DWM - 2008 - March

Volume 9, Issue 3 - March 2008

2008 Software Buying Guide

When you think of software, you may not think of a high-price tag that comes with other pieces of equipment, such as some machinery used for door and window manufacturing operations. However, software packages also can come with significant costs so it is just as important to do your research when it comes to making this type of purchase. But unlike a machine, it is difficult sometimes to evaluate software packages and their capabilities accurately. Some may be better suited for one material type, while others may be tailored toward larger manufacturers. It could be overwhelming for manufacturers to make a decision.

Keeping this in mind, DWM sent a comprehensive survey to approximately 20 suppliers who target the door and window industry. The ones who responded to that survey are included in this comprehensive guide. So, even if you’re not thinking of making a purchase now, store this away for future use as it can save you valuable time and money later.

A few notes about the information below. We asked suppliers if all door and window manufacturers, regardless of the material they produce (wood, vinyl, aluminum, fiberglass, etc.) could use their software. All suppliers said manufacturers of any material can use their software. Also, size of manufacturers refers to what size manufacturing companies is most appropriate to use the software offered by a particular supplier.

Albat and Wirsam North America
127 Bellevue Way, SE
Suite 100
Bellevue WA 98004
www.albat-wirsam.com
P: 425/467-0996
Number of years in business: More than 25
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No
Number of employees: Total group 203
Size of manufacturers: Those with less than $1 million to $50 million in annual sales
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: More than 1,200
Number of active dealers that use your software: More than 5,000
Software products offered:
• CANTOR PROFESSIONAL–Completely Integrated ERP Solution
Customers include:
• Window City
• Dashwood (Anderson Windows)
• Durabuilt Windows
• VPI Quality Windows
• Euroline Windows

Bid Master Inc.
4877 Wheatly’s Pond Rd.
Smyrna, DE 19977
www.bidmaster.com
P: 302/653-6630
Number of years in business: 23
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of employees: 26
Size of manufacturers: All sizes
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: 68 door fabricators, 18 window manufacturers
Number of active dealers that use your software: Approximately 8,700
Product Name:
• Bid Master Electronic Catalog
Customers include:
• ODL
• Kolbe & Kolbe dealers
• Millwork Specialties
• Shelter Windows
• Hayfield Windows

Computer Associates Inc.
36 Thurber Blvd.
Smithfield, RI 02917
www.caisoft.com/ponderosa
P: 800/422-4782
Number of years in business: 31
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No
Number of employees: 60
Size of manufacturers: Those with revenues ranging from $5 million to more than $100 million
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: We have companies running our software throughout the United States.
Number of active dealers that use your software: See above
Software products offered:
• Ponderosa Millwork
• Building Materials Software
Customers include:
• Tucker Door & Trim Corp.
• Windowizards
• North Atlantic Corp.
• The Detering Co.
• JB Sash & Door Co.

Consona Corp.
450 East 96th St., Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46240
www.consona.com
P: 888/8 CONSONA
Number of years in business: 22
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No
Number of employees: More than 600
Size of manufacturers: All sizes
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: Approximately 4,300 customers
Number of active dealers that use your software: Not applicable
Software products offered:
• Intuitive
• Made2Manage
Customers include:
• White County Mouldings
• Jasper Seating Co. Inc. (a wood furniture manufacturer)
• Eric Scott Leathers (a leather goods manufacturer)

Edgenet
8 Cadillac Dr., Suite 300
Brentwood, TN 37027
www.edgenet.com
P: 877/334-3638
Number of years in business: 18
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No, we serve the building product industry and all their channels (e.g. retail, dealer, distributor, e-commerce, etc.).
Number of employees: More than 200
Size of manufacturers: Those with $10 million to more than $100 million in annual sales
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: More than 20,000. One manufacturer alone has successfully deployed our software to more than 8,000 locations. We serve nine of top ten door and window manufacturers by revenue.
Number of active dealers that use your software: Thousands of dealer locations nationwide. Our manufacturers currently deploy to their dealer networks, so we don’t have a number but it encompasses most major dealers and distributors in the United States.
Software products offered:
• m2o–ō® (made to order, guided selling/quoting and ordering software for windows and doors)
• iCat™ (electronic catalog management application)
Customers include:
• Andersen
• Pella
• MI Windows & Doors
• Milgard
• REEB Millwork

ELCIA
448 Place Jacques Cartier
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3B3 Canada
www.elcia.ca
P: 514/908-3565
Number of years in business: 1
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of employees: 35
Size of manufacturers: All sizes
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: Our software is not for manufacturing windows; it’s to sell windows. So for us, manufacturers buy it for dealers.
Number of active dealers that use your software: Nearly 2,500
Software products offered:
• EQUANTIS
Customers include:
• Blanca Canada Inc.
• Kehl Window Systems Inc.
• Cheney Windows & Doors
• Fenetres Cote Et Freres
• Portes & Fenetres Granby

