Everything Costs More....

Probably the big news for the week was not the AIA show (and the reax on that below) but the announcement of a major price increase in the glass industry. A double digit increase... the biggest that I can remember and another sign of how everything in our lives is costing more. The reaction to the price increase covered all angles. Immediately some folks went into the “How can you raise prices in a dead economy mode” while others praised the increase as much needed thanks to the spiraling costs all around. The bottom line is this price increase and others that could follow will be debated all over and it will be interesting to watch how it’s accepted. To this date, companies everyday absorb charges themselves instead of passing on to their customers because their place in the market is so weak, they feel they can’t afford to. I guess we’ll see if said companies can still play that role or if they have to give in. In this era, where everything costs more, absorbing increases makes no sense and is truly a recipe for disaster.

Elsewhere….

-- The AIA show… I heard varied opinions… a few folks thought the show was great, a few thought it sucked and there were some right in the middle. I am probably in the minority here but I think the days of spending huge money on these shows is over. The halls and show management bleed you for cash and nothing comes cheap and easy… and the bottom line is you can whine and dine all you want in Boston (or wherever said show is) but if you don’t follow through like a beast afterwards you just threw a ton of cash away.

-- I was actually in Vegas at the HD Show and was shocked that the possible economic woes have not touched that industry yet. Still more gadgets and expensive stuff than ever on display… It basically seems that the hospitality industry is still full steam ahead. By the way- hot item there was these back lit gigantic planters. Amazing. I believe my pal Bob Larson bought 2 of them for his home….

-- How about the heat that BIM is getting? I know I mentioned the covers of the magazines but it seems like in the last week or so, its exploded all over the place. The question that keeps coming up is will BIM actually take over and that will be the way to go. I think in due time it will… I think it will take time- hell we just finally got people used to using a fax machine in this industry… the tech savvy designers will snap this up and if they are able to show major efficiency gains, this way will spread like wildfire.

-- Did YKK hire a new marketing guy? I think they’ve had a release in every edition of USGNN for the last week. Damn this guy is making us other marketing folks look bad… Get ready folks as I think the rest of us are going to start digging deep for special announcements!

-- Jim Benney, NFRC Honcho spoke at AIA. Wish I was there. Wonder if he mentioned the word “cost” or any other word associated with money while there. I am sure he just told the architects how great this program will be without letting them know how it will affect the project financially. Best line was when he said this about why manufacturers need to be rated:

"They need to be able to compete on a fair basis."

HILLARIOUS!!!! Let’s see… NFRC has a virtual and seriously unfair monopoly… but yet WE the idiot manufacturers we need to be able to compete on a fair basis? Wow. I think NFRC should compete with AAMA or someone else to make it fair right? You know that just slays me. I am just tickled that the NFRC is looking out for fairness. What he meant was that some suppliers may cheat and this way it keeps those evil cheaters at bay. Why do I know that? Because in 2003 he said this in an article in US Glass:

“It is this reliance on manufacturer specifications that must be challenged”

You know because we are bad… bad people. All of those published numbers are wrong and despite having a true legal remedy to handle fraudulent claims, don’t you worry, the NFRC is on the case! Again for billionth time… it’s not the program (whole system calcs are good) but it’s the way it’s being implemented, the unnecessary costs, the desire to push down the throats of an industry, and the lack of choice that is the reason so many people (more and more everyday actually) are so negative towards the NFRC effort.

From the LINKS….

-- Gas prices are going so high that the pumps can’t count that high…. And by the way, how sickening is it to fill the tank these days?

-- Surprise Surprise… the Presidential Candidates are talking tough (Finally) on communist China… now will they follow through?

Uh Oh… when I say prices for everything is going up… I mean it… yes even BEER is being hit by an increase… more than a buck per 6 pack!

Video of the Week…

Well it is time for the Stanley Cup and amazingly my two favorite teams have made the finals… I can’t lose really… except I do have to pick a team to root for… I grew up in Pittsburgh as a huge Pens fan… but have lived in Michigan for 11 years and like the Wings too and was fortunate to go to many of their Cup games in the past… plus my wife and daughter like the Wings… (My son right now only likes wrestling… professional wrestling… yeesh) so all said and done.. I still am a Pens fan at heart… the Pens in 7 in an epic and incredible Stanley Cup… and the video of the week, the best moment I have ever had at a sporting event… Mario Lemieux scores late and the Pens win Game 1 of the 1992 Cup and the Civic Arena goes crazy… (Pens were down 4-1 and that goal made it 5-4)