If 2020 taught us anything, it's that we can't possibly know what the future holds and trying to predict what the new year will bring seems like an exercise in futility. Still, we can hope for some normalcy in 2021, so I put together some thoughts on a few market trends I feel could be in store for the window and door industry this year.
Glass and fenestration are being asked to do more to increase energy efficiency. In “What’s Going on with Fenestration in Canada?” presented at GlassBuild Connect, Al Jaugelis, technical director of Fenestration Canada, outlined the major and ongoing code changes spurring a transformation of products and building practices in Canada, all toward a Net-Zero Ready goal.
The year 2020 was packed with change. By some accounts, three to five years of technological advancement happened in one year. This change happened faster and sooner than previously anticipated, partly due to technology and partly due to human innovation/resourcefulness. Change, for better or worse, affords us the opportunity to be more flexible, efficient, productive, and customer centric, all of which enable your company to succeed in the future.
The pandemic has shifted our personal and professional lives in ways we could have never predicted. And yet as I think about the tremendous challenges we have faced, I also take heart in how our industry has pivoted to adapt and create more opportunities during such an unprecedented time.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Glass Safety Task Group (IGMA TM-5000) is developing a comprehensive safety manual on glass handling that sets forth examples and suggestions for in-plant safety control measures.
It’s been a roller coaster of a year by any measure. Now that we’re in the thick of autumn, one of the more surprising things we’re experiencing is the extremely hot housing market, which has driven up demand for windows and doors all across the country.
There are a lot of factors that are out of our control right now in the industry—the start and stop of the economy, supply issues, and the need to adjust midstream, to name a few. When faced with the same challenges repeatedly, instead of throwing in the towel, we have the unique opportunity to look at what is and isn’t working with a critical and measured eye.
During GlassBuild Connect in September, Jeff Inks, vice president, advocacy, and Kevin McKenney, director of government affairs, both with the Window and Door Manufacturers Association, examined key issues facing Washington and the industry as a whole.
With such a yo-yo year almost in our rearview mirror, it’s time to look ahead with Window + Door’s annual Industry Pulse survey. The survey takes stock of the current marketplace and paints a picture of what’s to come for all areas of the supply chain.