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Building owners can now be charged in some Canadian jurisdictions if birds die from hitting their reflective glass envelopes. Luckily, the industry has responded with solutions.
27 2013 Buyers Guide
Your comprehensive list of Canada’s top glazing suppliers.
18 Flat glass showcase
Beautiful, energy-saving, cost-effective solutions from the biggest names in architectural glass.
DEPARTMENTS
14 Under the Glass
Volume – big volume – is the ticket to success for B.C.’s Starline Windows.
22 Innovations
ASSOCIATIONS
Nano-scale titanium oxide coatings can help old windows block heat for less. COLUMNISTS
17 Fenestration Forum by Brian Burton
38 You Bet Your Glass by Frank Fulton 7 Canadian Glass Association 24 Fenestration Canada 26 IGMA
Almost 200 square metres of space for conferences and private functions under an arched roof of dimmable glass without any sun blinds – can it work? The proof that it can is provided by the former castle at Störmede (part of the town of Geseke, North Rhine-Westphalia).
The price of power
High power prices are a mixed blessing for the glass industry. This issue contains some ideas to help you find opportunity amid the struggle.
The Heinz ketchup factory in Leamington, Ont., has announced it will shut down and move production elsewhere, putting over 700 people out of work. Many of these workers have few transferrable skills and have never worked anywhere else. The blow to the tiny community of around 30,000 people will be devastating. Commenting on this tragedy, Sun News columnist Christie Blatchford made an important point: this is the price of high electricity rates.
NEXt IssUE
• Automation safety
• Elton Manufacturing
• Material handling showcase
Whether high taxes or high electricity rates were the ultimate cause of Heinz’s decision to close its century-old operation is a matter for debate, but it seems obvious that the high power rates couldn’t have helped the company’s situation. There wasn’t much talk about outcomes like this back when Ontarians were being sold windmills and solar power in the early years of this century. The government admitted (sort of) that prices would go up in the short term, but that this trend would swiftly reverse as the technology matured through implementation. Before long, we would all be dining out on nearly free power and saving the planet from global warming at the same time. Instead, rates have skyrocketed, rural residents are in an uproar over the destruction of their landscapes with towering wind farms and the government has turned to better-established methods of power generation, like natural gas and nuclear, while cancelling contracts for further green energy development. I hear similar stories from elsewhere in the country.
One thing is for sure: rates will not be going down anytime soon. And although it may not come as much consolation to the citizens of Leamington, the new environment of pricey power actually represents significant opportunities for the glass industry. The need to save energy on heating homes and commercial buildings is driving a powerful demand for upgraded windows, doors and building envelopes. We stand in a position to actually help the Canadian economy offset the worst effects of rising power prices with better-insulated and low-E products. New windows probably wouldn’t have saved Heinz, but they might have helped a bit.
The good news for glaziers is there is an ever-expanding list of products available to help them meet this demand. We take a look at several in our flat glass showcase on page 18. And our Innovations feature this issue introduces nano coating as a potential energy-saving retrofit to existing windows. So even as you groan over your shop’s electricity bill, take a moment to reflect on the fact that it may be driving a substantial portion of the business that keeps the shop running in the first place. •
GROUP PUBLISHER | Martin MCANULTY mmcanulty@annexweb.com
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INDUstry NEWS
Duties slapped on Chinese curtain wall imports A NEW tRaDe SHOW ON THE HORIzON
the Canadian International trade tribunal has found that unitized curtain wall modules exported from China “threaten to cause injury” to the Canadian curtain wall manufacturing industry, triggering steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on Chinese curtain wall entering the country. the decision makes permanent the provisional duties applied by the Canadian border service Agency in July.
Curtain wall imported by Jangho Curtain Wall will be subject to a 15.7 per cent anti-dumping duty and a 3.8 per cent countervailing duty to offset subsidies received from the Chinese government. yuanda’s imports will attract duties of 49.3 per cent anti-dumping plus 5.3 per cent countervailing. All other imports of Chinese curtain wall will be hit with a 120 per cent anti-dumping duty and a 41.6 per cent countervailing duty. Jangho and yuanda were assigned lower duties because they provided requested information to the CbsA, while responses were absent or incomplete from other Chinese fabricators. the decision follows a process started in
July of 2012 launched by Allan Window, Ferguson Neudorf, FlynnCanada, Aluminum Curtainwall systems, oldcastle building Envelope, sota Glazing, starline Architectural Windows, stateWindows, toro Aluminum and Windsor Glass. the first complaint was dismissed in the fall of 2012 due to incomplete information, but a new complaint was allowed in January of this year.
“starline Windows first became aware of low priced unitized wall modules being imported into the western Canadian market from China in 2008,” said Paul Arnold, preconstruction services manager of starline Windows. “since that time we have lost projects to imported wall modules products at significantly lower prices. this has resulted in not only reduced domestic wall module gross revenue but also eroded pricing in our market. this is why we joined eight other Canadian domestic wall module producers in claiming injury resulting from these imports. We didn’t get into it for any other reason than just to try to keep our 600 employees employed here in british Columbia.”
Glass Canada has announced details of its inaugural trade event for the Canadian commercial glazing sector. top Glass will take place May 28, 2014, at the International Centre in Mississauga, ont. tremco and Alumicor are already confirmed as major sponsors. the one-day event will feature AIA-accredited seminars from Paul Chackery, Fenzi North America, and John Carpenter of Clearstream Architectural Products, with more to be announced. A full show floor with exhibits from major industry suppliers will be open throughout the day. Glass Canada presents top Glass in co-operation with the ontario Glass and Metal Association, which will host its spring Golf event the following day in Milton, ont.
“We could not be more excited to be bringing a commercial glass trade show back to Canada,” said Danielle Labrie, show manager. “the response from the industry so far has been overwhelming. our hope is that top Glass gives glaziers, architects, fabricators and their suppliers a muchneeded chance to come together as a community and explore new opportunities.” For more information, contact Danielle at dlabrie@annexweb.com.
CGA Newsletter
CANADIAN GLASS ASSOCIATION
onoctober 10 the CGA hosted the Glass Connections show in Calgary. A good crowd of 82 people registered to hear five very informative guest speakers. Judging by the feedback from the registrants, the show was a great success. on Nov. 5, the CGA board held its monthly meeting and it was decided that we are going to keep up the momentum with these Glass Connections shows.tentatively, we will have a show in halifax in october, followed by another in 2015, likely in ottawa. Details to follow. recently, the CGA obtained a letter from the Alberta government looking for input on delivering skills training.the federal government is changing the way it trains unemployed and underemployed workers. It is moving funding to a new program called the Canada Job Grant.this new program would see provincial governments, along with the federal government and perspective employers, each giving $5,000 towards skills training for applicants. It appears the method of skills training is going to be changing. If this concerns you, you may wish to find out what the changes are going to be in your jurisdiction and then provide your input. Finally, we would like to wish all our friends and colleagues in the glazing industry a very Merry Christmas and a happy and Prosperous New year!
PROVINCIAL GLAzIERS ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA the
results of the fundraising efforts from the annual
Canadian Glass Association P.O. Box 595 Abbotsford, B.C., V2T 6Z8 Tel: 604.855.0245 • Fax: 866.253.9979 www.canadianglassassociation.com
PGAA golf tournament are in. the goal was to raise $50,000 to go towards the creation of the Master Glazier Program.We raised $50,320.00! A huge thank you to all of our sponsors,We had two gold sponsors (oldcastle building Envelope and Vitrum Industries), nine silver sponsors and 99 bronze sponsors! Also a huge thank you to all our volunteers that helped to make this such a great event.We are well on our way with the creation of the Master Glazier Program and hope to be offering courses in late 2014.
ONTARIO GLASS AND Metal ASSOCIATION
Atour fall golf tournament held at the Carrying Place Golf Club in Kettleby, ont., president steve ringler presented the winner of the oGMA’s Award of Excellence bursary to Douglas Cake. Doug recently successfully completed the glaziers apprentice program at the ontario Industrial Finishing trades school. the Workplace safety and
Prevention services group held its third meeting in october at Alumicor with 12 member representatives in attendance. the topic presented by Michael Wilson from Workplace safety and Prevention services was on machine guarding covering a wide range of applications.the next session will be held on January 21, 2014, from 9:00 until 12:00 and the topic will be on dealing with violence and harassment in the workplace. If you are interested in attending, contact steve ringler at steve.ogm@bellnet.ca.
Details on the 2014 race Nite will be in the next issue.
Due to a schedule that didn’t suit many of our members, we have chosen to cancel the Detroit red Wings hockey game trip this year.
the oGMA is excited to be partnering with Glass Canada to bring an architectural glazing event back to ontario. It has been a long time since IMAGE went away, leaving a real void in the community here for networking and marketing opportunities.We encourage all members to attend.Watch this space for further announcements about oGMA participation in top Glass.
IGMA Winter Conference san Francisco, Calif. igmaonline.net
March 5
No Frills trade show toronto, ont. csctradeshow.com
May 28 top Glass Mississauga, ont. topglasscanada.com
May 29
oGMA spring Golf oakville, ont. ogma.ca
June 24 - 25
Profiles Philadelphia, Pa. amiplastics-na.com
Sept. 9 - 11
Glassbuild Las Vegas, Nev. glassbuildamerica.com
Nov. 11 - 13
Win-Door toronto, ont. windoorshow.com
Douglas Cake accepts the OGMA bursary from president Steve Ringler. Cake has work experience with Millenium Glass, Harding Glass and Impact Glass.
apogee acquires alumicor
Apogee Enterprises has announced it has acquired 100 per cent of the stock of toronto-based Alumicor, for approximately $52 million from majority shareholder Fulcrum Capital Partners and six minority shareholders. Alumicor finishes and fabricates aluminum frames for window, storefront, entrance and curtain wall products for the Canadian commercial construction industry. Apogee provides distinctive value-added glass solutions for the architectural and picture framing industries.
“We are very pleased to acquire Alumicor, a Canadian market leader with annual revenues of approximately $60 million and an impressive management team,” said Joseph F. Puishys, Apogee CEo. “Alumicor ideally complements Apogee’s growth strategies. It helps Apogee grow geographically by expanding our presence in the
Canadian non-residential market, and will also contribute to growth through new product introductions.
“Alumicor is a growing company with operating margins consistent with the architectural framing systems segment, and we expect it to be accretive to Apogee’s earnings in fiscal 2015,” said Puishys. “Alumicor serves both new construction and retrofit projects in the Canadian institutional and commercial sectors. It is a brand known for quality and delivery, consistent with the strength of Apogee’s other brands.”
