July 8, 2019 - In a move to expand its product portfolio with digital, forward-thinking products, VEKA announces the formation of stand-alone company Digital Product Solutions Corporation (DPS Corp.).

July 2, 2019 - AmesburyTruth, a division of Tyman, plc has announced a change to their executive leadership team.

July 2, 2019 - Technoform.com has been updated to reflect the global company's uniform brand identity and its full-range of standard and tailored plastic solutions for all industries.

July 2, 2019 - CSE Automation, LLC, and Pro-Line Automation Systems, Ltd., are pleased to announce a joint marketing agreement to expand the distribution of each other’s full range of products throughout Canada and the U.S.A.

Thrill your customers with these new products from top hardware manufacturers.

April 12, 2019 -  Javelin Technologies is celebrating after being recognized as one of the country’s Top Small & Medium Employers (SMEs). The winners were announced this morning in a special magazine published in The Globe and Mail and online on Eluta.ca.

In it's first-quarter report to shareholders, Montreal-based Richelieu Hardware announced it purchased three window hardware distributors in Canada with a view to increasing its presence in the fenestration market. 

Mar. 26, 2019 - After a careful analysis, Sunview Patio Doors (a division of Vision Group) has chosen Thorwesten Machinenbau as the best partner to boost its automation process. Sunview recently received their first Thorwesten line for the automatic cutting and CNC machining of their PVC patio doors.With decades of experience in the window industry, Thorwesten is the only machinery manufacturer for vinyl window and patio doors that focuses exclusively on two products: CNC machining center (PBZ) and automated cutting centres (ASZ).Thorwesten machines are the ideal solution for window manufacturers looking to maintain production flexibility, without giving up on the automation of the manufacturing process.The CNC machining (PBZ) features a unique 3 axis rotary machining ring capable to perform operations such as drilling and milling at any angle around the PVC profile in one single pass. The machining ring carries 8 spindles each can access the profiles within 360°. The system can drill or mill through steel reinforcements and be also integrated by an optional dynamic screw driver unit that will run simultaneously with the other drilling/milling operations. As a result, the time of screwing operation is completely masked.The PBZ is the ideal solution for the production of casement windows, patio doors, tilt and turn windows and manufacturers that focus in window renovations where sizes change frequently.The PBZ working centre can be combined with the ASZ cutting centre in a U shape single line. This results in a compact manufacturing cell that can run with only one operator. This operator is utilized to load the PVC profiles at the beginning of the line, insert reinforcement bars (if necessary), apply barcodes and unload processed parts (cut, drilled and milled) into the carts.For more informationwww.int-machinery.com

What’s new, what’s cool in window and door hardware technology.

Oct. 25, 2018 - Innotech Windows + Doors introduces its highest performing window system to date. The new Defender 88PH System is a Passive House Institute (PHI) certified component – a distinguished recognition by the world’s most rigorous energy-based building standard.

Aug. 9, 2018 - BDG & Partners, a privately held Canadian fund, with its head office in Montreal, and Caroline Dallaire, have announced acquisition of P . H . Tech and its subsidiaries as of August 1, 2018.

I am honoured to have served as president of Fenestration Canada for the past year. In some ways the year passed quickly and in others it seemed it would never end! But overall, we accomplished many initiatives, set new paths and strategic direction and evolved into a stronger, united, organized, efficient and influential Canadian industry association.

GreenON is over but not the mess it left behind

The 2010 National Building Code of Canada (NBC) marked a monumental shift in how doors are tested in Canada with the introduction of NAFS, the North American Fenestration Standard.

Jeff Haberer from Trulite and Paul Bush from Vitro chaired a joint meeting of the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance Technical Services Committee and the American Architectural Manufacturers Association Glass Council at their Summer Conference in Victoria. The room of over 50 delegates heard about progress on PIB migration, expansion of structural standards to address jumbo and thin glass, acoustical ratings, vacuum insulating glass guidelines and more. Bush noted that the IGMA's technical task forces have often done most of the heavy lifting to research and write AAMA standards for some time.

The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance Emerging Technologies Committee was chaired by David Cooper of Guardian. Co-chair Helen Sanders of Technoform was unable to attend. The committee was meeting at its Summer Conference in Victoria, held this year as a joint event with the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.

