Window Classics Corporation

Joe Garcia grew up in the building industry. “My dad had a small remodeling company and I started helping him out as a teenager,” explains Garcia, now president and CEO of Windows Classic Corporation (WCC). “I went to school and studied architecture, but the desk job just wasn’t a fit for me. I went out and got into sales, working for a building materials distributor which is how I became associated with Marvin Windows and Doors [Marvin].”

Marvin is a manufacturer of quality windows, doors and the Integrity Window and Door Ultrex Fiberglass product line. After gaining familiarity with the brand and several others, Garcia decided it was time to branch out. “In 1988 I partnered up the owners of Jiffy Door and Supply Company, and we founded WCC,” says Garcia. “I was in my mid-20s when we quickly started expanding WCC, but it wasn’t until my mid-30s that we began experiencing success. In 1991, Marvin approached us and asked if we wanted to distribute their products.”

The partners agreed to the deal and began opening showrooms across the state. Eventually Garcia’s partners retired from the materials trade, allowing him to purchase WCC in 2000 and take the company’s growth to new levels.

Reaching Out to Customers

WCC operates out of nine locations in Florida with a headquarters in Pembroke Park. The WCC team’s capabilities allow the company to serve as a distributor to customers all over the state, throughout the Caribbean and parts of Central America. “We’re the largest windows supplier with this kind of geographic outreach,” says Garcia. “Our main focus is high-end windows and doors for residential and commercial projects. Our sales team has partnered with architects, contractors and homeowners to provide door and window expertise and solutions tailored to satisfying the requirements of each project.”

The staff of 42 acts as a distributorship, but also partners with WCC’s installation company to provide door and window installation services. “We have our own installation company and we install 50 percent of what we sell,” notes Garcia. “It’s a separate entity called Classic Installations [CI], but it’s owned by the same group. Most of our installers are subcontractors local to these projects.”

CI is managed independently to ensure quality performance and communication. The CI team is responsible for networking with local labor to provide quick, professional and durable installation services in all markets. The housing market, particularly in Florida, is picking up after the recession. Therefore, both of Garcia’s company teams are braced for an influx of new projects.

A Unique Portfolio

WCC specializes in unusual products and projects on the higher end of the building supply spectrum. The company offers a range of window and door options that are designed not only to be attractive fixtures in a home, but also to withstand the elements. In the tropical region, hurricanes present a serious threat to properties; therefore, Marvin’s StormPlus line features windows and doors constructed with hurricane impact glass to meet the stringent impact codes of South Florida.

Another unique product line is the Integrity system, made with Ultrex, a state-of-the-art fiberglass that offers better longevity and durability than vinyl- or aluminum-framed windows. The company’s wood Ultrex windows offer a stylish throwback style, but maintain unexpected flexibility. “The material is eight-times stronger than vinyl, is virtually indestructible, and paintable and comes in a variety of colors,” says Garcia. “Ultrex is definitely the best building material for windows and doors on the market today.”

Along with the Marvin product line, WCC also represents door products, including Weiland Lift and Slide Doors and WinDoor Industries’ sliding glass doors, to complement the company’s product offering. WCC also offers PGT Industries and CGI Window and Doors, which are some of the best aluminum and impact window and doors available for tough Florida environment.

The team has been involved with several unique construction projects. “We deal in the high-end, custom-home market,” Garcia explains. “In our residential division, we’ve been working with the builders on the Disney World Golden Oaks project.” Golden Oaks is a resort community, the first of its kind, being constructed in the park, mixing classic Floridian style with the perks of a planned community.

On the commercial end, the team has recently supplied windows for the newly remodeled courthouse in Manatee County and the Coral Gables Museum, which has undergone a complete restoration. Currently the team is supplying a few large commercial projects, including another historically significant courthouse in Sumter County.

While the recent recession has impacted the construction supply industry, Garcia says he and the team are seeing an uptick in the housing market that will lead to increased volume in sales for WCC. “We’ve been pretty lucky,” he explains. “We haven’t had to downsize our staff and we’ve maintained profitability. Even if things keep going in the right direction, it’ll be a few years before we see a full recovery. There’s some slow growth now in the housing industry here. Right now we’re seeing people building either starter homes or multimillion dollar homes. The $300,000 to $1 million range is flooded with houses for sale that are cheaper than building them. In Florida there are a lot of people with money who have been sitting on the sidelines and it looks like people are starting to do something with it.”

As the market improves, WCC is diversifying to fill in the gaps while the industry picks up. Garcia and his team have added millwork components like interior doors and entry door systems to WCC’s product line to supplement sales. With a wide geographic reach and the flexibility to diversify, WCC has remained stable throughout the economic dip. With a full recovery ahead, Garcia and his staff at Window Classics Corporation are prepared to continue offering superior service and durable, attractive products to customers all over the region.