“We are pleased to be joining forces with Apogee, a strong company that is also known for its leadership and integrity in commercial construction markets,” said Larry Maker, Alumicor president. “We look forward to working with Apogee to capitalize on opportunities to grow Alumicor and to leverage synergies with our new sister
companies.”
“this is the second acquisition Apogee has completed this fiscal year, the first being a custom window company in Colorado,” said Puishys. “Along with our organic growth initiatives, this puts us well on our way to exceeding our goal to be $1 billion in revenues by the end of fiscal 2016.”
Apogee funded the acquisition from cash. Alumicor will be a seventh standalone business in the Apogee portfolio, reporting to Puishys. Its results will be incorporated in the architectural framing systems segment, which includes tubelite, a storefront, entrance and curtain wall company serving U.s markets; Wausau, a custom window and curtainwall company; and Linetec, a finishing company.
For commentary on the Alumicor acquisition, see Frank Fulton’s you bet your Glass column on page 38.
McLenaghan named CEO of Sage Electrochromics
sageElectrochromics, a leading manufacturer of electronically tintable dynamic glass, has announced that Alan McLenaghan has been named its new CEo. McLenaghan will replace John Van Dine, the founder and CEo since the company’s inception in 1989, who will step down from day-to-day responsibilities. In 2012, sage was acquired and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of saint-Gobain, a world leader in glass and building materials.
McLenaghan, a 15-year veteran of saint-Gobain, joined sage as vicepresident of operations in July 2012. In this role he has led the opening of sage’s new 320,000-square-foot, state-of-theart manufacturing facility in Faribault, Minn. Prior to joining sage, he most recently served as senior vice-president of technology for Verallia North America, another division of saint-Gobain. he joined the saint-Gobain company in 1998 to lead the construction of its new float glass manufacturing plant in Eggborough, North yorkshire, in England.
“I am pleased to have been selected
by the board to lead sage in the next phase of its growth plans,” says McLenaghan. “sageGlass is a unique technology that enables architects and building owners to manage solar control in a compelling way. I am excited to continue the integration of sage into saint-Gobain while maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit that has fuelled the company’s growth and innovation.”
John Van Dine founded sage in Valley Cottage, N.y., 25 years ago with a vision to enhance solar control for commercial buildings. he left the photovoltaic, thin-film solar cell industry to pioneer electrochromic glass technology for window applications. he realized that in addition to enhancing energy efficiency, dynamic glass could revolutionize solar control by providing a solution to the age-old tradeoff between natural light and an uninterrupted view of the outdoors –the reason people install glass in buildings in the first place. In 1993, he moved sage to Minnesota – “the silicon Valley of the window industry,” and home of its global headquarters and its 150 employees.
“After serving as the chief executive of sage for 25 years, I am pleased to be able to pass the baton to an individual
with Alan’s background and integrity,” says Van Dine. “With his operations and glass expertise, Alan is a natural choice for us as sage transitions into a larger manufacturing organization. I will miss the day-to-day management of the company and working with our great people, but am pleased with our success building a new category and about the momentum that electrochromic glass is achieving in the marketplace.”
sage celebrated its 10th anniversary of commercial shipments this year and has installed hundreds of commercial and residential projects worldwide. sage’s recent projects include the General services Administration headquarters in Washington, D.C., Argonne National Laboratory outside of Chicago, and McDonough hall at the U.s. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. McLenaghan transitioned into the CEo role on oct. 15, with Van Dine remaining as chairman through the calendar year and becoming vicechairman for a three-year term starting in January 2014. As vice-chairman,Van Dine will remain involved as a spokesperson at industry events and as a strategic advisor regarding sage’s industry leading intellectual property.
New hires at Viracon
Viracon has announced the hiring of Jennifer highfield as its newest architectural design specialist. Jennifer will work closely with architects and designers in all Viracon markets. highfield comes to Viracon with a bachelor of science degree in interior design from Minnesota state University, Mankato, and more than 15 years of design experience, including running her own interior design business. In addition, Marni Windschitl has been promoted to architectural design associate within the design department. Windschitl has been with Viracon since 2004, first as a member of the inside sales team and for the past 18 months as a specialist in the architectural design department. Windschitl will continue to be a valuable resource for architects’ esthetic and technical inquiries. she will now have the increased responsibility of meeting with architects in their offices to provide education regarding the vast Viracon product portfolio and consulting with architects on project-specific
Sarr joins Wausau
Wausau
Window and Wall systems has brought in Kevin sarr to serve as architectural sales representative for southern Quebec and southern ontario, upstate New york, Connecticut, western Massachusetts and Vermont. sarr joins Wausau from Custom Window, where he began as western regional manager and moved east to become regional sales manager for New England and New york City. he has been involved with notable projects at Denver Public schools, MIt, boston University, Laramie Plains Civic Center, Kansas City Police headquarters, hartford LDs temple, and many other worship centers. Prior to his leadership roles at Custom Window, sarr worked for 13 years as the managing partner of glazing contractor brother sun Glass Company of santa Fe, N.M. he earned a
glass selection. Viracon’s architectural design team provides a significant service by assisting architects through their process of selecting glass products to meet design and performance requirements. “our goal is to make the glass selection process as easy as possible for architects by providing everything from appearance characteristics of our glass products to energy performance to LEED information and more,” says Alissa schmidt. “Adding Jennifer and moving Marni into an expanded role reinforces Viracon’s desire to offer exceptional architectural support.” schmidt herself was recently promoted to technical resources manager at Viracon. she also has an interior design degree and has been with Viracon since 2005, where she started as a specialist in the architectural design department and most recently was managing the department. In her new role, schmidt is responsible for managing Viracon’s architectural design and technical services departments with a specific focus on effective utilization of the team members as well as process improvements. “I felt it was the right time to implement an organizational structure that takes advantage of the synergies of both departments and enhances the capabilities and services we provide to our customers,” says rick Voelker, vice-president of technical services.
HENDRICK TO RUN U.S. ALUMINUM
C.r. Laurence has appointed Gerald hendrick as president of its U.s. Aluminum Division. With 30 years of industry experience, hendrick will support the continued growth of the CrL-U.s. Aluminum brand. hendrick has held senior management positions with Assa Abloy, and most recently, Dorma UsA, where he acted as president of the entrance systems division and previously senior vice-president of sales. he comes to C.r. Laurence with diverse experience and mastery in organizational management, operations, production, sales and strategy development. he brings a fresh perspective on the glazing industry from his 10 years’ experience as executive vice-president of Atlanta Door Controls, a regional glazing contractor.
bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn., and is a Construction specifications Institute member. Wausau Window and Wall systems is an industry leader in engineering window and curtain wall systems for commercial and institutional construction applications. Wausau is a part of Apogee Enterprises, a publicly held, U.s. corporation. Wausau and its staff are members of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the APPA – Leadership in Educational Facilities, the Construction specifications Institute (CsI), the Design-build Institute of America (DbIA), the Glass Association of North America (GANA), the National Fenestration ratings Council (NFrC) and the U.s. Green building Council (UsGbC).
“Continuing to strengthen the already robust U.s. Aluminum brand within C.r. Laurence has been a major priority for us,” says Lloyd talbert, president. hendrick will be based out of CrL-U.s. Aluminum’s central Waxahachie, texas, service centre and will help bolster operational growth initiatives as well as oversee the division’s sales and estimating teams. Early 2014 will see the groundbreaking for a large-scale expansion of this important service centre. once complete, it will feature double the amount of square footage that will enhance operations, manufacturing, and overall inventory. this exciting project, along with the redevelopment of other service centers, serves as C.r Laurence company’s inaugural focused initiative for refining and improving the CrL-U.s. Aluminum brand.
Jennifer Highfield
Marni Windschitl
Alissa Schmidt
For the birds
birds
Bird collisions are now your customers’ problem, which makes them your problem.
by Jim CHliBOykO
The true number of birds killed or maimed or left vulnerable to predators by window strikes is difficult to estimate, and approximations veer wildly from the millions to upward of a billion. Bird expert Daniel Klem suggests that window collisions kill between one and five per cent of all migrating birds annually. “From a population standpoint, it’s a bleeding that doesn’t get replaced,” he said. Experts like Klem say modern, all-glass architectural trends have taken the problem to a level never before seen.
Organizations such as Toronto’s Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP) have been created to address the problem. The FLAP website features a counter of the number of birds that have died in collisions during the time you’ve been on the website. According to the website, “bird-building collision fatalities are second only to the impacts of habitat destruction. Many of these birds are species at risk that can ill-afford this additional stress.”
But people are starting to become aware of the scope of the problem.
“Over the past five years, what really changed this shift, got the momentum going, was that FLAP sat as key witnesses in precedent-setting lawsuits,” said Michael Mesure, the executive director of FLAP, about two lawsuits in particular against a pair of Toronto-area developers. “The second lawsuit, in 2013,” he said, “the judge that passed the judgment introduced a new law for the province of Ontario where anyone reflecting light off a glazed surface that harms or kills birds is technically breaking the law. It was designed for sites with excessive bird death doing little to address the problem.”
The second lawsuit Mesure refers to involved the Yonge Corporate Centre owned by Cadillac Fairview on Yonge Street in Toronto. An Ontario court ruled that reflected light from buildings constitutes harmful radiation that harms birds. That means companies are guilty of an offence under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act if they do not take measures to mitigate these reflections. However, Cadillac Fairview was not charged with an offence because the court found it had exercised due diligence in trying to prevent the problem. According to an article on the website of law firm Osler, Hoskin and Harcourt, “The court accepted that the defendants had exercised sufficient due diligence by complying with municipal building and industry standards; implementing and maintaining a policy to respond to nocturnal light pollution; co-operating with environmental advocacy groups in bird-strike tagging programs; and conducting test installations of window treatments designed to deter bird strikes. The Court noted that the problems faced by the YCC were complex and site-specific, and that there were no ‘quick-fix solutions.’ ” Still, the precedent has been set. Building owners in Ontario can be charged if they do not do everything they can to stop birds from colliding with their buildings.
Mesure is convinced that the problem is a lot larger than most people can even begin to realize. In one instance, during one particular migration period, Mesure said, there were 500 birds killed in a six-hour period near two particular Toronto buildings. Migration period is the most dangerous to birds, and Toronto is in the middle of a major migration path for birds. Mesure said there are instances where a FLAP volunteer bends down to pick up a dead or stunned bird and one or two more literally ping off the volunteer’s back.
Some solutions to combat bird-window collisions are simple and potentially money saving, like
Azon Saves Energy
Daylighting systems produced with Azon structural thermal barrier technologies—the MLP™ or Dual Cavity—for aluminum windows and Warm-Light® warm-edge spacer for insulating glass, will yield a fenestration system capable of upholding the highest efficiency and sustainability standards.
turning off building spotlights at night, particularly during migration season. But, recently, some companies have developed some brand new choices to combat this high number of bird deaths. And these options don’t just involve those hawkshaped cut-outs that you Scotch tape onto your windows or plastic owls (both of which apparently don’t work all that well).
