Andersen Corporation is a renowned international door and window manufacturing company. The company employs about 12,000 individuals at over thirty logistic centers. They also operate manufacturing facilities as well as company owned and operated retail locations. Andersen is privately held and has its headquarters in Bayport, Minnesota.

The company’s vision is to make the world a better and more beautiful place. At the same time, they strive to live up to its customers’ expectations.

The notion of caring for the world is part of the company culture. The company encourages all its employees to take part in community activities. Moreover, they provide employees with great opportunities. These initiatives include volunteering for the notable organization Habitat for Humanity.

Hans Jacob Andersen founded the company as Andersen Lumber Company in 1903 in Wisconsin. The company changed its name in 1929 to Andersen Frame Company and Andersen Corporation in 1937. Andersen Lumber Company originally operated from Hudson, Wisconsin.  Logs arrived there through the St. Croix River.

The company originated the famous “two-bundle” method in 1905, which streamlined and improved the window construction process. Hans Andersen sold the lumberyards in 1908 to devote all the company resources and efforts to its window frame business. To expand, Andersen built a brand new factory in South Stillwater in 1913 (now Bayport), Minnesota.

Forbes ranked Andersen Corporation 179 their List of Top Private Companies. The company had sales of $2.5 billion for the year ending December 31, 2016. In addition, Andersen Corporation, along with its affiliates, is the biggest door and window manufacturers in North America.

Andersen deservedly earned the title of the best window products brand of wood as well as wood clad windows. The criteria for the title including brand familiarity and quality rating by the popular Builder magazine back in 2015.

The company’s longstanding practice of manufacturing products that perform year after year allows it to offer the best overall warranties in the whole industry.

Andersen Corporation designs, manufactures, and supplies exterior and interior doors, wood, aluminum, and vinyl windows, and other components, used in the new construction. Andersen makes beautiful awning, casement, gliding and single and double hung windows that will breathe a new life in your home.

The company also makes a slew of high-quality doors, which include entry doors, gliding patio doors, screen doors and storm doors among others. The quality of materials and skillful construction make their products stand out from the competitors. Their doors and windows will add a lot of curb appeal to your home.

The company believes so strongly in its products that it still offers components for doors and windows built several decades ago. In case a problem arises, Andersen has an extensive network of top-notch service providers.

One of the main goals at Andersen is to empower customers so that they can transform their home with stunning doors and windows. Using its unique perspective and superior products, the company helps customers re-imagine how their space can feel, look, and function. With a plethora of collections as well as customization options, the company has reliable products, which create the style and décor you are looking to achieve.

It isn’t often that a construction or building materials company talks about culture as well as the product, but Windsor Windows does just that. The Des Moines, Iowa company started small in 1946, just after the end of the Second World War, and took pride in top-quality craftsmanship for fair prices that their customers could afford. Their reputation for good value spread not just to other trades, but to homeowners too.

Purchased by Woodgrain Millwork in 1987, Windsor ceased to be just a regional company. The largest molding and door manufacturer in the USA, the company now operates across 20 locations. However, the original Windsor ethos of not being a typical company persists – there is still a dedication to crafting not just the best windows and doors for the job, but the ones that meet the exact requirements of each individual customer. Custom builds that project both modern and traditional are not uncommon.

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It’s unusual for any large manufacturing company not to have a corporate responsibility policy nowadays, but Windsor Windows have a dedicated green policy unlike most others. Not only is the life-cycle of the products they manufacture carefully considered to make them as long-lasting and energy efficient as possible, they also take into account how energy efficient they are in terms of saving customer resources too, in terms of fuel bills. In short, their products have a direct positive impact on the environment.

Making it easier for the trades is at the heart of their policy too. Knowing that the pressure is on for builders and contractors to go green as far as possible, they actively seek out and join organizations that have a similar commitment to doing the right thing by the environment, thus ensuring the joint contribution to a carbon footprint is as small as possible.

They also know claims aren’t enough; they not only recycle themselves, they make purchases where a significant percentage of the components are recycled. Additionally, the packaging materials can be recycled too. The manufacturing facilities also join the crusade, with heating and lighting options to minimize energy consumption throughout the working day and outside of working hours.

Over the course of a year, the Windsor Windows list of materials that are reused or recycled is an impressive read; there are the obvious recycling aims, such as cardboard, paper, and scrap metal, but batteries, light bulbs and even toner and ink cartridges are recycled too. If a company takes their membership of the United States Green Building Council this seriously, the customer knows that they can rest easy in terms of their own efforts to protect the environment.

The Windsor Windows brand has become synonymous not just with an environmental impact commitment, but with quality. The original ethos of quality and value has endured through seventy years of trading, and permeates every level of the company, from manufacture through to customer service.

