New Pod + Mix of News

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now out and it’s a good mix of people and subject matter.  Leading it off is Jeff Dalaba and Ben Beeler from NACC & AGMT.  As many know I am a huge supporter of the certification processes that these guys are heading up so having them on to talk about it along with other industry insights was a blast.  Next up was Asta Fivgas of Reflection Window and Wall.  She’s an architect working within our world and making a difference on a few different levels.  Sharp and interesting, I think we’re going to see and hear a lot more from Asta in the future.  Last I caught up with Austin Casey of Service Station.  His platform is a fascinating one and it’s a big help for companies that need assistance in the CSR realm.  Good background and the product makes sense.  So please check it out- very diverse subjects and people overall!  Thank you for watching and listening (the listening stats are mind blowing- thank you!!) 

VIDEO

AUDIO – and as always available wherever you listen to podcasts like Apple, Spotify, Google etc.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Mark your calendars- this week registration opens for Glass Conference: Tacoma and this is a crucial event in our industry.  Urmilla Sowell and team are putting together a really robust docket of education and dialogue and if you haven’t attended one of these conferences, I suggest giving this one a try.  More info as it comes out but try and make it happen and be in Tacoma July 25-27. 

 

--  Congrats to Vitro on the news of their connection with First Solar.  That is exciting stuff and good for them and again puts our space in a positive light.   A few people asked me if that deal would be a drag on supply and the way I understand it, this situation will not affect the typical capacity into the architectural glass space.  So that really makes it a positive overall.  

 

--  The recent focus by several states to get into school glazing is a great movement. Especially with many looking to go into ballistic glass in certain points of the building.  I hate that our world overall is in this mode, but it now is what it is.  As I have noted many times here before we have tons of options in this segment and it continues to be on all of us to push what we can do to the decisionmakers at the schools and communities.  Don’t be bashful- we have the options that make a difference!

 

--  Later this week Garibaldi Glass Day will be held in Canada and looks to be an awesome event.  Quite a bit of learning on tap delivered by some of the best of the best in our industry including the OG Glass Nerd Andrew Haring.  Kawneer, Technoform, FHC, Dow, and others will be on hand so I am sure the experience will be a good one.  Heck any time you get Andrew on campus, the fun meter just goes off the charts!

 

--  Last this week…  I am beyond excited that “Blackberry” movie is coming out in a few weeks.  This movie is based on one of the best books I have ever read called “Losing the Signal” and it was a detailed story on the rise and fall of the Blackberry phone.  There are few moments in the book that are PERFECT for the movie, so I am very curious to see if Hollywood plays it straight or gets wonky with it.  Obviously those who know me will expect me to report back here on the flick and I will surely do so later in May!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Wow- who knew scarecrows don’t work

 

This is a great example- we need to use existing structures more before building brand new!

 

This weeks worry… internet protocol issues.  (last week was cars being stolen in a new way)

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

To the great state of Texas- this was a project done by TEPCOGLASS and it’s a beauty for sure.  From what I can tell partners on this were the folks from Tristar Glass and Arcadia and the picture I grabbed really doesn’t do it justice.  Just a sharp looking project all the way around.  Congrats to all involved in this one! 

Good News / Bad News

A very interesting Architectural Billings Index was released this week.  On one hand the news was good, but on the other, not so much.  In my last post I predicted a bad overall score.  The worries on interest rates and the banking mess (still on going, though the world moves on to other issues) would weigh it down was my thought.  Well thankfully on the overall score I was wrong.  In fact the Architectural Billings Index posted a positive score of 50.4, putting us in the plus territory for the first time in 5 months.  However, a deeper look brought out my concerns and, in a way, justified my prediction.  The numbers for new inquiries and new contracts both went down- the contract one dropping to an under water 48.9 which reverses what was a positive trend the last few months.  Plus 3 of the 4 regions were negative with only the mighty Midwest in the plus side.  In addition, the firewall of the south- that in this study includes Texas- continues to stutter with its 4^thstraight negative month.  So good news that overall things are hanging in, but future facing has some additional worries to it and we all knew this road ahead was never going to be easy (it never is) but we surely have to keep plugging away. 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The next episode of the From the Fabricator podcast premieres next week and I’m pretty stoked.  I have 2 of the 3 interviews in the can and it features some good stuff from very different parts of our industry.  Looking forward to dropping that edition and sharing!

 

--  Good work from Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope on a primer about embodied carbon in buildings.  They worked with Architectural Record on a free e-book and it was a great way to explain and lay out the entire realm of this issue.  Well worth the study to get up to speed on a very important issue and kudos to OBE for stepping up and sharing.

 

--  Also a good share this week from NFRC’s Tom Herron.  The article features the top 10 recommendations for the construction sector to reach a net-zero future.  Good find and share by Tom who is a very good guy in our space.

