What if the most overlooked parts of your house are the biggest levers for comfort, safety, and long-term value? I sit down with John Crosby, president and CEO of the Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA), to unpack how high-performance windows, doors, and skylights can shift from commodity to everyday upgrade, and what it will take to get there.
We trace the path from policy to performance, revealing why standards and model codes often decide market outcomes long before a product hits the shelf. John breaks down the real story on tariffs and pricing and how advocacy must balance public good with workable timelines. We examine the housing affordability crisis through a pragmatic lens: adding capacity and efficiency without sacrificing margins or jobs, and orchestrating a labor transition as veteran expertise retires. The takeaway is practical and urgent. Workforce development must move beyond slogans into hands-on pathways that prove modern manufacturing is safe, valuable, and future-forward.
We also get tactical about the tools leaders can control. AI and robotics can lift plant productivity and employee experience when paired with smart processes and clear metrics. A digital-first association can amplify member voices and turn data into decisions. And perhaps most importantly, the industry’s story needs a refresh: consumers don’t buy U-factors, they buy how a home feels. Direct-to-consumer education, values-based messaging, and brand experiences that connect benefits to daily life can unlock adoption at scale.
Topics we cover:
• Mission to accelerate adoption of high-performance windows, doors, and skylights across North America
• Standards and model codes as the real battleground, not just federal legislation
• Tariffs, pricing signals, and avoiding panic-driven decisions
• Housing affordability and scaling without crushing margins
• Workforce development, aging expertise, and practical on-ramps
• Robotics and AI to boost safety, quality, and throughput
• Digital strategy and non-dues revenue to strengthen advocacy
• Data and insights to guide leaders and align the market
• DTC demand, values-based storytelling, and consumer education
• Five-year vision: fenestration as a quality-of-life upgrade
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