Articles Community Events & Shows
FenCon20 education streams released

FenCon20 brings new flavours to its education streams May 12-13 to the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg. Fenestration Manitoba continues to refine and evolve the interactive educational program for the window and door fabrication community with a specific focus on the people that are actually MAKING windows and doors!

The new “Something Colourful” stream will hit an increasingly important issue: effectively and profitably meeting the demand for finish options. Look for content addressing types of finish, finish process, different types of application equipment for different levels of operations, trends, handling and more. Gone are the days when your customers had to select from your salesman’s binder…today they are finding the looks they want on Pinterest and Instagram. FenCon20 is where you can find out how to be proactive rather than reactive.  There are many interesting providers of equipment and materials – ranging from traditional 2-part paints to water based – who will have an interest in presenting and FenCon is actively looking for proposals!

“Something Lean” brings more Continuous Improvement education but with additional focus on KATA and real-world implementation. You’ve heard a lot about the basic concepts of Lean manufacturing – now it’s time to take it to the next level with experts Ian Marshall of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Manitoba and Warren Peters, a 20-year veteran of Lean implementation.  A combination of seminars (including practical industry “reporting back session”) and workshops will allow you to take back real implementation ideas.  Perhaps most importantly, you will be able to exchange ideas with other window and door manufacturing leaders and gain new insights into how to actually stay on the CI journey .. continuously and progressively!

 “Something Hot” takes advantage of our later date. We’ll escape “Winterpeg” and get outside under beautiful blue skies! It’ll be an opportunity to relax with your peers in a setting that celebrates all the natural beauty that Winnipeg has to offer.  FenCon has also re-worked the schedule such that the first day of workshops on the 12^thleads into the full Conference day on May 13^th, concluding with a “bang” in “celly event” as Patrick Laine would call it!

“Something New” will help you punch up demand with more powerful marketing. New York marketing guru, Jeff Swystun, will help you develop more ways to be on the cutting edge of products (and not the “bleeding edge”) AND think about ways to bring these exciting new products to your market and let your customers know they’re there. Your customers think they know what you offer…time to show them what’s new!

We’d never call him “Something Old,” but star economist and native Winnipegger Glen Hodgson returns to deliver an economic forecast and update that can’t be missed. FenCon20 is truly privileged to welcome one of Canada’s leading economic minds, with a resume including leadership roles at the International Monetary Fund, the federal Department of Finance, Export Development Canada, the Conference Board of Canada and, now, the C.D. Howe Institute.

The continually evolving program is still adding additional elements and one of these is a powerful combination of active demonstration workshops and seminar by Building It Right leader Murray Frank!  His first time ever  a workshop will offer 4 – 6 different window installations to be demonstrated in live installation testing.  These sessions will even focus on changes resulting from double 2 x 4 frame walls and walls with layers of exterior continuous insulation, offering more advanced insights on the ramifications.

FenCon20 leaders are also excited to announce that Platinum sponsor Thorwesten Maschinenbau, automation equipment leader from Germany and Gold Sponsor Cardinal Glass, high performance insulating glass leader from the USA are BACK – as well as the irrepressible industry spokesperson/editor of Fenestration Review as our Media Gold Sponsor!

The 3^rd conference in 2019 generated record programming, sponsorships and attendance and 2020 will ensure interest and support continues to rise.  Both Brad Begin, Alpen Windows from Denver Colorado and John Neel, Westeck Windows from Abbotsford, BC plan to bring at least 3 people to participate and learn and interact with attendees!  This Window manufacturing conference in Winnipeg has been created in a classic value oriented approach and brings big “bang for the buck” in cost effective access to event facilities, hotels and nearby restaurants/bars.

Registration is open at fencon20.com.