SHELTER

October 2003

NSDJA Convention Preview

Orange County 
Convention Center
Orlando, Fla.

October 12 - 16

Educational Sessions and Speakers

The National Sash and Door Jobbers (NSDJA) 40th Annual Convention will be held October 12-16 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. (see the September issue of SHELTER, page 24, for information about the show or visit www.nsdja.com/convention). It will feature a number of educational events of importance to the industry.

Opening Session
 
Hear featured speaker General Hugh Shelton, who was chairperson of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the September 11th attacks, on October 12, 1:30 p.m.



EFIS Litigation: 
How to Protect Your Company

Steve Pharr of Pharr and Boynton PLLC will discuss how EFIS and window manufacturers can take steps to avoid liability on October 13, 2-3:15 p.m.

Uniting the Window and Door Industry: 
NSDJA and WDMA in Partnership 
Representatives of the window and door industry, including Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) president Alan Campbell, will sit on a panel discussing various issues such as market trends, recent industry developments, etc., on October 13, 3:30-5 p.m.

Adding Value and Eliminating Waste: 
New Secrets to Success 
Gain a new understanding of the words value and waste and how you can use this knowledge to become a more profitable, efficient and successful distributor. Specific examples applicable to the millwork industry will be given on October 14, 4-5:30 p.m. 

New Certification Program: 
An Introduction to Wind Load Requirements
Tracy Rogers of Intertek/ETL SEMKO will discuss a new program for the certification and labeling of hinged door entry systems for compliance to the wind load requirements of the Florida Building Code, the International Residential Code and the International Building Code on October 15, 2:15-3:15 p.m.

The Internet: 
Are you Using it in Your Business? 

Jim McCooey of Computer Associates Inc. will host a panel discussion of NSDJA members who are using the Internet as a business tool. Learn things to avoid when using the Internet, programs specific to the millwork industry and much more on October 15, 3:30-4:30 p.m.


An Application of Basic Economics: 
Revolutionary Solutions for Healthcare 
Allen Wishner of Flexible Benefit Service Corp. will educate attendees about a new healthcare concept that is reinventing employee benefits—consumer-driven health plans on October 15, 2:15-3:15 p.m.

Awards Breakfast 
Hear featured speaker Frank Abagnale, who is an expert on the subjects of forgery, embezzlement and secure documents on October 15, 8:30 a.m. Abagnale was the subject of last summer’s movie “Catch Me If You Can.”

Product Preview

Many NSDJA exhibitors will be introducing new products at the show. Following is a first look at some of the new innovations you will see on display in Orlando. 

Booth #519: 
Simpson Offers Knotty Pine Door
If you are looking for a new interior door line, stop by McCleary, Wash.-based Simpson Door Co.’s booth and learn about the company’s knotty pine interior door.

Designed to accompany the company’s showpiece “Doors of a Lifetime” catalog, the new brochure features detailed product specifications, four-color photography and the complete collection of knotty pine French, panel and bi-fold doors. According to the company, its doors feature a natural, rustic appearance—a perfect addition for anyone looking to add a distinctive look to his home’s interior.

Booth #419: 
DMSi Offers Online Catalog Tool
Distribution Management Systems Inc. (DMSi) of Omaha, Neb., will feature StockNET, an online catalog creation tool. The company says the tool provides significant time and cost advantages over traditional methods of creating and maintaining catalogs. 

Mid-Am Supply of Moberly, Mo., implemented StockNET in autumn 2002. “We first looked at StockNET because we found the administrative tasks of keeping traditional paper and web catalogs updated never complete,” said Ron Ott, controller. “StockNET is pure automation. We can recreate it at will with a query based on files within our back office system.”

Booth #945: 
Endura Celebrates 50 Years
Endura Products Inc. of Greensboro, N.C., is celebrating 50 years in the millwork industry. At its NSDJA booth with the theme, “Endura Products: 50 Years of Innovation,” the company will be featuring some of its products, including the Z-Plus all synthetic entry door sill, Z-Plus Fixed Convertible Cap, the Ultimate Astragal Lite, as well as Endura’s Jamb Spacer and Nailing Fin.