 

--  Maryland is the latest into the bird-friendly push with a bill proposing bird-friendly glass on all state-owned buildings.  This is trend that is not going away, and our industry has really stepped up with many options and avenues to get things done. Good to see!

 

--  Architectural Digest did a list of the 14 best designed gas stations in the world and it is worth the click.  Some wild looks and layouts here but two quibbles… Buc-ee’s has to be on there- if only because no other gas station leaves you with memories like Buc-ee’s.  And the other comment is the Winston-Salem one listed is very fashionable which makes me think that Dapper Dan Reinhart of Salem Fabrication Technologies must get his gas there to be always in tune and in style.  

By the way if you’ve never visited a Buc-ee’s don’t hesitate the next time you see one while out on the road.  It truly is an experience. 

 

--  Last this week- the passing of John Kalakos who many will know from his time in leadership at TRACO.  John was a massive part of the success that TRACO experienced- for those who may not know or remember, TRACO was an absolute monster in the market for many years.  My brother Steve and John worked closely together, and the growth of our company came in combo with TRACO’s advance.  John’s faith in my brother and our team allowed that- so we’ll always be thankful for those opportunities.  John was a great leader and person and will be missed tremendously.  Thoughts and prayers to John’s family, friends, and co-workers. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Controversy over a pink door. I think it looked better pink than it does now.

 

Wild story of bear drinking 69 cans of soda. But he passed on the diet ones I believe. (If it was Diet Dr. Pepper he wouldn’t have!) 

 

Public official goes on buying spree with town credit card… and bought some interesting things!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

In my web searches from a few weeks ago this job from the great team at Double Play Glass appeared and made me immediately save for use as a project of the week.  I have no insight on it- maybe Evan Afenir of Double Play Glass can provide- but it’s a great structure and the glass looks fantastic!

Under the Radar Sites and More

So late in 2021 I went in search of some of the best “under the radar” websites in our industry and came up with a bunch led by a great one from the team at Minneapolis Glass.  This year I once again went on the deep dive through the web to recognize more deserving folks in our space.  My simple parameters were websites that looked different than the norm, were exciting and interesting, still easy to navigate AND from companies that aren’t usually in the news in our industry.  So here we go…

#5 Lockheed Architectural Solutions – From the opening video to the additional layout throughout the site this one delivered!

#4 Galaxy Glass & Stone-  These guys may not be very under the radar, but I do love and have always loved this website.  Very bold and impressive at every turn loaded with imagery. 

#3 Momentum Glass- The logo animation placed against a stunning blue building with a perfect blue sky was great and then everything flowed from there.  Also liked seeing the pictures of team on the front page!

#2 Bruce Wall-  From a tech standpoint this site is unlike anything else out there.  Use of color and design are something else- disruptive and interesting.  I am sure some may not like, but this one stands out to me.

#1 Black Line Glazing-  From the cool “loading” screen to the video that pops the moment the home page hits, this is a winner.  Love the layout and colors and site flows well.  It’s a bold and impressive site without being overdone.

Again I am sure I missed many- that’s why I’ll keep doing this yearly to call more attention those who deserve it.  As for the 5 above- congrats to you all for work well done and representing what you do and what our industry does so well!

 

Elsewhere…

--  The latest Glass Magazine review… it’s the awesome annual Top Fabricator issue and it’s loaded with so much data and insight.  Just a must read from start to finish.  Aside from the Top Fab info, strong pieces from Spencer Raymond, Amy Roberts, and Joe Erb were excellent reads.  I really just enjoyed the cross section of topics throughout and this issue got me up to date and thinking next steps- love it.  

 

--  The ad of the month- never ever easy to award any more, but I must make the tough calls and this month this award goes to Dow for their “railing” ad.  The picture is a page stopper and then the layout even with more text than I normally prefer really worked and had me engaged. So congrats to whomever the marketing mind at Dow is for this one- since I don’t know that person/group- I’ll just give kudos to Jon Kimberlain and Stanley Yee for a job well done!

I will say the MyGlassClass ad is awesome and deserves props too!  Love that design!

 

--  Mixed bag of econ news this week.  The Dodge Momentum Index was down and there really is a negative flow and tone to the report- so that wasn’t very good.  On the flipside, crane count in Q1 was at an all-time high!  So there is work out there but that darker cloud is in linger mode.  The next Architectural Billings Index is due this Wednesday and given the bank turmoil and interest rates I am expecting it to be low- possibly scary low.  But as always let’s hope I am wrong.

 

--  Hurricane Season predictions are out and thankfully the call is for a lighter season.  Let’s hope so.  We need a clean and easy season to get things back on track in so many areas.  The weather disruptions as a whole from the horrendous snow out west, the deadly tornadoes throughout the center of the country and the flood like rains in south Florida have been enough trouble, so let’s maybe go easy on the hurricane activity.

