Replacement Windows

PLY GEM INDUSTRIES
Kearney, MO

vinyl replacement window

A 1978 research project concluded that in Europe approximately 65% of all replacement windows were manufactured from polyvinylchloride (PVC) extrusions. At that time the American market for windows made of PVC was less than 3%.

Recognizing this opportunity, a five-person team launched a venture in 1981 to manufacture vinyl replacement windows out of a small warehouse in downtown Toledo, Ohio. Initially Great Lakes’ product line consisted of a double hung, a slider and a picture window, all of which were mechanically fastened and available only in white. 

An Innovative Legacy Begins

Throughout the next five years, Great Lakes Window grew its capabilities and product line offerings with the addition of casement, bow and bay vinyl replacement windows and began using an innovative new manufacturing process in the industry known as pinch fusion welding.  This technique creates a solid, one-piece unit that maintains its strength over the years and ensures that frame and sash corners won’t come apart over time. Unlike competitors’ vinyl windows, Great Lakes products do not contain staples, glue, or nails. This provides customers with better performing, and longer lasting, windows.  

The company has set industry requirements with a number of firsts including:

  • Manufacturing vinyl windows with an argon gas insulator

  • Constructing a vinyl frame with patented R-Core® insulation

  • Offering options such as attractive glass, solid brass hardware, a three-point locking mechanism and recessed tilt latches

  • Creating laminated wood grain interior finishes

  • Providing homeowners with a transferable, lifetime window warranty

As its growth continued, the company moved out of downtown Toledo in 1986 and into new headquarters in Walbridge, OH.  This 6-acre, 500,000-square foot manufacturing and office facility currently houses over 450 employees who serve the more than 750 active Great Lakes Window dealers and distributors. Great Lakes Window has now custom-made more than eight million vinyl replacement Windows and doors for homeowners in 48 states. 

Committed to Manufacturing Excellence

Windows and doors made by Great Lakes stand apart from the competition as premium products made using state-of-the-art technology, modern equipment, and cutting edge operational techniques.

Great Lakes utilizes a manufacturing process known as Demand Flow Technology. It ensures a consistently high-quality product while manufacturing the most diverse product offering in the industry. Each window and door is ordered by a specific dealer to fulfill a homeowner’s custom order, a process enhanced by Demand Flow Technology.

Additionally, Great Lakes Window uses a wide selection of other technologies to assure its products meet the needs of customers and homeowners alike. These include: 

  • Digitally controlled saws and four-point welders to ensure size and consistency

  • CNC-controlled corner cleaners for quality aesthetics

  • Intercept® insulated glass line with in-line machining for corners and grille connection

  • Precision roll-formed spacers for repeatability and long-term durability.

Great Products Come From Great People

Great Lakes Window Associates have always been the key component to the company’s overall success. We’re dedicated to attracting and motivating a team of talented individuals by creating a work environment that fosters personal development, mutual respect, innovation and accomplishment. Our Associates are dedicated to the details that make our products unique and seek to provide breadth in design, along with custom options that cannot be found at other window manufacturers. Great Lakes’ employees complete the finishing touches, with attractive options such as beveled-leaded glass, designer grid options and natural-looking wood grain laminates. To a Great Lakes employee, making Windows and doors is not just a job; it is a commitment to fulfilling a customer’s vision of “home.”

Homeowners and consumers purchase Great Lakes vinyl replacement Windows and doors through a nationwide network of professional remodeling contractors, distributors and lumber yards. With an expansive product offering and multiple brands, Great Lakes Window has the right Windows and doors for virtually any replacement window need. 

Our product lines include:

Great Lakes Window is dedicated to helping its dealers and distributors separate themselves from the competition through the availability of outstanding marketing and sales tools including support literature, branded sites and educational seminars.  Great Lakes provides its customers with the fundamentals necessary to extend the benefits of its products to homeowners.

Independently Verified Quality

Great Lakes Window products are run through rigorous energy efficiency and quality testing by the National Fenestration Ratings Council (NFRC) to determine how well they prevent the transfer of heat through the window unit.  In addition, Great Lakes Window has been awarded Hallmark certification from the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) which tests performance ratings for air infiltration, water penetration, structural load and forced entry resistance. Windows featuring Great Lakes Window premium glass options earn the ENERGY STAR® by meeting the strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. ENERGY STAR qualification is based on NFRC certified product ratings.

A PlyGem Company

Great Lakes Windows was acquired by PlyGem Industries in 1986 which also includes Variform Siding, Napco Siding Systems, Kroy Fencing, CWD Windows, MW Windows and doors, Alenco Windows, and Alcoa Siding.  PlyGem, headquartered in Kearny, Missouri, is the parent company for this family of businesses which manufacture and distribute a range for products for use in the residential new construction, do-it-yourself and professional renovation markets. Principal products include vinyl siding, windows, patio doors, fencing, railing, decking and accessories. PlyGem’s majority shareholder is Caxton-Iseman Capital, Inc., a New York-based private equity firm.

PARTNERS:

CWD Windows and doors

From The beginning we've known that it takes great people to produce, sell, and service great products. Technology has changed, but without the talent and dedication of every CWD employee we would not have experienced the growth and success we have.

Beginning with the adoption of behavior based safety (BBS) training and other professional 1st in Service development programs we are fanatic about providing a safe working environment that allows our people to grow. Today the entire Industry is being challenged to meet the more stringent Occupational Health and Safety guidelines and become COR certified. At CWD, that is already a way of living.

Our collective commitment to excellence is also reflected in our international reputation for safety. CWD was invited by the International Congress on Workplace Safety to deliver a presentation in Stockholm, Sweden. And CWD's safety awareness extends beyond the walls of our manufacturing facility. We strive to protect the people who buy our products by designing Windows and doors that exceed the building code requirements.

Training and Education

Well trained employees are the heart of productivity, performance and self fulfillment. At CWD we challenge our multifaceted workforce to become the best they can be by encouraging and providing opportunities for skill and knowledge development. Manufacturing staff have gone on to become highly skilled field service technicians and order desk personnel have modern to numerous sales and management roles. These are but two examples of many. CWD is recognized as a fair and honest workplace employer and it shows in the overall quality of our people.

CWD has pioneered and participated in many industry programs over the years which have resulted in significant improvements in the installation practices of window and door products. Some examples include local trade school program assistance and on site instruction for residential framers. Participation in International Trade show such as the Tokyo event where we provided expert instruction for window and door products in their adoption of Canadian style for 2x4 construction practice.

We continue to welcome every opportunity to train our customers and their employees in all facets of our business from product and sales training to the use of our proprietary ezNet software programs.

CWD’s extensive line of Windows and doors are the result of science in harmony with design. In-house engineers employ modern technology and superior materials to develop products that provide maintenance-free performance for years. But the story doesn’t end there. Whether contemporary or classic, you’ll find a design and color/hardware combination to fit your personal style. CWD Windows and doors. Built for life, designed for living.

 

MW Windows and doors

MW Windows & Doors, a brand of MW Manufacturers Inc., with corporate headquarters in Rocky Mount, Va., is a leading manufacturer of window and door products for the residential construction industry. Founded in 1939, MW was one of the first window companies in the country to build a window and frame together as a single unit ready for installation into a rough opening. During World War II, MW interrupted its window operation to manufacture ammunition boxes for the war effort. Soon after the war ended, MW resumed its window manufacturing.

MW Manufacturers
433 N. Main Street
Rocky Mount, VA 24151-0559