Looking Back Before Looking Ahead

Each year I start my blog posts with a look back at previous predictions and then forward with ones for the new year.  2018 has great potential for all involved and I am excited for all that is coming down the pike.  I’ll hit more on the year ahead next week.  For now let’s look back.

In January of 2017, I made the following predictions- lets see how I did…

#1- More Unitized- Honestly I think I nailed this.  Unitized is the hottest segment on the framing side and not cooling off soon.  (Speaking of Unitized, get to BEC, a great discussion is scheduled on this subject there.)

#2- Net Zero growth- I am going to say I got this ½ right.  It grew but not nearly as much as I thought.  I am bummed that more structures continue to fall for the folly that is LEED and not NetZero.

#3- Security, Again- I predicted in 2016 and was wrong.  I brought it back in 2017 and was wrong again.  It just did not take off like I expected.  I am half tempted to put it on the 2018 list again.  It’s going to happen.  Some day.

#4- Deals and Acquisitions- I think this was an easy win thanks to Apogee buying EFCO along with some other smaller but still important deals.

#5- A new social push- I got this one wrong.  Maybe because the industry is so busy the advancement on the social media world was light- or maybe we are really an old school industry.  Either way, the big push was not there.

So in the end I think I did ok- but I am determined to get them all correct in 2018!  Check back next week for my trends and predictions post for the year ahead…

Elsewhere….

--  Before we get too deep into January its time for my monthly Glass Magazine review… the December issue with the amazing picture of the team from Giroux Glass in LA handling some seriously heavy materials.  The overall theme of this excellent issue was handling and safety.  Those are HUGE subjects that affect us all, so very worthwhile reading inside.  There were some seriously good HR resources in there.  Please check out Katy Devlin’s piece at the front of the magazine on a ”near miss” – a very meaningful and helpful article and my heart was beating way too fast during the start of it.   In addition one of my pet issues, the OSHA Silica Rules are covered as well.  All in all if you are not reading these issues you are missing out…

--  Ad of the Month is going to double as a plea from me.  The ad for BEC in March with keynote speaker Jeff Havens gets my nod.  The ad is delivering a message on the generational workplace and it does it quite effectively- and quite frankly BEC is the event that you need to be at to continue to stay ahead the trends while keeping your network strong.  If you are doing BEC in the Spring and GlassBuild in the Fall you are doing it right.  In any case, nice ad on the speaker and what he’ll cover and if you want to learn more and then register for BEC- click here.

--  The NGA-GANA combination continues to proceed.  If you are a GANA member and have not voted, please do so.  There is still time and it is worth the few minutes to do so.  As I have stated here previously I believe this deal is a very good one and I am excited about what is next.  Also if you are a NGA member I believe you have a vote to handle as well.  So folks get to the ballot boxes!

--  It was a big week for fellow Glass Magazine blogger Gareth Francey of Bohle America.  He and Bohle purchased the shower door hardware manufacturer Portals.  Exciting deal for both sides and I am happy for Gareth and team as they continue to grow in the space.  So far all of the deals announced in 2018 are looking very promising for both the folks involved and segments they serve.

--  Last… Congrats to my friend Lewis McAllister of Coral Glass on his Crimson Tide winning the National Title.  I don’t know anyone else who lives for Alabama football like Lewis, so I am thrilled for him.  ROLL TIDE!

LINKS of the WEEK

The internet can be a scary and stupid place.  Like the latest trend, easting laundry detergent pods.  Unreal how dumb.

I fly a lot.  Not sureI’d be thrilled to see my pilots in a fight.

Speaking of flying between Atlanta’s power outage and JFK’s water main break, it has not been a good run for major airports lately.

VIDEO of the WEEK

This is a find… a guy in Russia reviewing old McDonald’s gadgets to see how they work….