 

--  Last this week… it is National Volunteer Week and a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who donates their time, knowledge, and care to our industry. YOU make us a great industry and it’s the best to be around all of you at various meetings and events.  Thank you for the support and betterment of our world!   

 

LINKS of the WEEK

- Even one of the richest guys in the world has problems- including getting plans approved for his house and property. 

 

- Bizarre story on bank accounts being closed with little warning- I feel like something is missing from the explanations… on both sides.

 

- Yikes.  Yet another thing to worry about and this one is a doozy- a new way to steal cars.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From one of the best in the business- Tony Kasprzak of Seawall Architectural.  This great project that Tony and team repped with product from Goldray Glass.  Horace Mann Hall at Rhode Island College is the project and it’s covered nicely in THIS article.  But there was a line in there I have to call out- 

“Dingus-Eason says the window glass is her favorite feature in the building.”

Oh yeah!  Love when someone points to the glass as being the best!! (because it always is!) So congrats Tony and Goldray and everyone else on this beauty!

Schools and National Overwatch

The school shooting issue is still top of mind for me and when the possibility of interviewing a person who is out there trying to help schools do the right thing came up, I jumped at it.  So I did a special one off podcast with Victor “Sal” Salazar of National Overwatch.  Sal’s group is a non-profit dedicated to improving the security at schools and doing it with an experienced intel mindset.  It’s a really needed approach that I hope more schools take advantage of.  It was great to get to know Sal and hear his approach and his passion for this area just comes through in waves.  So a special edition of the From the Fabricator podcast, focused on schools with National Overwatch is now live for you to check out and hopefully gain something from.

Check it out on VIDEO and AUDIO (and search for it on Apple, Spotify, Google etc. with From the Fabricator as the search term).

 

And before I leave this subject, I just wanted to share a note from an old co-worker of mine Jeff Kirby.  Great passionate take here on the school situation and I appreciate Jeff allowing me to share.  

 

I, as many, get disheartened and angry every time there is a school shooting for the exact reason you stated. We have products to keep kids safe and refuse to use them. It started with convenience stores and some office buildings. I leave Government buildings out of this because they will always find a way to keep themselves safe. Over the years I have looked at and quoted more than I care to count and at the end of the day a human life is worth about $5,000.00 regardless of what is said.

I have also installed some schools that have “secured entries” as a deterrent but when ¼” over ¼” laminated insulated glass is what is used there is a false since of security and the only thing they really deter is break ins.

To a point we as an industry have failed with educating architects and spec writers because they quit listening when they hear laminated glass and when a set of plans come out, all the time spent with face to face, and continuing education luncheons is lost. Manufacturers should take those plans back and say this is wrong and force an addendum to be issued with what is really going to keep our kids safe.

Cost is also an issue, remember $5,000.00 per life. I believe new and existing schools can be drawn and renovated with focus on entries and the project truly being secure and windows that are in a “shooters path” be bullet resistant and those that are not can be regular annealed and tempered glass. We still get maximum light and keep our kids safe with a reduced cost. Parents and voters also need to be educated. They are asked to vote on a school bond to secure the buildings their kids are in and then something like Nashville happens and they don’t really know that the school wasn’t secure to begin with. They are less likely to vote for the next bond because they were not educated.

Sorry for the rant but I believe this is not a cost issue and CM’s, GC’s, school boards, superintendents, architects, engineers, and spec writers need to do a better job of educating voters and parents as well as themselves on how to keep the next shooting from taking lives!!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Sad news as well in our space with the passing of Joe Gudenburr, CEO of Syracuse Glass.  Joe had really taken to our industry in a short two years at the helm and in the times I communicated with him, he was a person that “got it” when it came to our world, approach and cultures.  He really was breath of fresh air.  My condolences to his family, friends, and the team at Syracuse Glass. 

 

--  Ok on to some lighter news.  Two takes on Vitro Architectural Glass.  First off, its CEO Ricardo Maiz (past great podcast guest) blew me away recently when he went on a huge listening tour visiting facilities in 8 locations over 5 days.  Ricardo is tireless.  Love that he has continued to get out there and see people and he never stops for a second.  Then the news that Vitro launched the “Vitro X” program which identifies and then supports next generational materials and services.  That is huge- and a vital next step and no surprise to me to see Martin Bracamonte leading the charge there.  Martin is always on the leading edge, and this is surely one.  Nice work Vitro to push things forward both culturally and in the product space.

 

--  Congrats to the National Glass Association on it being named to the “2023 Best Nonprofits to Work For” list by The Nonprofit Times (NPT), a leading national business publication for nonprofit managers.  I have been honored to be associated with the NGA for many years and I can vouch for the fact it is a great organization with tremendous people.  Kudos to Nicole Harris and the team there for building a wonderful place to work and for always being at the front of every industry need.

