Much Needed Education Everywhere

As an industry we know there’s quite a few areas that are troublesome.  If asked most people will mention the need for qualified employees such as manufacturing help, maintenance and on the glazing side, project managers.  But the next need mentioned is usually education and it’s nice to see the efforts one company is putting towards that effort.  The PPG Glass Education Center is an incredible resource.  I visited it again this week after the release of their newest video on Weather Resistant Design and I was once again blown away.  There is simply a ton of info on there from the basic to the very advanced.  It can be a training center for new employees and a great resource for seasoned veterans.  In the end, it’s a very impressive vehicle for our industry to use.  Major kudos to Paul DiCesare and the tech team at PPG on the content, as well as Paul Bush on that regard and of course, I must give props to the marketing guru Rob Struble for his efforts on making this fly.  Well done folks!

Elsewhere…

More props for companies doing good things…

--  How about Viracon?  The folks there raised more than $111,000 for the United Way of Steele County.  That is simply an amazing and awesome total.  Congrats to Carla Kern who chaired this effort for Viracon and every employee there for giving of themselves.

--  And another one while I am at it… Garibaldi Glass announced their intent to have their annual “Glass Day” program on May 1^st.  This is going to be the 5^th edition of an event that provides tremendous education and insight into our industry.  I have heard so much about this event over the years and my goal this year is to finally be there in person.  And yes while an event like this has a great benefit to Garibaldi, it also does wonders in educating the region (glaziers, architects, owners etc.) on the world of glass and glazing. 

--  Education will also be at the forefront at Glass Processing Automation Days in San Antonio in March.  Info on this event was just released and it has the potential to offer some great insight for the fabricator.  I’ll surely have more on this as it gets closer.  

--  OK time to move from compliments and congratulations to snarky with and oldie but a goodie.  My old favorite group, the NFRC is possibly getting some competition.  Unfortunately its not in our actual industry or the areas where I have always pushed for, but this could lead to openings elsewhere.  The Window Covering Manufacturers Association with support from the DOE is starting the Attachments Energy Ratings Council (AERC).  So now the NFRC which has always been the one and only group with the ability to rate window film and attachments could be getting some competition if this takes off.  And its competition with the backing of the DOE.  That is huge.  So this will be one to watch.  If this effort actually works, it will open the door to much needed competition to NFRC on the glass and glazing side.  That would be fantastic.  But in the end, I go with the word “if” because the NFRC has staved off every challenge known to man, so I would not be surprised if this latest move does not take hold.

--  Next week I will have my Super Bowl commercial likes/dislikes since that is now my favorite part of the game.  I'm also still trying to figure out why the Seahawks passed instead of ran at the end. Amazing failure there. Wow. 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  Glass floors continuing to show up everywhere.

--  Man bulldozes his home… while his wife is away… why?  Who knows?

--  Comical weather forecast with technical issues, great job by forecaster to roll with it.

VIDEO of the WEEK

The news that Eddie Murphy will return to Saturday Night Live in a few weeks will actually get me to watch the show.  I loved Eddie back in the day… can’t wait to see what he does.  In the meantime here’s a quick look at some of his best stuff…