Business

Building Products M&A Market Finds Its Footing

Early preparation will help companies capitalize on the expected uptick in M&A activity

Reviewing the U.S. Economic Year in 2023, Forecasting 2024

Despite strong early forecasts that the U.S. was headed for an almost-certain recession, that prediction now appears to have been skirted, replaced by optimism for a “soft landing”… at least for the immediate future.

Preparing for growth

Is your company ready to make bigger business happen? When you ask yourself if your company is ready for bigger business to happen, it tends to invite several other questions for consideration.

M&A Market Poised to Heat Up in 2024

Owners and investors wait for the “spark” that will reignite M&A activity.

Building a Culture of Innovation

Innovation can seem daunting, but focusing on consumer trends and customer preferences can produce next-generation glass technology.

Your Snapchat Crash Course

Snapchat states that its platform reaches 90% of the 13- to 24-year-old population and 75% of the 13- to 34-year-old population in 20-plus countries. The reach of this social media platform is astounding amongst the younger side of the generational span.

A Transformational Career

Jay Lund, former Andersen Corp. CEO and current board chair, retired from Andersen at the end of 2022 and took time to discuss his career and the challenges and successes he saw during his tenure.

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge Through Partnership

Success in our industry is about more than a transaction. It’s about more than a simple product or component. It’s about continual collaboration with your vendors to find optimal ways to grow your business.

Innovation Increases the Likelihood of Success

Innovation will continue to disrupt our industry, so why not lead and take share from your competition before they disrupt your business?

An Open Window for Building Products M&A

The market continues to show resilience despite ongoing obstacles.

Revisiting Innovation

Departing from established comfort zones – whether traditional or recently acquired – requires executives to consider new ways of forming the future and taking more risk. It’s a challenge, but also an opportunity.

Software Selections

A 6-step approach to guide companies as they research, evaluate and select the appropriate software system.

How to Prosper In Adversity

These market conditions can’t last forever. When we do finally return to something resembling normal, the skills we have learned along the way will be highly beneficial for ongoing success.

Window World Sells, Installs 21 Million Units

Window World announced in March 2022 that it has sold and installed more than one million residential replacement windows each year for the last 12 years, topping 21 million windows sold.

5 Tactics to Boost Employee Commitment, Retention and Professional Behavior

Investing upfront in coaching and managing employees ultimately boosts employee retention, saving a fortune. The goal is to achieve happier, more engaged employees, resulting in a more successful company culture.

NAHB Calls for Ending Lumber Tariffs, Boosting Production at White House Event

The National Association of Home Builders urged the Biden administration to increase domestic production of timber from federal lands and to work with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement that will eliminate tariffs during a virtual White House listening session on resolving the lumber and…

Delays, Freight Rate Hikes Likely as Ukraine War Disrupts Shipping Operations

The key port cities Odessa and Mariupol in Ukraine have suspended most operations, leaving over 1,000 commercial sailors unable to move cargo containers through the Kerch Straight and the Black Sea. The glass manufacturing and other commercial construction industry sectors that rely on Eastern…

FGIA roundtables focus on window innovation, sustainability and trends

Roundtable discussions at the 2022 Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance Hybrid Annual Conference in Amelia Island, Fla. highlighted trends like thin triple glazing, sustainability best practices and case studies on window industry innovations.

Women in Fenestration: Why it Matters, How to Encourage Growth

The BLS estimates 375,000 more manufacturing jobs will be added in the next 12 months. With reports of employee shortages, it makes sense for women to consider these typically “male” jobs and for employers to determine whether recruitment strategies are reaching all capable, qualified workers.

Weather Shield to Discontinue Vinyl Windows and Doors

This change is part of a corporate initiative to focus Weather Shield’s attention on the luxury window and door markets.

Andersen Corp. Distributes $31.6 Million in 2021 Employee Profit Sharing

Andersen Corp. will pay out $31.6 million in 2021 to eligible employees as part of the company's annual profit sharing program. The company also announced its 2022 profit sharing program will increase to $4,000 per eligible employee and will require employees to be fully vaccinated to qualify.