“We launched in July,” said Danik Dancause of Walker Glass, regarding the company’s AviProtek line of bird-friendly window options. “At this point, it has piqued a lot of interest. People are looking to incorporate it into their designs and other firms are looking at starting their own (variations).”
Many of the window-specific solutions have to do with patterns either etched into or stuck onto the windows – specifically the outside surface of the windows – and with the density of the patterns. Walker’s solution is through patterns acid-etched on the glass. This could be done on one or both surfaces and there are a variety of choices in pattern.
But the pattern is part of the key to its effectiveness. Researchers have determined that there needs to be a constant pattern on the windows, with gaps no larger than two inches of horizontal space and four inches of vertical unmarked space. This is known as the two-by-four rule. Some San Francisco documents also point out that the space is about the size of an average handprint.
It should be mentioned also that the process of etching the glass is a particular one. It’s not a matter of being able to do this to glass already in place; the process cannot be done on glass that has already been treated. For glass already in place, there are adhesive film options, like the kind of product delivered by the Feather Friendly line of window film.
Having bird-friendly glass is a movement that has got the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) on board, as well, since October 2011, after offering Credit 55, Bird Collision Deterrence, to their Pilot Credit Library.
It doesn’t hurt to have the birders of North America on side, either.
“You would be surprised, it’s a giant activity,” said Dancause, of birding and birders. “People are underestimating it. There are at least 30 birding clubs in Quebec alone.”
But Walker isn’t the only company with Continued on page 25
Controlled growth Quantity
and quality co-exist at starline Windows.
High volume is the name of the game at Starline. The vinyl plant pushes through 1,500 windows per day and the aluminum operation 80 floors of wall modules per month.
Growing into a healthy business is a fine thing, but no one ever said it was easy.
Starline Windows of Langley, B.C., has successfully made the transition from a contracting/fabricating type of process, established in 1972, to a highly automated, mass production process that is held in check by tight inventory control and rigorous quality-assurance programs. It’s a matter of very deliberately controlling its growth.
Starline has the volumes. It is the largest manufacturer and installer of glazing products in British Columbia and one of the largest in Canada, says Paul Arnold, general manager of preconstruction services, who has been with the company for eight years and was formerly with Allied Windows.
It has the size. Two production plants within half a mile of each other in Langley – one that does vinyl products and one that does aluminum – employ approximately 600 at a ratio of roughly 50:50 between the two plants, with slightly more employees on the vinyl side.
“Vinyl does single family . . . so we might do a hundred projects a year in the vinyl side of things, we might deliver to a hundred houses a week,” says Arnold.
At A GLANCE | starline Windows
Incorporated in 1972, Starline is owned by Ron Martini, who bought the company in the 1980s.
It has grown from a completely residential window company to a hybrid of commercial and residential.
“In fact, we pretty much are residential now,” says Arnold. “Even our our highrise projects are 99 per cent residential buildings. The way I would define it is we have vinyl that does single-family homes and some wood-frame multi-family projects.
“And then we have our aluminum architectural company that does multifamily projects and highrise residential towers.”
The company did aluminum in the beginning, he adds: “Until the early 1990s, this market was primarily aluminum and when the 1992 building code came out, it referenced CSA A440-M90, which basically made any metal window had to have a thermal break, and that paved the way for vinyl in that the aluminum windows got more expensive and vinyl was kind of new and was so expensive. So basically the market price came up on the aluminum and then vinyl sort of became competitive and then took off, and now vinyl is way cheaper than aluminum actually as a completed product.”
Location: Langley, b.C. (head office), distribution offices in Kelowna, Kamloops, Nanaimo, Lantzville and Victoria, b.C., and Calgary No. of staff: Approximately 600 Plant: two plants in Langley, b.C. (vinyl and aluminum)
Products: Punched windows, window wall, balcony doors and curtain wall.
Founded: 1972
starline Windows is one of Canada’s largest manufacturers and installers of high-performance glazing systems for residential and commercial projects, including new developments, renovations and restorations. It has done glazing contracts for projects in Western Canada and the United states.
SCALING UP
Arnold describes the company’s slow ramp-up from a contracting/fabricating type of process to a mass production, highvolume process: “In the 1990s, Starline was a competitor of Allied’s and when we got towards the end of the ’90s, Starline just kind of took off and automated their plant. Until then, most of the aluminum products that were in the marketplace
were fabricated . . . . Starline took the approach to automate and increase their volume and grow and they certainly did in the early 2000s.
“Up until that point, they had been growing quite steadily and then took a bit of a dip and then now it’s been growing again,” he says, adding that there have been huge investments in equipment and automation with an eye to providing a very high-quality product. Among these are supplier companies that support Starline with extrusions (Apex Aluminum Extrusions), glass fabrications (Vitrum Industries), and an automated powder coating system.
“A very expensive and elaborate line was put in for that,” he says, the result being a sophisticated one-stop shop. “The inventory system’s automated, production system is all digital from shop lines, and the end result is that when we get a project and we draw it in our PC shop drawings, it actually provides instructions for purchasing of materials, forecasting, and digital instructions even for the equipment that does the picking of extrusion and the milling and cutting and powder coating and everything.”
At current aluminum production levels that include both window wall and curtain wall of about 80 floors a month, Starline is the highest-volume producer of architectural glazing in British Columbia.
“It’s kind of neat for multiple projects and it just all flows through. We do have a pretty good forecasting system, so we don’t overcommit and we also use that to make sure we don’t have any holes as well. So the company has a really good steady backlog for the next, 16 months, which is a great position to be in, but it’s not by accident. We’re by design.”
On the vinyl side, Starline can build 1,500 windows in a day.
The company, which since its beginning has focused on residential business, has not actively sought the commercial business, says Arnold. “What’s happening on a lot of residential towers that are high end is they do a mixture of the two products, so what they’ll want to do is create a feature wall because curtain wall looks different. . . . and so in order to supply the entire job, we started doing curtain wall.”
Vinyl work is challenging; they like to do work that involves more design, such as highrises. “We’re not building that many at this point. The market’s just not that strong and there’s so many people in it. The windows are a commodity and it’s a
challenge to make money at it. You have to be really good at it.”
The vinyl industry is a challenge, he notes, in part because you have to do your own glass fabrication and extrusion; work to tight delivery schedules; handle complex house packages that include sliding windows, casement windows, awning windows, curved windows, sloped windows and patio doors; and accommodate custom orders.
“Compare that to someone who’s building a 35-storey highrise,” he says. “There’s much more design work to the engineering, bigger lead times – and you’re customer generally is much more sophisticated.”
“When I used to have Allied, we did all three. We did vinyl windows for single families and for wood frame multis and we did high rises, but when I was at Allied, we didn’t do a lot of high rises. . . . The vinyl was sort of the steady line to keep the doors open and then when the aluminum kicked in, was when we did well.”
But Starline does enough aluminum
Starline’s inventory control equipment consists of a Remmert system. “It’s like a wall of bins and the extrusions,” he says. Each bin is defined by what’s in it and, he adds, and when the extrusion comes in raw, you load it into the appropriate bins. “As you do orders,” he says, “basically there’s a couple operators there and what happens is the order starts and extrusions just start to come down automatically in these bins and they basically pick them and put them into racks and then they go over to the paint line and get put on the line and come out the other line painted and they get rolled together with thermal break and run through the saw and the process goes on.
“We have several hundred dyes, so you can imagine if you were trying to do 15 jobs that were 15 different colours, how many bundles of extrusion do you think you have? Thousands.
“So you would end up with this massive inventory. We just literally could not do it any other way with, like I was saying, we have over a hundred jobs in the pipeline in various stages and at any given
“We consider ourselves a mass producer as opposed to a fabricator.”
highrise to sustain a consistent workload. The forecast, or the forward load, as he puts it, is very consistent and long.
“For next month, it looks like we’ve got to do 100 floors, but what’s going to happen is the work’s going to spread out and we’re probably going to do 80. So the work just keeps spreading out in front of the knife. It looks a bit bigger in the near future, but it never really is that big because there’s always delays.”
CONTROLLING INVENTORY
Starline has some very able partners to help meet the heavy workload.
Akzo Nobel, the largest powder supplier in the world, supplies the automated powder coating equipment, and Remmert the automated inventory systems.
Arnold says the powder coating creates very minimal waste because the system is all downdraft, so operators can change colour in a heartbeat recover every bit of excess spray.
The company has several automated saws, which not only cut profiles, but do all of the punching and milling for drainage and t-bars.
time we’re delivering to 30 to 40 sites with maybe 15 different colours, but we’re only inventorying one set of dyes to mill finish the powder, so it’s crucial to do that when you’re doing the volume we’re doing.”
MINDING ITS QA and QC
Starline puts a high priority on qualityassurance and quality-control programs developed with Total Quality Management, Six Sigma and Kaizen principles.
“We consider ourselves a mass producer, or manufacturer as opposed to basically a fabricator, so when you’re building a product in large volumes, you need proper systems to ensure consistency of quality, and even appearance, and the way the product comes out at the end of the plant,” says Arnold. Starline has a QC program that includes is sequential inspection.
“What that means is that everybody’s responsible for quality and if you find a quality defect from the worker ahead of you in the production line, you get your name put into a hat and at the end of the month they do a draw for a prize,” he says. “There’s a real interest in everybody to make sure everything’s done right.”
Automation is key to success with big volumes. Three Remmert automated storage systems organize more than 450 different aluminum extrusions.
With several hundred standard operating procedures that define how each product is made, and seven or eight projects on the go daily, the company is set up to rely more on systems than on individuals.
“They just sort of come through –they’re all built the same, and when you’re doing that, you need to have a good quality program.”
EXPANSION: GOING EAST
Although much of the company’s market is in British Columbia, there is definite growth into Alberta, including Calgary and Edmonton and Lethbridge. Starline also has done some work in the U.S. as far down as San Diego.
“We have distribution warehousing in Kelowna and we have the same thing on the island in Victoria and . . . we just set up the same thing in Calgary. So we’re doing a single-family in Calgary as well.”
The Calgary branch office officially opened on July 15 of this year. Late in 2012, Starline decided to move into the Calgary market more aggressively and support its sales efforts in the highrise sector.
“We have always had a presence in the Alberta market, albeit more low-key over the past several years and we decided to take a more significant approach to launching our products to the residential construction industry in Alberta,” says Mike Harrison, who heads sales and marketing in the Alberta region. Harrison’s role is to expand major project sales in Alberta and help raise brand awareness.