 

--  Last this week- Baseball is back and I need to get my predictions in… and by the way I love the new rule changes with the pitch clock speeding the game up dramatically.  It has made a difference in watching that is for sure.  So, my call for the World Series this year is San Diego and Cleveland with the Padres (sorry Ron Crowl) taking the title. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Oh my!  A real life snake on a plane!

 

Prank video gone wrong- I am surprised this doesn’t happen more often

 

This is some serious deep-sea fish watching!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Synergy Glass and Gareth Reardon get the spotlight this week for this awesome reglaze of a courthouse building in Louisiana.  Saw this one on LinkedIn and it was a must-share for me.  No word on the post on what was used material wise, but looks wise it is sharp and impressive.  Congrats Gareth and Synergy on a job well done!!

Schools and What We Offer

By now I assume everyone reading this has heard that the school shooting in Nashville began when the shooter shot through the glass and walked right in.  The doors looked like they had typical tempered in it, making it a very easy pass.  Obviously this is gutting on so many levels, but from an industry standpoint it’s made worse because we have the solutions, and they are everywhere.  I know schools all over have been beefing up and don’t know why this one did not, but it’s obviously time (sadly) that every school should be using the materials we have to secure their setting more thoroughly.  I saw some back and forth on LinkedIn where some took offense to manufacturers noting that materials exist to help repel some of these scenarios. (A school superintendent no less)  The posts I saw did not have promotional or offending language- they pointed out the weak points and what is available to address.  But really at this point, maybe some toes have to be stepped on so people start to do what needs to be done?  The plea is this- if you are working on a school job, or you do maintenance for a district- it’s time to note that through many excellent manufacturers we have options for them.  

 

I also appreciate this strong take from the great Tim Widner of Lippert Components. 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  This school security subject among many others came up during the National Glass Association’s amazing Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days run through Washington DC this past week.  The NGA and some incredible volunteers from member companies met with serious big hitters on the hill and educated them a great deal on what we do, how we do it, and the good we can bring.  THIS is another area where NGA blows me away- they have stepped up into another space to represent us and push harder for our industry.  Kudos to everyone involved.  Efforts like this will pay off for our world for years to come.

 

--  In case you missed it, my latest podcast dropped last week, and I think all 3 of my guests had messages that really resonated with the listeners/watchers so far.  Susan Stone of Ubiquitous Energy has a transformational product and her and her team have really gone deep into our space.  Trent Thiry of Global Security Glazing/Isoclima has products that obviously this week proved are needed more than ever, and Brandon Nicastro of GCS Glass delivered in the light of “anything is possible” when you grind and work.  That includes running 37 miles through the desert… for fun.  Anyway, if you haven’t checked it out yet- please give it a whirl. Thank you!

VIDEO

AUDIO (And available on Apple, Spotify, Google etc.)

 

-- The latest AIA Awards recognized 16 projects for their excellence.  Personally, I think my project of the week spotlight is a bigger honor, but this isn’t bad either.  Here they are- some had great use of glazing while there were others that were ghastly to me.  Check it out and if you were among the folks who worked or supplied on any of these congrats!!

 

--  Guardian Glass added a few new folks to the ranks recently and I like the mix.  Katherine Kidd, Sam Ilewski, and Geoff Shellard are the additions, and I am already a fan of Geoff seeing how active he is on LinkedIn. (including some funny comments on a recent Visa project) Love when people are active in a positive way online and pushing what we do and how we do it!

 

--  Last this week… I’m watching the show “The Night Agent” on Netflix. This is a perfect “treadmill” show because its pretty much nonstop action.  Been a good watch and plot so far too… but our products did play a big role in episode 2.  While being chased our hero had to bust out of tempered IG window.  That was good to see.  But that led him walking on to a canopy that was just heavy tempered and somehow blew up under him.  (Great time for nickel sulfide issue I guess right)  Anyway I’ll wait til the great Dr. Kayla Natividad of Pilkington catches this and does her post mortem on LinkedIn to breakdown everything that happened.  Regardless always fun when the glass plays a role (even when wrong) in a show.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Another update on Ralphie the dog that keeps getting adopted and returned. Hopefully this one sticks!

 

Good on the Dodgers for this- would love to see more expansion of this sort of help too!

 

Glad I wasn’t on this flight!  Amazing how quickly this evidently went down

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

The great and almighty GlassNerd Andrew Haring delivered this one to me this week from a post recently on LinkedIn.  This is an epic project in San Diego.   Sempra Energy corporate HQ is the project and the glass was manufactured by Viracon.  Obviously this one stands out because it’s just loaded with beautiful glass and glazing.  So big time kudos to all who had a hand in this one!