Great Day Improvements Acquires Champion Windows

Great Day Improvements LLC, has added Champion Windows to its portfolio of direct-to-consumer brands of home improvement products and services.

Soft Tech and FeneTech Join Forces After Parent Company Merger

Soft Tech and FeneTech will be included in a Window & Door Vertical group, following Compusoft Group's merger with 2020 Technologies.

Novatech Acquires Sunview Patio Doors

With this transaction, the Ontario plant, which will now operate under the name Novatech, becomes the seventh production site for this product line. Novatech Group already operates plants in Quebec, Calgary, France and the U.S., and manufactures residential steel door panels, door glass, patio…

Leaf Home Completes Acquisition of WindowWorks, Comfort Shower and Bath

This is Leaf Home's seventh acquisition in the past 18 months.

Architectural Record Names Milgard AX550 Moving Glass Walls Product of the Year

The AX550 is available in sizes up to 10 feet high and 23 feet, 6 inches wide, depending on the operating style selected. It’s available in stacking, pocket, and bi-fold configurations, and is suitable for new construction or replacement applications.

M&A Activity Shows No Signs of Slowing

The residential building products sector continued to see gains above the broader market with a year-to-date return of 34.51 percent, which compares to 24.67 percent and 17.91 percent for the S&P 500 and DJIA, respectively, as of Nov. 16, according to S&P Capital IQ, company filings and…

PGT Innovations Supports Veterans With Donation of Over $9,000 Between Two Nonprofits

PGT Innovations recently donated $9,580 between two nonprofit organizations, Operation Warrior Resolution and Wounded Warrior Project.

H.B. Fuller’s Lena Chernyak Wins FenCan’s Hall of Fame Industry Pioneer Award

Lena Chernyak, Canadian technical service manager for H.B. Fuller, was honored with the Fenestration Canada Hall of Fame Industry Pioneer Award.

Quanex Building Products Announces Changes to the Board of Directors

Quanex Building Products Corp. appointed Jason D. Lippert, age 49, to its Board of Directors effective immediately. The company also announced that William C. Griffiths, age 70, will retire as executive chairman of the board, effective Feb. 21, 2022.

Magid Wins Two Business Awards

Magid recently won two business awards: the Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces 2021 and the Family Business Magazine CEOs to Watch 2021.

Installed Building Products Acquires Denison Glass & Mirror Inc.

Installed Building Products Inc., an installer of insulation and complementary building products, announced the acquisition of Denison Glass and Mirror Inc. and an affiliated entity, DGM Glass.

AGC to Sell North American Architectural Glass Business to Cardinal Glass Industries

Officials from AGC Inc. announced the company will sell its North American architectural glass business to Cardinal Glass Industries, according to a June 15 AGC release. The $450 million deal is subject to the approval of the related authorities, and the earliest closing would be July 2021,…

Time to Reevaluate

Chances are very good that your company is currently experiencing either a raw materials shortage or difficulty hiring new employees. And there is no indication that either of these challenges will end soon. As is so often the case in business, it may be time to reevaluate and pivot, and here are a…

Are You Ready for the Challenges Ahead?

Every January, I take my company through a process to prepare it for the year’s challenges. The goal is to position the company to handle problems and take advantage of opportunities.

Can Houzz Help Manufacturers with Marketing?

The pandemic has made digital marketing and sales a must for most companies, and resulted in many people investigating online platforms they had not used in the past. Recently, podcast hosts Zach Williams and Beth PopNikolov of the “Smarter Building Materials Marketing” podcast, sat down to address…

4 to Watch: Policy Expectations for the Year Ahead

At the Window & Door Manufacturers Association Spring Virtual Meeting and Legislative Conference in March, experts discussed what the next year might hold in regard to housing, labor, safety and health policy. Speakers agreed that COVID, climate and energy efficiency are most likely to…

How to Support Women Working in the Pandemic

Recruiting and retaining a more gender-diverse workforce has been a longtime concern for the construction industry. Now, it is possible the gains that have been made could be threatened by the pandemic; more than a quarter of women are considering leaving the workforce, temporarily or permanently.

