Top suppliers to Canada’s door industry shared some of their latest product innovations.

June 18, 2018 - Tru Tech Doors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Philip Orsino as its new Chairman.

June 5, 2018 - Masonite International Corporation today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the operating assets of the wood door companies of AADG, Inc., part of ASSA ABLOY, which includes the brands Graham Manufacturing Corporation and The Maiman Company.

June 5, 2018 - AmesburyTruth is pleased to announce that it has resolved a patent infringement lawsuit with Vision Industries Group, Inc. where Vision has agreed to stop selling the inverted block and tackle balance systems at issue in the lawsuit from June 2019 until January 2022. AmesburyTruth filed the lawsuit styled Amesbury Group, Inc. v. Vision Industries Group, Inc., Case 2:17-cv-07303 (D.N.J.) on September 20, 2017, alleging that Vision’s inverted balance systems infringe AmesburyTruth’s U.S. patent Nos. 8,424,248 and 9,580,950 related to inverted balance systems. Vision denied all of the allegations of the lawsuit.

April 10, 2018 - Interlock USA has partnered with Synergy Sales Group, expanding its sales coverage and reach throughout Ontario, Canada.

Mar. 8, 2018 - AmesburyTruth has announced that it has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Ashland Hardware. The acquisition will enable AmesburyTruth to broaden its hinged window, hung/sliding window and patio door product portfolios. For more than 80 years, Ashland Hardware has been a leading provider of residential window and door hardware to the fenestration industry, supplying wood and vinyl window/door fabricators throughout North America.

Feb. 8, 2018 - Bill Priest has joined the Roto North America team as the Research and Design Manager within the Product Innovation Process. Priest has an extensive background in research and design, with more than 20 years’ experience. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace and a Master’s Degree in Finance.

Screenco Manufacturing has announced the acquisition of Groupe Promax. Promax is a leading manufacturer of patio door screen products located in Quebec City. This acquisition allows Screenco to cover the entire span of North America from east to west. With added production capacities, diverse product offerings and advanced manufacturing technologies, Screenco now has the ability to better service the North American fenestration industry.

Jan. 17, 2018 - JRC United and OrePac have been working hand in hand over the last few months to determine which door machines would help OrePac best to achieve its always increasing production goals. Today, both enterprises are proud to announce they have concluded a multi-million dollar deal that will help OrePac consolidate its leading position in the door industry.

Nov. 23, 2017 - A look inside a home showcasing big glass performance in a NetZero build.

Oct. 30, 2017 - At its meeting on October 19th, the supervisory board of Roto Frank AG decided to once again renew the contract of Dr Eckhard Keill, the chairman of the board of directors.

Oct. 11, 2017 - Vitro Architectural Glass announced that it has hired William Davis as productivity manager and technical services engineer in support of the company’s Intercept stainless steel spacer system technology.

I am honoured and excited to be Fenestration Canada’s President in this important and dynamic time for our association. We have a clear mission to support our members across Canada by providing education, networking, and technical resources.

I recently had to make a decision: do I travel to Winnipeg or to Calgary? It certainly wasn’t an easy decision either. In Calgary, the Fenestration Canada 2018 Spring Conference was taking place. In Winnipeg, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME) was hosting the 2018 Canadian Lean Conference.

SAWDAC/Window Wise has trained 2,700 installers since December 2017.

The latest Fenestration Manitoba event was particularly rewarding for a number of reasons. First, Nancy Zubriski, executive director, pulled together a wonderful mix of very well-qualified speakers that allowed the topic to be particularly well addressed from multiple angles including real life. Secondly, a room full of high-level window and door manufacturing personnel took a half of a day to participate and then responded with some very gratifying comments.  Chris Howell, director of operations at Alliance Door Products, said, “Thanks again for all of your efforts in pushing our industry forward. John (Howell) and I both really enjoyed the seminar. Great presentations and informative content. We will be sharing our information today with our director of HR in Lynden to bring some awareness to the upcoming changes.” 

