Episode Transcript
Speaker 1 00:00:05 Welcome to the clear impact podcast brought to you by P G T I university. Thanks for joining us today. My name is Sherry Connor and I am your host
Speaker 2 00:00:20 Something that's, uh, wildly innovative from a product or from a service perspective. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and we, we, we want that feedback. We want that relationship. Our ears are open we're listening.
Speaker 1 00:00:30 Today's episode is short sweet and puts the cherry on top of our innovation series. Dean roar is joined by our CEO, Jeff Jackson, and we discuss how and why we continue to pursue innovation, not just in our products, but as the foundation for everything we do here at PGT innovations. So good afternoon, we are here on the clear impact podcast, and we are just going to finish off this wonderful series. We've been talking with our engineer teams about innovations, and today we have Dean roar with us, uh, VP of engineering. Welcome back, Dean.
Speaker 2 00:01:04 Thanks. Glad to be
Speaker 1 00:01:05 Here. And we also have Jeff Jackson with us, our CEO, Jeff, thanks for coming back into the studio.
Speaker 3 00:01:10 Thanks. Glad to be here too. That's
Speaker 1 00:01:12 Awesome. We've been exploring the history of PGT and the family of brands we've discussed our home run products and the iLab and our drive towards innovation. We've peeked ahead at some of the technologies regarding glass and smart locks and the NML series minimal series.
Speaker 2 00:01:29 No, Sightlines
Speaker 1 00:01:30 No, Sightlines that's right. And we're talking about what the market is looking for. So what is the impact of innovations for our company?
Speaker 3 00:01:39 Uh, sure. I'll take that first. I guess, Dean, first of all, I view us as more than just, uh, impact, uh, an innovation in terms of products. We are an innovation company. I've I've always said we're not just a window, our company, we're an innovation company, but that's not just in products. I know this is what the podcast is on, but we innovate in several ways. First of all, we innovate with obviously with our products being the first impact product to the market and being the industry leader. But secondly, we innovate with our people. We're constantly, uh, investing in our folks, whether that's opening up to training lab or investing with local colleges and schools to, uh, improve employees that we hire. That's innovative. Uh, we also are very innovative in our marketing approaches. If you think about our, our new south brand, for instance, uh, very innovative, very creative with our television marketing, our PGT, and how we branded all our very products from, from PGT CGI window echo. Uh, we're very innovative on the marketing front as well. Mm-hmm <affirmative> people tend to go to the products cuz that's what we do. We're a manufacturer, right? If you look at how innovation's affected us, uh, it's made us the market leader and impact. If you looked at how it's affected our Western brand, uh, it's made them the leader and indoor outdoor living. So I view innovation as making us a leader in whatever we choose to innovate in, but there's various things. We're innovators
Speaker 1 00:02:54 In. That's a great point. How do we continue to stay on the front lines of all of that, especially with new technology, things are evolving so quickly.
Speaker 2 00:03:02 Yeah, sure. So I'll talk a little bit about that, but you know, innovation, it, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. Uh, we stay close to our customer base first and foremost with real meaningful relationships with our customers where we see some of the unstated needs, uh, as, as well as try to solve problems that are ahead of them or, and, and that are the known needs from, from really knowing their business. In addition, we try to look to adjacent industries, building products, you know, from a product side and from a tech side, doesn't really have a history of being the market leader. So you look to other industries that are far ahead in that space. So attending consumer electronics show, looking toward automotive, we're on the precipice of smart homes. Uh, we're starting to see that get traction. And so we look to a lot of other industries to continue to innovate and be a market leader in, in really the tech space of the window at door industry.