GED Integrated Solutions, NxWare Division
9280 Dutton Dr.
Twinsburg, OH 44087
www.gedusa.com
P: 330/487-5095
Number of years in business: 35
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively: No
Number of employees: 200
Size of manufacturers: Those with $10 million to more than $100 million in annual sales
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: Approximately 500 facilities
Number of active dealers that use your software: Our software is for manufacturing and therefore is not used by dealers.
Software products offered:
• LeanNET advanced manufacturing software
Customers include:
• Andersen/Silverline
• Pella
• Atrium Windows and Doors
• MI Windows and Doors
• Milgard Windows and Doors

FeneTech Inc.
1455 Danner Dr.
Aurora, OH 44202
www.fenetech.com
P: 330/995-2830
Number of years in business: 12
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of employees: 20
Size of manufacturers: All sizes
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: 80
Number of active dealers that use your software: More than 400
Software products offered:
• FeneVision® Production Control
• FeneVision® Tracking System
• FeneVision® Information Center
• FeneVision® Web Center
• FeneVision® Remote Order Entry
• FeneVision® Machine Interfaces
• FeneVision® Accounting Interfaces
• FeneVision® Service Module
• FeneVision® Sunroom Designer
• Max-Opt
Customers include:
• Sunrise Windows
• Polaris Technologies
• TRACO•
Weathervane Windows
• Patio Enclosures Inc.

PMC Software Inc.
8 Bartles Corner Rd., Suite 11
Flemington, NJ 08822
www.pmcsoftware.com
P: 908/806-7824
Number of years in business: 26
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No (also service flat glass)
Number of employees: 19
Size of manufacturers: Those with less than $1 million in annual sales up to $10 million
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: Approximately 150
Number of active dealers that use your software: Not applicable
Software products offered:
• Automate
• Bedmate
• Boxmate
• Breakmate
• Estimate
• Flexmate
• Gridmate
• Helpmate
• Inmate
• Lamimate
• Linealmate
• Markmate
• Rackmate
• Receivemate
• Scoremate
• Seammate
• Shapemate
• Shipmate
• Spacermate
• Stripmate
• Tablemate
• Tapemate
• Trackmate
• Weldmate
• Windowmate
• Windowmation
Customers include:
• BF Rich
• Simonton Windows
• Hurd Wood Windows
• Atrium Windows & Doors
• Harvey Industries

TDCI Inc.
8760 Orion Place, 3rd Floor
Columbus, OH 43240
www.tdci.com
P: 800/630-6687
Number of years in business: 16
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? No
Number of employees: 80
Size of manufacturers: Those with $1 million to more than $100 million in annual sales
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: 60
Number of active dealers that use your software: It is estimated that between 5,000-10,000 dealer users access BuyDesign (as provided to them by their manufacturers) for quoting and ordering.
Software products offered:
• BuyDesign
• MAC-PAC XE
Customers include:
• Kolbe
• Atrium
• Therma-Tru
• Eggers
• Ply-Gem

Windowmaker Software
115 Wolseley St., Unit A
Toronto, Ontario M6J 1K1 Canada
www.windowmaker.com
P: 416/762-5299
Number of years in business: 25
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of Employees: 80
Size of manufacturers: All sizes
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: 1,500
Number of active dealers that use your software: More than 1,000
Software products offered:
• Windowseller
• Windowmaker Lite
• Windowmaker Express
• Windowmaker SQL
• Windowmaker ERP
Customers include:
• Veka
• PH Tech
• Rehau
• Dominion Windows

WoodWare Systems
8304 Macon Terrace Rd.
Cordova, TN 38018
www.woodwaresystems.com
P: 901/763-3999
Number of years in business: 25
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of employees: 18
Size of manufacturers: Those with $1 million to more than $100 million in annual sales Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: More than 125 door, window and millwork distributors, dealers and manufacturers
Number of active dealers that use your software: See above
Software products offered:
• WoodWare System–ERP software
• WoodWare WMS–Warehouse Management software using RF scanners
• WoodWare WebConnect–Internet quoting and ordering software
Customers include:
• Reeb Millwork Corp.
• Barnett Millworks Inc.
• Slone Lumber Co., Inc.
• New England Millwork Inc.
• Pacific Millwork Inc.

WTS Paradigm
LLC8383 Greenway Blvd., Suite 520
Middleton, WI 53562
www.windowengineering.com
P: 608/664.9292
Number of years in business: 9
Do you service the door and window industry exclusively? Yes
Number of employees: 55
Size of manufacturers that can use your software: Those with $1 million to more than 100 million in annual sales
Number of manufacturing facilities in which your software is installed and used in production: 52
Number of active dealers that use your software: More than 15,000
Software products offered:
• CenterPoint – Order entry, Quoting, Configuration
• MasterPoint – Manufacturing, materials management
Customers include:
• Sun Windows
• Ventana
• Harvey Industries
• Pollard Windows
• Eagle Windows

For a look at one company's pursuit to purchase software, CLICK HERE

For more on software, CLICK HERE.