Diversify Your Workforce

A lot of hiring happens because people know people, which is good in some ways, but it also means people often hire those who think like them.

A Rollercoaster of a Year

Companies describe some of the best business conditions they’ve ever seen, period. In many cases, they have more than rebounded from unsettling and low times earlier this year. Although there doesn’t appear to be a shortage of work anytime soon, busy production lines paired with a shaky supply…

Groundhog Day

There are a lot of factors that are out of our control right now in the industry—the start and stop of the economy, supply issues, and the need to adjust midstream, to name a few. When faced with the same challenges repeatedly, instead of throwing in the towel, we have the unique opportunity to…

4 Considerations for Managing Metrics During COVID-19

It is critical anyone in business measure the bottom line and ensure the company is operating in a profitable manner. Those that are just holding on or sitting idle have the biggest threat in a pandemic, because the future cannot be forecasted exactly with so many factors out of control.

How Will Coronavirus Affect Manufacturing and Construction?

Now that cases of coronavirus have increased across the country, and cities and states have instituted more extreme measures to control the spread, the construction and manufacturing sectors could be in for more serious disruptions. Some reports from across the industry:

Roto North America Wins Market Performance Award

Roto North America won the 2019 Best Market Performance from Roto Frank Window and Door Technology.

High Performance Building Practices Prevalent in the Residential Home Building Market

Home builders across the country are prioritizing high-performance building practices in their projects, regardless if they consider the home they are building to be green, according to new research published in the 2020 Green Single Family and Multifamily Homes SmartMarket Brief.

Hunter Douglas Earns AERC Energy Rating for Window Shades

Hunter Douglas earned an energy performance rating for window coverings from the Attachments Energy Rating Council and the U.S. Department of Energy on their lines of cellular shades and cellular roller shades.

Home Builders Institute, The Home Depot Foundation Commit $500,000 for Student Training

The Home Builders Institute announced The Home Depot Foundation will commit up to $500,000 to fund student training in home construction careers in high schools across the country. Additionally, the National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of Home Builders,…

Prysm Welcomes Chandler to Sales Team

Prysm welcomes Kevin Chandler of Holden, Massachusetts, as the newest member of the sales team. Chandler will represent Prysm in the New England/New York region.

Simonton Windows & Doors Sponsors Maddie & Tae Tour

Simonton Windows & Doors, part of Cornerstone Building Brands Inc., is sponsoring the platinum-selling duo Maddie & Tae’s headlining Tourist in This Town Tour.

NFRC’s FenStar Program Awarded ANSI Certification

The National Fenestration Rating Council's FenStar Certification Program, which ensures windows, doors and skylights meet Energy Star specifications, received the American National Standards Institute Accreditation.

Soft-Lite Launches New Website

Soft-Lite Windows launched its new website at soft-lite.com.

National Fenestration Rating Council Welcomes New Communications Director

Michelle Blackston joins the National Fenestration Rating Council as senior director of communications and marketing. She will oversee the organization’s communications’ initiatives including internal communications, marketing, public relations and media outreach.

iGlass Selects FeneTech as its Long-term Software Partner

iGLASS SA, based in Thessaloniki, Greece, selected FeneTech as its long-term software partner and will implement the fully integrated FeneVision ERP software solution.

Kolbe expands VistaLuxe Collection to Include All-aluminum Windows and Doors

Kolbe introduces the VistaLuxe Collection AL Line, which includes a full selection of thermally broken all-aluminum windows and doors, according to the company.

Roto North America Promotes and Hires New Team Members

Roto Frank of America Inc. promoted Chris Griffin to design engineering manager. Griffin started in the company's research and design department and previously held the position of senior design engineer at Roto. Read More

WomenInc. Recognizes Two Quanex Board Members

AAMA and IGMA Officially Combine as Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association and the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance officially combined into one organization with the new name, Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance. After a July 2019 vote by both bodies to unify, the two organizations have come together as…

3 Tips to Capture Better Leads

Two weeks ago, I attended Professional Remodeler magazine’s Extreme Lead Generation conference. The Window & Door Dealers Alliance was proud to be a partner of this industry event focused on lead generation tools and tactics for home builders and professional remodelers.