Fenestration Canada held its Spring Conference June 4 through 6 at the Hotel Arts in Calgary. The event drew around 130 window and door manufacturers and installers, and their suppliers, to educational seminars, association meetings, and social networking opportunities.

It's a weird time to be an employer. Smoking weed at work may no longer be something you can complain about. Make a bad joke and you might find yourself on the pointy end of a lawsuit. Fenestration Manitoba will provide expert advice on these and other growing labour-relations issues at an industry seminar May 30 at the Norwood Hotel in Winnipeg.

FenCon19 organizers have announced the date and venue for next years' conference for the window and door industry. The event will take place in downtown Winnipeg at the Winnipeg Convention Center on March 6 and 7. The location is close to the popular Exchange District, the Forks and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Apr. 20, 2018 - Registration for this year's GlassBuild America: The Glass, Window & Door Expo, is now open!

Mar. 9, 2018 -  Dean Lewis of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) passed away March 7 after battling cancer. He spent 45 years in the fenestration industry and was 69 years old.

One reason to go to industry events is to get a sense of the issues and trends concerning your fellow window and door people, and FenCon18 in Winnipeg last week certainly provided that. Disruptive technology, continuous improvement, product standards and labour challenges are top-of-mind for owners and mangers in our industry today, if the presentations and discussions around the conference were any indication.

The Fenestra purchasing co-op has come a long way from its beginnings as a small group of fabricators – convened initially by Kevin Pelley of Kohltech and George Warren of Centennial Windows – getting together in 2010 to select a group of preferred suppliers.

One could feel the vibe and excitement in the air at WinDoor 2017. From a Fenestration Canada perspective, we can honestly say that it was a resounding success. The atmosphere on the show floor was positive and exhibitors on the whole were happy with the traffic. Many thanks to the WinDoor Committee for working diligently with Zzeem to deliver an event that surpassed our expectations!

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.

Brace yourself: tradeshow season is coming. One does not simply show up at a tradeshow and start exhibiting. Winter is almost over and now is a great time to get prepared.

The Ontario government has announced a rebate program enabling homeowners to receive up to $500 per window to a maximum of $5,000 per project when they install Energy Star-certified windows from a list of approved dealers. The program is offered through the Green Ontario Fund, an agency set up to promote energy-efficient construction and renovations.

In a business era that has manufacturers vertically integrating their sales model, it might seem counterproductive for a manufacturer to focus on the window and door dealer, but in the case of Euro Vinyl Windows of Woodbridge Ont., that’s precisely what they did with Kempenfelt Windows of Barrie, Ont.

The first quarter has started out strong for the association with 27-per cent growth in revenues versus the same period last year coupled with a 16-per cent reduction in expenses.

May 24, 2017 - Around 175,000 construction workers in Quebec went on strike this morning following a breakdown in talks with the provincial government. Union statements pointed to job security and working hours as main sticking points.

April 12, 2017 - The deadline for having all workers who work at heights on construction sites trained in a Ministry of Labour-approved Working at Heights: Construction program has been extended to October 1, 2017. However, employers must still meet specific requirements in order to qualify for the deadline extension.

Fenestration Canada held a meeting of its Fabricators Council at its Spring Conference in Calgary earlier this month. Brad Fevold of Marvin Windows and Doors and Gary Blad of Loewen Windows reported on the Council's activities to Fenestration Review. The Fabricators Council is a closed meeting only for FenCan members who manufacture windows and doors.

I attend trade seminars whenever and wherever available, yet, almost without fail, the question that continually arises during a break in the action is “what are you doing for software?” We are on our fourth generation of software. Our first version was a spreadsheet that gave us, on reflection, no more than a suggestion of cut sizes, with the saw operators and assemblers recalculating on the fly.

To hear Frank Bruno tell it, there may be no more fitting place to found a fenestration operation than Woodbridge, Ont. He was a mere 16 years old when he joined Everlast Aluminum, a small aluminum shop, back in 1961. Over the next six decades, the company not only changed its name to the Everlast Group, but also changed its location, from cramped quarters in midtown Toronto to a cavernous 45,000-square-foot facility in Woodbridge. 

