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Win-Door gets bigger and better

Canada’s national trade show for the window and door industry, Win-Door,
closed Nov. 8 amid widespread expressions of satisfaction with the
revised show floor layout, the education program, the increased number
of exhibitors and the steady flow of attendees on Nov. 7.

Canada’s national trade show for the window and door industry, Win-Door, closed Nov. 8 amid widespread expressions of satisfaction with the revised show floor layout, the education program, the increased number of exhibitors and the steady flow of attendees on Nov. 7. Fenestration Canada delivered an enhanced program for its members at the show, with announcements of big donations to Habitat for Humanity and the Walk It Off Spinal Cord Wellness Centre, and the induction of 12 new industry Pioneers.

The Partners Promoting Window and Balcony Safety made their annual donation, this time to the Walk It Off Spinal Cord Wellness Centre. Kids injured in a fall often need extensive back therapy.

Michel Flageole of Novatech was honoured at the show opening for his contributions as a founding member of Win-Door and of the Partners Promoting Window and Balcony Safety.

Show organizers estimated booth space was up 15 per cent and registration up 10 to 20 per cent over the 2011 edition, with 160 exhibitors and 2,500 attendees. Exhibitors reported a busy day on the 7th, with good quality of attendees. Free parking, free lunches and free refreshments at the start and end of the show conspired to keep attendees on the floor longer, organizers said.

A reconfigured show floor received general praise, with the seminar theatre moved to the front next to a more prominent Fenestration Canada booth. Booths were arranged in a large square around a central eating area, giving more visibility to more exhibitors from different points on the floor.

Exclusive education
Jeff Baker and JF Kogovsek’s seminar on standards and building codes was packed to capacity, as usual, as was Steve Hopwood’s introduction of proposed changes to Natural Resource Canada’s Energy Star zones. Baker and Kogovsek did not have much new to communicate since their presentation at the Fenestration Canada annual general meeting in Montebello, Que., but they have simplified their North American Fenestration Standard information to make it less technical and easier to understand. Their presentation was bilingual. Baker will broadcast an English-language webinar on the topic on Nov. 28. Details are on the Fenestration Canada website at www.fenestrationcanada.ca .

Traffic was steady at the show, especially on Day Two. Exhibitors reported a high quality of attendee, with many business owners and buyers on the floor.

Hopwood previewed NRCan’s proposed changes to Energy Star zones going into effect March 1, 2014. The most noticeable difference is the elimination of the disliked Zone 4 that created some distribution problems for dealers in southern Ontario. Qualifying criteria have been toughened in many areas. Information on the proposed changes can be found on the NRCan website, www.nrcan.gc.ca .

Some of the other education seminars were not as well attended, which was something of a mystery given their quality. Mike Burk of Quanex gave a presentation loaded with practical tips on the best principles of safe glass handling. He made the valuable observation that workers in our industry easily become complacent about handling glass and forget that it can quickly and easily turn into a very dangerous material. Handling glass alone and trying to manage glass stacks without an escape route are two paths to potentially deadly injury. Peter Norman, chief economist for Altus Group, shared precious research on Canada’s housing market that no one in the window and door industry can afford to miss, but many did. He showed fascinating data on the effects of government policy on the housing market – it is clear that Fenestration Canada’s Government Relations Committee has a relevant role. Norman debunked talk of an overheating market bubble in Canada, with the possible exception of certain areas in Toronto and Vancouver. He predicted two per cent growth in the Canadian economy over the next year.

Success by association
Fenestration Canada executives and committee chairs updated gathered members on association activities. The government relations committee is putting protocols in place to more effectively communicate the industry’s needs to legislators and officials.

George Warren gave a rousing invitation to the next annual general meeting, May 29 to June 2 in St. John’s, N.L., saying the icebergs are being towed in, whales lured and cod fattened for the event.

Jim Parker presented his annual awards for best booths. The small booth award went to Screenco, with Forimpex and Evotech finishing as runners up, and the large booth award to Soni Plastics, with Erdman Equipment and PH Tech getting honourable mentions.

Next year’s Win-Door will return to its regular week, Nov. 12 to 14, 2013.

Additional photos from the show are available on the Glass Canada Facebook page.