Key Machinery Financing Tips to Make the Most of Trade Shows

Trade shows are a key place for machinery purchasing. For attendees looking to buy, it’s important to get prepared now to secure financing and make a wise purchase. If you’re prepared ahead of time, you’re able to make a better deal at the show and secure what you need in an environment when…

What Job Needs to be Done?

Window and door dealers are a product-focused bunch—and why wouldn’t we be? Manufacturer training and new innovative products are important parts of our world. We have to know how products will perform, compare and behave. However, this focus can lead us astray, causing us to ask the wrong…

Video Introductions

Video is not a fad. It is no longer a “nice-to-have” addition to your business. Video is highly relevant now and it is the key to the future. Consider that, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index: Forecast and Methodology, 2016–2021, “every second, a million minutes of video content will…

A Trendy Showroom

I’m sure you’ve experienced a customer who says they want their home to ‘have a more modern feel,’ then goes on to describe a classic window or door. So, what does the customer really want? Here is an opportunity to provide something of value: professional advice about trends that will enhance the…

How to Dispose of Unwanted Inventory… and Do Good

Many manufacturers, distributors and window and door retailers face an ongoing challenge: disposing of surplus inventory. Many practice discounting, liquidating and auctioning unwanted merchandise, but this labor-intensive work can yield little profit. Another idea is to donate products to…

5 Elements Behind the Best-Made Windows, Doors and Skylights

A home’s windows, doors and skylights exist for a number of reasons—to provide ingress and egress, sunlight and fresh air are some of the most obvious. But today’s savvy homeowners want more than just some panes of glass to let light in, or a panel that swings open to allow entry. Modern consumers…

Exit Stage Right

It is no secret that current owners of window and door dealerships are predominantly folks closer to retirement than to the starting line of their careers. It is also no secret these owners know a lot about the business, and they continue to be hard-charging salespeople and managers. But there is…

Stop a Scam Before it Starts

Recently, an employee of one of the Window & Door Dealers Alliance member companies received the following email message: Hi. I would like to know if you have 59.5 in. x 47.5 in. Right-Hand Sliding Low-E Argon Glass Vinyl Windows In Stock ?If Not Can It be Ordered ? I will like to know the…

What Market Consolidation Could Mean in 2019

As we roll into the new year, here’s a question I’ve pondered recently: what kind of window and door market will we see emerge after some significant consolidation throughout 2018? Just a year ago, following a flurry of 2017 mergers and acquisitions, Window & Door forecasted 2018 to be an “open…

Merger and Acquisition Trends in 2018 and Beyond

Three Design Trends to Watch for in 2019

As we enter the new year and homeowners begin to think about the home projects they’ll tackle in 2019, it’s important to plan for the trends that may take hold in the coming months. New materials, styles and features are already emerging among popular photos on Houzz that will impact the…

Deceuninck North America Recaps 50th Year

Quanex Transitions Executive Team

PGTI Inks Deal to Acquire NewSouth Window Solutions

PGT Innovations Inc. signed a definitive agreement to acquire NewSouth Window Solutions for a purchase price of $92 million in cash, subject to adjustments. The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. Read More

FlexScreen Gets Screen Time on Shark Tank

Arborview Capital Invests in Alpen High-performance Products

Arborview Capital completed an investment in Alpen High Performance Products Inc., a partnership Alpen believes will allow it to capitalize on the compelling growth opportunities in its core markets.

Window + Door’s Most-clicked News Stories of 2019

The many industry acquisitions in 2019 piqued interest of Window + Door readers, based on the results of the magazine’s most-clicked news. Read on for a summary of and link to the top 10 most-clicked news items of the year.

National Glass Association Welcomes New Board Members

The National Glass Association is pleased to announce the following three new board members: Jim Stathopoulos, Ajay Glass Co.; Mark Chapman, Chapman Windows, Doors and Siding; and Ron Crowl, FeneTech, Inc.

