The residential window and door market has settled down a bit, and we’ve been experiencing a bit of a slowdown this year. But is there a real reason for doom and gloom? In a recent article for this magazine, Andrew Petryk, of Brown Gibbons Lang & Company, provides this perspective that I found interesting:
We believe that, while real, the near-term housing market slowdown has been exacerbated by negative media coverage leading investors to largely sit on the sidelines for new building products and M&A deals. Housing starts are at levels above historical averages and well above the previous downturn. While record-setting activity experienced in 2022 (a high of 1.8 million) certainly helped drive robust revenue and profit growth, current activity levels leave plenty of opportunity for companies to generate healthy returns.
What’s more, homeowners are continuing to invest in their home environment of which windows and doors are a major part.
So even if we aren’t quite reaching the heady volumes of 2022 any longer, there is still plenty of opportunity for window and door manufacturers to upsell customers with higher-value products to keep profits where you’d like to see them. Here’s a rundown of some of the most impactful areas where you can add value to your window systems:
1. Improved energy efficiency
According to Window + Door’s 2023 Top Manufacturers Report, energy efficiency is the most in-demand product attribute among today’s buyers. The right technology can take energy performance to another level.
Whether this means compliance with Energy Star 7.0 criteria or elevating the thermal efficiency of an existing system, there are numerous ways to do it, including examining your spacer systems to improve the thermal performance of your insulating glass units. Elsewhere, you can consider a new framing system—high-performance vinyl window and door systems can deliver thermal improvements. In either case, the right supplier can provide you with insight on how to engineer your new system and bring it into production.
2. Color options
Alternative window color options remain one of the most in-demand features homeowners are seeking when evaluating new windows. Consumers looking to add personality to their home have a great opportunity to do so with an unexpected color framing.
High-performance color technology is complementary to modern vinyl extrusions. Coextruded vinyl incorporates color as an integral part of the vinyl profile itself, allowing your window system to deliver outstanding color durability, enhanced scratch resistance, and long-term weatherability versus painting or laminates. Further, they eliminate any labor involved with paint or laminates.
3. High-performance screens
Screens are simply an expectation for customers—but they are an area where you can deliver some unexpected improvements. Higher-performance mesh technology can offer both improved views and greater long-term durability. And if you consider outsourcing your screens production to a trusted supplier, you can take the time- and labor-consuming screens production process off your plate so you can focus on other areas of your production.
4. Sound control
Acoustic performance can be important in noisy metropolitan environments. A fusion-welded, multichamber vinyl profile that helps lessen noise ingress from the busy city bustle can be a striking feature here. While you might not incorporate these types of profiles into all of your window systems, a specifically engineered acoustic system can help you offer something a competitor can’t.
Upselling your customers with higher-value window systems can be an effective strategy to improve your profitability. Work with your suppliers to deliver that value in the way that makes the most sense for your business.
