Windows of Opportunity for a Canadian Family Business: An Interview with Charles Loewen

Executive SummaryIn 2005, the Loewen company celebrated a century of business success. Over that century, wars, depression, automation, mass production and globalization of the economy have challenged even the most resilient businesses. For Loewen, these challenges were windows of opportunity. Grounded by an unwavering commitment to exceptional wood artisanship and motivated by a tradition of entrepreneurship, three generations of the Loewen family have successfully pursued local, national and international markets to become a global leader in premium wood windows and doors. A fourth generation is poised to continue this powerful legacy. The Loewen business began in 1905, led by Cornelius T. Loewen, also known as or Cornie, a first-generation Canadian who learned wood working skills from his immigrant father.The manufacturing of beekeeping equipment was among the initial entries into the marketplace as a logical response to war-era sugar rations. Times changed, and the company continued to adapt. Loewen won a contract to supply the thousands of wood cross-members needed to string power lines in rural Manitoba to create the electrical grid in the 1940s. In the post-war years, it was common for carpenters to manufacture windows at the building site. As the industry struggled to meet a growing demand for housing, Loewen jumped on board a new residential construction concept, and in 1948, began to build pre-assembled frames and sashes, selling the finished product through local lumberyards. CT. ' s sons - Edward, George and Cornelius Paul - became company leaders in the 1950s with Ed and George focused on making the CT. Loewen lumberyard one of the largest in Manitoba. They sold building materials, readybuilt homes and Loewen-Bilt windows and doors created under the supervision of brother Cornie (also known as CP.) at Loewen Millwork. Eventually, the three brothers agreed that Ed and George would continue with the lumber business while CP. created a new company: CP. Loewen Enterprises (formerly Loewen Millwork), located in Steinbach, Manitoba.By the 1980s, a third generation of Loewens - CP's sons, Paul, Charles and Clyde - entered the business. With the untimely death of their father in 1985, all three were thrust into positions of major responsibility. Strategic repositioning continued in the 80s into the 90s. As many window manufacturers moved to plastics, Loewen opted for a road less travelled and insisted on premium wood-based materials instead. Loewen windows and doors continue to be manufactured with the highest quality wood material: Douglas Fir, a tightly-grained species, naturally tough and resilient, with a warm, rich texture.In the late 1980s, an important decision was made: Loewen would focus exclusively on the luxury market. The company opened their first U.S. branch in 1990. This expansion provided American homeowners, builders and architects greater access to the premium Loewen line of windows and doors. Under the leadership of Charles Loewen, the company's current CEO, Loewen has grown into an international success. Significant and highly strategic investments in management, distribution, advertising and product development followed and helped to reinforce the company's position as a leading North American premium brand. A century after it began, Loewen occupies a distinctive niche atop the wood window and door industry. The Loewen family's dedication to the original values of faith, hard work and entrepreneurship resulted in an extraordinary journey that promises to continue well into the future. This conversation with Charles Loewen regarding the Loewen brand and culture, the Loewen family and the firm's economic outlook is part of a continuing series of interviews with family business leaders.Authors: We would like to begin with the Loewen brand. If you could only use three words to describe the brand identity of Loewen, what would they be?Loewen: That's a very difficult question. …

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