Comic Relief

Well the excitement of the OC/Vistawall deal is done. So who’s next? Consolidation is still a major player in this industry, and no doubt another major deal will surly be coming down the pike soon.

Elsewhere….

-- Easily the most comical release ever from our pals at the NFRC last week. In their quarterly edition of their newsletter, the NFRC has once again switched gears on WHY they want to implement their policing program on the commercial fenestration industry. Ready for it…. It’s a doozy…. Because it will help the environment!!!! YES! (Read the actual NFRC piece here) See all that money that NFRC pays to such Public Relation heavyweights like Potomac Communications has paid off. This is probably how it went down….

NFRC Board Member: What do we do? We have a mess of a program that no one wants and will be panned universally...

Potomac: Yep we need a hook… let’s brainstorm

NFRC: How about we say congress demanded it?

Potomac: Nah we did that one already.

NFRC: Ok- then how about we just say it’s in the codes?

Potomac: Not bad, but too much gray area there. People who actually pay attention to stuff like that may question us.

NFRC: Hmm… we can lean on our puppets at the California Energy Commission and have them demand a program ASAP!

Potomac: That’s not bad but that only concerns California… plus won’t it seem fishy that we have California do it when they already sit on your board and jump when you say jump?

NFRC: Well darn it, what do we do? I mean I wish we had a popular angle to attach ourselves to. You know like the IPhone or the Green stuff everyone always talks about.

Potomac: That’s it!!

NFRC: The IPhone? We’ll certify IPhones? Wow that could be big money for our labs!

Potomac: No NOT the IPhone… GREEN! We can promote this as a way to be “green” and “sustainable”! We’ll put in all of those fuzzy Al Gore like buzz words and people will lap it up. I mean it’s in the papers everyday, green this and green that… it’s BRILLIANT! Let’s do it!

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So now the NFRC has decided via their newsletter that this effort, that has had a boatload of different reasons of why it was started, has now hitched its wagon to the whole "help our environment" issue. Amazing.

I mean if this was a few years ago, when the NFRC decided that they wanted to “focus on the bigger picture of rating products in untouched markets for the good of the NFRC….” and they noted the “sustainability” angles at that time, that would be fine. But they didn’t and they only do it now because it’s a popular angle. Or maybe when the said "untouched markets" they were talking about "green" but just a different "green" you know like money.... hmmmmm

Oh and by the way, I do take issue with the line about commercial falling behind residential in terms of energy performance and will address that in more detail next week.

-- So I guess the NFRC would be our “Green” note of the week eh? They now join NYC Cabbies, Soy Milk, and weddings as amongst the other green items we’ve covered.

-- Yet another study released last week with details on the future purchases in the industry. My goodness are these organizations just popping out of the woodwork or what? Best line was “The development of new smart glass products such as self cleaning…..” Wait Self Cleaning is new? Holy heck is this 2001? (And is there really such a thing as “self cleaning” didn’t USGlass do a debate on that a few years ago) So you really have to take with a grain of salt any report that notes a 6 year old niche product as “New.”

-- Hate to sound like a broken record but the pressure on communist China continues to grow. USA Today again with yet another feature on what’s happening. Click Here. Great stuff. Bottom line, is when the communist Chinese glass fails like the tires, toothpaste, food etc, its gonna be very ugly and very bad financially for the folks who went that way.

-- A Happy 4^th of July Holiday to everyone out there- Make it a safe and enjoyable one. Also take a minute to keep those incredibly brave men and women who are fighting overseas in your thoughts. Whether you are for or against what’s going on there, your support of our troops is crucial... and appreciated.

Our video this week, is a public service announcement done with a comedic tone about being safe this holiday…..