History

The retail lumber yard that Guardian Building Products can trace its humble beginnings back to means that 2017 marks its impressive 150th birthday. In 1867, W. M. Cameron opened his yard in Warrensburg, Missouri, and supplied timber for construction to the emerging Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad. The ‘Guardian’ part of the name first appears in 1932, with the Guardian Glass Company in Detroit, contracted to make windshields for the celebrated Motor City’s car industry.

However, the company in its present form really started to take shape in 1980, as Guardian Fibreglass set up shop in Albion, Michigan, forming the foundations for the Guardian Building Products of today. Today, with more than 30 distribution centers across the United States, Guardian Building Products is a leading specialty building products distributor.

Products

Guardian Building Products pride themselves on quality, and delivering that quality to their customers. They select their suppliers through their consistency in terms of what they deliver, as this is what keeps their customers coming back. They offer:

• Roofing products – with brands including Tarco (roofing underlay specialists), and Tamko (who specialize in color-matching existing roofing, adding visual appeal to residential properties)
• Doors – including Thermatru (with a range of classic wood residential doors)
• Acoustic solutions – USG offer ceiling and wall panels which make a significant impact on sound transfer out of the building
• Ceilings – Armstrong Ceilings has an impressive global project gallery, showing off their innovative products in place

In short, they stock brands which cover every aspect of residential and commercial building, and which deliver quality and value to the customer every time.

Direct Services

Guardian Building Products also offer a team of sales experts to help customers with purchases. Twenty-plus strong, the team averages around two decades’ worth of industry experience each, giving their customers confidence that their answers aren’t just quick, they’re reliable too. Combined with their 30-plus distribution facilities, it gives them national reach, and the buying power that implies; in fact, one telephone call gives the customer access to hundreds of big brands and products, saving time and therefore money. They also offer a loyalty program to regular customers.

News

The company hasn’t finished expanding either; in 2016, Guardian Building Products acquired Hawkeye Building Distributors, a company based in Rock Island, Illinois, and a distributor of building materials including hardline roofing and millwork products. Hawkeye were serving independent lumber yards in the Midwest, and also had additional locations in Chillicothe and Joplin in addition to their millwork assembly facility in Rock Island.

2016 also saw the takeover of parent arm, Guardian Industries, by Koch International, who saw the company as a “world-class organisation, and a leader in providing innovative products”. Earlier this year, SRG Global, another company under the Guardian parent arm, opened a new Innovation Center in Taylor, Michigan.

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• GSU University Commons, Atlanta – Metromont products were used for this project, designed by architectural firm Niles Bolton Associates Inc., and built by Hardin Construction Company as the main contractor. The project consisted of four buildings ranging from eight to 15 stories, with capacity for around 2000 students. The budget called for smart solutions; pre-cast concrete was the obvious choice, being more economical than metal and a brick veneer finish. Pre-cast concrete not only brought the cost right down, but enabled the contractor to set the panels at night, knocking several months off the schedule, and saving a great deal on labor costs.
• A real hometown project, Metromont pre-cast concrete was also used for the National Bank of South Carolina Regional Headquarters in Greenville, with architects Neal Prince, and BE&K Building Group as the main contractor. This was originally intended to be a steel structural frame construction, but the design team faced a schedule which required building work to take place over the winter months. Metromont’s pre-cast concrete provided the ideal solution with no compromise on quality or aesthetics. The end result was described the contractor as “outstanding”.

JELD-WEN, founded in 1960 by Richard “Dick” Wendt, is an American company and has its headquarters in Charlotte, NC.

The company vision is to lead the international building products industry with incredible people making superior products and providing excellence in everything that the company does.

The company runs over 120 manufacturing facilities in about nineteen countries. Hence, the setup makes it one of the world’s biggest and most successful manufacturers of doors and windows. The company is known for its state-of-the-art technology and innovative products.

JELD-WEN is a public listed company and trades on the NYSE. Gary Michel is the current CEO of the company. The company has grown rapidly and currently has more than 20,000 employees.

JELD-WEN designs, manufactures and distributes exterior and interior doors, wood, aluminum and vinyl windows, shower enclosures, wall systems, closet systems as well as other components, used in the new construction. The company also repairs and remodels residential homes as well as non-residential buildings.

JELD-WEN’s founder Richard Wendt was an entrepreneur. He learned the ins and outs of managing a manufacturing entity under the guidance of his father, Lester Wendt. In early 1957, Iowa-based Lester sent Dick to Oregon to help run and manage his company’s millwork plant that was in Klamath Falls. Lester decided to dispose of the plant in an auction.

Dick along with four business partners, John Biehn, Larry Wetter, Gerry Wickersham, and Bill Taylor purchase most of the company assets on October 25, 1960. They named the newly formed company JELD-WEN.

JELD-WEN grew during the 1970s and 1980s, through acquisition and vertical integration. In 1989, JELD-WEN was officially ranked 7^th among all privately held entities in Oregon with impressive revenues of over $350 million.