Crystal Windows Celebrates 30th Anniversary in 2020

Crystal Window & Door Systems will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2020 and plans to celebrate with events with its employees, customers and business affiliates, and with marketing promotions, enhanced advertising in publications and across social media platforms, and special customer…

FeneTech and Siemens Announce Partnership

Officials from Siemens Vertical Glass and FeneTech announced a collaboration for fully automated and digitalized glass processing.

WDMA Criticizes Decision to Reinstate Steel and Aluminum Tariffs on Argentina and Brazil

The Window & Door Manufacturers Association strongly criticized President Trump’s announcement that his Administration will reinstate Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Argentina and Brazil, which had been previously excluded.

Velux Group Implements New Organizational Structure, Names CEO

The Velux Group announces Group North America, a new organizational structure for the United States and Canada, naming Timothy B. Miller as CEO.

Palmer-Donavin Announces Corporate Rebrand

Palmer-Donavin, a building materials distributor and door fabricator in the Midwest, is changing the name of its Seal-Rite Door Division and rebranding its corporate identity.

National Glass Association Welcomes New Board Members

PGT Innovations Appoints New President of Western Window Systems

PGT Innovations appointed Mike Wothe as President of Western Window Systems. Wothe will be responsible for all aspects of the business, including strategy, sales and marketing, operations, and P & L.

AmesburyTruth Welcomes New Sr. Vice President of Sales

AmesburyTruth welcomes Dave Piet as its Sr. Vice President of Sales. In his new role, Piet will be responsible for leading the sales team in fortifying customer relationships and increasing organic sales for national accounts and for the Canadian market.

MI Windows and Doors Completes Acquisition of Milgard Windows & Doors

MI Windows and Doors finalized its acquisition of Milgard Windows & Doors from Masco Corp., which was first announced earlier this year.

Marvin Merges Cortland, N.Y.-based Operations with Newly Acquired Enfield, Conn. Facility

Local news entity, WXHC News reported that Marvin plans to close its Cortland, N.Y.-based distribution plant at the end of December. Marvin confirmed the news to Window + Door.

The Novatech Group Acquires Laurier

The Novatech Group acquired glass product manufacturer Laurier, which the companies hope will result in a growth plan that will unite the strengths of both companies in the high-rise, commercial and glass markets.

Roto Frank of America Wins Manufacturer of the Year Award

Roto Frank of America Inc. won the Manufacturer of the Year Award from the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce, Connecticut’s largest Chamber, during its annual Business Awards Ceremony.

Marvin Acquires Distributor A.W. Hastings

Marvin acquired the assets of Enfield, Connecticut-based A.W. Hastings and is now the owner of its distributor in New England and Eastern New York.

Sales and Marketing Success

Once a homeowner upgrades their windows or doors, chances are they won’t need more for a long time, if ever. Since most home improvement projects are a one-time deal, success for window and door contractors depends on having a steady stream of new customers. Hiring good salespeople is necessary…

Pella Acquires Custom Window Systems

Pella Corp. acquired Ocala, Florida-based Custom Window Systems. Pella says the acquisition will enable the company to strategically expand and build scale in the high-growth Florida area and coastal regions in the Southeast.

MI Windows and Doors to Acquire Milgard Windows & Doors

MI Windows and Doors, manufacturer of vinyl and aluminum windows and sliding patio doors, entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Milgard Windows & Doors from parent company Masco Corp.

Quanex Invests in its Mikron Washington Facility

Quanex Building Products invested in 10 new extrusion lines from Extrunet for its Mikron brand of vinyl window and door profiles at its Kent, Washington, facility. Quanex anticipates that the new lines will be fully operational by early 2020.

Stürtz Machinery and Pertici North America Launch Alliance

Pertici North America partnered with Stürtz Machinery to expand Stürtz’s presence in the aluminum fabrication arena.

Edgetech Founder Michael Glover Dies

Michael Glover, the original founder of Edgetech and co-inventor of Super Spacer, died on Sept. 1, according to a joint statement from Lauren International and Quanex Building Products.

Insights on Hiring

The process of recruiting and retaining employees is constant and ever-changing. Every aspect of the process—from recruitment tactics to branding to labor pools to internal procedures—must adapt to new types of hires and new challenges.

