Latest Articles in SPECIAL FEATURES

  • September 1, 2010
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Products, Sales & Marketing, Materials & Components, Aesthetics & Style

    Crystal Achievement Awards 2010
    Honoring the industry's innovators in technology, manufacturing and marketing
    Window & Door has announced its 2010 Crystal Achievement Award winners. Selected by a panel of judges representing all segments of the industry, the awards recognize significant innovations and achievements in window and door technology, manufacturing, and marketing. "Ours is a resilient industry. Our 2010 Crystal Achievement Award winners make that abundantly clear," says John... more »
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    March 25, 2010
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Segments, Channels, Markets & Trends

    The Top 100 Manufacturers of 2010
    Continued struggles and signs of optimism evident in this year’s rankings of North America’s largest residential window and door manufacturers
    Times were still tough in 2009, but signs of life emerged within the industry last year. A look through Window & Door’s 2010 Top 100 Manufacturers provides ample evidence that companies continue to struggle in this economic environment. This year’s rankings, however, also feature some nuggets of good news that reinforce the view of many that the worst may be over. Armaclad... more »
  • January 1, 2010
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Markets & Trends

    The 2010 Industry Pulse
    Annual Window & Door survey finds manufacturers and dealers expect a better year ahead
    The worst may be over. That's what most North American window and door manufacturers and dealers appear to be thinking, according to 2010 Industry Pulse, Window & Door’s exclusive annual survey of industry executives. The results suggest more companies foresee some sales gains this year, but any optimism remains cautious at best, with widespread expectations for... more »
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    October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Close-Ups

    Custom Exteriors Installs Installation into the Sales Process
    Dealer finds customer satisfaction stems from setting homeowners' expectations
    Plumb, Level & Square Excellence in Installation  Custom Exteriors Pleasantville, Calif. Custom Exteriors has always used the best processes and materials for its installation, but the dealer has found that setting homeowners' expectations is an important part of the sale. A good installation comes with good products, a well-trained team of installers and a management... more »
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    October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Close-Ups

    Dealers of the Year 2009
    Window & Door Honors Excellence in the Middle
    Window & Door, the leading magazine serving the window and door industry, has announced its 2009 Dealers of the Year award winners. This year’s program honored two companies as the top Overall Excellence winners. In addition, it recognized six Focused Excellence category winners—window and door retailers and distributors that stand out in the areas of marketing, installation... more »
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    October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Sales & Marketing, Close-Ups

    FAS Windows Makes Showrooms its Centerpiece
    Retail professionalism makes for a lasting impression
    A Showroom that Sells Excellence in Retail FAS Windows Winter Park, Fla. FAS Windows believes less is more when it comes to showroom displays. Too many products in a limited space takes away from a minimalist, upper-end feel. In an economy where homeowners are skittish and looking for ways to get the most value for their purchases, a showroom does more than allow potential... more »
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    October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Sales & Marketing, Channels

    Feldco Focuses on Customer Service to Maintain Small Company Feel
    ERP system alone is not enough to ensure "customer delight"
    Going the Extra Mile Excellence in Customer Service Feldco Factory Direct Des Plaines, Ill.    With additional locations, Feldco has invested in a customized ERP system to help manage the details, but the management team knows that true customer satisfaction comes from employees dedicated to promoting "customer delight." Feldco has figured out that the best... more »
  • October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Channels, Close-Ups

    Marling Lumber Changes with the Times
    More than 100 years old, Marling continues to look for growth opportunities
    Overall Excellance LEADERSHIP SERVING PROFESSIONALS  Marling Lumber Co. Janesville, Wis. Business cycles don’t make the Marling Lumber leadership nervous. Now run by the fourth and fifth generation of the Marling family, the company has survived recessions and booms, expansions and even devastating fires. So while most of its competitors are struggling to keep the doors open,... more »
  • October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Sales & Marketing, Close-Ups

    Superior Forges Relationships with Community Service
    Charitable events create a lasting bond between the dealer and its customers, suppliers, employees
    Giving Back Excellence in Community Service Superior Products Home Improvement Denver, Colo. When his wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, Tom Higgins founded Superior Products to be able to control his schedule through her recovery. For many companies, community service efforts are a bit of an afterthought. But at Superior Products Home Improvement, the company might not... more »
  • October 1, 2009
    SPECIAL FEATURES | Operations, Sales & Marketing, Close-Ups

    WindowPro Reinvents Itself for Future Growth
    After 80 years in business, specialty dealer transitions to a new supplier
    Out-of-the Box Excellence in Innovative Thinking WindowPro Cleveland, Ohio The fifth generation of family leadership, Jake Zahnow, president of WindowPro, recently guided the company through a transition to a new window supplier. When you run an 80-year-old company, you think in terms of decades rather than years, says Jake Zahnow, president of WindowPro. That long... more »