Many folks have called to check on me to see how I have fared since transitioning from running manufacturing and sales to retail selling. I enjoy these calls very much. It is always terrific catching up with folks in the industry and keeping a finger on the pulse of the window industry. In the retail […]

During customer visits in the last few weeks, the feedback I am getting is that a slowdown is indeed happening. Window fabricators may produce a steady number of units, but new orders do not match daily production levels. Backorders make up the difference. Lead times are coming back down and in some cases are returning […]

Right now, window and door fabricators live in a world where creating demand for their products is no issue. The day-to-day challenges of their business are driven by supply chain issues, labor shortages and long lead times associated with new equipment. But with inflation on the rise, interest-rate hikes being doled out by the Fed […]

I just returned from the Glass Build Show. Attendance was light, but the attitude was not. Many of my customers who would have otherwise attended chose to stay home, mainly because they are just too busy. Those who decided to go, however, went with a mission in mind. You see, the window and door industry […]

It is forecasting time, and I am working on sales projections for 2022. So, I am visiting with customers and asking them what projections for next year may look like. Usually, I get fairly solid answers like, “this year we grew 10%, and we feel next year it may slow down a bit, but we […]

Having been in the window industry for almost 30 years, there was one department I always found to be quiet, unassuming and reliable: the supply chain and purchasing department. They just went about their duties, did their jobs and “stuff” always showed up on time. Sure, there was an occasional blip, but 99% of the […]

The door and window industry is on the brink of what’s traditionally been our busy season. But for many of us, it feels like it’s been busy season for the past year. A hot housing market, low interest rates and homeowners looking to make enhancements to their spaces—they’ve all worked to drive a major spike […]