UFME closes its Ordinary General Meeting

The opportunity to report on the wealth of work carried out by the three commissions and working groups, and to present the ambitious projects for the coming months, always with this desire to best support all of its members and the professionals of the French Doors & Windows sector:

• One of the UFME's major focuses is to support the window renovation market in France with public decision-makers and specifiers. Numerous initiatives are being implemented to this end, such as its Manifesto in favor of a sustainable energy renovation policy for housing, its new network of regional ambassadors, and the studies currently being developed.
• Environmental issues are a priority for the professional organization and its members. Constant developments in the FERVAM charter, REPs, and FDES reaffirm its commitments to sustainable construction throughout the life cycle of a joinery project.
• As it approaches its 40th anniversary of serving the French Doors & Windows industry, the UFME has also unveiled its new graphic charter. The evolution of its logos helps strengthen its visibility, establish its image as a leading player in the construction sector, and harmonize its communication tools. A redesign of its website, www.ufme.fr, will follow in the coming months.

At the end of the Ordinary General Meeting, Bruno Cadudal thanked all the members. President since 2020, he wished to hand over his mandate to a new President who, like him, will be committed to strongly and independently upholding the values ​​of the UFME. Laurent Demasles was elected at the Extraordinary Board of Directors for a renewable four-year term. He will work to continue promoting the French Doors & Windows sector and to develop the representativeness of the UFME, which has continued to grow over the years.

For Bruno Cadudal: "I am proud to note that the UFME now represents all the players in the French Doors & Windows industry: from the design of profiles to the end of life of joinery, including the assembly and manufacturing of complementary elements, not forgetting the implementers. A member for more than 20 years, a member of the Bureau since 2014 and President for 5 years, I have done everything possible to maintain conviviality within the UFME, the freedom of speech of each person allowing us to define collective actions and to promote the positions of our industry anchored in our territories. And these last few years have been tumultuous (COVID, inflation of material costs, public policy reforms, etc.). Faced with these challenges, I note and congratulate the unwavering mobilization of UFME members who are working in the same direction to promote the quality of joinery and its effectiveness in improving the energy performance of buildings. The UFME has always worked to promote our French industry and combat preconceived notions about certain materials. For the past two years, the political environment and the construction crisis have led the UFME to focus its efforts on helping France achieve its environmental objectives and supporting a sustainable renovation policy. However, I remain confident and optimistic. As a Breton, I know that "after the rain comes the good weather" and the initiatives implemented by the UFME in the technical, communication, and public affairs sectors will achieve their objectives.

Significant support from public authorities

Following on from its open letter to the President of the Republic and its Manifesto providing pragmatic solutions for the mass adoption of energy-efficient home improvement projects, the UFME continues its mobilization with public decision-makers. Supporting energy renovations serves a threefold purpose. In line with market realities, the organization addresses the environmental and economic challenges of the housing stock. It also helps protect the interests of the Doors & Windows sector, which represents approximately 50.500 companies across France and more than 181.000 employees.

In a context of growing tension in the construction industry and uncertainty surrounding the future of schemes like MaPrimeRénov', the UFME is actively participating in the debates surrounding the 2026 Finance Bill and defending the essential role of windows in public aid. It thus reaffirms its three major pragmatic proposals, which it has been promoting for over a year. They are complementary, easily implemented, and do not generate any increase in public finances:

1. Stabilize the base of works eligible for VAT at 5,5%;
2. Fully re-engage the French through a stabilization of MaPrimeRénov';
3. Include climate change adaptation and health dimensions in policies supporting the energy renovation of housing.

In recent weeks, the UFME has also established a network of around thirty regional ambassadors representing various stakeholders in the joinery industry (assembler manufacturers, product designers, recycling companies, installers, and manufacturers of complementary components). They bring the UFME's voice to the local area. This proximity to local public authorities allows for effective action to support regional jobs that cannot be relocated and are sometimes located in economically fragile areas.

At the same time, two studies are in preparation. The first will aim to measure the real impact of MaPrimeRénov' on households, particularly to determine whether replacing windows is a major trigger for a comprehensive renovation. The second, more technical, will aim to quantify the energy savings of window replacement through construction site experiments. These initiatives confirm the UFME's commitment as a key player in the debates on the energy transition.

An evolving FERVAM charter in favor of the circular economy

UFME is committed to a closed-loop recycling approach for all joinery components through FERVAM II. This charter has evolved over the past few months, as has its new interactive map posted online at www.ufme.fr. This allows users to obtain the desired information on voluntary drop-off points (waste collection centers, distributors, etc.) and on the service providers who carry out removals on construction sites and within companies in just a few clicks.

Continuing its growth, FERVAM is anticipating future regulations, particularly those promoting the REP EMballages PROfessionnels (Professional Packaging). Its ambition is to best support companies in the face of these new obligations, which are not always easy to implement and can quickly become time-consuming. It is expanding its commitments to encourage the collection and recycling of woodwork packaging.

Example: Best practice sheets have been designed and published by the Packaging working group from the technical commission for optimized management of packaging waste and its optimal recycling. The UFME, through the FERVAM charter, also supports its members in the mandatory declaration of reuse of industrial and commercial packaging. More broadly, it aims to simplify and streamline their accounting.

FERVAM in a few key figures

• 152 signatories to date representing varied and complementary activities around carpentry (map visible on www.ufme.fr).
• More than 500 voluntary collection points across France (map at www.ufme.fr).

An 80% increase in the volume of end-of-life joinery collected for closed-loop recycling compared to last year over the first three quarters.

A European vision through the PRC 2024

Within the UFME commissions and working groups, constructive exchanges between members, experts in carpentry, allow for collective work to anticipate and also act on European regulatory and normative developments.

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) for CE marking illustrates this involvement. UFME contributes to the reading and application guides for the new regulation developed by national (DHUP, AIMCC) and European (EuroWindoor, EPPA) organizations. It participates in the drafting of the standardization roadmap for joinery and the resulting normative work.

A new graphic charter for a more impactful UFME

An evolution, not a revolution! In a clear desire to modernize its image and strengthen the visibility of its messages, the UFME unveils its new graphic charter. It is part of a global strategy to structure communications and increase its influence among public decision-makers and prescribers. Designed to continue the legacy of the historic logo, it features finer graphic lines and a stylized font. The French roots of the Doors & Windows sector are underlined with sobriety. This logo was also designed to integrate harmoniously with members' materials, without ever supplanting their own identity.

In this same dynamic, the “sister brand” FERVAM is adopting a new visual signature aligned with that of the UFME.

This development also comes with the merger of the various UFME websites (www.choisirmafenetre.fr, www.parlonsisolation.fr and www.ufme.fr) into a single portal www.ufme.fr. This unique showcase, which will go online next fall, will facilitate access to information for public decision-makers, specifiers and professionals in the French Doors & Windows sector, both members and non-members. They will find the multitude of tools at their disposal, news from the sector, the UFME's positions... Thanks to its simplified and more ergonomic architecture, their visit will be smooth. They will find all the answers to their questions or needs in just a few clicks!