The Partnership
Originally
from Poland, Voytek and Yarek did not meet until forming a
partnership in New York as general contractors, where their
business was very successful and consistently growing. One facet of
their business was, of course, installation of windows and they
relied on a local manufacturer to provide the product as they
needed it. Like so many other companies, when the need arises for
parts and supplies timing is of the essence. As the demand for
their services increased, so did their need for more products. They
were becoming a familiar fixture at the local window manufacturer,
who was feeling pressured to keep up with their demand. It finally
got to the point where one day the owner facetiously said, “If you
guys are buying so many windows and need them so quickly, why don’t
you just start making your own?” Now, in the majority of similar
scenarios, most people would just laugh it off and discard this
kind of comment. Voytek and Yarek, while both possessing a
wonderful sense of humor, did not.
They were familiar with the owner of an extrusion company and,
upon approaching him with the idea of becoming manufacturers, found
him to be surprisingly supportive. It was coincidental that he was
aware of a window distributor in Bucks County, PA whose own
business was rapidly expanding. He was having difficulty procuring
sufficient inventory from his supplier and was searching for
someone to build windows solely for that Bucks County distributor.
Through various meetings, Voytek and Yarek were offered the
opportunity to move their business to an area where space would be
provided for a window and door manufacturing facility. Thus, in
1994, OKNA Windows & Door was born.
The Company
Over the last fourteen years, OKNA has acquired a well-earned
reputation for the highest quality craftsmanship using state of the
art technology and equipment as well as for outstanding customer
service and overall satisfaction. Though they still maintain their
original 25,000 sq. ft. production facility, the company built an
enormous, modern office and manufacturing complex located nearby.
It includes 8,000 sq. ft. of office space and 60,000 sq ft for
production. Growing demand has led to the addition of yet another
25,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility completed in July 2008. With
consistent growth, their workforce has expanded from the original
12 employees to more than 100. OKNA distributes throughout the east
coast with an ever expanding network of dealers serving the
residential and construction markets. Their products are specd by
top builders and they count property management companies and
apartment associations among their customer base.
The Product
Initially, OKNA
produced basically one type of window exclusively for that major
distributor. Today, they have expanded their line to include many
types of windows: welded, single and double hung windows; casement
and awning styles, Bays and Bows as well as patio doors to name a
few. With a growing production line, OKNA turned its attention to
offering innovative finishes. With a paint facility on site, they
have products that can be customized to appeal to broader markets.
They are also continually looking to make more energy efficient
products. In today’s market, with fuel costs rising daily, this can
be the deciding factor when purchasing windows. They are partnering
with innovative glass and spacer manufacturers to make sure their
products are the top choice in residential construction. They offer
products with U-Values of 0.27 while the industry requirement for
Energy Star certification is 0.35. All their products are made with
virgin vinyl which is the purest form of the product. Many other
vinyl window manufacturers are using a “blended” product, but OKNA,
always looking to make the finest quality product, will only use
the best-quality materials. Everything they make is arduously
tested, which is one reason why their complete line is covered with
a lifetime warranty.
In January of 1997, OKNA became a customer of Royal Group
Technologies, a world leader in advanced PVC processing and design
as well as the largest custom PVC extruder for the North American
construction industry. The profiles of Royal’s frames and sashes
are made of warranted vinyl that will never crack, warp, corrode,
or blister. In January of 2002, OKNA partnered with TruSeal
Technologies, Inc., the largest producer of flexible insulating
glass spacers in the world, and started using DuraSeal™, a
versatile, flexible spacer system. DuraSeal™ takes optimum
advantage of laminates and adhesives to reduce thermal conductivity
while improving surface and corner appearance over other flexible
spacers. This multi-layered spacer system, featuring specialized
components, results in superior window performance and aesthetics
as compared to other warm edge spacers. It is designed to work with
T.A.P.E. (Totally Automated Production Equipment) from Besten,
Inc., which produces the highest quality insulated glass units
(IGUs) available on the market. All OKNA products are tested in an
independent testing facility for Energy Efficiency, and to insure
that all of their system hardware is capable of withstanding the
harshest conditions and abuse that your window or door may
experience. As a result, OKNA products deliver absolute performance
backed by an outstanding warranty; there is no better way to
demonstrate their commitment and confidence.
