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December 17, 2012
New housing starts are expected to be up nearly 20 percent in 2013, and it's anticipated remodeling and replacement will see double-digit growth rates in the first and second quarter. Ten years ago, that would have made window and door executives giddy about the year ahead.
I’m not looking for giddy now. The past six years have been rough on most of our businesses. Dysfunction in Washington...
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September 24, 2012
Technology in the window and door industry generally advances in baby steps. Change—as we see in electronics or communications—generally isn’t radical. There’s not constant shifting we see in fashion or even food.
I know the pace of change in our industry is sometimes frustrating to developers of new technologies who don’t understand why companies may be slow to...
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August 6, 2012
Most economists–and many industry executives–see new construction increasing, with additional growth expected next year. Remodeling and replacement activity is also on the upswing, with even bigger gains expected for 2013. I've been on the cautious side regarding our current recovery, but I am becoming increasingly confident that things are really getting better for the window and...
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July 16, 2012
New demands and new materials mean constant change in the way windows and doors are made. The way we install our products has also changed in recent years. But the most rapid change we are seeing in the industry these days is probably coming in how we sell windows and doors.
The internet has changed all our lives and today, it’s rapidly changing how we interact with customers and potential...
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May 18, 2012
At times during this long, slow economic recovery, I’ve felt like someone hit the “pause” button for the window and door industry. We’re gearing up and moving forward for a little while, and then things seem to stop.
On page XX of this issue, we highlight the results of the annual market study prepared by Ducker Research for the American Architectural Manufacturers...
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April 18, 2012
Most window and door manufacturers and dealers talk very cautiously about the future. The downturn in the economy, coupled with some false starts on the road to recovery, has produced a significant change in attitude to our industry.
In the ’80 and ’90s, there was always an underlying optimism—even when economic forecasts were less than rosy. That optimism grew and grew as we...
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February 16, 2012
The International Builders’ Show held in February was different this year in a number of ways. Perhaps the most obvious difference was its smaller size, with a number of big, traditional exhibitors—including window and door manufacturers—opting out for the year. Attendance seemed to be up, however, as the aisles seemed busier than previous years.
What was also noteworthy was the...
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December 14, 2011
Last year was tough for the industry. But as 2011 winded down, there were new signs of hope.
Single-family home sales were inching up, as was builder confidence, as measured by the National Association of Home Builders. Challenges persist in the housing market, said David Crowe, NAHB's chief economist, but he also predicts "modest, gradual" improvements heading into 2012.
The mood was...
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September 19, 2011
At least a handful of you reading this article will be doing so on your iPad, I hope. I say that because with this issue, Window & Door is pleased to say we now offer our very own iPad app.
In many ways, this is not a big technological leap. It's been possible to look at the digital edition of Window & Door on any computer, including an iPad, for some time. You could flip...
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August 17, 2011
The opportunity to honor many of our industry’s innovators with the Crystal Achievement Awards makes our September issue one of the most gratifying to work on each year. It’s not just about recognizing the winners, however.
Looking through all the nominations always reveals something about the direction we’re heading as an industry. This year it was evident that window and...
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