“We want our customers to see that for the past 50 years, Endura has developed innovative products in response to their needs,” said Bruce Procton, president. “Our goal is to continue to be the problem-solver for the millwork industry. The issues that our customers face and that we see in the field drive our product development.”

Booth #450: Menzner Offers Marketing Tool Marathon, Wis.-based Menzner Lumber & Supply Co. offers its customers a wide variety of marketing items to help them promote its products. Now available is the Menzner Moulding Bin Tower and the Menzner Specialty Tower—product display cases. The company also offers its customers a wall board to show profiles, a laminated wall poster and a wainscot display. In addition, the company has a variety of product brochures.

Booth #205: 
A & H Offers Windows and Much More 
A & H Windows of North Wilkesboro, N.C., will feature more than windows at its booth at the show. In addition to showing off its Designview™, Cladview™ and Gallery Windows™, the company will also showcase its Nuview™ Sash Replacement System and its online ordering technology, WindowVation.

WindowVation, which was introduced earlier this year, provides homebuilders and dealers the ability to order any of the company’s products online, though the company points out that the system may be used offline as well. For example, salespeople can use WindowVation on their laptops while at jobsites or in meetings with builders. Once the order is complete, they simply return online to transmit the final order.

Booth #952: 
Brite Gains SBCCI Approval for Decking
If you stop by the booth of Brite Manufacturing of Bolton, Ontario, while you’re at NSDJA, the Canadian manufacturer will tell you how it has gained SBCCI approval from the National Evaluation Service for its Lifelong Composite Decking. The company will also showcase a variety of its plastic and wood lattice, wooden deck parts, multi-density fiberboard mouldings, treated lumber and composite decking. 

Booth #245: 
CraftMaster Expands Decorative Options
Chicago-based CraftMaster Manufacturing Inc. (CMI) has renovated its MiraTEC treated exterior composite trim, increasing its width to 16 inches. According to the company, the new trim allows greater flexibility in cutting for applications such as column wraps, soffits, shutters and half rounds.

Many engineered trim products are made from two pieces of hardboard laminated together, which can lead to separation and a less durable product after extended outdoor exposure. MiraTEC trim is produced by resins that bond chemically and physically with wood under heat and pressure. The result is a single, non-laminated board that provides greater durability and more consistent performance.

Booth #1251: 
Marwin’s Weatherstrip Saves Time and Energy 
The Marwin Co. of Columbia, S.C., will introduce its “Energy Saver” package, which was created in part because many city and county building inspectors are requiring weatherstrip on attic stairways. The company says it is the first to offer a pre-installed, bulb-type weatherstrip on an attic stairway. The product comes with a pre-installed, ¾-inch, foil-faced insulating panel. Additionally, because the package is installed on an assembly line when manufactured, customers won’t have the problem of the weatherstrip falling off after installation or problems associated with the door not closing properly. 

Booth #918: 
Wood Veneer Mouldings Offer Several Advantages
Contact Lumber Co. of Portland, Ore., says its line of wood veneer wrapped moulding products offers several advantages over solid mouldings. These include a soft wood core making it easy to cut and nail, though not requiring pre-drilling nail holes. Additionally, its finger-jointed core prevents warping and twisting, and its lighter weight results in lower shipping costs and easier handling, according to the company. 

The product line originally was introduced as Oak-Over® due to the fact that Contact first developed it using oak veneers. That brand now represents all of Contact’s real wood veneer moulding products. 

Booth #613: 
GlassCraft Offers Extraordinary Ideas 
Looking for “extraordinary” entryways? Then stop by the booth of GlassCraft Door Co. of Houston and take a look at its new “Extraordinary Entryways Custom Design Idea Book.” The color catalog features more than 80 entryways in a variety of designs and finishes. Detailed designs showcase many options used by the company to create unique doors and entryways.