“Besides having an excellent facility for offices, showroom displays and shipping, we have a key crew of installers on all of our highrise projects and their efforts are supported by biweekly visits by our installation manager and VP of construction,” Harrison adds. “We have two full-time salespeople in the Calgary office and receive ongoing management support head office in Langley. All manufacturing remains out of the Langley plants for efficiency and quality control purposes.”
In Calgary, Starline’s main product is the 9000 Series aluminum window wall systems for highrise residential construction, and the company is now offering
a full line of PVC windows and balcony doors along with colour options that were not typically available to Albertans, he says.
A TEAM EFFORT: LANGLEY’S ONE-STOP SHOP
Vitrum Industries, also of Langley, does Starline’s glass processing.
Arnold describes Vitrum’s glass fabrication plant as “an unbelievable facility. State-of-the-art tempering lines, own landlines, you know, a lot of it’s the automated cutting glass fabrication like milling, cutting, polishing, frits, it’s incredible. Just incredible, all the counting technology, the high rate, the excellent quality, state of the art and now he’s got annodizing lines in there and yeah, pretty amazing the investment these guys have made here.”
Its extruder supplier is Apex Aluminum Extrusions, also of Langley.
Vitrum offers heat-soaking capabilities, which often are a requirement.
“Well, you know, with the glass breaking and falling, there’s specs coming out now saying you have to heat soak, so they set up to do it.”
HANDLING SEISMIC DRIFT
With all of its west coast work, Starline has become adept at handling seismic drift when working on buildings that need to withstand earthquakes. In British Columbia, it is a requirement to offset interstory seismic drift.
“There’s two levels,” he explains. “There’s what’s called elastic, and that’s how much movement the system can take and still perform, and then there’s inelastic and that’s how much movement it can take
without it falling out. We’ve been dealing with those types of requirements in California for years. They’ve always had higher seismic requirements in California, but essentially the challenge is this is that you basically have to design a glazing system to withstand up to and can be three inches of drift laterally between floors without the glass falling out.
“The way we deal with it is the windows are anchored at the sill and then the jams and the head are basically into a sleeved connection that can take the movement. But the tricky part about it is you’ve got to take the movement, but you still have to provide an adequate building envelope that can meet the everyday requirements, as well as water penetration resistance and wind load as well, but so the real challenge is that now you’ve got to have this window system that floats, but it’s got to withstand all the vigours that are required in the project specifications for air leakage and water penetration and thermal and all that good stuff.”
Arnold says Starline has a few tripleglass projects on the go and says it is strictly a marketing initiative for clients.
“Thermal requirements here are being tightened down on and people are going for LEED Gold and LEED Platinum for their buildings, and in order to achieve that, they usually look for improvement performance over the base ASHRAE and they usually ask for ultra low U value.”
Starline Windows has negotiated the path from contracting/fabricating to highly automated mass production by staying cutting edge – and by not losing sight of the human element that underpins its growth. •
by brIAN bUrtoN
Brian Burton is a business development consultant and is serving on the Personnel Committee for the CSA’s Certification Program for Fenestration Installation Technicians. His current interests include adaptive reuse of buildings, overcladding technologies, maintenance of the building envelope and the rapidly growing use of computers in construction. You can contact him at brianburton@live.ca or visit his new website at http:// burtons-pen.com
Cut corners kill condos
For the fourth time in four years, the federal government has revised regulations covering mortgages for new homes and condominiums. The changes, announced in July, cut the maximum amortization period from 30 years to 25, which is down from 40 years in 2006. Through these along with several other modifications, Finance Minister James Flaherty appeared to be attempting to limit the nation’s “borrowing binge.” It certainly didn’t take long to impact the marketplace. One month later, condominium sales in Toronto dropped to 50 per cent of their historical levels. Unfortunately, we’ll have to have to wait and see what happens as it is difficult to predict how markets will react over the long term.
I suspect these changes impact prospective purchasers who struggle to come up with the necessary down payment. Recent reports show that the demand for one-bedroom rental condominiums increased by 30 per cent in September. When young people looking for their first place can’t make the down payment, they turn to the rental market. This increase in rental demand has also happened because construction of new rental apartments has dropped dramatically in most Canadian cities over the past 15 years. If condominium sales drop and no rental apartments are built, it’s almost certain to lead to loss of construction jobs and contribute to a general economic downturn. The same downward trend in condo construction is occurring in U.S. cities like Boston, Orlando and Chicago. This means there may be more complex factors than just these recent mortgage changes affecting the market.
There may be more complex factors than mortgage rates affecting the highrise construction market.
If we look at where residential highrise construction came from, we may find a clue as to where it is going. After the First World War, in an attempt to address the growing slums in the city of Paris, architect Charles-édouard Jeanneret was commissioned to explore ways to house the growing number of people moving to limited space in Paris. This movement to the city was primarily the result of the devastation caused by the war and rapid industrialization, both of which brought workers into urban areas at an explosive rate. Jeanneret believed modernist architecture could provide solutions that could raise the quality of life as demonstrated in his famous quote, “Space, light and order – these are the things that people need just as much as they need bread or a place to sleep.” The designs he created come reasonably close to what we now consider a multi-unit highrise. His book The City of Tomorrow and its Planning described a “Radiant City” composed mainly of skyscrapers within huge parks. Residents were to be housed at 1,200 inhabitants per acre, with 95 per cent of the ground remaining open park space while the skyscrapers occupied only five per cent of the site. An essential part of this plan was groups of 60-storey skyscrapers set within large park-like spaces. At the centre was a huge transportation hub with depots for buses and trains.
Jeanneret’s ideas were hugely influential, but how many urban highrises do you know of that are surrounded by acres of parkland or served by extensive public transportation hubs? I suspect that by cutting corners on these key elements of Jeanneret’s design, we have ended up with urban spaces no one wants to live in.
Partly because of our climate and our expectations of newly built construction, we spend as much per capita as just about any nation in the world, ranking right up there with the Norway, Sweden, Germany and Australia. There’s no doubt that new homes, whether they be freestanding, lowrise, townhouses or condominiums, are viewed as expensive. The lead time to complete construction can be considerable. If you consider land acquisition, permits, planning and design, and add all of these stages together, the actual construction time of a new condo complex can exceed four years. Given all these factors, we can’t afford to embrace second-rate architecture, civic planning or building engineering. •
FLATGlASSSHOWCASE
Single stock low-E
www.pilkington.com
Pilkington optitherm s1 Plus is the latest in its low-E range offering ultra-low emissivity and achieving a U-value of only 1.0 W/ m2K when incorporated in a double glazed insulating glass unit. Pilkington says it is the first and only single stock 1.0 U-value product currently available on the market. optitherm s1 Plus combines superior light transmittance with a highly neutral colour. It is suitable for any situation where excessive heat loss is a concern. optitherm s1 Plus is always supplied as part of an IGU and due to its single stock characteristics can be used in annealed, toughened and laminated applications.the low U-value is confirmed in accordance with
EN 673 tests. Ug values can go as low as 0.5 in triple IGUs. optitherm offers an energyefficient way to reduce heating bills and environmental impact through reduced Co2 emissions. it is suitable for both domestic and commercial applications including refurbishment and new builds. optitherm is available in a range of sizes and thicknesses for various applications. Combine with Pilkington optilam and Pilkington optiphon for impact resistance, increased security or improved noise reduction.
Solarban for residences
www.ppg.com
PPG Industries has introduced solarban 67 solar control, low-E glass for the residential market. Launched earlier this year for commercial building applications, solarban 67 glass is formulated with a proprietary double-silver, magnetron-sputtered vacuum deposition (MsVD) coating that combines excellent solar control performance and a brilliantly clear neutral-glass appearance that reflects the true timbre and brightness of ambient light and colour. In a standard ¾-inch IGU with clear glass and a ½-inch air
Next Generation
Lock & Tilt Latch System
The next generation combination lock and tilt latch system named the Harmony™ System — integrates the check rail lock and tilt latch together in a manner which creates a new level of installation ease. This integrated system has been designed to allow the homeowner to activate the lock and tilt latches from the same device.
just oNE lock poiNt is NEEDED—ask about trutH’s FusioN™
space, solarban 67 glass provides visible light transmittance of 55 per cent and a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.29. solarban 67 glass also has exterior reflectance of 19 per cent, which enhances its ability to reflect true-to-life colour, and interior reflectance of 16 per cent, which provides excellent outdoor views and a more comfortable living environment for homeowners.the winter nighttime U-value for solarban 67 glass is 0.29.
Designed for the north
www.climaguardglass.com
Guardian Industries has launched two residential glass products to help customers meet and exceed energy standards in North America while providing optimal views and comfort to a home. Guardian ClimaGuard 72/57 was created for northern climates to take advantage of the sun’s natural light and heat. this new low-E from Guardian incorporates a passive solar heat concept to selectively let warm sunshine into the
home as a free and sustainable heat source while providing a powerful level of insulation against winter cold. ClimaGuard 72/57 has an uncommonly low U-factor, a neutral colour for outstanding esthetics and a high visible light transmission. ClimaGuard 72/57 allows many windows to meet the new Energy star Version 6.0 criteria without a major redesign and without a fourth-surface coating. Plus, this new coating can be used on surface three of an IGU to meet northern zone criteria, or “flipped” to surface two to meet north central criteria.
Performance blue
www.viracon.com
Designers and architects have been searching for a new substrate that combines the attractive esthetics of a light blue-grey colour and the performance required for today’s code environment. In response,Viracon has introduced Graphite blue, its newest substrate.With high levels of light transmission combined with low interior and exterior reflectivity, Graphite blue is an appealing solution for many projects. Excellent solar control and reduced glare can be achieved when combined with one of Viracon’s highperformance low-E coatings. Graphite blue can be incorporated into IGUs, laminated make-ups or used monolithically. silkscreening or DigitalDistinctions by Viracon, a digital printing solution, can also be added to enhance the design. Graphite blue can also be heat-treated and is available in 1/4-, 5/16- and 3/8-inch thicknesses to accommodate design specifications.