The function of organic solvents in paint relates to certain properties. They facilitate the paint’s application, it’s drying and the formation of a regular paint film. During application and drying, the solvent evaporates. Ideally a dry paint film no longer contains solvent. However when they evaporate, these solvents release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere with a negative, toxic impact on health and safety and the environment. 

Lamination can be a great finish option for windows. Laminate is a multi-layer construction of high-grade materials. It is constructed to ensure an extended resistance to weather conditions and colour stability. One of the greatest features of laminate is its scratch-resistance.

Don’t blink, or you might miss Port Elgin, N.B., population 450. For tourists, at least, it’s usually a blip on their way elsewhere. But if you do take the turn, you’ll find a small community that’s been at the crossroads of commerce in New Brunswick for hundreds of years.

As stompings under the jackboot of government authority go, it couldn’t have been more pleasant. Debbie Scharf’s tone was friendly and upbeat as she delivered the message to Canada’s window makers that the government plans by 2030 to outlaw the majority of the products they make.

The Fenestration Canada AGM education program took place on the Friday, June 2. The keynote message came from Debbie Scharf, director of the equipment division of the office of energy efficiency at the National Research Council, who outlined the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. That is a document agreed on by Canada's provincial premiers setting out the targets for energy efficiency and emissions controls that various sectors will need to hit in order for Canada to meet its commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change. For the fenestration industry, the big news was that governments want all new homes to be at least Net Zero-ready by 2030 – which means windows will need to achieve a 0.8 centre-of-glass U-factor.

May 25, 2017 - Chongqing Polycomp International Corp. has announced that late in 2016 the company moved its North American headquarters from Rowland Heights (Los Angeles), Calif. to Amsterdam (Albany), N.Y., where CPIC owns a fiberglass manufacturing facility. Anticipating significant growth in the North American fiberglass market, the organization also has added several fiberglass and composites industry veterans to its North American team.

April 12, 2017 - The Province of B.C. is providing $500,000 to encourage the development and certification of high-performance windows that will help homeowners and businesses conserve energy and reduce heating costs, and stimulate the high-performance window manufacturing industry in British Columbia.

Ask Marc Rivest and David Johnson how they decided to celebrate more than three decades in business together, and you’ll get a rather candid answer: “With a case of beer,” Marc jokes.

Mar. 26, 2018 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released an updated document establishing performance requirements for fiber reinforced thermoset profiles for use in fenestration products. AAMA 305-18, the Voluntary Specification for Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Profiles, was last updated in 2015.

Natural Resources Canada is circulating proposed changes to the Energy Star standards for residential windows and doors. The changes would constitute a signficant tightening of the standard resulting, NRCan says, in the disqualification of 75 per cent of the Canadian products that presently qualify. 

Big attempts are underway in Canada right now to do nothing less than change the way we build and buy windows. Ontario launched its GreenON rebate program in December, with approximately the same results as a North Korean missile test. It caught (almost) everyone by surprise; generated jubilation in some, anger and alarm in others; cost a lot of money the cash-strapped state can’t afford; and has so far completely failed to hit its target, though the attempt may set the stage for future success.

Feb. 12, 2018 - In mid-December, with little fanfare, B.C. took a bold step toward a future in which every new home, school, office, store — the works — will be built to the highest possible level of energy efficiency.

Feb. 1, 2018 - The 2017 edition of AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440, NAFS — North American Fenestration Standard/Specification for windows, doors, and skylights (NAFS) has received final approval and is now available. This standard is the result of a multi-year effort by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA). The updated 2017 standard replaces the 2011 edition of the joint standard.

The document "Market transformation strategies for energy-using equipment in the building sector" lays out a plan formulated at the Energy and Mines Ministers Conference in New Brunswick in August to make Canadian buildings much more energy efficient. It's part of the overall plan to meet Canada's obligations under the Paris Climate Accords to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and it's the plan that Debbie Scharf of the National Research Council has been talking about to industry groups all over the country this years. One section of the plan directly addresses residential windows and outlines an "aspirational" goal to encourage the use of the best technology in windows and reduce emissions from home heating by nine percent across the country.