Booth #253: 
Pemko Introduces a Variety of New Products
Pemko of Ventura, Calif., has been busy readying a variety of products for launch at the NSDJA show. One of these is its new line of astragals. The 3600 series provides a superior weather barrier due to its self-adjusting, spring-loaded bottom seal, according to the company. 

Another product, the SillTech 2000 residential entry door sill system, is leak- and rot-resistant and low-maintenance, according to Pemko. The product features a welded endplate with a continuous weld against the slope of the sill, creating a barrier to water. The pre-made kit is compatible with a 1 ¾-inch residential door and any 4 9/16- or 6 9/16-inch jamb. 

Selected Events

Product Preview

Booth #551: Novascreen is Smooth and Secure  Novatech Glass Group of Ste-Julie, Quebec, has introduced Novascreen, a retractable screen that has a number of unique features and components. First, a mesh lock prevents the screen from coming out of its track in the event of strong winds. Additionally, a speed reducer controls the retraction of the screen to ensure a smooth and secure operation. The screen adapts to all types of doors, features a latching system that does not require a magnet and is available in nine colors, according to the company.

Booth #205: 
Crown Unveils Online Library 
Crown Heritage of North Wilkesboro, N.C., will be at the NSDJA show to show attendees its new online Design Library of CAD-ready .DXF files for specification in home-building plans. The library contains more than 500 of the company’s wood balusters, wood newels, wrought iron stair parts and accessories. The library may be accessed at www.crownheritage.com.

Booth #644: 
Roll-Up and Folding Doors From Woodfold-Maco Available
Woodfold-Marco of Forest Grove, Ore., will showcase its accordion folding and roll-up doors at NSDJA. Each of the company’s doors is custom made and shipped quickly and directly to the dealer. 

The roll-up doors use solid hardwoods machined to precise tolerances, selected for color consistency and then assembled. According to the company, the use of an upward coiling rolling door provides a secure divider, thus saving space. Oak, maple, birch, mahogany and cherry are available as standard inventory and other wood species are available upon request. 


Booth #1105: 
Taylor Offers Protection with Secur-A-Storm™ System 
Looking for safety products that meet the Florida Building Code? Then look no further than the new Secur-A-Storm from Taylor Building Products of West Branch, Mich. 

According to the company, the entry-door system, which utilizes KeepSafe Maximum® glass, passed the Dade County protocols for water, air, structural, impact and cycle. The system minimizes the effects of wind-borne debris, reducing damage within building structures during storms, including category III hurricanes, according to the company. Taylor adds that it is the only steel entry-door manufacturer that has Florida Building Code approval for impact-resistant glazed doors. 

A Minute with McIlwee

To give SHELTER readers some insight into the person who will help man the National Sash & Door Jobber Association’s (NSDJA) ship, we asked Brian McIlwee, incoming association president and president of J.J. McIlwee Co. of Itasca, Ill., a few questions. Here’s what he said.


Personal
Q: Tell us a bit about your family. 
A: I have lived in the Chicago area all my life. I have three children: Devin, 20, Ryan, 18 and Caitlin, 14. Devin and Ryan are both attending the University of Iowa. My wife Shannon and I met in college in Indianapolis. We graduated in 1978, and I went to work in the family business that same year. We got married in 1980. 

Q: What are some of your hobbies? 
A: It’s not so much a hobby as it is a calling. Shannon and I are very involved in various forms of community service. I am very active in our local Lions Club and have coached youth sports at the park-district level for 15 years. Shannon has been very active in the schools with PTO and booster groups. Water skiing, snow skiing and sailing are favorite activities outside our community activities.

Q: Who are your heroes and why?
A: Besides John Wayne as the “All American Hero,” it would have to be my father and his many friends in the industry. These are men who built their businesses, an industry and an association based on their levels of character and integrity. Their words were their bonds, and written contracts were not commonplace. It’s a shame that today even the simplest of relationships needs to be covered by ten pages of boiler-plate legalese language.

Q: Do you have any secret vices? 
A: None other than I am a workaholic and get home late too many evenings. I tend to procrastinate at times, which can exacerbate the problem. One of my favorite vices is working out in the evening. When I don’t leave the office until 7 p.m., exercise means I don’t get home until 9 p.m. That makes it hard on my family.

