Q1 2026 Update: Momentum, Innovation, and a Record-Breaking Year
We’re kicking off 2026 with strong momentum following an exciting and productive International Builders Show (IBS) in Orlando. This was the final year the show will be hosted there before heading to Las Vegas in 2027.
IBS once again confirmed a trend that we’ve been seeing across the market: remodeling and home improvement continue to surge. The number of remodeling firms has nearly doubled since 2000 (from 69,000 then to 128,000 at the start of 2025), and home improvement spending (33% in 2007) now represents a significantly larger share of overall construction activity (44% in Q1 2025).
This growth aligns well with our focus on expanding indoor-outdoor living spaces through automated door and window systems. Homeowners are investing in their homes – especially in ways that blur the line between indoors and outdoors. That’s exactly where Summit Automation shines.
Throughout this show, many people were surprised to learn that large doors and windows can be automated. It bewilders to me to still hear that, but once they witness our automation in action, you can see on their faces… it immediately clicks. As door panels grow larger and heavier, particularly in impact-rated markets like Florida and the Southeast, automation simply makes sense.
At one booth, the door manufacturer was displaying a tilt-up pass-through window with gas struts, and the showroom manager did chin-ups on it while it was up! This exercise (pun intended) highlighted how difficult it can be to lower the panel, but Summit Automation can take care of that with the touch of a button or a voice command.
At IBS, we showcased automation on pivot doors, multi-slide systems, 90-degree corner configurations, and vertical lift window applications. One featured door measured 16 feet tall and weighed 1,350 pounds! Our Summit Automation motors moved it effortlessly, quietly, and elegantly. The response was powerful. Seeing these massive panels and mountains of glass operate smoothly at the touch of a button reinforces what we’ve long believed: a moving door is a selling door.
Beyond convenience and the wow factor, automation delivers long-term value. By eliminating the strain of manual operation, automating doors can significantly extend product lifespan while preserving performance and alignment.
We’re proud to report that 2025 closed as another all-time record year for Summit Automation. Even more exciting, this year’s IBS has already generated new orders for automation within door manufacturers’ 2027 IBS booths. and we have more fresh momentum so early into the year. The growth path ahead is strong, and we are energized by the opportunities in front of us. We are proud to share that if you go to IBS 2027 and see door or window automation in a booth, it is more that likely a Summit Automation system at work.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to delivering the same exceptional quality, quiet performance, elegant operation, and cutting-edge technology on your projects throughout 2026.
Let’s make it another remarkable year bringing doors to life!
Stack Automation Joins Summit Automation as A New MMR in Central and Western Canada
Stack Automation headquartered in British Columbia, Canada is now Summit’s newest Master Manufacturing Representative (MMR).
Stack Automation sells and installs Summit Automation systems and serves Customers throughout central and western Canada.
Read the full press release here
Automation and AI Work Together Beautifully in Luxury Homes
Luxury homes have always been a showcase for the latest innovations in comfort, design, and technology. In recent years, the combination of home automation and artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed high-end residences into responsive, intelligent living environments. While automation provides the structure that allows devices and systems to work together, AI adds the ability to learn, adapt, and anticipate the needs of the homeowner and residents. Together, these technologies create homes that are not only convenient but also efficient, secure, and deeply personalized.
At its core, home automation refers to systems that allow devices in a home to be controlled automatically or remotely. Lights can turn on at specific times, heavy and large doors and windows can open at the touch of a button, thermostats can adjust to programmed schedules, and security systems can arm themselves when the homeowner leaves. Automation creates a framework where appliances, climate control, lighting, entertainment systems, and security devices operate through centralized controls or preset rules.
Our Latest Ad in Private Air Magazine
Private Air Luxury Homes Magazine is a luxury lifestyle and real estate publication distributed directly within private jet cabins and select FBO lounges, reaching ultra-high-net-worth individuals while they travel.
The magazine showcases exceptional properties, architecture, design, travel, and luxury brands to an audience of affluent private aviation travelers actively exploring premier destinations and lifestyle investments.
See our ad on the right or check out the ad in the magazine’s online version here
