Where Do You See Window & Door Prices Going?

jswanson — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:34:45 -0500

“Given expected growth in world industrial demand over the next several years, particularly China, building materials prices will tend to rise faster than general inflation,” predicts Bernard Markstein, a senior economist with the National Association of Home Builders. He made those comments in an article in Nation's Building News looking at recent price hikes in lumber, attributed in part to some improvement in the new housing market.

Homestar: What the Doctor Ordered?

clewellen — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:08:11 -0500

President Obama released information yesterday about his widely-anticipated "Homestar" program, giving the window and door industry what could be another significant shot in the arm for sales products delivering energy efficient upgrades.

What's Your Status on New EPA Rules?

jswanson — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:07:43 -0500

Seaway Manufacturing, an Erie, Pa., based window manufacturer, reports it offered the EPA lead paint training classes to 36 installers from its dealer network in January, with 24 currently signed up for a February session. Other manufacturers, no doubt, have offered similar training programs. Many window and door dealers have pursued the soon-to-be-required training through other channels.

Are You Helping Haiti?

clewellen — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:04:59 -0500

I'm a mom, so there are moments that pop up from time to time, from which I have no choice but to accept that I'm getting older. One such case in point this past weekend: After watching the first few days of the Vancouver Olympics, my 6-year-old daughter was wandering around the house singing, "We Are The World."

She raised an eyebrow and told me I was "kind of old" when I explained that I was around for the original version, but in the next breath she turned serious and said, "Mom, are we doing enough to help Haiti?"

Are We User-Friendly?

jswanson — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 08:52:03 -0500

Filing away materials I collected last month at the International Builders' Show, I came across a press release about a survey of 55+ home buyers, conducted by the National Association of Home Builders and Metropolitan Life. What caught my eye in the survey was the fact that among 36 features these consumers were asked to rate as "important" in their puchase decision for a new home, "windows that can open easily" scored third.

Do You Do Demographics?

clewellen — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:17:33 -0500

Given the not-so-great Great Recession, we're used to looking at and crunching a lot of numbers. We watch housing data and consumer confidence indexes. We keep a close eye on our bottom line and keep our fingers crossed for the top line.

And lately we see some glimmers of hope. Not big rays at this point, but small glimmers peeking through. While some companies are, I'm sure, still locked-down in the "grin and bear it" mode, others are loosening up a bit, looking to the future and making changes to stay competitive.

Do You Tweet?

jswanson — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:48:51 -0500

Along with the many products on display last week in Las Vegas, I couldn't help but notice the number of signs in various displays exhorting attendees to "Follow us on Twitter." One manufacturer noted to me they were celebrating their first anniversary of "tweets." There was no shortage of Facebook mentions too.

2010 IBS Product Showcase

jswanson — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:09:28 -0500

Companies L-O

IBS Starts Year on Positive Note

jswanson — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:45:47 -0500

Las Vegas—The International Builders’ Show, which concluded here last week, set the stage for a better year in 2010. As noted last week, a more upbeat mood prevailed as the event opened, with window and door industry exhibitors expressing more optimism for the year ahead, particularly on the remodeling and replacement side of the business.

What Kind of Growth Do You See Ahead?

jswanson — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 22:11:18 -0500

"We're looking for 20 percent growth this year." That's what one window manufacturer told me yesterday as I made the rounds at the International Builders' Show. It was a refreshing change from the conversations I heard a year ago when a mood of doom and gloom was more prevalent.

Now I've heard numerous reports, most specifically from those focused on the replacement window market, from companies saying they're back on the growth curve. Maybe I'm asking for trouble, but I thought I would ask what you're expecting for the coming year now.