Attendees at the joint American Architectural Manufacturers Association/Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance Summer Conference in Victoria got a dose of adrenaline from the Day 1 keynote speaker, Patrick Moore. Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace who left the organization over its opposition to plastics and now works with the Vinyl Institute, delivered a provocative talk challenging a swath of environmentalist shibboleths, including dismissal of climate change as an urgent problem.

Margaret Webb and Janice Yglesias, executive directors of the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance and the American Architectual Manufacturers Association, respectively, opened the first day of official business at the joint AAMA/IGMA Summer Conference with a report to membership. Most of the discussion addressed progress and plans for the merger of the two association, which members will vote on in July. If approved, the new merged organization will be called the Fenestration Glazing Industry Alliance.

Sixty-four golfers (and some additional supper guests) were lucky enough to enjoy some amazing summer weather with clear blue skies during the2019 golf outing at the St Boniface Golf Course for the second year in a row. Conditions on the course were excellent and based upon early feedback, the participants simply enjoyed an outstanding day!  Amazingly, Roland Tokar, Tokar Agencies, stepped up again to assist with the front promotion of the event following the very first such event some 25 years prior.

The 2019 Fenestration Canada Spring Conference in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., welcomed a healthy crowd of around 140 window and door business leaders for two days of education sessions, committee meetings and ­– most crucially ­– informal networking giving everyone a chance to reconnect and update relationships. Considering the quality of the conversations and the opportunity to meet new people at these events, one wonders how the people who don't come out stay competitive. Granted, your customers aren't there, but there's just so much to be learned and discussed and thought about in one condensed and intense period of time.

Second City and CBC alumnus Deborah Kimmet will provide the keynote speech as part of Fenestration Canada's Summer Conference, June 3 to 6 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. The conference will feature educational sessions, social events, committee meetings and presentation of the C.P. Loewen lifetime achievement award.

Jon Eakes, known to some as CBC's Mr. Chips in the late '70s, will present a nationwide window installation discussion following up on initial research done at the National Research Council from 2005 to 2013. Eakes has been leading research into new window installation methods aimed at reducing water ingress around sills.

With the transfer last fall of Portes et fenêtres Président by founders Christiane Parent and Yvan Houle, the new owners - their two children and an entrepreneur - see growth opportunities and regulatory challenges ahead.

Feb. 1, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) currently is planning instructor training classes for a new segment of the InstallationMasters program, which focuses primarily on new construction applications. Those interested in becoming accredited instructors for the InstallationMasters New Construction Program are encouraged to contact the association now so as many schedules as possible may be accommodated.

There are many variations on how to install a window into a wall, largely differing between new construction and renovation, but there is one almost universal principle presently in practice: stop both the water and the wind at the outer face of the crack between the wall and the window – the window/wall interface.

A recent poll commissioned by Reno-Assistance found around two-thirds of Canadians don’t trust general contractors and have similar levels of distrust for specialty contractors. Fenestration contractors weren’t specifically broken out in the information online – no doubt we score much better (gulp).

A relaxed and upbeat atmosphere prevailed at the Siding and Window Dealers Association golf tournament on Sept. 20 in Cambridge, Ont., with many of the participants clearly welcoming the opportunity to break away from this summer's grind of desperately trying to fill the glut of GreenON orders before the Oct. 31 deadline. Music played from golf carts, the beverage carts were popular and at least one golfer committed a serious dress code violation (see photo).

Ah, the rebate – always great for the customer (unless it’s too little or too onerous) but can be a bit of a mixed blessing for retailers and manufacturers. That certainly seems to be the case with rebates for energy-efficient residential windows across Canada.

It all started in 1990 as a small family business, in a small office, within a small house. Today, London, Ont.,-based Heritage Renovations is a multi-award-winning company and highly recognized provider of windows and doors across southern Ontario.

With construction season in full swing, a new Reno-Assistance survey conducted by Ipsos across Canada has found that two in three Canadians (64%) do not trust general contractors. Confidence levels are even lower for some specialized contractors. The most trusted building professionals among those surveyed are electricians, yet nearly half (47%) of Canadian homeowners do not trust them either.

Fenestration Canada has released a statement in reaction to the cancellation of the GreenON window rebate program in Ontario.

When did an entry door go from being the focal point of the house to being just another opening to fill?  Houses used to be designed around the front entry so that when you drove down the street your house would have that “wow” factor because of the front entry. 

