Door & Window Market • Sept/Oct 2023 • What’s News

ProVia acquired one of its lamination providers, purchasing the assets of Youngstown, Ohio-based Premier Profile Lamination Inc. (PPL). The two companies have worked together for many years, in support of ProVia’s patio door and window lines, ProVia officials said. The move will allow the company to streamline production and product developments, they added.

“The PPL team has done a remarkable job refining the profile lamination process over the years. We are excited to vertically integrate these production capabilities into ProVia’s advanced manufacturing processes,” said Brian Miller, president and CEO of ProVia.

The company plans to continue operating PPL’s current manufacturing facility in Youngstown through at least the end of 2023, after which it will begin relocating operations to a facility in New Philadelphia, Ohio, aiming to fully transition operations by the second quarter of 2024.

Jeld-Wen Not Liable for Driver Injuries

U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled in favor of Jeld-Wen Inc., putting to rest a lawsuit brought against the company three years ago by a driver for Crete Carrier Corp. Gary Groeneweg filed suit against the door and window manufacturer in 2020 under the Oregon Safe Employment Act and the Oregon Employer Liability Law, seeking to hold Jeld-Wen liable for injuries he sustained during an incident while unloading a delivery. Groeneweg claimed that he was struck in the head while unloading a stack of windows. He was transported to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken neck and a laceration to his head.

According to the suit, this wasn’t the first injury Groeneweg suffered delivering Jeld-Wen windows. Six months prior, he slipped while unloading and windows fell on him, leading him to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Jeld-Wen has maintained that Groeneweg, who worked for Crete Carrier Corp., was not a Jeld-Wen employee. In an opinion dated August 7, 2023, Judge Aiken agreed, ruling that the company is entitled to summary judgment, dismissing Groeneweg’s claims. Aiken wrote that Jeld-Wen is not liable for Groeneweg’s injuries because the shipping company was hired to perform the service. Aiken added that Jeld-Wen did not own the trailer nor control the trailer’s unloading, which was Crete’s responsibility.

Can VIEW Survive Another Misstep? Company Ordered to Pay $5 Million for Violations

Months after settling charges over failing to disclose financial information and after laying off 170 employees, another tough hit arrived for smart glass manufacturer View Inc. In July 2023, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announced it settled charges against the company for failing to disclose $28 million in projected warranty-related liabilities, charging its former chief financial officer, Vidul Prakash, for failing to tell investors about liabilities before the company went public in 2021. Now, after pleading guilty, the Milpitas, Calif.-based company has been ordered to pay nearly $5 million in fines, community service payments and civil penalties for unlawfully discharging wastewater into a publicly owned treatment works in Mississippi. The company failed to obtain a valid state permit.

The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality investigated the case, after which U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced the company to a three-year term of probation and a fine of $3 million. The court also ordered View to make a community service payment to DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority in the amount of $450,000, to help expand wastewater treatment capacity in DeSoto County.

PGT Innovations Unveils New Corporate Showroom

PGT Innovations (PGTI) unveiled a new corporate showroom. Located at the company’s corporate headquarters in North Venice, Fla., the 2,400-square-foot facility utilizes vignettes of various rooms in a home to demonstrate how products from the company’s multiple brands look, feel and function in real-life environments. Dealers and other building industry partners will be allowed to use the space as an extension of their own showrooms.

The new showroom and lobby renovation features more than 15 products, glass technology resulting from recent collaborations with Corning Inc. and products with dynamic glass.

Erdman Expands With New 50,000-sq.-ft. Production Facility in Princeton

Erdman Automation Corp. is expanding operations with a new 50,000-square-foot facility. Officials say the expansion adds more production capabilities and automated equipment.

The Princeton, Minn.-based equipment manufacturer recently unveiled its new Building 5 production center, housing its “newest and most innovative machine lines,” company officials said. They add that the expansion includes a new reception and lobby area, along with meeting spaces.

“Automation is so critical to our customer base that expansion is not a want for us; it is a need,” says president Morgan Donohue.

Erdman’s last expansion was three years ago, and Donohue says the company is already preparing for another in the near future.