Case Studies: Online Reviews on Steroids

SEO and website conversion are fairly complex and multi-faceted, Harshaw wrote in a recent installment of Your Business Matters in Window + Door magazine. The bedrock foundation of both: great content. Of the four types of content he outlined in that article—including core content, blogs, online…

J.D. Power Ranks Window and Patio Door Manufacturers, Retailers

The J.D. Power 2019 Windows and Patio Doors Satisfaction Study ranked top window and patio door manufacturer and retailers.

AAMA and IGMA to Unify as One Combined Organization

Two Birds, One Stone

Want to juice your SEO rankings? Simple! Just create and post a ton of great content on your website. Want your website to do a better job of converting lookers into buyers? Simple! Just create and post a ton of great content on your website. Is it really that simple? Yes and no. Both…

Addressing Subpoena Requests

Most litigation takes place in the state court system. For example, a dispute arising out of construction in Illinois will normally be litigated in a regional Illinois state court. There are exceptions, but this is the general rule. This remains true even if some of the parties have their…

Full Versus Limited Warranties

Have you ever wondered why so many manufacturers include the word “limited” in the title of their warranty? This is thanks go to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a federal statutory scheme that requires warranties for consumer goods to be designated as either “full” or “limited.” It is more common…

Veka Forms New Digital Solutions Company

Andersen Windows Proposes $35 Million Project

Google My Business

How to Create a Post for a Google My Business Page Go to google.com/business to access your GMB page. Click on Posts in the left side menu. Choose a new type of post to create. Google has templates for post types such as What’s New, Events, Offers and Products. Choose an image to accompany the…

GED Acquires Elite Manufacturing Solutions

NAHB Unveils Resources for Home Builders to Address Opioid Crisis

Strategies For Success

Women are vastly underrepresented in construction. Although women comprise 47 percent of the total U.S. workforce, they represent only 9 percent of the construction workforce. With construction experiencing such an intense labor shortage, opportunities for women abound.

Key Changes in Buyer Habits

Buyer habits are changing more quickly than ever. There are some shifts beginning to take shape over the course of this year that will play an even bigger role in how successful your marketing is in 2020. Here, we’ll break down these changes to shed light on how customer expectations are changing…

Pella To Open Manufacturing Facility in North Carolina

Deceuninck Signs Deal as Window Systems Supplier to Katerra

Trends in Modular Construction

There is a general consensus that the U.S. is in the midst of a “housing crisis.” Reports from the Census Bureau, National Association of Home Builders and research-based entities such as the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, report that multiple factors are at play. In its…

WDMA Launches Initiative Around High-performance Windows, Doors and Skylights

US LBM Holdings Acquires BM Windows

Assa Abloy Acquires Spence Doors in Australia

Jeld-Wen Completes VPI Quality Windows Acquisition

Building Better Business

In the article Investing in the #1 Asset published in the March/April 2019 issue, sources shared insights on how strong personnel relationships build better businesses. Part of the relationship equation relies on how employees see the company they work for. Here, brand awareness comes into play as…

Top-Selling Windows & Doors

Today’s clients demand not only the right look for their home, but also efficiency and durability in the products they select. As such, functionality, aesthetics and efficiency reign supreme in this year’s product showcase of top-selling windows and doors. Check out the following product details…

Investing in the #1 Asset

Ensuring people know their value could be a key element in alleviating some of the pressure in the labor market. Making investments in people pays dividends to a company’s bottom line, impacting employee recruitment, retention and overall success.

