AAMA keynote speaker shares positive trends for fenestration industry

Date: 28 June 2012
Source: AAMA

Date: 28 June 2012

Keynote Speaker Michael Collins discussed the current and future state of the fenestration industry during the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2012 Summer Conference in Oak Brook, Ill.

A lot of companies I talk to are telling me they are up 15 to 20 percent, and I expect that [percent] to be higher in the next few years,” said Collins, managing director of the Building Products Group of Jordan, Knauff & Company.According to Collins, fenestration industry plant expansions were closely balanced by plant closures during the same period.Industry bankruptcies and business closures dropped substantially in 2008 through 2010, although they inched up again in 2011. Collins considers it a positive sign that many companies are being purchased out of bankruptcy rather than being liquidated.

In regards to the residential market, the National Association of Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index notes that single-family home starts are recovering from a low base and existing home sales are improving. “Home affordability is extremely high,” Collins said. He added that those with a household income at or above the median income level have the ability to purchase “76 percent of homes within their market.”

The commercial market is also seeing positive trends in the form of power and energy construction, as well as strong forecasts for building in the manufacturing sector.

Despite these positive trends, Collins noted the constraints on both the residential and commercial markets. “[Future] homeowners still have difficulty obtaining mortgages,” Collins said, which causes “an excess of homes for sale.” In regards to the commercial market, many new construction projects that have been approved are being delayed due to lack of financing available to developers.

Still, Collins is optimistic about the state of the fenestration industry. “We made it through the storm,” Collins said. “It’s now time to harvest the benefits of surviving a really tough downturn.”

Collins has 18 years of experience in investments, with nearly 10 years at Jordan, Knauff & Company where he leads the firm’s efforts in raising capital and mergers and acquisitions advisory for window and door companies.

Some of Collins’ many contributions to the fenestration industry include publishing the Window & Door Industry Benchmark Survey, conducting semi-annual Window & Door Update webinars, and writing a regular column for Door & Window Manufacturer.

600450 AAMA keynote speaker shares positive trends for fenestration industry glassonweb.com

See more news about:

Others also read

On May 15 and 16, 2025, the A+W Clarity User Conference took place at our headquarters in Fernwald — an event exclusively for our customers from across Europe.
Discover what’s next in glass at GPD 2025 - with over 120 presentations, hands-on workshops, and global networking opportunities. The program is live - explore it now and secure your spot!
Customers from across the U.S. and Canada came together in Denver, Colorado, May 4–7, 2025, for A+W’s biennial User Conference—Converge ’25.
Advanced PVB interlayer for EV side windows delivers design flexibility and acoustic comfort.
A chance to recognize an industry leader at GPD: Nominations open for the 2025 GPD JV Award!
TurkishGlass proudly represented the Turkish glass industry at the ZAK World of Façades Boston Conference, emphasising its position as a global leader in architectural glass solutions.

Add new comment

NEWS RELATED PRODUCTS

Qingdao REXI Industries Co., Ltd
Guardian Glass Europe