As you might know firsthand, we now live in the age of the internet-savvy consumer – those who research every corner of the internet for ideas and solutions for everything from home renovations to healthcare. But if you ask door-makers (or doctors, veterinarians, farmers and many more, for that matter) whether internet browsing on sites like Houzz or Pinterest can be a case of too much of a good thing, the answer will likely be a resounding yes.

I didn’t ever get a black eye that I didn’t learn something from. It might have been because I let my guard down. I may not have been in the exact spot I needed to be in. I was distracted, or perhaps I just plain drifted into a bad situation without noticing. Either way, I probably learned more what not to do from getting a black eye, than I did how to do things right.

Sunview Patio Doors has come a long way since it first opened up shop in 1978. This is most apparent, when you step onto the company’s manufacturing floor at 500 Zenway Boulevard in Woodbridge, Ont.

If you ever find yourself in the Yale Sculpture Building in New Haven, Conn., look closely at the translucent wall panels. They contain an almost weightless, yet super-insulating material with a U-factor of just 0.05. It is called aerogel.

More door manufacturers than ever in Canada are painting in-house – and that means more are opting to automate the finishing process, especially for fibreglass and steel doors.

Nestled in the small town of Pelham, Ont., is the community of Fonthill, a bedroom community for the Niagara area better known for its fruit orchards than its industry.

Brad Fevold, chair of the Fenestration Canada Fabricators Council, went into the meeting with a tight agenda based on the feedback from the American Architectural Manufacturers Association A440.2 ballot on window energy standards. He knew the feedback would be a good basis for discussion after seeing the comments on Natural Resources Canada's Roadmap laying out the federal government's plans to promote higher-performing windows across the country in the years ahead. He used a few slides from NRCan's presentation of the feedback and took the group through them to see if fabricators were aligned with the rest of the industry stakeholders who responded.

Our window and door manufacturers and installers have always had to rise to the challenge of making fenestration for extreme environments in Canada. But in the past, just putting in a leaky product and cranking the heat was always an option.

Those who know me sometimes say I have an obsessive personality. So at a risk of proving them right, I’m going to return to my latest area of obsession: Lean manufacturing.

Did you watch Black Mirror on Netflix? God, I loved that series. I’ve always been a total nerd for science fiction and those episodes were the finest example of the genre since Twilight Zone. Science fiction in its purest form is about taking one advancement in science or technology and imagining what the effects will be on a future society, or maybe just one person.

In its fall economic statement, the federal government has announced its intention to allow businesses to write off the entire cost of machinery used for manufacturing and processing the same year it is put into use. This is up from the 25-per cent writeoff allowed in the first year presently.

Fenestration Canada's Fabricators Council, a closed group for fabricator members only, has quickly become one of the more influential bodies within the organization. Gary Blad of Loewen Windows sits on the Council and gave Fenestration Review an update on what was discussed at this years' WinDoor in Quebec City.

Oct. 25, 2018 - Deceuninck North America's Revolution XL Tilt & Turn window is now a certified Passive House Component, representing the global pinnacle of high-performance sustainability.

Just got off a stakeholder conference call with Natural Resources Canada’s Jamie Hulan, a director in the Equipment Division that is overseeing the Pan-Canadian Framework Roadmap thing. One of his co-chairs, Martin Luymes of the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute, called for everyone to hold off talking about funding for now. To Hell with that.

The Technical Services Committee meeting remains the hottest draw at the Fenestration Canada Spring Conference, packing in about 50 people at this years' event. According to chair, Robert Jutras of CLEB, the committee heard that the Fenestration Installation Technician program is ready to test and certify window and door installers. Some work remains on the test and the committee is seeking more trainers, but some groups around the country can offer it. Attention now turns to generating market demand for the program by engaging dealers, home warranty providers, insurance companies, homeowners directly and/or government construction regulators.

June 3, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) worked on behalf of its members during International Code Council (ICC) Committee Action Hearings (CAH) April 28-May 8 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. AAMA represented its members, working with other industry groups and interested individuals to take positive action on behalf of the fenestration industry.

May 21, 2019 - ENERGY STAR Canada has announced that the Canadian, family owned company Centennial Windows & Doors is the winner of their prestigious 2019 Manufacturer of the Year award. The 2019 ENERGY STAR Canada Awards are in recognition of excellence in market transformation and the ongoing advancement of the “Five A’s” in Canada: availability, awareness, accessibility, affordability and acceptability of energy efficient products.

