Manufacturing Replacement Windows—Made Different. Made Better

At their plant in Bayport, Minnesota, Andersen Windows works to preserve the nation's forests.

In the heart of what was once America's timber country, Bayport, Minnesota, Andersen, the United State's oldest window maker, isn't cutting down trees to build windows for Renewal by Andersen.

Instead, they're recycling wood—both to create windows and to save trees.

The end result: FIBREX windows. FIBREX is a revolutionary window material proven to endure wind, water, cold, and heat. And it's not just what they're made of that makes them so strong—it's also how they're made.

A Pinch of Wood... a Dash of Vinyl... Cook Under Tremendous Heat and Pressure...

In FIBREX, wood and vinyl are combined under extreme heat and pressure, then extruded into window frames.

Fibrex is a composite material made of recycled wood fibers and vinyl PVC. The wood fibers are all recycled from Andersen's manufacturing plants. No trees are cut down. This, along with many other programs to reduce fossil fuel emissions and encourage conservation, has earned Andersen the distinguished Green Seal Certification.

Your Fibrex window starts its journey with a precise mixture of 40% reclaimed wood fibers and 60% vinyl PVC. The wood fibers are ground ultra-fine, which removes inconsistencies such as grain variations or knots present in the wood. The vinyl PVC is made from a virgin formula designed to resist warping, cracking, and discoloring from prolonged exposure to heat, cold, and sunlight.

The two materials are fused together using tremendous heat and pressure. The wood and vinyl bond to each other, becoming one, ultra-durable composite: FIBREX.

What Does a Meat Grinder Have to Do with Making a Window Frame?

Once the vinyl and wood are combined, the newly formed Fibrex is extruded as tiny pellets. Think of a meat grinder or a sausage maker. A large amount of meat is added in, then squeezed out into a specific shape. In this case, Fibrex comes out as tiny pellets.

The Fibrex pellets then move to another machine where they are again put under tremendous heat and pressure. The Fibrex becomes soft, and is now squeezed out of another extrusion machine. This time the Fibrex takes the shape of one of your window frames or sashes.

Depending on your specifications, layers of color or wood veneers are added to the window. Technicians then carefully cool and calibrate your finished window piece to ensure it keeps its shape and integrity.

Fusion Welded for the Strongest Window Possible

Fusion welding creates strong, airtight corners.

Now the individual pieces of your window exist. They just need to be measured and cut for your custom fit. This part is handled by a computer, both to achieve precision and to reduce the risk of workers being hurt.

After each piece of your new window is cut to your custom measurements, the window is assembled. The pieces that will become the window frame are put into a fusion welder. The fusion welder is a machine that heats the corners of the window to 500 degrees Fahrenheit in 30 seconds. The heated corners are then fused together into one solid, square frame. The seal is airtight and will never break or fail, unlike other methods of window assembly that use glue or screws.

The sashes also undergo fusion welding. The glass is inserted in between the four pieces that will make up the sash, then the entire unit is fused together using the same process.

The Final Steps

Technicians thoroughly inspect each and every window before shipping.

Now your window is fully assembled. A technician checks to make sure that the window is perfect, operates smoothly, and matches your custom measurements. A sheet of protective plastic is placed across the glass to prevent scratching. Then the window is shipped to Mr. Rogers Windows.

But wait! We haven’t even talked about the glass. The glass unit in a window plays a huge role in the comfort and temperature level of your home. Discover the secrets of energy-efficient glass assembly and how you can save money on your energy bills.

North Carolina:
Whitehall Business Park: 2430 Whitehall Park Drive, #950, Charlotte, NC 28273 • 704-817-9641

Virginia:
Chesapeake: 1019 Eden Way North, Chesapeake, VA 23320 • 757-436-2200  |  Yorktown: 209 Village Avenue, Yorktown, VA 23693 • 757-833-2200