During the 1990s, the company continued to diversify and moved into additional service areas. Moreover, the company successfully expanded to new continents and countries.

Forbes ranked JELD-WEN 225^th in 1996 among the country’s top 500 privately held companies. In addition, in 1997, the company clinched the 119^th spot with revenues of about $1.39 billion.

While the company sought new and better business ventures to advance in the marketplace, they focused on investing in the local community as well. The company believes in preserving the environment as it is the ethical thing to do.  In 1969, JELD-WEN started community support initiatives. Thus, they continue to offer financial assistance via scholarships, grants, and matching JELD-WEN United Way donations.

The company makes various types of windows such as double hung, single hung, fixed, awning, sliding, bay, casement, bow, and garden. These windows are both functional and beautiful. Moreover, the company makes a diverse range of exterior doors, which include glass panel, Dutch and all panel. JELD-WEN also makes high-quality interior doors of various types which are stunning and will complement your home. These are all panel, glass panel, louver, and bi-fold doors.  Patio doors manufactured by the company include folding door, sliding door, swinging door and multi-sliding door.

The company uses a variety of materials in the construction of its products. Here are some of the materials we use:

• EpicVue
• Custom Wood
• Siteline® Wood
• W-4500 Wood
• W-2500 Wood
• Builders Vinyl (V-2500)
• Premium Atlantic Vinyl
• Premium Aluminum (A-500)
• Builders Atlantic Aluminum
• DF® Hybrid
• Smooth-Pro Fiberglass
• Design-Pro Fiberglass
• Studio™ Collection
• Steel
• Molded Wood Composite
• Flush Wood Composite
• MODA™ Collection
• DesignGlide™

Moreover, the company serves clients across North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Although the company products changed, the company has stayed true to its purpose which is to bring beauty and security to residential and commercial spaces.

Ply Gem is based in Cary, NC and is North America’s top manufacturer and supplier of exterior construction materials, including windows, stone, siding, and forty other categories.

The company has more than 65 locations in the US and Canada and employs more than 8500 people. The company mission is to be the building products maker of choice in all markets it serves.

Excellent customer loyalty and relations define the success of the company. Moreover, the factors contribute to the company’s position as a leading employer as well as superior profitability and growth.

Since its humble beginning, Ply Gem has always been a unique and forward-thinking company – focused on innovation and growth. From its start way back in 1943, the company has become an industry leader. The company offers customers throughout North America a comprehensive portfolio of high-quality exterior products from its diverse group of brands. Hence, homeowners can enjoy a comfortable, beautifully customized, and low maintenance home.

Bernard Hewitt founded Ply Gem back in 1943 at the age of 27. Hewitt started this company in New York by buying plywood crates for just twenty-five cents. Next, he resold this wood for a sizable profit margin. Eventually, his determination and hard work allowed him to save sufficient money to make it big into the plywood business.

Through its extensive range of top-notch exterior building products, the company helps its customers in building style via a complete and all-inclusive solution called The Designed Exterior™. It is a combination of materials, textures, and colors — all meant to work well together to create customized curb appeal.

The company’s line of products can enhance your home’s curb appeal. The diverse product range includes:

• Siding
• Proofing
• Doors and windows
• Trim and accessories
• Stone
• Fence and railing
• Gutter protection systems
• Door surround systems
• Shutters
• Window mantles
• Mounting blocks
• Decorative corner posts

Ply Gem believes in building smart by offering eco-friendly solutions while maintaining environmentally-conscious and efficient business practices. The company is also taking other steps to help the environment. Moreover, the company is increasing its operational resourcefulness and identifying new ways to reduce carbon emissions and lower environmental impact.

Throughout its business processes, the company follows socially and ethically responsible practices while minimizing its impact on the environment.

So, whether it is the materials it uses, how it gets them to market, or the precious energy Ply Gem’s products save in the long run– it certainly all adds up to a considerable commitment and dedication to future generations.

Some eco-friendly initiatives of the company include its:

• Recycling program
• Energy star windows
• Energy efficient lighting
• Insulated siding
• NAHB Research Center

Ply Gem incorporated Foundation Labs in 2013. Foundation Labs is a separate business division exclusively dedicated to

• Leveraging industry research and experts
• Furthering building science
• Innovating around testing, products, and design aesthetics

The company promotes career advancement and professional growth through:

• Advanced Leadership Program
• Training
• Tuition reimbursement

Ply Gem manufactures its products in North America. Moreover, they back each product with warranties. Hence, customers can have full confidence in their remarkable quality.

PROSOCO is a national manufacturer of products for cleaning, protecting and maintaining concrete; making building envelopes air- and water-tight; and cleaning, protecting and restoring new and existing masonry buildings.

Since its founding in 1939, the company has excelled at the innovation and development of superior products and services for the construction industry.

