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April 3, 2012This week's news announcement from James Hardie and Teel Plastics doesn't say too much about windows and doors, but the story suggests we could have huge new player in the window and door industry. A $1.25 billion building products company like James Hardie could have an especially big impact on the fiberglass segment of the industry. Fiberglass accounted for about 3.5 percent of the 2011... more »
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April 3, 2012Many of us as window and door dealers have managed to sustain our business in some of the worst economic times in history. Some dealerships in our markets did not and closed. My company has locations in three markets–Tampa; Cleveland and Milwaukee–so I have some idea what is happening on more than one dealer location front. I do not claim expertise, but hopefully I can offer a little... more »
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March 27, 2012I came across an article recently from a Delaware newspaper that points out that smaller builders are making a comeback with the housing market as it begins to show signs of life. While we still have a long path to travel in terms of the housing market’s recovery, the article notes that smaller builders are getting busier and reporting that business has picked up quite a bit this spring.... more »
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March 27, 2012Highlights from the trade fair floor in GermanyIn additon to the following highlights, Window & Door's coverage of the Fensterbau/Frontale international trade fair also includes: A report with an overview of the event Ongoing coverage of new introductions in doors, windows, components, equipment and services targeted at the window and door industry Passivhaus and Energy Efficiency Products Windows and... more » -
March 21, 2012Greetings from Germany, where Fensterbau, the world's biggest window and door trade fair, kicks off a four-day run today. A leading topic of conversation here–judging by labels on windows and signs in booths–is the Passivhaus Institut. The organization has a whole-house standard, designed to bring energy consumption down to neglible levels, and apparently windows and... more »
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March 20, 2012COLUMN : Legal | ManagementIt has long been an aspect of the law that when a seller says something about its product to induce sale, it needs to be a fair representation or liability can result. This type of claim can be frustrating for the seller. The consumer keeps the product, which appears to be working fine, but he or she sues for economic damage claiming to have been misled. The potential for such situations grows... more »
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March 14, 2012Does this sound familiar? You spend every waking minute at the office striving to improve your business operations and market share, but you lack sufficient data to determine how you stack up against your competitors. In essence, you’re flying blind. Or, you’re at the other end of the spectrum, drowning in so much data you can’t determine where to begin, or which charts, graphs... more »
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March 14, 2012Annual rankings reflect challenging landscape of window and door industryLast year was marked by continued turbulence for the window and door industry. Buoyed by tax credits for energy efficient products in 2009 and 2010, sales at many window and door makers were holding up even as the overally economy languished. Those incentives largely disappeared in 2011, creating a challenging climate in the replacement and remodeling market to match the existing weakness in... more » -
March 14, 2012Maybe it’s the mild weather or the impact of daylight savings on our evening hours, but I’m feeling a swell of optimism and momentum in terms of the economic recovery. After years and years of negative headlines, the media is finally finding more positive things to say about the economy. In fact, a recent blog posted to U.S. News & World Report shares that the home improvement... more »
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March 7, 2012Welcome to Window & Door's ongoing coverage of the 2012 Fensterbau/Frontale trade fair. This page provides a look at some of the window and door components and equipment showcased at the international event, held in Nuremberg, Germany at the end of march. Click here to read our overview report of the event. Attention Fensterbau Exhibitors: If you’d... more »