Business
Q: How did you get started in this business? 
A: Quite frankly, I had no intention of going into the family business. I wanted to work for a Fortune 500 company. My senior year in college, my father flew me to an NSDJA spring meeting in Milwaukee. He had me meet with Bob Radford, a former president of NSDJA and the Radford Co. He told me about working in a family business and about the millwork industry. In retrospect, he probably didn’t say anything different from my father, but coming from a different voice probably meant more to me. I ended up going to work for $10,500 a year, a ’72 Rambler and having my tuition paid at DePaul University, where I got an MBA.

Q: How do you feel your company differs from other businesses and what are some of its unique characteristics? 
A: Our business is different from other businesses because it is a family business. I work with my father and two brothers. We sometimes make decisions that aren’t based entirely on profit. Our growth is slow and conservative. I think we spend a lot of extra time worrying about our employees. This is very different than non-family businesses.

Also, family businesses often have tremendous strengths, but at the expense of carrying extra baggage. All family businesses have soft-issue undercurrents that create added pressures and responsibilities. We are very active in the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Family Business Council. This helps us to be more proactive in attacking the soft issues associated with a family business and helps maintain our focus on business issues. 

Q: What are your greatest professional challenges? 
A: Being in a family business, my brothers and I often find ourselves easily trapped “working in” the business rather than “on the business.” We have changed a lot in the last five years. It’s a struggle to grow personally as quickly as the business is growing.

Q: What trends do you see in the business that discourage you? Encourage you? 
A: Consolidation within the industry is very discouraging. There are millwork distribution businesses closing that have been in our industry for decades. In some instances, the level of distrust and misunderstanding between manufacturer and distributor becomes exacerbated. I don’t feel this speaks well of our industry. 
The encouraging part is that this is a double-edged sword. The growing businesses and consolidators are creating great opportunities for smaller companies like ours to excel in our markets.

Association
Q: Most people have their own yardsticks of success. Whether or not it’s been a success, what yardstick would you use at the end of your term to judge? 
A: This is not meant as a cop out, but I have no preconceived ideas of accomplishment. The board of directors and officers of the association together will determine the direction, tempo and degree of our progress. I feel I’m here to act more as facilitator for the decision making that is to occur. It’s scary how much George Lorenz, the NSDJA’s 2002-2003 president, and I think alike. George has taken great efforts in getting us going in this direction. I only hope to do as well as George has done.

Q: What do you think the association’s most important priorities are?
A: George Lorenz identified three priorities: membership, education and communication. Those three priorities will not change. However, I would probably add governance to the list. Our board of directors has changed to a working board of directors rather than an honorary board. There is a lot of hard work and hard decisions ahead of us in the future.

We also have a strategic planning initiative that will commence next year. The entire board of directors will be involved in this process. There will be extra meetings and longer hours. Ultimately, though, this next year’s board will determine the vision, future initiatives and pace of the NSDJA. I expect the debate and process to be intense.

Q: What do you think will be different about the NSDJA in five years? 
A: I’m hoping our educational offerings will look completely different five years from now. This is an area in which we need a tremendous amount of work, and there is a huge opportunity for the development of solid, beneficial programs for our members. There is a lot of value to be provided here.

Additionally, the governance of the association will be very different, especially from the way it was five years ago. Rosalie Leone and her staff at NSDJA are going to be instrumental in guiding the association along in their support role to this end. Rosalie will be working behind the scenes rather than out front and in charge. More than at any other time, I believe we have the right people in place to really make a difference and create a bright future for our association. I can hardly wait until five years from now to see what it will look like.

Q: Does the association plan to increase its work with code and standards group?
A: This is an issue that is grabbing more of our attention. The NSDJA has never been in the business of writing standards and codes. Decades ago, the NSDJA did have an industry standards committee. We may need to look at resurrecting this committee. Other groups and associations are writing standards actively that will have a tremendous impact on our distribution businesses. The real question is: are these standards being written to create better products, justify existence, generate a revenue stream through certification processes or to create limits on competition? In any event, we are and will continue to work closely with other groups in an effort to become more involved than we have been in the past.