Speaker 3 00:03:53 I would also add to that. We also look to our, uh, partner suppliers for innovation as well. We worked hand in hand, uh, with our various suppliers to come up with the latest and greatest in, uh, innovative products. That'll go into a window, whether that's, uh, you know, our, our major glass supplier Cardinal, as an example, we've, we've worked hand in hand with, with them in innovation, uh, over time, as well as Corning. Corning's another incredible partner, uh, that we innovate with, uh, as well. So you have to look at your supplier partner base and, and there's teamwork involved in innovation to bring in the latest and greatest, like Dean said, uh, you know, we're in the window and door industry, other suppliers supply other industries. So we can get a, a glimpse into how the other industries are doing.
Speaker 1 00:04:34 Right. Yeah. Kenny mentioned even like the glass that's on your iPhone and you know, some of those other spaces where there's a lot of innovation happening, if you dropped your iPhone 10 years ago, it would shatter in today, not so much. So there's lots of progress in that space too.
Speaker 2 00:04:47 Yep, absolutely. What
Speaker 1 00:04:49 Is the impact of innovations for our dealers?
Speaker 3 00:04:52 I think it keeps 'em, uh, differentiated mm-hmm <affirmative>, uh, between other, uh, dealers or other window door companies in the market. I think it also gives them kind of a, a good selling tool if you will, that will allow them to be different in an industry that can be commoditized. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, uh, you know, a lot of window door companies are commodity windows and doors. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, we're not we're specialty. Right. So everything we do impact indoor, outdoor living, whatever we do. And so since we're all custom made to order innovation is key for them.
Speaker 1 00:05:18 Mm-hmm <affirmative> right. Okay. One last question. Cause we're gonna keep this short and sweet today. What advice would you have for our dealers when it comes to innovation for them?
Speaker 3 00:05:30 I think we can both kind of chime in on this, but yeah, sure. I'll initially say that, you know, the advice would be always, um, reach out, you know, be creative, let us know your needs. We try to get in front of that curve if you will, but we can't see it all. I mean, we are, you know, we, we have our limits as well, but our dealer network is vast and uh, the more we can learn from them about what they're seeing in the field, the more we can learn from them about what their customers are telling us, where it's on their retail end, uh, with our retail brands or it's our dealer brands, wherever that endpoint is, uh, the more we can learn the better off we are as a company. And we obviously have the resources to then take that knowledge and innovate on it. Mm-hmm
Speaker 2 00:06:08 <affirmative> yeah. Yeah. Who agree? It's collaboration. Right. So we get in front of customers and we spend a lot of face time with customers through, through just day to day through special events like dealer partnership, councils, uh, and ETP events. But we, we want that collaboration. We have a full blown innovation lab here. Uh, we love to have customers come in and we, with the investment that this company has made in an innovation lab, we really have the space where we can do something, not at full scale production, but something that's, uh, wildly innovative from a product or from a service perspective. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and we, we, we want that feedback. We want that relationship. Our ears are open we're listening. Mm
Speaker 1 00:06:46 That's an awesome place to be. Any closing words,
Speaker 3 00:06:49 I'll just say, uh, always, uh, reach out to us. Uh, we' we're willing and able to, uh, invest the time and resources, the talent, like Dean said, we have an incredible facility here that we're actually in, in the iLab and, uh, we want to do that. That's what, uh, makes us different. And so please always reach out and let us know what you're thinking.
Speaker 1 00:07:06 That's awesome. Well, gentlemen, thank you so much for your time this afternoon. I really appreciate it. Have an awesome day and an awesome weekend.
Speaker 3 00:07:13 All right. You too. Thanks
Speaker 1 00:07:14 Sherry. Thanks. Bye. PG C I university is the customer education team for an entire family of brands. We began with the original easy breeze porch and closure line then became P G T America's leading brand of impact resistant windows and doors. We then added CGI C G I C window, Western windows, new south windows, echo windows and doors, and our latest acquisition and Lynn windows and doors. We create products built to withstand major storms, keeping people safe, secure, and prepared. Our exceptional brands give you the protection you need without compromising design or functionality. P G T I university is here to educate you our listener so that you can be more informed about window and door products.
