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Win-door 2009 takes Toronto by storm

NEWS HIGHLIGHT

Win-door 2009
takes Toronto by storm
Education, demonstrations, new products, and an inspirational speech from “Canada’s Ultimate Hockey Dad” were on the slate at Win-door North America 2009.

Win-door 2009 drew stake-holders from across North America.

Nov. 20, 2009, Toronto – Education, demonstrations, new products, and an inspirational speech from “Canada’s Ultimate Hockey Dad” were on the slate at Win-door North America 2009. The three-day trade show and exhibition took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto, and ran November 17 – 19. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Win-door trade show.

Win-door 2009 brought together professionals from all parts of the business. Suppliers, manufacturers, and installers could all be found in one place. This allowed for almost unprecedented networking and educational opportunities.

The trade show portion of Win-door 2009 opened on Tuesday, November 17 at 4:00 pm, allowing attendees to tour the show floor in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Along with features familiar to those who have attended the show in past years, Win-door 2009 also featured the IG Alley, a special section of the show devoted to insulating glass and related suppliers.

Wednesday’s schedule got underway with the Canadian Window and Door Manufacturer Association (CWDMA) technical codes and standards update, delivered by Jeff Baker of Westlab Inc. Baker spoke on NAFS = 08 Standard and the 2010 building code, with an emphasis on how it would affect the business of association members. He also presented information on new ENERGY STAR requirements, including what we can expect to see over the next two years. 

The trade show enjoyed its busiest day on Wednesday, with hundreds of glass industry professionals taking the opportunity to review displays by the more than 150 exhibitors.

The educational slate for Wednesday also included two presentations by Certified Personal Accountant Bob Langdon: Seven Steps to Closing a Profitable Sale, and Managing Your Business in Turbulent Times. 

Walter Gretzky and Win-door Show Chair Matt Kottke of Truth Hardware.

Wednesday evening served up inspiration in the form of a speech by “Canada’s Ultimate Hockey Dad,” Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky. It was a rare opportunity to relive one of hockey’s greatest eras through the eyes of a proud father.

Win-door North America also took time Wednesday evening to acknowledge some of the outstanding contributions made by members of the industry.

“The Pioneers of our Industry awards are given to those individuals who helped build this great industry of which we’re all a part,” said Matt Kottke of Truth Hardware. Kottke is the Show Chair of Win-Door North America 2009. “It’s important for us to recognize what these individuals have done for our industry, as well as to serve as a goal for our future leaders to aspire to.”

Win-door North America wrapped up Thursday, November 19. Highlights from the last day included the CWDMA Fall meeting, with an economic forecast by Craig Alexander, VP and Deputy Chief Economist of TD Bank, an education seminar on investigating insulating glass failures, and best practices for glazing of insulated glass units for long-term performance.

Watch for more coverage of Win-door 2009 in the next issue of Glass Canada.