Articles Dealer’s Corner
SAWDAC newsletter: Window Wise, working at heights and software discounts

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.

Great financial position
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. These improvements have delivered a small surplus, which will be crucial going forward to help us grow our programs and services to members.

Working at heights training
SAWDAC has been helping our members, especially in Ontario, meet their legal requirement to provide working-at-heights training to employees who work more than six feet off the ground. The one-day course is provided by a certified third party, on demand, at your location. The special rate for SAWDAC members is $150 per student. To set up a course for your people, drop us an email at info@sawdac.com. Remember, the Ontario deadline to have your workers trained is Oct. 31. If you get caught with untrained workers on a roof, ladder, lift or scaffolding after that date, the consequences could be severe.  

Window Wise report
Window Wise job registrations are up 18 per cent over this time last year. SAWDAC staff have been working hard to grow this program on a number of fronts. We are reaching out bi-weekly to Window Wise dealers to encourage registration of their projects. Joe Zaborski at Beverly Hills Home Improvements has been helping us call prospective dealers and tell them about the program’s benefits – he should know! We are also planning another Window Wise installation course for later this summer, details TBD.
We continue to ask Window Wise members to send us reference letters. This is a program that works better with the more exposure it gets, so please don’t be shy.

Social media
Our Facebook page continues to grow and we will look at investing to drive awareness around our posts.  We are planning on launching a new website mid to late summer with a fantastic new look and feel.  Once this is done we will put some SEO around this to help drive awareness. We are really excited about this, and I am sure you will be as well moving forward!    

Membership Benefits
Improvit360 has just signed up with SAWDAC as they offer software for both manufacturers and dealers that helps streamline business. This software is discounted for our SAWDAC members.

Trade Shows
There was a lot of home shows visits over the March-April time frame with follow up on joining SAWDAC. Executive director Jason Neal also attended the Fenestration Canada Annual General Meeting in Halifax and had a lot of good conversations there.

Golf tournament
The annual SAWDAC golf tournament took place June 6 at the lovely but dangerous Turtle Creek golf course near Guelph, Ont. The weather did not co-operate very well, but SAWDAC members compensated by staying as wet inside as they were outside. Almost 90 golfers had lunch then took to the links, returning for a dinner of barbecue pork and chicken. Along the way there were long drive, closest-to-pin and closest-to-keg contests, with a chance to win $50,000 for a hole-in-one (no winner this time). Golfers also had a chance to make long putts to win a Texas mickey, with proceeds going to the Kids Can Play charity. The event raised over $300 for that worthy cause. Photos are on our Facebook page!