Now you see it...
www.bendheimarchitectural.com
bendheim is introducing houdini Glass, a
specialized decorative architectural glass delivering the benefits of both privacy and daylight. the low-iron, ultra-clear glass lets in maximum daylight, while its fine, micro-ribbed surface reduces glare and obscures the shapes of people and objects behind it. houdini’s outstanding daylighting properties make it an ideal solution for any environment where privacy and natural light are vital, including health-care and educational facilities, laboratories, corporate offices, and retail applications. the glass offers a budget-friendly alternative to expensive or cumbersome mechanical daylight and privacy controls, such as louvres and laminated privacy films, as well as dust-collecting curtains and blinds. Its contemporary linear pattern and durability make it a timeless, versatile design element. “When industry professionals design for privacy and natural light, they often need to make a compromise,” said Donald Jayson, sr. vice-president of bendheim. “Design professionals can specify houdini Glass for walls, partitions, screens and enclosures, doors and windows, ceilings, and balustrades. the naturally hygienic, non-porous glass surface easily withstands daily cleaning and sanitizing with most commercial cleaners, making houdini Glass a great fit for high-traffic applications. Architects and designers seeking additional aesthetic options can specify houdini Glass laminated to mirror, with coloured interlayers, or colour coated in a virtually unlimited palette. the mirrored houdini Glass produces minimal reflections and disperses light to brighten interior spaces. houdini Glass is available in tempered and laminated forms for additional safety. It is available in approx. 3/16-inch thickness in sheet sizes up to 65 by 126 inches.
traps the heat
www.sunguardglass.com
Guardian Industries has introduced sunGuard Neutral 78/65, the newest addition to the sunGuard portfolio of low-E glass coatings. sunGuard Neutral 78/65 offers high visible light, a high solar heat gain and a neutral colour, and helps architects meet new energy codes in heating-dominated climates. because
sunGuard Neutral 78/65 lets the heat in, and keeps it in, the product is suitable for commercial applications in cooler climates where passive heat gain is desired. “We’re excited to offer this new solution to architects and builders looking at new construction and retrofits in the northern parts of the U.s. and Canada,” said Chris Dolan, director of commercial glass marketing. “Using sunGuard Neutral 78/65 can really maximize energy efficiencies in those environments.” Neutral 78/65 can be used in double- or triple-glazed units, and in combination with the sunGuard portfolio of high performance low-E coatings. the Guardian sunGuard product line includes low-E coatings and advanced glazings for commercial applications that offer excellent solar control and a wide variety of colours and performance levels.
Heat reflector
www.viracon.com
Viracon is pleased to introduce roomside low-E, a new interior surface coating designed to improve the U-value of a dual pane insulating glass unit by as much as 20 per cent. the coating works by reflecting indoor heat back into the room and improving thermal efficiency. Furthermore, a roomside low-E coating on the number four surface in combination with a high performance coating on the number two surface and an argon fill can offer comparable U-value performance to a triple insulating unit without the additional expense. When compared to similar products, roomside low-E is a highly durable coating with a smooth surface texture that makes it easier to clean. standard cleaning solutions have been tested and are approved to use for routine cleaning purposes.
Go nano Nano-scale spray coatings compete well with film and low-E glass.
AT RIGHT: When it comes to retrofitting older buildings to meet modern energy standards, a solution that avoids removal and replacement of the windows is always preferred. New nano coatings can provide that solution in some situations, saving building owners money and time without losing use of the building.
Reflective glass is made by applying a reflective metal-based (usually silver) film or coating onto the glass. Unlike tinted glass, this film or coating works by reflecting the solar radiation away from the glass. The more reflective the film or coating, the more of the visible spectrum of solar radiation is reflected away, creating a mirror-like look to the glass and reducing visibility. The more reflective the coating, the more difficult it is to see through the glass.
Technological developments over the last decade have addressed these shortcomings and improved performance.
Low emission, or low-E, glass has a microscopically thin, virtually invisible coating usually made from metallic oxide that is highly reflective of thermal radiation. However, unlike earlier tinted and reflective glass, low-E glass is more transparent to visible solar radiation. When applied to an interior surface of a single pane window or to the interior-facing surface of the exterior light of an IGU, it allows sunlight to penetrate into the building interior but traps the thermal radiation on the other side of the glass by reflecting it back to sun.
In recent years, different types of coatings have been developed to allow even more of the visible solar radiation to pene-
trate the glass. These coatings are referred to as spectrally selective coatings because they allow penetration of some segments of the solar spectrum (visible light) while reflecting other segments (infrared and UV) of the solar spectrum. Low-E/high solar gain (visible and infrared radiation) coatings are best for colder, heat-dominated climates, while low-E/low solar gain (visible radiation only) coatings are best in hotter, cooling-dominated climates. Spray-on nano-scale coatings, such as eTime Energy’s HPS Heatshield Transparent, are new products that possess some unique attributes that can potentially give it a near-term competitive advantage for certain product applications. Specifically, HPS Heatshield’s simple field application process makes the product uniquely well suited for retrofitting older single pane and non-low-E coated IGUs, skylights and doors.
Its nearest main competitors in this market segment are magnetic sputter vacuum deposition or sputter coating (soft coating) applied metallic-oxide coatings on polymer film because of their ability to be installed in the field on existing glazing. Like their glass coating counterparts, insulating films have gone through technological improvements from three standpoints: energy performance, optical clarity and
durability. However, these products continue to face issues with durability including shrinkage, scratching, bubble, pealing, ease of removal, optical clarity and thermal performance.
Review of the range of products currently on the market suggests that while manufacturers are increasingly focused on driving energy efficiency, product features and performance characteristics continue to be tailored principally for southern, cooling-dominated markets. For example, only a few products currently on the market have U-values and SHGCs that classify them as low-E/high solar gain products. Still fewer can be classified as spectrally selective low-E/high solar gain. In contrast, the stated performance characteristics for HPS Heatshield are suited for both northern, heating-dominated and southern, coolingdominated climates.
Other than window film, the only alternative to field-applied nano coating is to replace existing glazing systems with new IGUs coated with low-E coating. This is costly. These products have much stronger thermal and solar protection performance data than window film, because much of the performance is derived from the assembly rather than the insulating coatings alone. If the additional efficiencies provided by the IGU assembly are disregarded, the performance characteristics of both pyrolitic and sputter glass low-E coatings appear to be comparable to the stated performance characteristics of nano-scale sprays. Low-E coating has to be applied in factory, inside two sealed glass compartments that are filled with gas. If the IGU leaks in later days, which will happen regardless of how good the sealer is, low-E coating will oxidize and make the coating useless. Nano coating can avoid this problem. The return of investment versus a low-E window is normally five to seven times that of a nano coating application.
Nano coating does not require expensive equipment to coat the glass. Low-E window coating production lines cost millions of dollars. Its major ingredients, nano-scale particles of titanium nitride, have a special property which will selectively absorb, block and reflect near-infrared radiation to achieve the energy conservation purpose. Because it is using such tiny particles, the coating will bond to the glass permanently. It blocks over 90 per cent of UV light as well, preventing damage to humans and furniture.
Both low-E coating and nano coatings can effectively cut down the total solar energy transmittance, especially in nearinfrared 1,000- to 2,500-nanometer range. But nano coatings are much greener, environmentally friendly products. They have low VOC, lead and mercury content. Nano coating cuts down on landfill use compared to removing and replacing existing IGUs with low-E.
Even though both technologies have the ability to block the heat, they work on different principles. Low-E works by coating the inside glass surfaces to reflect the sun light to block heat. Nano coatings work by absorbing sunlight then dispersing the heat through secondary radiation. If nano glass coating is applied in a region with dramatic differences between indoor and outdoor temperatures, such as Canada, it can conserve heat in the winter.
Like-to-like comparisons among these three are still tricky, however, for two reasons. First, most performance data provided
for hard and soft glass coatings are usually given as part of an IGU assembly, not for the coatings alone or for single-glazed windows.
Second, window film manufacturers do not always report performance using the same metrics. Because of their target market, window-film makers have traditionally reported performance data which focus on solar protection, not on energy efficiency specifically.
Despite the challenges associated with comparing product performance, available market data do support the assertion that nano coatings offer a significant and immediate market opportunity, especially in the retrofit market for existing glazing systems.
About the authors
Peter Tung, P. Eng., is CEO of eTime Energy. ETime Energy is the developer of the innovative eTime HPS Heatshield nanotechnology window coating.
Leon Wasser, MBA, P.Eng., is president of Wasser Resources. Wasser Resources provides product development, marketing and sales support to Canadian innovation companies to help them achieve the full economic potential of their creations and inventions. •
read more technology articles online at glasscanadamag.com > Past Issues
by sKIP MACLEAN
Skip Maclean is president of Fenestration Canada. He is business development manager for Tru-Tech Doors and has over 40 years’ experience in the window and door industry.
Worth the price of admission
Win-Door 2013 was another tremendous success for the association, attracting another excellent crowd of window and door makers, distributors and retailers for three days of education, shopping and networking at the Toronto Congress Centre Nov. 12 to 14. Attendance numbers were about the same as in 2012, with exhibitors commenting on the high quality of visitors stopping at their booths. Win-Door 2013 was larger than 2012, with seven per cent more floor space taken up by displays. The show continues to be healthy, informative and an invaluable opportunity for our industry to come together in one place.
The education seminars once again presented a wealth of knowledge that just cannot be found anywhere, at any price. Jeff Baker and J.F. Kogovsek packed them in again with their update on the inclusion of NAFS-08 air/water ingress standards into the Ontario Building Code. This is a critical issue affecting every door pre-hanger doing business in Ontario, and some lively discussion followed the outstanding presentation. Steve Hopwood of Natural Resources Canada gave attendees the inside track on upcoming developments in Energy Star, and Peter Norman of Altus presented an economic overview and forecast that should be required viewing for anyone in this business. Presentations by Guy Gosselin and Michael Lacasse, senior officials with the NRC, gave attendees access to some of the people who write the rules. All in all, the education program alone was worth the price of admission.
Win-Door continues to be healthy, informative and an invaluable opportunity for our industry to come together in one place.
The Partners Promoting Window and Balcony Safety and the Walk It Off Clinic joined forces to raise awareness and money with a putting competition. Five of the best golfers took home shiny new putters, and the grand prize: a full set of Taylor Made clubs. The booth raised $3,000 for the Walk It Off Clinic’s important work in rehabilitating victims of spinal cord injuries, including children injured in falls. The Partners were not the only ones showing their charitable spirit at the show. Screenco and Mennie used the gathering as a chance to host a gala fundraiser for Nellie’s Women’s Shelter, raising $4,600 for that cause. Other winners included Mennie Canada, which took home the Jim Parker award for best booth, with Performance M&T as runner-up.
The Fenestration Canada general meeting heard that the association remains in excellent financial shape in its first year under the management of executive director Robert Rivard. The executive has listened to member feedback and created a Fabricator’s Council designed to give window and door fabricators a dedicated forum for their issues within the group. Chairperson Lisa Bergeron of Jeld-Wen reported the group has had two fruitful meetings.
Fenestration Canada second vice-president Al Dueck was active at the show promoting Fenestration Canada’s 2014 Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg. It is clear that no effort will be spared to make that event fun and valuable to all attendees.
