Preliminary Statistics Show Residential Window and Door Industry Sill Going Strong

Nick Limb of Ducker Worldwide presented preliminary data from its annual study on the North American Market for Windows and Doors, on February 10 at the recent meeting of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association. The final reports will be printed in April.

For the residential window, door and skylight industry, the numbers are encouraging. Continued low interest rates and strong demographic fundamentals created a further rise in 2003 for residential construction and housing starts reached a new 25-year peak, according to Ducker. Following are some of the findings:

• Residential Construction/Housing Starts. Single-family starts increased by 8.1 percent. The U.S. housing market was strong in 2003 with an overall growth of 3.7 percent. Housing starts in 2003 are expected to slow by three percent.
  
• Framing Materials. Estimates of 2003 frame materials show a 1.5 percent increase for wood, 5.9 percent for vinyl, but a 6.8 percent decline for aluminum.
  
• Skylights. The majority of skylight manufacturers report increase in sales from 2002 to 2003 of approximately 3 percent. Most of the companies say this is due to an increase in residential construction activity. They also noted that an increasing number of units per house contributed to the overall market growth as well as new products and broader selections.
  
• Doors. Housing starts finished 2003 very strong helping residential door volume climb an estimated 4 percent.