Fenestra
As the foremost buying group in the Canadian fenestration industry, the Fenestra Purchasing Co-op was founded on the singular vision of helping independent window and door fabricators thrive. After 10+ incredible years, the Fenestra Purchasing Co-op membership of 40+ fabricators is one of the largest buyers in the entire Canadian fenestration industry.
Fenestra operates on the co-operative model which gives each fabricator member one equal share of the Co-op, and one vote on the Co-op’s strategic direction. The Co-op is funded from a traction fee charged to the suppliers for the central billing efficiencies, and a small percentage of the total rebates paid out to members.
The Fenestra network includes the majority of the top window and door fabricators and manufacturers in Canada.
2,000+
Employed Personnel
25+
Supplier Partners
40+
Fabricator Members
2M+
SQ. FT. Manufacturing Footprint
Our Mission
Fenestra’s mission is to provide window and door fabricators and their Supplier Partners with financial and non-financial advantages that facilitate growth and increase competitiveness without changing what makes them successful, their independence.
An invitational-only network for:
Window / Door Fabricators
Independently-owned and operated window and/or door fabricators in Canada.
Fenestration Suppliers
Canadian and/or US-based suppliers of all fenestration materials and components that sell to window and door fabricators.
Service Providers to the Fenestration Industry
Complimentary companies that offer services to manufacturers and fabricators in the Canadian fenestration industry.
Board of Directors
Linda Gourlay
Bobby Labrie
Paul Kreutner
Adriano Iannetti
Jason Timmermans
Joël Bossé
Frequently Asked Questions
Fenestra Member-Ownership is for window and door fabricators across Canada and is by invitation only.
No, Fenestra believes in freedom of choice in who fabricators buy from. Members are encouraged and rewarded but are not required to switch all their purchases through to the Co-op’s participating Supplier Partners.
Existing members may submit new supplier suggestions and sponsor them at any time. The Supplier Selection Committee, a small number of Member-Owners, will then evaluate the supplier based on a wide set of criteria which includes factors from pricing, rebates, terms, return policies, service levels, and the product brand acceptance.
Rebates are a powerful tool for both the Supplier Partners and the Members. Suppliers like rebates for two main reasons;
- firstly, they protect the “street price” of their products
- secondly, they can structure the rebates as such that they only pay for member performance and loyalty
The Members benefit from rebates because they are able to protect negotiated pricing and the margins made on the sale of the products. Then, at the end of the year the rebate check comes in and goes straight to the bottom line!
Only the Supplier Selection Committee will know the full terms of the rebate programs. Strict enforcement of Fenestra Supplier Partner confidentiality enables suppliers to offer better overall pricing only to Fenestra Members without the risk of competitors or other of the supplier’s non-buying group customers knowing and saying “me too!”
Rebates are returned to each Member proportionally as they have been earned. For example, if Member A purchased 5% of the total Group purchases they would receive the same 5% of the earned rebates for each supplier program. Fenestra’s unique central billing and payment model allows line item tracking and a complete audit trail to ensure each member receives their portion of any earned rebates.
Fenestra is a 100% Member-Owned Purchasing Co-operative. Each Member-Owner holds one share only. One share – one vote ensures all Member- Owners have a voice in their Co-op. The Co-operative model returns profits (earned rebates), in direct proportion to the purchasing participation of each Member.
The Co-op is managed under contract by LBMX Inc., utilizing a dedicated General Manager, as well as support staff, a board of directors, and member committees are all utilized to ensure the Co-operative meets its objectives.
Each Fenestra Member is required to meet credit criteria. In addition, a third-party Accounts Receivable insurance is used to greatly reduce the impact of any default. In the rare occasions where a Member default has occurred, Fenestra has triggered the AR insurance and the Supplier payment has been paid within 90 days. In all cases of default to date, our Supplier Partners have received payment on 100% of their invoices processed through the Co-op.
Fabricator Member-Owners:
- A one-time $1,500 Setup Fee on Fenestra’s billing platform.
- An annual $3,500 Membership Fee.
- A $1 Shareholder buy-in.