GapCap USA

03/31/2026

The best part of a family-owned business? The whole family gets to do it together.
The hardest part? They don't always get a choice. 🤷

It also doesn't hurt that their college funds and inheritance are wrapped up in this little venture their parents decided to take on. 🤣 Motivation is a powerful thing.

Meet Danika and John — our kids, our crew, and two people who showed up bigger than we ever could have asked with a smile on their face...most of the time. From the original living room packing party to detours to meet with vendors on a family trip, they have not only tolerated it — they have participated, jumped in, and made it better.

Danika started running packaging like she was optimizing a production line. She filmed tutorials for anyone who helped, timed herself, and installed a leaderboard in the packaging room so every temp who came through knew exactly what they were competing against. She also represented GapCap at home shows and helped with pickup and delivery. And then there was the time we left her to handle the home show booth — and the news just dropped by and interviewed her on live TV. She handled it like a pro. Thanks for repping the family business, kid. You rock!

When Danika left for college, John stepped up and took over the packaging room. He didn't just maintain it — he built new systems and took quality control to a whole new level. If a label is crooked or a staple is off, John is the first one with his hands in the air: "Now I'm going to have to redo it. It needs to look better to go out with GapCap's name on it." That's not something you can teach. But honestly — it makes sense. John has been building decks for our construction company since he was 12 years old. He knows exactly what that gap at the corner looks like and exactly why it matters. He builds every single one of our demo kits that go out to lumber yards and sales reps — and he builds them the same way he does everything else. Perfectly.

John has also worked home shows and represented us at events — because when GapCap needs someone, he shows up.

Danika. John. You didn't volunteer for any of this — and you showed up anyway. We love you and we are so proud of both of you. 💛

03/29/2026

Doug noticed the gap at the mitered corner. But it wasn't just him — it was his customers too. They noticed it. They complained about it. And there was nothing on the market to fix it.
So he invented a solution.
We're Doug and Andrea Bierer — a married couple from Erie, PA, and the owners of GapCap. Doug invented it. Andrea tells the story and handles the marketing side. We run the business as a team. Together we're building something we're genuinely proud of.
GapCap covers the gap at mitered deck board and fascia corners — the spot that always looks unfinished, especially after seasonal movement. Clean corner. No fuss.
Invented in Erie. Patented. Committed to being made in the USA.
www.GapCapUSA.com

03/26/2026

Getting a product onto store shelves sounds simple. It isn't.
Pat Watson at Watson Sales & Marketing is really good at this part. And that's what we needed.

We met Pat through Frontier Lumber — and Pat is now out there getting GapCap in front of the right lumber yards and distributors and making the case for why they should carry it. That's not easy when you're talking about a brand new product from a brand new company solving a problem nobody ever tried to solve before.

Pat and his team at Watson Sales & Marketing caught the vision — and they are out there spreading the GapCap word.

Pat — thank you! Having you in our corner has opened doors we couldn't have opened alone.
📷 This photo is from our very first meeting with Pat — May 7, 2024, dinner at The Cork in Erie. The day we decided to start working together!

03/25/2026

A seed grant doesn't sound glamorous. But here's what it actually meant for GapCap: a functioning website. Professional product photos and video. Initial packaging. The things that make a brand look like a brand. The things that make a consumer willing to buy something.

Enter Brian Slawin, Regional Director & Portfolio Manager at Ben Franklin Technology Partners/Central and Northern PA — right here in Erie at Knowledge Park. Brian believed in what we were building early, and that belief came with real investment.

We are grateful for every organization in this region that takes a chance on local makers and manufacturers. Ben Franklin does exactly that — and they've been doing it for over 40 years.

Brian — thank you! You helped GapCap show up the way it needed to in order to succeed.

03/24/2026

Every product has a first shelf. This was ours.
Enter Jeff Williams at Frontier Home Products & Design Center — a family-owned Erie institution since 1945. Jeff took a chance on a brand new product from a brand new company and put GapCap out on the floor. Doug & Andrea (GapCap's owners) have known and respected Jeff for years; he's an amazing human and if you don't know him, you should. His wisdom, input, trust, encouragement, and belief in this venture meant everything to us.
Jeff — thank you! You took a chance on us first. We are beyond grateful.

03/23/2026

The prototype could do a lot of things. Go into production wasn't one of them...yet.

Enter Mike Alabran and Ben Ellis at PSN Labs right here in Erie, PA. Mike and Ben and their team (we see you Jarrod!) took our prototype, tested the product, and designed the molds that made GapCap manufacturable.

That's not a small step. That's the step.

And they didn't just get us there — they're still with us. PSN continues to be our manufacturing partner, and we couldn't be more grateful for that.

Mike, Ben, & Jarrod — thank you! GapCap doesn't exist without you.

03/21/2026

The 3D printed prototype from Behrend was real and exciting— and showed us changes we needed to make. Version 1.0 needed work before it could go to injection molding.

Enter Austin, junior engineering student at Gannon University, and the team at the Gannon Makerspace . Summer of 2023, Austin took the design, made the corners flush, repositioned the bolt holes, and turned it into something that actually installs the way it should.

Version 2.0. One step closer to a real product.

Nick Devine, Lead Design and Fabrication Engineer — thank you for connecting us with the right people and the right space!

Austin — you made it better. That matters.

Innovation Beehive Network

03/20/2026

GapCap started as a wood and metal prototype and a problem we needed solved. That's it. That's all we had.

Enter Professor Dean Lewis at Penn State Behrend in the Spring of 2023 who introduced us to senior engineering student Ben Fahrney; Ben brought us into the Meehl Innovation Commons at Penn State Behrend and got to work. A few weeks later, we had a 3D printed prototype that made this whole thing feel real for the first time.

First in a series of people and organizations who helped us make GapCap a reality. PSU Behrend and the Innovation Commons kicked off that list.

Dean - your introduction got everything rolling! Ben — thank you. You helped turn a rough idea into something we could hold.

03/19/2026

Thank you so much NWPA Innovation Beehive Network! We are so grateful for the help and support we got from amazing places like Penn State Behrend and Gannon University on this journey! This has already been such an exciting ride! Thank you GoErie.com | Erie Times-News for telling our story! 💛

Doug Bierer invented GapCap, a deck trim solution, but needed help bringing it to market.

05/07/2025

Come see us at Carter Lumber on Buffalo Rd. tomorrow from 11am-2pm!

Come Join us for our Annual Deck Days at our Buffalo Rd. Erie, PA Location. May 8th. Talk with Manufacturing representatives from companies such as Timbertech/Azek Decking, Milwaukee Tool, Camo Fasteners, Simpson Strong Tie, RDI Railing, Versatex PVC and even see a new product made right here in Erie, PA Gap Cap! Plus Many more.

08/23/2024

What problem is GapCap solving? Why does it happen? Listen as GapCap creator and inventor Doug Bierer talks about the problem with deck corners separating and gapping and how this amazing new product can solve that issue!

08/19/2024

Andrea Bierer from GapCap shares her enthusiasm for a revolutionary deck-building product that enhances both functionality and aesthetics. Discover how GapCap saves time for installers, adds a fresh, stylish look to decks, and solves common issues like unsightly gaps caused by weather changes. Watch as Andrea discusses why customers are raving about GapCap, even likening it to 'jewelry for your deck,' and see how it can transform your deck-building projects. Don't miss out on learning how GapCap can elevate your next deck build!