PROSOCO has offices and production facilities in Lawrence, Kansas with an extensive sales and technical support staff throughout the United States. PROSOCO products are available internationally with products currently sold in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and China through licensed manufacturers.

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PROSOCO Products

Sure Klean

Sure Klean products first hit hardware store shelves in 1956. Ever since then, Sure Klean has been a go-to product for engineers, contractors, and architects across the country. These industry professionals quickly realized the dual purpose that Sure Klean could solve, it was great for the final cleanup of new construction and equally as great for restorative cleaning of existing masonry buildings.

When you look at the enormous price of a building, the price of masonry cleaners does not even become a thought for most people. When masonry cleaning, if done properly, not only does it look great on the contractor but makes the natural beauty and appearance of a building much better as well.

PROSOCO has created a special formula in this product that allows the user to apply it to Masonry to remove stains without damage to the surface. Professional after professional have attempted to clean masonry with a solution not intended to clean masonry and ended with disastrous results. Sure Klean ensures that this never needs to happen and PROSOCO is so confident in this product that every gallon is backed by free job site testing and support as well as a toll-free customer care line for any questions regarding Sure Klean.

R-Guard barrier systems

One of the biggest things looked at when architects design a building is controlling the leakage of air and water to maintain an energy efficient building. R-Guard is a barrier system that helps these architects achieve a building that is capable of withstanding extreme wind and wet conditions making the building more durable, resilient, and sustainable.

PROSOCO designed the R-guard air barrier system to stop air leakage in rough openings, through wall structures, sheathing seams, and material transitions to create a building that is virtually air tight. The result of an air tight building is a building that is energy efficient. Some of the buildings that receive the most extreme weather in the world rely on R-Guard by Prosoco. One of these is the Bullitt Center in Seattle that utilizes R-Guard because of the amount of wind and rain it encounters.

Blok-Guard & Graffiti Control

One of the unforeseen and costly issues for any building is graffiti cleanup. Sure Klean Weather Seal Blok-Guard and Graffiti control helps alleviate those costs while also providing protection against the elements. Blok-Guard and Graffiti Control is a solvent-based silicone elastomer that PROSOCO formulated to weatherproof custom masonry units, architectural concrete block, cast stone, wood, precast concrete, and any other porous material that could soak up the paint from graffiti or rainwater and ruin the material. Blok-Guard and graffiti control protects these surfaces from repeated graffiti attacks without altering the natural appearance, the treated surfaces resist penetration of most types of graffiti making the graffiti removal process quick, easy, and cost effective. The product also controls rainwater penetration through exterior blocked walls but the treated surface breathes so moisture does not become trapped.

Enviro Klean

Back in 1998, Prosoco developed the first environmentally safe all surface cleaner and became a pioneer in the green movement. Ever since then the cleaning company has been pushing the industry to develop safe for the environment cleansers and chemical technology. Prosoco employs a full staff of chemists whose job is to develop cleaning products for masonry buildings while staying ahead of the consistently changing chemical regulations industry.

The Enviro Klean product line effectively cleans masonry without the addition of caustics, solvents, or harsh acids. These products are a safer alternative than all the other abrasive alternatives on the market today.

Consolideck®

The Consolideck system is a line of products from PROSOCO that comes with 100% Free training to ensure the end users have the ultimate system for finished concrete flooring. The system included water based stains, color hardeners, concrete hardener and densifiers, protective treatments, and maintenance cleaners.

Sustainability

Since the beginning of the company, PROSOCO has been leading initiatives for transparency in the construction industry. The company has spent millions of dollars while working alongside contractors, building scientists, architects, and more to develop sustainable options for the construction industry. All PROSOCOS products surpass the highest green standards in contemporary building design and construction and they have a plethora of awards and achievements because of this.  The LEED v4 and Living building challenge V2.2 are a blueprint to a great deal of PROSCOS’s formulations that have led to this success. PROSOCO has a broad mission to design products that maximize building energy efficiency and durability while leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible.

Living Building Challenge

The Living Building Challenge has high standards for acceptance and PROSOCO has met the all. The standards are net-zero water consumption, net-zero energy consumption and reduced construction materials, impact on people and environment. With very few exceptions, any materials used in the creation of products must not have any “Red List” materials. The Red list is a gathering of items that have been selected to be phased out because they present some health or toxicity concerns with most of these coming from the construction industry and building materials. There are hundreds of unique chemicals on this list. PROSOCO was selected as the concrete finish and air and water resistive barrier supplier for the most notable Living Building Challenge commercial project, the Bullitt Center.

The effect PROSOCO has on the environment is just one of the many reasons to buy products from this company. Not only have they been in the marketplace for a very long time but their products are also amazing. When it comes to a wide variety of products and the customer support to ensure that you use the correct product to get the job done, it is hard to beat PROSOCO.