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Sealants and windows stick together in new company partnership

June 2, 2015
3 min read

One plus one equals three. At least, that’s how Mike Bozich sees the recent partnership formed between Henkel’s OSI brand of sealants and adhesives and leading window and door manufacturer JELD-WEN.

“It’s the idea of two powerful companies coming together creating something bigger than us doing it alone,” explains Bozich, vice president of business development for Henkel.

In June 2014, the two firms made their alliance official. But the relationship actually began in 2008 when JELD-WEN identified a need to address a high volume of installation failures, Bozich says.

The problems were not unique to JELD-WEN. In fact, it’s an issue all window and door manufacturers face, he notes. But the firm recognized it needed a solution that would protect its brand equity, reduce call-backs from customers and ensure dealer and homeowner satisfaction. So JELD-WEN tackled the problem head-on and turned to OSI for help.

“Because over 98 percent of failures are typically due to faulty installation, not the actual window or door, the newly formed alliance will help to ensure contractors install all of the manufacturer’s windows and doors properly using OSI’s QUAD Window & Door System,” he explains.

By naming OSI as its preferred partner, JELD-WEN promotes the relationship in materials it provides to its dealers. Each dealer receives a kit that includes window stickers, a quick reference guide, and all the important details regarding the partnership.

But the agreement extends beyond the tangible. As part of the partnership, contractors receive hands-on training that covers proper fenestration management and the installation protocol for windows and doors through the OSI QUAD Window & Door Installation Training program. While the dealers typically are the catalyst and serve as the location for training, it also can take place in the field, according to Bozich.

Although there are various levels of training available, the most common are bronze and silver, and once an installer completes on of these programs, he or she becomes OSI Certified.

This certification equips contractors with the know-how to install windows and doors properly. Equally important, however, it allows them to activate the 15-year QUAD Window & Door System Warranty on new construction projects, Bozich says.

Over the last six years, OSI has trained more than 14,000 contractors and so far, more than 1,000 have received the certification in conjunction with the JELD-WEN partnership. Bozich anticipates this number to rise steadily because of the benefits to the contractor.

“It builds his or her skill set and adds the warranty to their war chest and, along with those skills, it gives them a differentiating factor in a competitive marketplace and reduces call backs,” he explains.

Once the initial training is complete, however, the education isn’t over. OSI and JELD-WEN will continue to expand its efforts to provide contractors with the necessary tools to support their customers, be effective in their businesses and manage their turnover, Bozich adds.

“The commitment to training is never-ending,” he says. “That knowledge and know-how is not a one-and-done approach. It’s on ongoing relationship that we set forth as we look to the future. It’s an ongoing, relentless effort.”

For more information, visit OSITough.com or call 1-800-624-7767.

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