Win-Door 2014 will return to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre Nov. 11 -13. It will be a very special edition of the show, as it will mark the event’s 20th anniversary. Plans are in the works for a big celebration of this important milestone. Anyone with input as to how we can make this event especially noteworthy and worthwhile is encouraged to contact myself or Robert Rivard at 1-613-424-7239, rivard_robert@hotmail.com. •
Continued from page 12
bird-friendly glass options. The German company Arnold Glas, for instance, has developed Ornilux, a bird-friendly glass using UV technology, which has been available in Europe since 2006 and in North America since 2010. Arnold has offerings for both indoor and outdoor glass applications, the latter coming in handy for use in glass guardrails, amongst other purposes.
“When I first started, the awareness level was low, but people were interested,” said Lisa Welch of Arnold Glas, of its own line of bird-friendly products. “It was always a backdoor introduction. When you would tell them about the collision issue, they would say, oh, my gosh, I had no idea it was that prolific.”
Going the UV route has its own advantages, said Welch. “Ornilux is rather unique – it solves one of the biggest challenges, which is clear glass and potential loss of vision.”
As opposed to using etching or frits, Ornilux’s benefits come from its coating.
“It’s a patterned, UV-reflective coating,” said Welch. “A brand-new large
piece of glass gets coated, which then gets cut into finished units. It’s not an after-market treatment. We’ve done everything from large, commercial projects, like at the University of Massachusetts, to replacing a single window at a private residence.”
There are different kinds of Ornilux glass available, as well, some being developed with certain niches in mind, such as outdoor zoo enclosures and other outdoor purposes.
“The market for the laminated glass is just as important, there is just as much call for it,” she said. “We also have free-standing glass for windscreens, like on a balcony. The California Coastal Commission will not approve any project in their jurisdiction unless there’s a treatment on the glass.”
“And there’s been tremendous interest from the glazing industry.”
Walker’s Dancause is finding that there is, in these early days, interest from particular markets, such as Toronto, Minneapolis, Calgary and San Francisco in particular, largely because of how their municipal building guidelines are written.
“Now, Markham, Ont., as of yester-
day (Oct. 31), are adopting the Toronto guidelines,” said Dancause.
Mesure warned, however, that the technology for bird-friendly glass is a young one and has not yet been perfected. But other types of technology are evolving, as well. He said that there are now ways to measure or audit how safe a particular building’s reflective surfaces are for birds, and to pinpoint certain problem areas.
Said Mesure, “In the eyes of the industry: thank God, I don’t have to protect my entire building.”
For Mesure, the bird-friendly movement has been a development a long time in coming. It wasn’t too long ago that the narrator of the FLAP film on its homepage said, “Until lights are turned off at night, and until windows are constructed differently, birds that enter our cities will continue to require our assistance.”
The glass industry, at least, seems to be attempting to get its part of it covered.
Said Dancause, “Kudos to the scientists and the glass industry. Now it’s up to them to become a part of the solution rather than part of the problem.” •
by MArGArEt WEbb
Margaret Webb is the executive director of the Insulating Glass Manufacturer’s Alliance.
Built to deliver benefits
The Insulating Glass Manufacturer’s Alliance is a dynamic organization that is constantly reconfiguring its working groups to meet the present demands of the industry. As such, the present look of the association may be unfamiliar to members who have not checked in lately. Here is a brief review.
The IGMA is run by an elected board of 13 directors, headed by a president who serves a two-year term. The presidency alternates between the U.S. and Canada to reflect the North American nature of the association. Association staff includes an executive director, technical consultant and certification program coordinator.
The board is supported by a Technical Policy Committee made up of the Chairpersons of the Emerging Technology & Innovation, Technical Services and Certification & Education Committees, the Technical Policy chairperson, the IGMA president, the chairperson for the ASTM E 06 and CGSB 12.8 standards committees, and its own chair appointed by the IGMA board. The Technical Policy Committee vets all technical documents produced by the committees before passing them along to the board for final approval and publication under the IGMA name.
The Technical Service Committee is presently supported by six task force working groups:
• Joint IGMA-GANA Capillary Tube Task Group
• Load Resistance of Two-Sided Supported Glass
• Edge Pressure and Component Migration
Participants on these committees quickly become knowledgeable experts.
• Dimensional Tolerances for Multiple Airspace IGUs
• Development of ASTM Thermal Stress Standard for Insulating Glass Units
• Visual Quality Guidelines
The Certification and Education Committee includes seven groups:
• TM-4000, IG Quality Manufacturing Procedures
• Preventing IG Failures Online Education Centre
• TM 4000 02(09) Document Revision
• Glass/Spacer/Sealant Adhesion
• Dessicant/Dessicated Matrix Qualification
• Sealants Qualification
• Spacer and Integrated Spacer System Qualification
The Emerging Technology and Innovation Committee presently oversees 5 task groups:
• Vacuum Insulating Glazing
• Gas Permeability Research Project
• Gas-Filled IGU Field Correlation Study
• Advanced Fenestration Testing
• Life-cycle Assessment for Glass, IGUs, Windows
The work done in these groups is more interesting than it sounds, and has very important ramification for our industry and the standards and regulations we follow. Participants on these committees quickly become some of the most knowledgeable experts in the world in their topic area. We encourage all members to take a close work at the work of these task groups and consider contributing their time and expertise. •
4401 Page Ave., PO Box 457 Michigan Center, MI 49254
Tel: 517-764-0334 Fax: 517-764-6697
Toll Free: 800-248-4010
e-mail: info@adcocorp.com www.adcocorp.com
AEGIS TOOLS INTERNATIONAL®, INC.
2881 Commerce Park Drive, Suite M Madison, WI 53719
Tel: 608-274-9254 Fax: 608-274-9395
Toll Free: 888-247-6000 - US & CANADA
e-mail: info@aegistools.com www.aegistools.com
AGNORA
200 Mountain Road
Collingwood, ON L9Y 4V5
Tel: 705-444-6654 Fax: 705-444-6657
e-mail: sales@agnora.com www.agnora.com
AGNORA - Architectural Glass North America - WE MAKE BIG GLASS: Storefronts, glass fins, building facades, laminates, insulated glass units. BIG - up to 130” wide x 300” long. www.bigassglass.com
ARCHITECTURAL GLASS AND METAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
619 Liverpool Road
Pickering, ON L1W R1R
Tel: 905-420-7272 Fax: 905-420-7288
e-mail: info@asmca.ca www.agmca.ca
AZON
643 W. Crosstown Pkwy. Kalamazoo, MI 49008-1910
Tel: 269-385-5942 www.azonintl.com
Azon provides high performance fenestration components that meet our customers’ sustainability goals and expectations.
BBENDHEIM
AIR-INS INC.
1320 Boul. Lionel-Boulet
Varennes, QC J3X 1P7
Tel: 450-652-0838 Fax: 450-652-7588
e-mail: info@air-ins.com www.air-ins.com
ALUMICOR LTD
290 Humberline Drive
Toronto, ON M9W 5S2
Tel: 416-745-4222 Fax: 416-745-7759
Toll Free: 1-877-258-6426
e-mail: info@alumicor.com www.alumicor.com
Alumicor champions LEED® with recycled aluminum! Committed to providing superior architectural aluminum building envelope products which support green building projects and LEED eligibility, Alumicor serves the North American market through 4 manufacturing/sales facilities: Winnipeg (1-800-6653635), Toronto (1-877-258-6426), Montreal (1866-586-4267) and Halifax (1-888-346-5151).
Caldwell Manufacturing is a longtime premier supplier of Spiral, Block & Tackle, Constant Force Spring, and Hybrid window balances. The addition of ADVANTAGE™ Manufacturing brings heavy-duty, 4-bar MAGNUM™ hinges, butt hinges and other hardware for commercial and residential applications.
Fenzi North America has added to its product line, with the introduction of Fenzi HOTVER Hot Melt Butyl. Continuing to listen to our customers’ needs, we are now also offering our Fenzi Butylver PIB in the color of grey , to go along with the traditional black. Combined with our other IG components (Polysulphide, Desiccant, Aluminum and Steel spacers) Fenzi North America continues to be a complete supplier for our customers IG needs. Fenzi Polysulphide is manufactured here in North America to meet your delivery requirements in a timely manner.
Glassopolis, based in Toronto, is Canada’s leader in fire-rated and specialty glass serving commercial glass contractors and fabricators. We offer fire-rated, lead x-ray, switchable privacy, anti-reflective, fireplace glass and more.
Hygrade is a leading supplier of screen frame and components, steel reinforcements, flat and contoured muntin bars, air spacers, track covers, patio door screens, and stamped and roll formed parts.
McGrory Glass is a diversified importer, fabricator and processor serving North America. Products include Decorative-Laminated, BackPainted, Acid Etch, Radiation Shielding, and Luxar Anti-Reflective Glass. Custom solutions developed for Architectural Projects.
MEH SALES LTD.
761 Redwood Sq., Unit 1
Oakville, ON L7L 6R6
Tel: 905-815-7432 Fax: 905-825-2253
Toll Free: 1-800-309-2709
e-mail: b.hall@cogeco.ca
NNOR-AM DOORS & WINDOWS
30 North Wind Pl. Toronto, ON M1S 3R5
Tel: 416-755-0880 Fax: 416-755-3259
e-mail: email@blissnoram.com www.blissnoram.com
PPALMER PRODUCTS CORP.
146 St. Matthews Ave., PO Box 7155 Louisville, KY 40257-0155
PIPEKNIFE COMPANY, THE 2155 Tabor Dr. Lakewood, CO 80215
Tel: 303-232-8788 Fax: 303-232-8789
e-mail: sales@pipeknife.com www.pipeknife.com
POLLARD WINDOWS
132 Cayuga Road, Suite 1A Cheektowaga, NY 14225
Tel: 716-634-0037 Fax: 716-634-0992
e-mail: gpollard@pollardwindows.com
PRECISION GLASS SERVICES INC.
8 Essex Avenue, Unit 13
Thornhill, ON L3T 3Y9
Tel: 905-731-7800 Fax: 905-771-9304
e-mail: sales@pgsi.ca or precision_glass@ icloud.com or fireratedglass@icloud.com www.pgsi.ca
Authorized distributor for: FireLite, FireLite NT, FireLite Plus, Pilkington Pyrostop, X-Ray Shielding Protection Glass, WireLite NT, Fireplace Replacement Glass, sheet or cut to size. Fireplace replacements ropes and tapes. Hollow Metal labelled framing up to 90 Minutes.
PRELCO INC.