Effective Marketing

It’s common for residential window and door contractors to have uneven business over the course of a year. When it rains, it often pours with added window replacement and repairs. Then, the course changes and, when you need customers, it can take weeks to produce bids and close deals. The good…

Certification Update

With the ability to receive more extensions also comes heightened concern regarding a manufacturer’s potential liability. Below are a few examples of ways to manage potential liability. Record Retention A manufacturer should maintain documentation from the original certification up through the…

Best-selling Door and Window Systems

While brand recognition may play a large role in a best-selling window or door system, the success of products is also partly based on the market a dealer is operating out of, as well as the market they have chosen to sell in, according to members of the Window & Door Dealers Alliance. Rick…

Kim Flanary Named Honorary Member

Jeld-Wen to Close Washington Plant

Treat Customers Like the Individuals They Are

Walker, a trend-setting customer experience consulting firm, recently did a study that asked professionals: Which changing customer expectation will have the greatest impact on your business in the future? While “speed” would seem to be the biggest customer pleaser in today’s “get it now or else”…

Assa Abloy Acquires Keyper Systems

2018 International Code Requirements for Windows & Doors

Major requirements were set forth in the published 2018 I-codes for windows, doors, skylights and other fenestration products in single family homes, duplexes and townhouses that are three stories or less in height. These types of buildings are referred to as “low rise residential construction”…

Marvin Acquires SIW Windows & Doors Assets; Forms SIW Solutions with Owners

A Legacy of Excellence

On September 13, the Window and Door Dealers Alliance, along with Window & Door magazine, honored its 2018 Dealer of the Year recipients at a ceremony at Window & Door Dealer Day in Las Vegas. This prestigious program honors excellence in the window and door industry, and this year’s…

The Return of Rosie

The skills gap means that six out of 10 manufacturing positions are currently unfilled, which translates to some two million manufacturing jobs that may go begging over the next decade. One critical element that can aid in closing the gap remains largely untapped: women. The challenge is how.

Build a Great Team

If you had the opportunity to work for yourself, would you? This question has been popping up in conversations with several clients lately. It’s come up during a board strategy session. It’s been discussed during coaching calls. And, it’s come up while discussing the challenges of working in…

5 Steps to Successful Recruitment

For companies that decide recruiting is a hiring strategy worth considering, certain practices can help lead to success.

Recruiting Realities, Poaching Pitfalls

Every industry has a labor problem. Every industry must consider how to do business anyway.

Prep for Show Season

When we take time to plan for the future, we set ourselves up to get a leg up on our competition. There are a few places in the home retail sales business where future planning can save big bucks. Home shows are one of them. Home shows can be a great source of leads, can help increase local brand…

Watch Your Language

Written limited warranties are exceptionally good tools for defining the expectations of buyers and sellers regarding a product up-front. However, manufacturers and sellers should be aware that, despite the express terms and limitations of the written warranty, in other words, representations or…

Creating a Culture of Gender Diversity

A plurality of voices across the manufacturing and construction industries have underlined the need to tap underrepresented labor pools, the largest of which is women. While the number of women in construction and manufacturing has generally been on the rise since the end of the Great Recession,…

Adapting to Survive

Our company interacts regularly with scores of window and door dealers all over the U.S. and Canada, and we’ve found there are two main “camps” of dealers. The first are those with the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” These are good people who have run an honest business for 20-40 years…

Tariffs Create Uncertainty; Won’t Slow Momentum

As of last week, President Donald Trump’s statement to impose steep tariffs will subject Canada, the European Union and Mexico to a 25 percent tariff on steel and 10 percent on aluminum Over the past couple of months, I’ve spoken to folks about what these tariffs could mean for our businesses. No…

Grassroots Approach

The problem is clear: the construction industry is booming at a time when labor is scarce. The causes are just as well-known: experienced workers are retiring faster than new hires can fill jobs, and skills are going with them; young people aren’t interested in the trades, nor do they possess the…

Fishing for the Ideal Customer

Not long ago, I was on a call with a potential client who was lamenting the fact that he didn’t have enough leads in his business. “Once I get in front of them, we can close the sale,” he told me. “But getting in front of them—that is the issue.” Some variation of that theme is one of the three…

Think Big

The manufacturing issue provides a chance for manufacturers to think big and, in the manufacturing world, this typically means capital expenditures. As any GlassBuild America attendee can attest, these large purchases tend to be sources of excitement. Capex transactions themselves, however,…

Creative Recruiting

Although the worker shortage continues to be a primary concern for the manufacturing and construction industries at large, window and door companies are using a variety of methods to find and train qualified workers.

