It has often been said that when a door closes, a window of opportunity opens.
That was the case for the founders of Fentro Technologies, a trio of entrepreneurs who immigrated to Canada from Germany with a vision to bring European tilt-and-turn windows to North American fabricators.
Having operated a manufacturing plant for many years, they understood the challenges associated with the industry’s supply chain, and they knew there had to be a better way.
“There were too many different European suppliers required to complete the final product,” says Fentro general manager Eduard Braun.
“The company’s mission from the beginning has been to bridge the gap between the window and door fabricator and its European-based suppliers of profiles, hardware and accessories, through support and service.”
Fentro grew rapidly after it was founded in 2001 in Delta, B.C. In 2006, its head office was moved to a 30,000-square-foot building in Morden and today, the company is a leading distributor of window and door systems, focusing on three core areas of service: Patio doors and uPVC profile systems, hardware and tools, and interior shadings.
“Our extensive knowledge of tilt-and-turn window systems and European door systems, from engineering and development to warehousing and logistics, allows Fentro to provide North American window and door manufacturers with cutting-edge European fenestration products and solutions,” Braun says.
“With more than 60 years of combined experienced in the fenestration industry, we are dedicated to sharing our knowledge of the tilt-and-turn system to help fabricators offer their customers a high-quality window product that meets North American building codes and requirements.”
Fentro also offers preassembled lift and slide doors that can easily be integrated into product offerings.
“Our experience has equipped us to be able to assist our customers in not only the supply chain, but also in helping create the manufacturing process,” Braun says.
“Our knowledge of work flow, equipment requirements, and scaling allows us to aid our customers in a large part of the fabrication process.”
The company provides a wide range of products, including French shutters and balcony systems. However, one of Fentro’s greatest assets is its staff of close to 20 full-time workers.
“Our staff is experienced with design, fabrication and distribution of these products,” Braun says. “We strive to offer superior customer service with support to the fabricator just starting up or the seasoned fabricator.”
– Article by Pat Rediger
– Photos by Darcy Finley
MBIZ magazine, Dec 2017, Vol 12
