Friday, August 25, 2006

Quiet on NFRC but loud on....

Sorry for the delay, I was advised that I needed to be quiet on the NFRC issue for a while and well I guess I forgot I can write about other things while that situation plays out.

Anyway, did you catch the acquisition of Antamex by Oldcastle?

Interesting as Antamex is one of North America's largest glaziers. They are a powerhouse on the install side and now Oldcastle can install right along with their customers!

I think right now since everyone is so busy, no one will care that their competitor is selling them product- but at the first downturn, lookout.

Then again Harmon and Viracon have been "out" for years and it doesn't matter. I don't know how that plays. One time, back in the good ole days of the one and only Perilstein Distributing, we had a driver named Billy Eichler. Billy one day was asked by a glazier to "help" because they had some guys off. So Billy being the guy he is, hopped right in and "helped" this customer install some glass. Well don't ya know it but one of that customers competitors happened to drive up on the job and saw our guy Billy humping units into the holes.

Well all hell broke loose.

But I guess actually installing is worse than sharing quotes and trying to steer business to sister companies?

Last note-

I wanted to give props to a former co worker- Bruce Mikels of BDM was one of the featured folks in the latest edition of US Glass as one of the nations best manufacturers reps. He simply deserves all of the kudos he can get. He is not a sit at home guy who waits for the phone to ring- he is a hustler who built a great business and I am proud to say I worked with him at one time.

I know Bruce is a reader of this blog so that makes him great too! But in any case, Bruce is proof that a manufacturers rep can impact your business in a positive manner.

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

Enron and Spam

Hope everyone is well...

Watched the movie "Smartest Men in the room" yesterday- very interesting look into the whole Enron mess. Well done piece and just mind blowing what those guys did. The effect they had on California's energy issues was huge. No wonder that California WANTS regulation like the NFRC because obviously when Enron had their way, everyone suffered.

One part especially was comical. The traders at Enron would just call a power plant and TELL THEM to power down... and THEY WOULD! Simply insane. Anyway it is a great rental and is also a tragic story of men ripping off so many people... Sad that it lasted so long and it was really somewhat accidental that a journalist would not drink the Enron kool aid and called them on it- that helped start the unraveling.

Good stuff.

As for spam, comically this blog is getting spammed robotically. Not that any of you care, but its amazing that there is an actual spam program that can search and work the blogs. Isn't technology great!

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Why is this even happening?

I think I may have covered it before but after the USGNN piece came out I got several e-mails about why the NFRC even is doing a non res program.

Well that is a great question.

I would love to give the answer, except I do not know... and neither does the NFRC... and that is why when this thing starts to involve lawyers, it will get much uglier than my cute little blog.

Lets look back.

When the question was first asked of then NFRC Chair Marv Stover... he replied, on NFRC letterhead that the NFRC had a mandate from congress to implement this program. Except they did not. And the NFRC knew it and when they were called on it the story was changed.

That changed story happened in Chicago. I happened to ask NFRC board member Gary Curtis why this was happening. He replied "The codes" Except the codes were not and have not demanded it. In fact at that meeting Greg Carney had evidence to prove such. The evidence freaked out many NFRC loyalists- in fact former board member Ken Nittler studied his code book from cover to cover, I guess hoping to find the magic connection.

Ok so on the scoreboard its:

Need: 0 Wrong Excuses: 2

So what happens next, well the NFRC says "California needs it" and bam that is enough to get it rolling... plus with career code folks like John Hogan working the code side as well as the police side, its just a matter of time before they make Gary Curtis' assertation true.

Side note- John Hogan works for the city of seattle, yet travels literally all over the world for NFRC and other code issues. Damn. Wish the taxpayers of seattle would subsidize me. I think he even went to India on behalf of one of these groups... its insane.

Anyway, so that's why this thing is still living and breathing. But alas, more people are getting into it now. BOMA is now interested in this unnecessary program that will affect their members and I would have to think that the DOE has a renewed interest in the process given the continued chaos surrounding it.

Plus there's more articles and speeches coming- so the spotlight will be shining.

Anyway, so that's the story behind it. It may get pushed through and people may have to follow it, but eventually it will be challenged- especially if its a pork ridden, profit machine that it has the potential to be.