Forum - April 2011

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING

BY SUSAN BESZE WALLACE

They know of burls and butt joints and bev- eled edges; the intricacies of dormers and rip caps and diffusing glass. Members of the Window & Door Manufacturers Association deal in the currency of craftsmanship and architectural nuance.

But new entries are being added to the group’s glossary. “Chatter” isn’t just the unseemly lines across a poorly sanded door; it’s what one has to do to have an impact on ENERGY STAR requirements. A “quarrel” isn’t just a diamond, or square-shaped piece of glass set diagonally; it’s what can happen when environmental groups and industry clash over policy. “ Hit-and-miss” isn’t just a kind of window; it’s what can happen if you show up unannounced to a legislator’s office.

In 2009, WDMA launched an effort that unites its members’ voices in hopes of influencing lawmakers and policies to change the way they do business. The One Voice™ Advocacy Program was born out of necessity as an increasing federal regulatory environment brushed up against the harshest economic climate in decades.

“There’s an old saying in advocacy that if you
don’t have a seat at the table, you’re going to be on
the menu,” says WDMA President and CEO Michael
O’Brien, CAE. “That’s what was happening. Others were
deciding how windows, doors and skylights were going
to be built.”
The association and the OneVoice Advocacy effort
have grown during challenging times, proving “impact”
no longer refers just to how much force a pane of glass
or plank of wood can take, but what an industry of
competitors can create with shared goals and the right
strategy.

Windows to the Past

Read the histories of many window and door companies and you’ll practically be able to feel the wind fluttering flags on Main Street. Many entrepreneurs in the early 1900s created businesses or products that would sustain their small towns, keep people employed and pay homage to the hard-working patriarchs who had laid their foundations. In this era of corporate giants, many — if not most — window and door companies still are privately held with family involvement.

For example, Loewen, founded by the son of Russian immigrants, made humble products like beekeeping equipment and church pews in the early 1900s before becoming preeminent in the luxury wood door and window market.

Andersen Windows and Doors’ roots were planted in 1903 when Danish immigrant Hans Andersen set up shop in Hudson, Wis., where logs arrived via the St. Croix River. During the Great Depression when a factory was temporarily shuttered, Andersen kept employees working by having them plant trees. Today, Andersen Corp. employs more than 9,000 people at 20-plus locations that manufacture more than 6 million wood windows and doors each year.

Marvin Lumber and Cedar manufactured butter boxes and ammunition during World War II. After the war, William Marvin focused on producing windows as a way to keep returning servicemen in Warroad, Minn. Profit-sharing first came in bags of silver dollars, and two major factory fires didn’t prevent Marvin Windows and Doors from becoming the largest made-to-order wood window and door manufacturer in the world.