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Efficiency and profitability hot topics at Win-Door 2010

Nov. 19, 2010 – North America’s biggest dedicated fenestration event, Win-Door 2010, officially got underway on Nov. 16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The show ran from Nov. 16 to 18.

Kevin Pelley (left), president of the CWDMA, cuts the ribbon officially opening Win-Door 2010. He is assisted by Mike Nolan, president of the EMS Chiefs of Canada, the EMS support body that has taken the message of window and balcony safety across the country through various EMS services. It is a main sponsor in the Partners Promoting Window  and Balcony Safety (PPWBS).

Nov. 19, 2010 – North America’s biggest dedicated fenestration event, Win-Door 2010, officially got underway on Nov. 16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The show ran from Nov. 16 to 18.

Although the show floor didn’t open until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, there was still plenty to occupy fenestration professionals, starting with the Canadian Window and Door Manufacturers Association (CWDMA) fall meeting.

Wednesday got underway with a presentation by Jeff Baker, technical consultant for the CWDMA. Baker delivered updates on new code requirements, NAFS testing regulations for doors, and upcoming changes in the building code and NAFS.

Bob Langdon, CPA, gave two valuable presentations at Win-Door 2010.

Bob Langdon, CPA and author of Managing Your Business for Profit, gave two presentations on Wednesday: “Strategic Planning for Your Business” and “Maximizing Profitability in a Recovering Economy.”

Langdon’s second presentation of the day focused primarily on the importance of forecasting.

“If you want to be more profitable this year than you were last year, do a forecast,” said Langdon. “You will always be more profitable with a plan than without one. I guarantee that you will make 30 to 40 per cent more profit next year if you do a forecast.”

Wednesday also saw the presentation of several CWDMA awards.

Jim Parker Booth Awards
First Prize – Edgetech IG
Second Prize – Trimlite
Small Booth Award – Apricot Coating Systems
 
Retiring Directors
Scott Targett – Global Windows and Doors
Martin Tremblay – Servitek Fenestration Inc.
 
CP Loewen Award
Clare Knechtel – KML Millwork

In addition to everything attendees have come to expect from Win-Door, the show has added a new feature this year. The Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA) ran the IGMA Technical Resource Centre, which served as a central place to ask the experts about anything and everything related to insulating glass.

The resource centre also featured more than 100 technical and information seminars over the course of Win-Door 2010. The seminars covered a wide range of topics, including design and fabrication, gas filling, thermal stress, high-performance glass, forensic investigative techniques, certification, components, energy performance and new technologies.

Experts such as Bill Lingnell, IGMA’s technical consultant, were available to answer any and all questions regarding insulating glass, such as “Can IGs be repaired in the field?” and “What factors in window design contribute to early IG failure?”

A few of the friendly faces at the IGMA Technical Resource Centre. From left: Jim Krahn (Marvin Windows), Ray Wakefield (Trulite Industries), Denny Raske (Allmetal) and Bill Lingnell (Lingnell Consulting Services / IGMA Technical Consultant).

Another popular feature of Win-Door was the New Product Showcase. It serves as a dual online and in-person introduction to numerous new products being exhibited at Win-Door. The online portion is still available for viewing at www.windoorshow.com/new-products.cfm .

Win-Door continued on Thursday, beginning with “The Power Hour – An Economic Preview of the Year Ahead.” The forecast was delivered by Peter Norman, a well-known urban economist and forecaster. Norman is the general manager of Altus Group Economic Consulting, and he specializes in economic and demographic analysis, construction economics, building products, technology studies, and forecasting services.

The pace of housing starts is expected to moderate further in the fourth quarter of 2010. The expectation is that this will remain relatively flat throughout 2011. According to the forecast, we can expect a slide from 2010 numbers (188,00 total housing starts) in 2011 (172,000 total housing starts projected). However, this still compares favourably with numbers from 2009 (149,081 total housing starts).

Other presentations included “Energy Star – Phase 2 Changes & More,” presented by Steve Hopwood, account manager, fenestration products, for Natural Resources Canada, and “CSA Standards – The New F.I.T. Program” presented by Miles Murphy, product manager, personnel certification, for the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Hopwood’s presentation on Energy Star focused on the finalized qualifications and labelling procedures for Phase 2 of the Energy Star program. Naturally, the main topic of conversation was the new standards for windows, doors, and skylights.

Hopwood outlined a number of significant items relating to the Energy Star program, specifically as they relate to fenestration professionals.

Criteria levels for each of the four zones have been made more stringent. There are also new minimum ER requirements for U-factor path of compliance, in regards to windows.

A number of items are now mandatory, including physical performance testing for windows, sliding glass doors and skylights, insulating glass durability certification for all products, and labelling for all products.

All Energy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights must now be labelled with the Energy Star label, the temporary and permanent labels of the agency that certified the performance values, and any label or mark required by the agency that certified the durability of the insulating glass unit.

Hopwood also stressed that there a number of things fenestration professionals must remember when labelling. Among other things, these include labelling with zones according to the October 1st specification, include an NRCan Reference Number, Model Code or NFRC Certification Number, and always show the correct zone of qualification. Hopwood also stressed that it was important for window manufacturers to make sure they read the available guidelines.

The new F.I.T. program, developed by the CSA in conjunction with the CWDMA, is designed to define the relevant knowledge, skills and abilities of a fenestration technician, while at the same time testing to make sure those skills are up to scratch.

Win-Door would like to thank the following sponsors for their generous contributions that helped to make Win-Door 2010 a success.

Livingston International – EMS
Novatech Group Inc. – Parking
Richersons Enterprise Limited – Parking
Royal Group/Thermoplast – Lunches/beer cups
Truth Hardware – Badge lanyards/pillar wraps/EMS
Trimlite – Registration desk

Win-Door 2011 will take place Nov. 15-17, 2011, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.