Product Preview

Booth #813:  WoodWare Offers Technology Solutions Stop by the booth of Memphis, Tenn.-based WoodWare Systems to view various technology solutions for the window, door and millwork industry. One of these is the Windows-based Warehouse Management System (WMS), which includes the Radio Frequency (RF) based barcode scanning equipment. This provides real-time updates and inquiries to the inventory control module so products can be tracked throughout the warehouse, according to the company. The product also includes software to prioritize and assign worker tasks, and it interfaces with the main WoodWare system.

Booth #504:
Buffelen Expands Door Line
Buffelen Woodworking of Tacoma, Wash., has added a Craftsman-style exterior door line to its existing line of interior doors. Information about the line will be available at the show.

“It completes our Craftsman line,” said Joe Guizzetti, general manager. “Now … you can get the clean lines and classic look of Craftsman doors to fit any opening inside or out.”


Booth #1053: 
Gossen Adds to Jamb Line
Gossen Corp. of Milwaukee has introduced an addition to its TrimGuard™ laminated exterior entry door jambs. The jambs, which are pressure-treated from the bottom up to 10 inches to prevent against rotting, are available in all sizes and come with a ten-year limited warranty for rot and decay. The adhesion of the laminate film has been tested to meet or exceed the requirements of ASTM D 1183.

Booth #1005: 
Heritage Unveils Valuable Marketing Tools
Heritage Veneered Products of Shawano, Wis., has introduced two new marketing tools for its customers: a “Distributor Reference Manual” and a “Merchandising Guide.” The tools are designed to assist distributors further in promoting Heritage’s WOODPORT® Interior Doors. The reference manual is a quick and easy source of information on the doors and the merchandising guide is a visual tool complete with photos and product descriptions. 

“ We love talking to our distributors, and this new reference manual will supplement our daily communication with our customers by providing answers to many common questions about WOODPORT doors,” said Jim Daniels, sales and marketing manager. 

Booth #705: 
MAi Offers Italian Flair in New Design 
MAi Wood Doors and Stair Parts of Wylie, Texas, will introduce several new designs of wood doors and stair parts. One of these, the Tuscany Collection, is for the La Scala Stair Parts Collection and incorporates Italian marble in the center of the balusters and newels. 

The company will offer special prices on prefinished display doors which are also available with the purchase of a specific quantity of doors for stock.

Booth #133:
Get a Little TLC
Looking for companies that sell window and door profiles? Then stop by TLC Mouldings of Willacoochee,  Ga., to pick up a copy of its “2003 Profile Catalog.” The guide features most of the profiles in TLC’s library, which will soon be available as well.

 

Booth #411:  KVAL Makes Pre-Hanging Fast and Easy  KVAL Inc. of Petaluma, Calif., says its new 990F-4 door machining center is what production managers need when high-speed, pre-hanging capability is required. The company says the machine is fast, easy to operate and changeover takes only a few minutes. No tools are required. When the machine is in operation, doors feed into position automatically for clamp-up, routing, boring and hinge pre-drilling.

Booth #119: 
New Option Added to Builders Automation’s Pre-Hung Door Machine 
NSDJA attendees who stop by the booth of Builders Automation of Largo, Fla., will be able to view a new option the company has added to its 996E Pre-Hung Door Machine—the 1150 hinge applicators. 

“Customers can now order it with optional devices to pre-drill screw holes prior to hinge applications,” said Robert J. Mitvalsky, chief executive officer. 

The pre-drill units are mounted to the router bases and drill pilot holes for screw application simultaneously. They pivot to remain out of the way while routing, position automatically for drilling and then retract again to allow hinge application, according to the company. 