May 1, 2019 - As of April 2019, the NRC is offering free access to the downloadable and electronic formats of the National Building Code, the National Fire Code, the National Plumbing Code, and the National Energy Code for Buildings, as well as the provincial codes published by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). Paper copies of the Codes, along with other supporting documents including the Guides, are available at a reduced cost.

April 16, 2019 - April 16, 2019 - City of Calgary officials say years of advocating for changes to the National Building Code to make second-storey windows safer for children seem to have finally paid off. CBC News reports. | READ MORE

Mar. 11, 2019 - The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) has launched the Green Building Market Forecast, a report quantifying the potential economic impact of the BC Energy Step Code (ESC) in Metro Vancouver. The study identified a $3.3 billion market opportunity resulting from materials and manufacturing for newly constructed buildings to meet the energy requirements of the ESC between 2019–2032.

I believe climate change driven by human activities is real and is well past the crisis point. The problem is, the solutions being discussed for the window industry will fail.

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) will host a webinar on Canadian energy codes and regulations and their movement toward higher performance levels over the next decade. Jeff Baker, president of WESTLab Canada andFenestration Canada's technical consultant, will present the current state of energy codes and regulations across Canada. He also will share proposed changes coming in the next 10 years.Register nowfor "Canadian Energy Codes and Regulations – Where Are They Going?" taking place at 11:30 a.m. Eastern on Tues., Jan. 29.

Jan. 17, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association has announced the hiring of Kathy Krafka Harkema as its Codes and Regulatory Affairs Manager, effective Jan. 14.

Fenestration Canada has responded to Natural Resources Canada's discussion paper on future window and door code requirements and energy regulation. In a document authored by FenCan technical consultant, Jeff Baker, the association has laid out its position on several issues that will influence policy going forward. The response was submitted as part of the industry consultation period that has been extended to the end of the year. 

The Energy Step Code Council of B.C. has released a document outlining its timeline for stepped code changes to bring new buildings built in the province to 80 per cent Net Zero compliance by 2032. The paper mentions windows specifically and suggests a rating system to record the overall energy efficiency of homes. Various incentives for homeowners and manufacturers are also discussed.

I like to punch people. There isn’t much else that gives me greater pleasure.

Back in the 80’s, I often did a marketing seminar where I would start by holding up a small black cube for the audience to see. I would ask, “What is this?” Of course, there were attendees with a predictable sense of humour who would respond, “A black box.”

July 3, 2019 - Business investment—key to raising living standards for Canadians—has declined in two-thirds of the non-government sectors that comprise the Canadian economy in recent years, finds a new study released by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

June 19, 2019 - Canadian municipalities issued a record $9.3 billion worth of building permits in April. The increase in the value of permits was almost entirely due to a planned change in development costs in Metro Vancouver.

May 23, 2019 - Canadian municipalities issued $8.1 billion worth of building permits in March, up 2.1% from February. The increase was attributable to higher construction intentions in Western Canada.

May 1, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has released the AAMA 2018/2019 U.S. Industry Statistical Review and Forecast. This report delivers timely information on window, door and skylight market trends and product relationships. Historic data for 2010 through 2018 and forecast data for 2019 through 2021 are also included in the report. Forecasts are based on projections of construction activity as of March 2019.

April 12, 2019 - The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) commends the government on its first provincial budget, "Protecting What Matters Most," and its strong focus on removing barriers to housing supply and prioritization of the skilled trades within the education and post-secondary systems.

April 9, 2019 -  Canadian municipalities issued $7.8 billion worth of building permits in February, down 5.7% from the previous month. The decline was largely due to lower construction intentions for multi-family dwellings.

Automation in manufacturing is obvious but what about automation in marketing and communications? If a task or project can be completed faster, cheaper and with higher quality through crowdsourcing, using an app or a Software As A Service (SAAS) website than doing it the old fashioned in-house way, aren’t those forms of automation as well? Removing handling and waste is classic Lean thinking.

Feb. 13, 2019 - The Ontario government recently announced plans to change the Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) Certification Training program standards. The planned changes will:

Feb. 6, 2019 - Canadian municipalities issued $8.8 billion worth of building permits in December, up 6.0% from November and the fourth consecutive monthly increase. The gain was largely due to higher construction intentions for multi-family dwellings and commercial buildings, with both components hitting record highs.

Jan. 29, 2019 - Canadian manufacturers are optimistic about their prospects in 2019, but significantly less confident than last year as concern mounts that Trump administration policies and other disruptive factors will affect their businesses, according to a new survey of senior manufacturing executives.