Victory in the Battle for the Wall!

This news was big and exciting.  As an industry we once again came together to do the right thing.  It was something that everyone in our part of the world could easily agree on.  Less glass in a building is a BAD thing.  A few weeks ago I wrote about the “Battle” to protect our industry, along with Glass Magazine taking the lead media wise to push it, and great work from trade groups like GANA and AEC (among many others) the attention needed for this issue was provided.  Add in the amazing Dr. Tom Culp to present and fight for our way of life and the winning formula was set.  This week, the results came down positive for our industry and with it a validation that glass can be a great part of high performance building options.  So we can take a victory lap and savor it for the moment, but I can tell you they’ll be more challenges to come.  We still have to push our innovation and technology and we still have naysayers working against our efforts, hoping they can find cracks in our approach.  So if you just got involved, please stay involved and let’s keep moving our industry forward!!

Elsewhere…

--  Last week’s post on the DOJ sparked a ton of conversation for me.  The common theme was that this result surely gets the attention of the other folks involved currently in battles with foreign concerns.  And that opening a plant somewhere else in North America as a “depot” of sorts as a way to get around duties may not fly.  This will surely be one to watch, and with issues underway (especially regarding curtain wall) it will be fascinating to see what happens next.

--  Cleantech took an absolute beating from 60 Minutes a few weeks ago.  The piece was extremely negative, and even poorly done in parts.  Believe me, I could do hours of documentaries on the past ineptitude of the DOE and even I felt that this feature was too off the wall.  Note, I do think the current group at DOE is solid and has potential, but the past group deserve a ton of heat.  In any case our concern as an industry is we do have significant technology connected to cleantech and bad and outdated attitudes on innovation in that category will hamper us.  It’s frustrating that the answer is always immediately “No” and the questions are “Why” instead of “Why not” And while I get the taxpayer and government support angle and don’t like all of it myself (and there’s some amazing arguments on all sides out there), I believe if done right cleantech is a must for our world as whole.  To view this piece, here’s the link. 

--  Two major players from Pilkington are hanging them up.  Rex Tracht and Paul Baskwell are retiring after more than 40 years at Pilkington.  I know both men and respect and like them a ton.  While I am sure the folks replacing them will be solid, it surely will not be the same not seeing Paul and Rex at industry events or at various fabricators I get to visit.  Enjoy your retirement men!  You will be missed!

--  Make sure to check out the Video of the week again… a fun one for those of us who have to do conference calls.  Really comical stuff.

--  Last this week; in the commercial glass industry John Swanson was not real well known.  However on the residential side, as Editor and Associate Publisher of Window and Door Magazine he was a titan and a force.  Sadly John passed away last week, leaving this world way too young at 52.  John was incredibly respected and for many was the conscience of that industry.  No question his passing leaves a massive void.  Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers.

LINKS of the WEEK

Sick, stupid people. Wow.

If you have a Mac, you may want to read this and pay attention

Travel warriors… agree with this?  I surely think we need a better way

VIDEO of the WEEK

Conference Calls can be a “special” experience.  In this video you see what it looks like if everyone was “present” for the call.  Really well done and funny.