94 Cartier Blvd.
Rivière-Du-Loup, QC G5R 2M9
Tel: 418-862-2274 Fax: 418-862-8181
e-mail: sales@prelco.ca www.prelco.ca
PROHASKA ENGINEERING INC
15 Floresville Crt.
Richmond Hill, ON L4C 0S5
Tel: 905-770-1122 Fax: 905-770-8637
e-mail: dtp@prohaskaengineering.com
QQUANEX BUILDING PRODUCTS
6680 Parkland Blvd.
Solon, OH 44139
Tel: 216-910-1500
e-mail: inquiry@quanex.com www.Quanex.com
QUANEX BUILDING PRODUCTS CORPORATION
1800 West Loop South, Suite 1500 Houston, TX 77027
Tel: 713-961-4600
e-mail: inquiry@quanex.com www.quanex.com
Quanex Building Products is a global supplier of IG spacer systems, vinyl and composite extrusions, and window & door components, offering an array of high-performance products, creative marketing support and technical service.
e-mail: marketing.industry@ca.sika.com OR collins.ian@ca.sika.com www.sika.ca
Sika’s Fenestration Line – featuring our highperformance Sikasil® silicones and Sikaflex® polyurethanes. Innovative sealing and bonding systems; Engineered to reduce material and energy costs; Tailored for your most exacting projects.
SPS GLASS & METALS, DIV. 1628611 ONTARIO LTD.
861 Finch Ave.
Pickering, ON L1V 1J4
Tel: 905-831-6624 Fax: 905-831-6625
e-mail: info@spsglass.ca www.spsglass.ca
STANDARD ALUMINUM PRODUCTS INC.
315 Edworthy Way
New Westminister, BC V3L 5G4
Tel: 604 517 4440 Fax: 604-517-4441
STARLITE INDUSTRIES INC.
1111 Lancaster Ave., PO Box 990 Rosemont, PA 19010
Designer & manufacturer of quality operating hardware for the window and door industry. Truth Hardware provides engineered solutions for hinges, operators, sash locks, rollers, multi-point locking systems.
Manufacturer of glass transport bodies and trailers, pickup and van racks, carts, stationary racks. Provide standard and custom equipment for the flat and automotive markets in steel, aluminum and stainless
XINYI AUTO GLASS (NORTH AMERICA) 7 02-704, 3601 Hwy., 7 E. Markham, ON L3R 0M3
Tel: 905-947-8801 Fax: 905-947-8892
e-mail: info@xinyiglass.ca www.xinyiglass.ca
Quanex Building Products
Rehau Industries Inc.
Window City Industries
GLASS DOORS
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Griffin Glass
Home Decor Window & Door
Centre
Loewen
McGrory Glass, Inc
Prelco Inc.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
MIRROR DOORS
Home Decor Window & Door
Centre
PATIO DOORS
Alluminex Extrusions
Caldwell Manufacturing
Loewen
Maxdor Inc.
Pollard Windows
Quanex Building Products
Rehau Industries Inc.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Window City Industries
SCREEN CHANNELS
Home Decor Window & Door
Centre
Hygrade Components
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Screens-R-Us
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
SCREEN DOORS
Hygrade Components
MEH Sales Ltd.
Quanex Building Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Screens-R-Us
SHOWER DOORS/ ENCLOSURES
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Griffin Glass
Prelco Inc.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
SPS Glass & Metals
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
SLIDING DOORS
Alluminex Extrusions
Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Pollard Windows
Prelco Inc.
Quanex Building Products
Rehau Industries Inc.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Standard Aluminum Products
Window City Industries
EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY
BENDING MACHINES
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
JSA Machinery
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Witte North America
BRUSHES
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
Billco Manufacturing
De Gorter, Inc.
Innovative Technology Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
CORNER CLEANERS
JSA Machinery
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
CRANES/HOISTS
Billco Manufacturing
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Unruh Fab Inc.
CUTTING TABLES/CNC
Billco Manufacturing
Erdman Automation
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
DRYING/CURING OVENS
A.W.T. World Trade Inc.
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
EDGING/BEVELING/ DRILLING/GRINDING
De Gorter, Inc.
FMF Canada
IGE Glass Technologies
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
GAS FILLING
Erdman Automation
JSA Machinery
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
GAS FURNACES
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
De Gorter, Inc.
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
GLASS ASSEMBLY TABLES
De Gorter, Inc.
Erdman Automation
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
GLASS CUTTING
Billco Manufacturing
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
Glasscraft
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Starlite Industries Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
GLASS HANDLING/ VACUUM CUPS/LIFTERS
Billco Manufacturing
CDS
Erdman Automation
IGE Glass Technologies
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
GLASS PROCESSING CHEMICALS
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
GLASS WASHING MACHINES
Billco Manufacturing
De Gorter, Inc.
Erdman Automation
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
IG MANUFACTURING
Billco Manufacturing
De Gorter, Inc.
Erdman Automation
Fenzi North America
FNA Equipment Services
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Quanex Building Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
INSTALLATION/ CUTTING/TOOLS
Courage Distributing Inc.
EDTM, Inc.
JSA Machinery
Pipeknife Company,The
LAMINATING
Billco Manufacturing
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
De Gorter, Inc.
IGE Glass Technologies
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
LASER ETCHING
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
IGE Glass Technologies
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEASURING/ TESTING
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
EDTM, Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
METAL FABRICATION
De Gorter, Inc.
JSA Machinery
METAL FORMING
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
POLISHING
CDS
De Gorter, Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Starlite Industries Inc.
SANDBLASTING MACHINES
De Gorter, Inc.
IGE Glass Technologies
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
SAWS
De Gorter, Inc.
Erdman Automation
JSA Machinery
Kear Fabrication Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Starlite Industries Inc.
Witte North America
ARCHITECTURALGLASS
SCREEN PRINTING MACHINES
A.W.T.World Trade Inc.
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
TEMPERING/ BENDING OVENS
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
De Gorter, Inc.
IGE Glass Technologies
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
TRUCKS/ TRANSPORTATION
Collins Manufacturing
Klaas Swaving Ltd.
Unruh Fab Inc.
WATERJET CUTTING
Flow International Corp.
IGE Glass Technologies
JSA Machinery
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
WHEELS/DRILL BITS
De Gorter, Inc.
FMF Canada
IGE Glass Technologies
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Starlite Industries Inc.
GLASS PRODUCTS
BENT
Glasscraft
Kits Glass Ltd.
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Xinyi Auto Glass
BEVELED/EDGED/ GROOVED
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Glasscraft
Kits Glass Ltd.
Maxdor Inc.
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Walker Glass Ltd.
BULLET RESISTANT
Glassopolis
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Ceramic Frit Glass
Agnora
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Xinyi Auto Glass
COATED
Bendheim
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
DECORATIVE
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Bendheim
Courage Distributing Inc.
Glassopolis
Kits Glass Ltd.
Loewen
Maxdor Inc.
McGrory Glass, Inc
MEH Sales Ltd.
Pilkington North America - NSG Group
RW Coomber Hardware
SPS Glass & Metals
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Walker Glass Ltd.
Window City Industries
FLOAT
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Glasscraft
Kits Glass Ltd.
Loewen
Pilkington North America - NSG Group
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Xinyi Auto Glass
FUSED
Glasscraft
Maxdor Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Thames Valley Building Products Ltd.
GLASS BLOCK
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Thames Valley Building Products Ltd.
HEAT RADIANT
Glassopolis
Prelco Inc.
HEAT RESISTANT
Glassopolis
Precision Glass Services Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
LAMINATED
Agnora
Bendheim
Caldwell Manufacturing
Glassopolis
Kits Glass Ltd.
Loewen
Pollard Windows
Precision Glass Services Inc.
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Window City Industries
Xinyi Auto Glass
LAMINATED
– DECORATIVE
Bendheim
Glassopolis
Kits Glass Ltd.
McGrory Glass, Inc
Prelco Inc.
ARCHITECTURALGLASS
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
MIRROR – FLAT
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Bendheim
Kits Glass Ltd.
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
SPS Glass & Metals
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Walker Glass Ltd.
PATTERN
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Bendheim
Kits Glass Ltd.
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
SPS Glass & Metals
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Walker Glass Ltd.
SCREENED/ETCHED/FRIT
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Bendheim
Kits Glass Ltd.
Maxdor Inc.
McGrory Glass, Inc
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Walker Glass Ltd.
Xinyi Auto Glass
SOLAR
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
Xinyi Auto Glass
SPANDREL
Agnora
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
STAINED
Bendheim
Glasscraft
Kits Glass Ltd.
Maxdor Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
STRENGTHENED/ TEMPERED
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Bendheim
Kits Glass Ltd.
Loewen
McGrory Glass, Inc
Prelco Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Window City Industries
Xinyi Auto Glass
TRANSLUCENT GLAZING
Bendheim
Loewen
McGrory Glass, Inc
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
SPS Glass & Metals
WIRED
Agnora
Bendheim
Glassopolis
Loewen
McGrory Glass, Inc
Precision Glass Services Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Xinyi Auto Glass
GLAZING MATERIALS
FILM, ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHIC
Courage Distributing Inc.
Ener-Gard Energy Products
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
FILM, DECORATIVE
Courage Distributing Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
FILM, EDGE RETENTION SYSTEMS
Courage Distributing Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
FILM, SAFETY/SECURITY
Courage Distributing Inc.
Ener-Gard Energy Products
Glasscraft
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
McGrory Glass, Inc
MEH Sales Ltd.
Precision Glass Services Inc.
ShurTape Technologies
SPS Glass & Metals
FILM, SOLAR CONTROL
Courage Distributing Inc.
Ener-Gard Energy Products
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
FIRE RATED GLAZING
Glassopolis
McGrory Glass, Inc
MEH Sales Ltd.
Precision Glass Services Inc.
MIRROR BACKING, SAFETY
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
ShurTape Technologies
Walker Glass Ltd.
MULLIONS
Loewen
Quanex Building Products
MUNTINS
Fenzi North America
Helima Helvetion International
Hygrade Components
Loewen
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Screens-R-Us
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
POLYVINYL BUTYRAL INTERLAYER
Loewen
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
RADIATION SHIELDING
Glassopolis
McGrory Glass, Inc
Precision Glass Services Inc.
SPS Glass & Metals
INSULATING GLASS & SUPPLIES
CORNER KEYS
Fenzi North America
Helima Helvetion International
Hygrade Components
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Screens-R-Us
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
DESICCANTS
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
GASES
Window City Industries
IG UNITS
Agnora
ECO Insulating Glass Inc.
Glassopolis
Kits Glass Ltd.
Prelco Inc.
