but it is making them far less obvious. Instead of filling the restaurants with them, it’s splashing bright yellow and red here and there for effect.

•Junking the fluorescent look. Overhead fluorescent lights are being replaced with more contemporary lamps that make the lighting in stores look less like that of offices.

•Dividing dining areas. The sea of tables and chairs is history in the remodeled stores. The new dining rooms are divided into separate eating zones for larger groups, eat-and-run customers and folks who want to stay and lounge.

•Adding flat-screens TVs. Large, flat-screen TVs — some playing contemporary music — are showing up in many locations, though fewer than half of the remodeled stores will display them.

•Erecting semi-swooshes. Curving across the top of the newly flattened roof is what McDonald’s calls the yellow “brow” — or half of a golden arch. It’s got the familiar, bright-yellow design but encased in a Nike swoosh-like arc.

The overall redesign “allows us to broaden our menu,” Carras says. Now, “Customer experience can match menu variety.”

One such customer is Melissa Arnold, who recently was using Skype on her laptop while inside a Tampa-area McDonald’s rebuilt from the ground up about six months ago.

Arnold, a mother of three teens, is a big fan of the redesign. Last year, she and her kids visited the old store only two times. Since the redesign, she says, they’ve visited at least five times — and she stopped in on her own twice one recent week.

“It makes you feel more comfortable,” she says while sitting in a muted orange, modernized booth, which also gives her some privacy. “It makes you feel like you’re at home.”

And that matters. “The environment is a massive influence on how we behave,” says brand guru Philip Graves. “Change the environment, and you change how people perceive everything else.”

Even little people.

While visiting McDonald’s with her mom — and three girlfriends — 10-year-old MacKenzie Crouse of Valrico, Fla., sips a soft drink, looks around the newly designed McDonald’s and says the restaurant no longer looks like it’s for babies. “It’s for everybody.”

Her mom, Melanie, who also is a nurse, says she, too, likes the redesign but hopes it signals a redesign of something else at McDonald’s: the food.

“I’m hoping,” she says, while watching her crew of preteens down a tray-load of burgers, fries and soft drinks, “this means McDonald’s will also be bringing in more fresh fruits.”

McDonald’s revamps stores to look more upscale – USATODAY.com