Oct. 24, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) is currently planning instructor training classes for the InstallationMasters program. Those interested in becoming accredited instructors are encouraged to contact the association now to reserve their spot in one of the upcoming classes.

WinDoor is around the corner and I’ve been helping to put together the education seminars for the event. I’ve found it to be an incredible amount of work, and I’ve only done a small part of it. If you get talking to someone who is on one of Fenestration Canada’s committees, please give them your thanks for the hard work these volunteers do to advance the industry.

Aug. 31, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) currently is planning instructor training classes for the InstallationMasters program. Those interested in becoming accredited instructors are encouraged to contact the association now, so that as many schedules as possible may be accommodated.

Aug. 16, 2017 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) recently released an updated document to provide a standard method of evaluating side-hinged door active slabs for their ability to resist a vertical load. AAMA 925-17, the "Specification for Determining the Vertical Loading Resistance of Side-Hinged Door Systems," determines the ability of a side-hinged door slab to remain operable following the application of a vertical load along the lock stile. It was last updated in 2013.

Aug. 16, 2017 - August is a hot, fun season full of BBQs, beach days and renovation projects. As homeowners look to beat the heat, running fans or air conditioning around-the-clock, or adjusting their central air to cool, they may find an increase in their utility bill.

In an email to the editor Phil Lewin, vice-president of technical marketing for Vinyl Window Designs in Toronto, responded to Chris Meiorin's Fit & Finish column in the summer issue of Fenestration Review. His comments posted here with permission.

June 29, 2018 - The Canadian and Quebec governments are working together to make long-term investments in infrastructure that will create jobs and economic growth, build inclusive communities and support a low-carbon, green economy—leading to a higher quality of life for all Quebec residents.

Summer in Coquitlam: my favourite time of year. On top of the usual long weekend shenanigans, my family and I are known to enjoy an occasional delicious ice cream cone from time to time. There is a great hand-crafted ice cream shop near our home at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody.

Hockey fans watched transfixed as the Las Vegas Golden Knights threatened to do something no expansion team has ever done in any sport: win a championship in their first year of existence.

June 7, 2018 - Municipalities issued $7.8 billion worth of building permits in April, down 4.6% from March. Declines were reported in every component except commercial buildings.

May 24, 2018 - Aecon Group Inc. was informed Thursday that the Governor in Council has issued an order under the Investment Canada Act directing CCCC International Holding Limited ("CCCI") not to implement its proposed acquisition of Aecon. As a result, the Arrangement between Aecon and CCCI will not proceed.

May 24, 2018 -The value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities increased 3.1% to $8.4 billion in March, following a 2.8% decline in February. The rise was mainly the result of higher construction intentions for multi-family dwellings, particularly in Quebec and British Columbia, and, to a lesser extent, by the commercial component.

May 7, 2018 -  ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) has had its scope of accreditation widely expanded by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) to include evaluation of many new product classifications to the provisions of standards referenced by the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC).

Apr. 24, 2018 - As companies introduce connected technologies into the workplace and on the jobsite, they increase the risk of cyber attacks.

April 12, 2018 - After posting its strongest growth since 2013 last year, Canada's residential construction industry is forecast to see a small contraction in 2018. Meanwhile, non-residential construction is expecting a modest turnaround this year, according to The Conference Board of Canada's latest outlooks for the two industries.

April 12, 2018 - Canadian municipalities issued $8.2 billion in building permits in February (-2.6%), following a 5.2% gain in January. Single-family homes as well as the commercial and institutional components saw lower levels of construction intentions in February.

Mar. 8, 2018 - Canadian municipalities issued $8.4 billion in building permits in January, up 5.6% following a 2.5% rise in December. The value of permits for three components rose, while industrial buildings (-18.6%) and single-family dwellings (-1.3%) declined. The January increase was largely due to higher construction intentions for multi-family dwellings in Ontario.

Breach: defined as infraction or violation of a law, obligation, tie, or standard; or a broken, ruptured, or torn condition or area.