Made in the USA

While it may seem that “buying American” is being pushed even more these days, research shows that consumers have been keen on buying American-made products for some time. A Consumer Reports article from 2015 reported that eight in 10 American consumers would rather buy an American-made product…

Improving Leads Management

Many business owners and managers seek my help to create more sales leads. While lead generation, marketing messages and advertising can all be super tough nuts to crack, the problem may not always be on the generation side of the subject. Before spending a ton of time, money and effort fixing a…

The Skilled Labor Shortage

Availability of qualified labor is increasingly seen as a major problem for both the construction industry and for manufacturers.

A Competitive Edge

In-home sales consultations can be an intimidating practice—for both the sales rep and the homeowner. Sending a total stranger out to a consumer’s home and crossing our fingers that the homeowner likes them and feels comfortable inviting them in is the first gamble we take in our sales process.…

Exit Planning and Succession IV - The Internal Sale

The most probable opportunity for company owners looking to sell their business is a management buyout—a sale to senior managers or family. An MBO exit has a lot of flexibility and, if properly structured, can have significant tax advantages. In certain situations, the MBO will reap a better…

Exit Planning and Succession III - The External Sale

A business owner looking to sell their company has two options: an external sale, in which an outside buyer purchases the business; or an internal sale, in which management or family purchase the business. Most contracting companies pursue an internal sale through management buyout or gifting to…

Exit Planning and Succession II - Eight Disciplines of a Successful Exit

An owner’s exit from a business will probably be the largest financial event of their life. Further, harvesting the illiquid wealth trapped in a business can also be one of the most complex transactions an owner will face. Key to navigating this process is gathering the best information to…

What’s in Your Product?

California’s Proposition 65 is hardly new and it is relatively well-known that it requires manufacturers to establish potential warning label requirements for, among other things, all goods sold for consumer use in California. But Prop 65 is also recognized as a ready source of liability in the…

Exit Planning and Succession I - A Successful Exit

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of articles on exit planning and succession that will run in the remainder of our 2017 issues. If you have an exit/succession story to share, please email Emily Thompson, editor in chief, at ethompson@glass.org. (This series originally ran in Glass…

Five Keys to a Great Showroom

For window and door dealers, the showroom—its location, layout, design and usefulness—is key to every sale. And, central to any great showroom is its appeal to the customer. During the Window & Door Dealer Days Keynote Panel Discussion, Oct. 19-20, held during GlassBuild America 2016, four…

The Deposition

In common parlance, a deposition is a sworn pretrial statement normally taken by an opposing party in litigation. The transcript of questions and answers can be used to cross-examine witnesses at a later trial or as independent trial evidence, under the right circumstances. As depositions have…

Changing the Rules

On Oct. 23, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the final version of the “Carbon Pollution Emission Guidelines for Existing Stationary Sources: Electrical Generation Units” 80 Fed. Reg. 64,662, also known as the “Clean Power Plan.” The CPP’s unwieldy official title only hints…

Manufacturing a Class Action

Class action litigation has become a reality of the fenestration industry. These attacks come in many forms including those directed at a common method of assembly or fabrication practices—that is, a manufacturing defect. This is an important legal reality that window and door companies need to…

The New Direction: Environmental Product Declarations

A new Window Product Category Rule was recently created through the joint effort of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance, Glass Association of North America and Window and Door Manufacturers Association. This PCR is the guide for developing…

Working with Window Lawyers

Every significant business has a multi-layered intersection with the risk inherent in the American legal system—product manufacturers and resellers especially. From the product perspective, lawyers who manage the risk at these layers require a knowledgeable connection between established legal…

Windows as an Element of Building Design

It is better to understand the business you are in by recognizing the business you are not in. This premise will be helpful as we look at how to avoid claims based upon product selection. Such claims include allegations of unsuitability for site conditions, deviation from project specifications…

Energy Star Program Integrity Act Aims to Prevent Litigation

Whirlpool Corp. took action and successfully made its case to U.S. Representatives Bob Latta (R-OH) and Peter Welch (D-VT) that a manufacturer of Energy Star products is entitled to protection from private claims or rights of action under state or federal law relating to liability arising out of…