Today, I was asking a department head about a certain purchasing agent that I had not heard from in a while. I found out that she was promoted. “Oh, great,” I said, “What is her new position?” I asked. “She was promoted to trainer,” he said. This singular statement made me ponder the importance of […]

Passing the gas retention portion of the insulating glass (IG) certification test can be a challenge. It is a very demanding test. The IG units must average 90% fill rate at the beginning of the test and 80% after, while enduring a rigorous series of weather cycling procedures. Here are four tips to help you […]

It is the start of a new year and a new race for superiority in the marketplace. Door and window manufacturers are just exiting the starting gate. So, in 2021 what factors will help win the race? There are three: 1). Lead Time I asked a handful of my window customers if I order windows […]

Many of my customers were still so busy at the end of the year that they had to forego their annual plant shutdowns. This is a “good news – bad news” scenario. The good news is: They were so busy they could not afford to shut down their plants. The bad news is: They could […]

As the holidays approach and 2020 winds down, I reached out to industry associates and asked them what one word they would use to describe 2020. The answers I received were “uncertain, unbelievable, isolated, confused, transformational, volatile, stolen, exigent, adaptive, evolutionary, arduous, fortunate, prosperous, exhausting, and unforgettable.” Yes, I remember in March when the virus […]

This time last year, I was making predictions for 2020. I predicted that it was going to be a strong year for the window and door industry with single—if not double-digit—growth. The one factor that I said could stand in the way was an “unexpected” event. Well, as we all know, the unexpected did happen. The […]

With skilled labor being such a big issue these days, window fabricators have lost some of their key people this year. Some were furloughed during plant shutdowns and never returned for a variety of reasons. So, one of the ugly things I have noticed this year is that it seems like there may be an […]

As 2019 was coming to a close, I predicted that 2020 would be another strong year. Yet, I cautioned, “Unless something unexpected happens!” Well it happened! So, when the pandemic unfolded in March, I thought, “Well, this year is really going to come off the tracks … demand for doors and windows is really going […]

Well if someone would have told me back in April that six months from then I would be helping customers deal with material and component issues (in October) I would have given them that “deer in the headlights” look for sure.  Indeed, back in April my train of thought was more like, “How will I […]

As I meet and talk with door and window manufacturers, a common theme this year is that they seem to have plenty of orders but not enough muscle on the production side of their businesses. There is clearly a disconnect between windows ordered and windows that can be made. The problems with production break down […]