“We are already planning for an expansion from nearly 240,000 square feet to 400,000,” he says. “We expect to begin the building process next year, understanding that it will take nearly a year to complete.”

Kolbe Expands Manufacturing

Currently maintaining facilities in Wausau and Manawa, Wis., Kolbe Windows & Doors has expanded its manufacturing capabilities with a 27,000-square-foot facility in Phoenix, Ariz.

“As our third manufacturing site, the Phoenix location will help us grow our capabilities while creating a closer connection to the West Coast market,” said Keith Koenig, Kolbe’s vice president of manufacturing. “The increased production will allow us to better meet market demand and the needs of our customers.”

Kolbe’s Phoenix facility, located at 21430 North 15th Lane, houses 22,000 square feet of manufacturing space, plus a small showroom and offices.

Six Industry Companies Make the Inc. Magazine 5000 List

Inc. magazine just released its annual 5000 list, including six door and window-related companies. Dubbed a “First Look at the Companies Building the Future,” the magazine’s writers suggest that the founders of the startups making its list are “delivering solutions to our nation’s biggest problems and growing their businesses like crazy doing it.”

Companies are ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2019 to 2022—each of which must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2019. They also must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent as of December 31, 2022. The minimum revenue required for consideration was $100,000 in 2019 and $2 million in 2022.

Coming in at number 1,483 was GlassTemp, a flat glass, insulating glass and laminated glass fabricator that’s based in Bellwood, Ill. The company saw a 387% increase in revenue from 2019 to 2022.

Coastal Windows, a woman-owned, family-operated remodeling company in Beverly, Mass., landed at 3,680, with 131% growth. 84 Lumber Company came in at 3,717, with 129% growth.

Liteworks Window & Door, a door and window supplier that specializes in high-end, custom products, landed the 4,199 spot. The Marietta, Ga.-based company saw 106% growth.

And last, but not least, Freeburg, Mo.-based Quaker Window Products came in at 4,751, with 83% growth. Quaker was ranked 119 among the fastest-growing manufacturing companies on the list.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized among such esteemed companies,” said Kevin Blansett, the company’s CEO. “This accolade is a direct reflection of our dedicated team’s tireless efforts, our consistent focus on product quality, and our pledge to always prioritize our customers. As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain committed to maintaining the excellence that has earned us this recognition.”

Fenplast Expands Again Through Acquisitions

Fenplast announced the acquisition of Solarcom, another Quebec-based manufacturer of custom aluminum fenestration products. The move comes months after the company established a minority stake in Solarcom, also acquiring Terrebonne-based ADG Doors and Windows.

Concurrent to the acquisition of Solarcom, Fenplast also picked up Ramp-Art, a manufacturer of custom aluminum and glass railings. Officials said the acquisition was about “seizing a promising diversification opportunity.”

The move also expands the company’s reach, as Ramp-Art “has a well-established clientele outside Quebec, thus offering significant advantages for the Fenplast group in terms of market expansion,” a company announcement said.

Founded in 1997, Ramp-Art manufactures and installs high-end, custom-made aluminum and glass railings for buildings in the institutional, commercial and multi-unit residential sectors, with projects extending throughout Quebec and Ontario.

The administrative structures and personnel for Ramp-Art and Solarcom will remain in place to continue operations and support further growth, a company announcement said.

AmesburyTruth Buys Further Into Composites With Lawrence Industries

AmesburyTruth completed the acquisition of Lawrence Industries, including its Thomasville, N.C.-based production facility. The move aligns with Amesbury’s strategy in North America to further develop its product offerings, officials said, most notably the addition of “impressive injection molding proficiencies.” Combined, the companies now have injection molding capabilities in three locations across the U.S., which are positioned “to back each other up in order to maximize continuity for the markets,” Amesbury president Bob Burns told [DWM]. The move adds flexibility and capabilities to Amesbury’s supply chain, he said.

Lawrence builds and designs molds, and manufactures composite hardware for sliding and hung window fabricators. The company was founded in 2005 and currently has more than 50 employees in Thomasville. Following the acquisition, Lawrence will continue to operate under its existing name, while company president Brandon Lawrence will serve as general manager.