Unicel Architectural
Window City Industries
PACKAGING/LABELING
MATERIAL
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
PLUGS/RIVETS
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
SPACE BARS/WARM EDGE
Azon
Fenzi North America
Helima Helvetion International
Hygrade Components
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
Unicel Architectural
Window City Industries
METAL PRODUCTS
ALUMINUM PACKPANS
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
ARCHITECTURAL METAL PANELS
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
BENT SHAPES
Hygrade Components
Johnson Bros. Metal Forming
Quanex Building Products
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
CLADDING
Bendheim
Hygrade Components
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
CURTAINWALL SYSTEMS
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions
Bendheim
Caldwell Manufacturing
Griffin Glass
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Renko Building Products
Standard Aluminum Products
Thorn Services
Unicel Architectural
Verrage Glass & Mirror
ENTRANCES/ STOREFRONTS
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions
Bendheim
Griffin Glass
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Standard Aluminum Products
Thorn Services
Verrage Glass & Mirror
EXTERNAL SHADING SYSTEMS
Alluminex Extrusions
EXTRUSIONS/ PULTRUSIONS
Alluminex Extrusions
Standard Aluminum Products
FIRE RATED METAL PRODUCTS
Glassopolis
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
FLASHING
Alluminex Extrusions
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
Standard Aluminum Products
SLOPED GLAZING SYSTEMS/SKYLIGHTS
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions
Griffin Glass
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Pollard Windows
Standard Aluminum Products
Unicel Architectural
STRUCTURAL GLAZING SYSTEMS
Alluminex Extrusions
Bendheim
Caldwell Manufacturing
Griffin Glass
SUNSCREEN SYSTEMS
Alluminex Extrusions
Unicel Architectural
SEALANTS
BUTYL
ADCO Products
CDS
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
GASKETS
ADCO Products
CDS
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Pilkington North America - NSG
Group
Renko Building Products
HOT MELT
ADCO Products
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Quanex Building Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
POLYSULPHIDE
ADCO Products
Agnora
CDS
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
POLYURETHANE
ADCO Products
CDS
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
SILICONE
ADCO Products
CDS
Courage Distributing Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Quanex Building Products
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
TAPE/GLAZING
ADCO Products
CDS
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
RW Coomber Hardware
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
TAPE/MUNTIN
MOUNTING
ADCO Products
CDS
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Glassopolis
MEH Sales Ltd.
Steve Brown Machinery Solutions
SERVICES
ARCHITECTURALGLASS
ANODIZING/PAINTING
Alumicor
Verrage Glass & Mirror
Vyna Colour
BENDING, GLASS
Glasscraft
Prelco Inc.
Verrage Glass & Mirror
BEVELING, GLASS
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
BUSINESS
COMMUNICATION/ MARKETING SERVICES
Quanex Building Products
DIAMOND WHEEL REDRESSING
De Gorter, Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
DIGITAL-BASED GLASS DECORATION
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
DRILLING, GLASS
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
EDGING, GLASS
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Agnora
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
FINISHING
Accurate Glass & Mirror Barrie
Vyna Colour
HEAT SOAKING
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Prelco Inc.
MACHINERY REPAIR
De Gorter, Inc.
Fenzi North America
FNA Equipment Services
JSA Machinery
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
METAL BENDING / STRETCHING
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
METAL CUTTING
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
RW Coomber Hardware
METAL PUNCHING
Hygrade Components
Rimac Fabricators Ltd.
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
RW Coomber Hardware
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING/ CONSULTING
Caldwell Manufacturing
Casso-Solar Glass Machinery Group
Gestion Pif Inc.
Prohaska Engineering Inc
Thorn Services
ROLLFORMING
Hygrade Components
Johnson Bros. Metal Forming
Quanex Building Products
RPM Rollformed Metal Products
SANDBLASTING
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
Verrage Glass & Mirror
TESTING LABORATORIES
Air-Ins Inc.
Caldwell Manufacturing
EDTM, Inc.
THERMAL IMAGING
Quanex Building Products
Thorn Services
SUPPLIES & HARDWARE
ABRASIVES
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
Starlite Industries Inc.
ADHESIVES
ADCO Products
Fenzi North America
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Palmer Products
COOLANTS/ LUBRICANTS
De Gorter, Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
DECORATIVE
GLASS SUPPLIES
Bendheim
Courage Distributing Inc.
Glasscraft
SPS Glass & Metals
DECORATIVE STRIP/ GRILLS/ACCENTS
SPS Glass & Metals
ETCHING SUPPLIES
Glasscraft
ARCHITECTURALGLASS
INSULATION CDS
GLASS CLEANING CDS
Fenzi North America
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
GLASS SHOWCASE
SPS Glass & Metals
GLAZING TOOLS CDS
EDTM, Inc.
Pipeknife Company,The
MIRROR HARDWARE
MEH Sales Ltd.
Renko Building Products
MIRROR MASTIC CDS
Palmer Products
POLISHING COMPOUNDS
De Gorter, Inc.
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
A.W.T. World Trade Inc. CDS
SEALANT/ADHESIVE DISPENSING EQUIPMENT CDS
Fenzi North America
FNA Equipment Services
Marc Prevost Machinery Inc.
MEH Sales Ltd.
Pipeknife Company,The
SETTING BLOCKS/SHIMS CDS
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
MEH Sales Ltd.
Quanex Building Products
SPS Glass & Metals
STIFFENERS, STEEL
Hygrade Components
Quanex Building Products
WEATHER-STRIPPING CDS
Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket
Pollard Windows
Renko Building Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Standard Aluminum Products
WINDOW PROFILES
ALUMINUM
Alluminex Extrusions
Caldwell Manufacturing
Johnson Bros. Metal Forming Loewen
Standard Aluminum Products
FIBERGLASS
Caldwell Manufacturing Pollard Windows
PVC/VINYL
Caldwell Manufacturing Pollard Windows
Quanex Building Products
Rehau Industries Inc.
Vyna Colour Window City Industries
WOOD
Caldwell Manufacturing Loewen Pollard Windows
WINDOW STYLES
DOUBLE-HUNG
Alumicor
Caldwell Manufacturing Loewen Pollard Windows
RW Coomber Hardware
Window City Industries
DRIVE-THROUGH
Caldwell Manufacturing
EXTRUSIONS
Alluminex Extrusions
FIRE RATED
Glassopolis
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Precision Glass Services Inc.
FIXED
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows Pollard Windows
Window City Industries
HISTORIC RETROFIT
Alumicor
Caldwell Manufacturing
Nor-Am Doors & Windows Pollard Windows
INJECTION MOLDING
Caldwell Manufacturing
INTEGRAL
Unicel Architectural
PROJECTED
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions
Caldwell Manufacturing Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows Pollard Windows
ROUND SHAPED
Alumicor Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows Pollard Windows
Window City Industries
SLIDING
Alumicor
Caldwell Manufacturing Loewen
Pollard Windows
RW Coomber Hardware
Window City Industries
TILT-TURN
Alumicor
Caldwell Manufacturing Window City Industries
WINDOW CASEMENT
Alumicor
Alluminex Extrusions
Caldwell Manufacturing Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows Pollard Windows
RW Coomber Hardware
Standard Aluminum Products
Window City Industries
WINDOW HARDWARE
Acme Window Hardware
Caldwell Manufacturing Canaropa Canaropa
Johnson Bros. Metal Forming Loewen
Nor-Am Doors & Windows
Pollard Windows
Renko Building Products
RW Coomber Hardware
Truth Hardware
by FrANK FULtoN
Frank Fulton is president of Fultech Fenestration Consulting. He has been in the industry for 30 years and can be reached via e-mail at fultech.fc@gmail.com
Achieving Apogee
On the morning of Nov. 5, Joseph F. Puishys, CEO of American based Apogee Enterprises, issued a press release stating, “We are very pleased to acquire Alumicor, a Canadian market leader with annual revenues of approximately $60 million and an impressive management team. Alumicor ideally complements Apogee’s growth strategies. It helps Apogee grow geographically by expanding our presence in the Canadian non-residential market, and will also contribute to growth through new product introductions. Along with our organic growth initiatives, this puts us well on our way to exceeding our goal to be $1 billion in revenues by the end of fiscal 2016.” Apogee’s revenues for fiscal 2013, which ended in February, were $700 million. By early afternoon, Steve Gusterson, Alumicor’s manager of pre-construction design services, found his phone ringing off the hook with questions from surprised customers asking what was going on. “The very next morning, architects were already asking me for design support using historic windows produced by Wausau Window and Wall Systems,” he said, laughing. Wausau is one of the new Alumicor sister companies under the Apogee umbrella. “I can’t believe how fast the news spread,” Gusterson said.
So, who is Apogee? Apogee’s origins date back to 1949 when two glass workers and a car salesman leased part of an old tire store on Harmon Place in downtown Minneapolis, Minn., to start a car glass replacement business and called it Harmon Glass. Seeking new opportunities in the market, in 1955 Harmon expanded into a new venture to install and replace glass in buildings. Over the years, expansion and acquisitions brought new lines of business and a new entity named Apogee was formed in 1968 to manage the different profit centres. Apogee went public through a stock offering in 1971.
By all accounts, it appears there is no interest in or intention of re-inventing Alumicor.
Apogee purchased Alumicor for approximately $52 million from Fulcrum Capital Partners, a Canadian private investment management firm, and six minority shareholders. Fulcrum had been the majority owner of Alumicor since 2007. Initially founded in 1959 by the late George Devonshire, Alumicor joins a number of notable players in the glass and architectural metal field in the Apogee stable, including Viracon (insulating glass), Tubelite (storefront framing, entrances, and curtain wall), Linetec (painting and anodizing), Wausau (custom windows and curtain wall), and Harmon Contract (glazing contractors).
The feelings of people I’ve spoken with at Alumicor regarding the acquisition are totally upbeat and positive. Larry Maker, Alumicor CEO, stated, “Apogee bought Alumicor for what we are and not for what they want us to be. They place high value on the Alumicor brand and management and have no intention of making changes. Apogee was adamant in conveying that all Alumicor senior management will stay in place.” Maker went on to make the following point: “We expect to continue to operate independently and execute our business plan. Over time we will work to develop consistent operational best practices consistent with other Apogee businesses. All of the Apogee businesses work on an open market basis and are responsible for their own results.” I take this to mean there is no direction from the parent company to purchase or conduct business with the other group companies. Alumicor has already assured its major suppliers that business will continue as usual, and that it values the relationships and support it has enjoyed over many years. Even though Alumicor now has one of the largest insulating glass manufacturing companies in the world in Viracon as a partner, Maker has no intention of introducing glazed windows or fully assembled curtain wall into its product line. Lyndon Regular, Alumicor’s national vice-president of sales and marketing, and a longtime friend and colleague from Fulton Windows, echoed Maker’s sentiments. “Everything just smells right about this move. Apogee is very interested in maintaining the Alumicor brand and places high value on our management team.”
By all accounts, it appears there is no interest in or intention of reinventing Alumicor to create an “Apogee Building Envelope” type of company. Although this move likely opens up opportunities for the Alumicor family of employees, I regret seeing another successful Canadian enterprise moving part of its roots south of the border. •
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