Booth #559: 
Computer Associates Offers New Online System
Computer Associates Inc. of Smithfield, R.I., announced that it is working with BuilderWire Inc., a provider of advanced web-based systems, to unveil its new Windows-based Ponderosa/IBOS system at NSDJA. According to Computer Associates, the new system will allow users to achieve a level of connectivity to online commerce previously unavailable. 

The program includes account management, product catalog, quotations, ordering and job folders. 

Booth #505: 
Gain True Security with New Locking System 
The multi-point locking system from Therma-Tru Doors of Maumee, Ohio, enhances security because it engages at several points, rather than at one strike plate, according to the company. John Kufner, marketing manager, says it is one of the most important new products the company has offered.

The new system is available on Therma-Tru’s entire line of entry-door systems. The company adds that it is ideal for tall doors, such as 8-foot doors as well as for double-door applications where the multiple locking points provide additional sturdiness to the door system. It also features a device designed to prevent damage to the door and trim. 

Booth #321: Visit SHELTER Magazine While at the NSDJA show please stop by SHELTER’s booth (#321) to pick up the latest issue of SHELTER magazine, or our sister publication Door & Window Maker (DWM). The SHELTER staff would also love to talk to you about future articles and other ideas or questions you may have about the magazine. We look forward to seeing you in Orlando.

Booth #355: 
Koch Offers “Real” Wood Doors 
Koch & Co. of Seneca, Kan., is offering its Formanek Door™, a wood-raised panel interior door with an insulated core and a low-maintenance non-wood exterior, because, according to the company, homeowners deserve the beauty of real wood. The doors also offer security and superior insulating values, for new construction and remodeling.
 
Booth #647: 
SEEMAC Features GESSO-Coated Mouldings
SEEMAC Inc., based in Carmel, Ind., will inform NSDJA attendees of the advantages of GESSO-coated mouldings, which the company refers to as the highest quality primed mouldings on the market. One of the benefits of the material is that pine and ultra-light fiberboard can be used in conjunction with each other since the finish is identical for both, according to the company. 

According to SEEMAC, customers who use this coating will save money due to lower finishing costs, few to no callbacks and almost no waste. 

Booth #513: 
RSL Unveils Five New Designs
RSL Inc. has not one design, but five new designs that it has added to its decorative glass collection. One of these, the Tuscany collection, features liquid crystal resin technology and is available in a variety of sizes including transoms. All five designs, including the Margate, Regal, Newport and Dior designs, will be on display at NSDJA.

Booth #621:
Save Room with Johnson’s Pocket Doors
Want to save room in your customers’ homes? Then check out the pocket door from Elkhart, Ind.-based L.E. Johnson Products while at NSDJA. Unlike most doors that take up to ten square feet of space around the entryway, Johnson says its pocket doors utilize zero space and can be installed in any room.

The frame fits doors up to 5 feet wide by 9 feet high and works with all doors 1 1/8 to 1 ¾ inches thick and weighing up to 125 pounds. Additionally, the track’s box shape and convex makes it impossible for hanger wheels to jump off, according to the company. 

Booth #711: 
ODL Improves Enclosed Blind
ODL of Zeeland, Mich., will show its recently enhanced Add-On Enclosed Blind for steel and fiberglass doors to NSDJA attendees. Some of the additions include an easier installation, a sleeker look and a 15-percent increase in size. The blind is available in six colors to fit half or full doors and sidelites.

“Best of all, homeowners will never need to dust or clean this blind,” said Keith Early, product manager for ODL blinds and retractable screens.

  Booth #1025: 
Quick and Easy Door Replacement Now Available
Trinity Glass/Signamark Door of Tacoma, Wash., will showcase its decorative glass interior doors at NSDJA, which the company says work well as opaque kitchen door replacements. The company adds that the doors are designed to expand the feeling of light and space and can be installed in a matter of minutes.

Door frames are available in rich StainTru™ pine and StainTru red oak as well as the dent-resistant, ready-to-paint PrimeAdvantage™ finish. The glass is available in various textures, including soft frost and diamond crystal-cut grooved glass. 

NSDJA Convention Exhibitors
(as of August 27, 2003)

SHELTER