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Fenestration Canada – A whole new WinDoor

The current year has been a very busy and productive year at Fenestration Canada. The spring meetings at the Fairmont in Mont-Tremblant, Que., were an excellent networking and education event and an introduction to our new association management team at Zzeem. The prospects for membership growth and development have never been better or more clearly focused with Zzeem at the controls.

Now that the fall season is here, the Fenestration Canada team is fully engaged with hosting WinDoor North America, the annual trade show of the window and door industry in Canada.

WinDoor 2016 is heading to a new venue in Old Montreal: the Palais des Congres de Montreal. This is a “new” event with a new layout, an ambitious and revitalized education program and new networking and social events. Fenestration Canada is proud and enthusiastic to welcome the collaboration and support of the AVFQ – Quebec’s provincial fenestration association – as a partner in the promotion and content development of the show. With the support of the AVFQ we are expecting tremendous support from the fenestration industry in Quebec. Special thanks to Gilbert Lemay, AVFQ executive director, and his team for their support in this new and exciting venture. This is a unique collaboration for our two groups.

Stéphane Labelle of Groupe Eugenie and chair of the WinDoor committee has worked hard to create a new show, with a new image and layout in the heart of Old Montreal. Follow his WinDoor blog at windoorshow.ca. The WinDoor show committee is looking forward to hosting members of the fenestration industry across Canada at this new location on Nov. 15-17. If you have never been to Montreal this is a tremendous opportunity to experience one of the great cities of the world and discover new opportunities to learn and grow your business.

Your show committee has promised two great events that will provide many opportunities to network. After a day of committee meetings we open the show with a cocktail reception and head out to Old Montreal for “Doors Open Montreal,” a downtown dining tour. After a jam-packed schedule on Wednesday, the show committee will be hosting the “After Hours” show floor party. Both events are new to the WinDoor schedule and the show committee anticipates great participation from both attendees and suppliers.

If that wasn’t enough, Steve Alward of Atlantic Windows and the Education Committee supported by Jeff Baker of Westlab and J.F. Kogovsek of Maxam Marketing, have lined up an impressive, technically focused education program. Nine education sessions are planned with some presentations in either English or French and some offered in both French and English. Also back by popular demand is the Q&A panel discussion with the test labs. If you are looking for information on triple glazing, net zero homes, changes to the installation standard, codes and standards updates, social media, mulling guidelines and other technical matters, we will have an expert on hand to get you informed. You also do not want to miss Stephane Labelle, your show committee chair, and Laura Weil of Euro Vinyl Windows and Doors as they give you the rundown on the power and potential of social media in their talk titled “Be in the Know.”

Steve and J.F. will also be introducing “Train the Trainer.” Fenestration Canada will be producing a series of presentations designed to show our members how to make presentations in a professional manner with content that is created and approved by Fenestration Canada’s technical experts. The first presentation on the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) and the Canadian supplement was presented to a group of building inspectors in New Brunswick. Don’t miss Steve and J.F. at WinDoor.

The Show Committee has listened to the concerns of past attendees and has revamped the show. All we need now is your presence. Register online today. See you in Montreal.

Allan Doyle is general manager and partner of Global Windows and Doors in Richibucto, N.B., and president of Fenestration Canada. He has over 30 years’ experience in the fenestration industry.