New Pod Drop + Milestones and Best Cities

For the long holiday weekend, I’ve got a supersized episode of the From the Fabricator podcast with some seriously interesting people and angles shared throughout.  We kick things off with good friends Tom O’Malley of Clover Architectural and Kevin Mayer of PurOptima.  Those two are working together and bringing a great approach to the demountable/interior space.  Tons of insight and learning nuggets from them- especially on the growth aspect.  Good stuff and watch me cringe when I accidently age Tom up 30+ years.  Ouch.   Following them, I’m joined by Matt Fox and Travis Nevins of the IUPAT.  This was a heck of an experience for me to find out all these guys have going, and they nail in what I care about the most- presenting and supporting our industry in the best way possible.  I had no idea really all they had going on, and I just love that Matt and Travis both started in the glass industry from the ground up.  Two good and genuine dudes.  So, thank you in advance for listening/watching!  I appreciate it!

VIDEO

AUDIO (and search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify, or wherever to listen to podcasts!)

PLUS- thrilled to announce that FHC-Frameless Hardware Company has come on board as a presenting sponsor of the podcast.  Really excited about this support and appreciate them doing what they do for the industry!

Elsewhere…

-- A hearty congratulations to the team at Omni Cubed as they just recently celebrated their 21st year in business!  Great people there who manufacture a set of difference-making products.  The amount of backs, shoulders, and knees, saved thanks to Omni Cubed material handling apparatus has to be astonishing. (And appreciated!!) Labor is so hard to come by, so I am always a fan of anyone who makes that process better and more efficient. So, kudos and happy anniversary with a wish to many many more to Derek Westlund, Marvelous Merv Campbell and the team there!

-- This week, the latest Architectural Billings Index was released, and we all wanted to see if it was going to be Good, Bad, or Ugly.  Last month you may remember it was ugly.  It caught everyone off guard.  So the curiosity now was what would happen next.  The answer?  A little bit of a bump forward, but still under water.  The break-even is an index of 50.  Last month was 43.5, this time out, a 48.3 was posted.  Honestly, I’ll take that as a win.  And it shows last month was a fluke. Still work to do, and soft conditions remain, but we’re battling forward always.

-- Excellent news in seeing the combo of Seawall Architectural Products and Glass Enterprises Inc. with Seawall signing on to rep GEI in the Northeast.   Seawall is led by the truly dynamic Kasprzak duo, and now you match that with the fantastic crew under Josh Burg’s impeccable leadership, and BAM, you have a winning combo. Congrats to both parties and best of fortune rolling forward!  Love when great people collaborate!!

-- Also making news on the good side- the return of Gary McQueen to the traditional architectural products industry at Press Glass.  Gary was a force when JE Berkowitz was a power in the space and was always impressive in representing that company and the industry as a whole.  Good to have him back in the space.

-- Was very late to this because I just heard… Neil Huston, an impactful leader for LOF and then the early days of Pilkington in the US passed away earlier this year.  Neil worked for LOF/Pilkington for 40 years and was the Director of Flat Glass sales for a good chunk of them.  As my brother and family were building and growing the business Neil played a big role- and sometimes with seriously needed tough love.  But in the end, he always took care of us and the customer base and represented this industry well.  My delayed condolences to his family, friends, and former co-workers.

-- Last week… another list… this time the Top Housing Rankings in the US. The Wall Street Journal and Realtor.com compared 200 metro areas and then ranked them based on various factors, including housing costs (which I think carried a lot of clout), economic angles, lifestyle options, housing demand, property taxes, weather considerations, and much more. So, are you ready for the top 10? Here goes….

10—Portland, Maine—I have never been to Maine, and I always thought it was expensive to live in. Guess not.

9- Kingsport, TN- WOW- been there once upon a time and also the former home of the AFG/AGC float company.  So a glass related city makes the list.

8- Columbus, OH- That city is rocking.  And this is probably before the new chip factory plays into it all. Shame there is not a good college located there.  Would’ve been higher.  LOL.

7- Manchester, NH- I can say here the same thing that I did on Portland, Maine

6- Fort Wayne, IN- This was a stunner.  May need Tim Widner to tap in and confirm if this is truly the 6th best place to live in the US.  I only remember it from calling on glass accounts there in the early 2000’s.

5- Springfield, MO- Nice to see the love for the middle of the country and tons of nice people in that area.

4-Akron, OH- I am an Ohio U grad and love parts of that state- but no way on this one.

3- Ann Arbor, MI- Well there is a very good college there…. LOL.  And my kids were born there…. But I have to admit I am shocked that this area is rated so high. Housing is tough, traffic awful.

2- Canton, OH- Wait what?  Wouldn’t Canton be combo’d with Akron?  Canton does have a cool little airport. It does have awesome people like John Wheaton and Tom Nesbitt around.  And it does have the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Wild rank to me.  I like it there- but 2nd overall?

And #1 overall… Rockford, Illinois.  – I’ll need someone from that area to pipe in and tell me about how great it is.  Very curious on what I am missing….

I am stunned that places like Carmel, Indiana or Grand Rapids, MI did not make the top 10.  Or anything in South Carolina, Georgia, or Florida.  Or Texas!!  This truly was an interesting list.

See the whole rundown…

LINKS of the WEEK

The Tacos are Sandwiches controversy we never knew we needed.

https://www.courthousenews.com/indiana-judge-opens-door-for-new-eatery-finding-tacos-and-burritos-are-mexican-style-sandwiches

Never knew you could flop onto a whale and that’s illegal

https://www.mensjournal.com/news/new-zealand-man-belly-flopped-orca-calf-fate

Odd call from this college- though who really knows with AI builds.  Also most colleges suck these days.

https://www.engadget.com/emory-university-awarded-two-students-10000-for-their-ai-study-tool-then-suspended-them-120026233.html?guccounter=1

PROJECT of the WEEK

I always like checking in on what the team at Paul Rabinowitz Glass has going on, and this one was a strong entry.  It was done a bit ago, but it looks super! This is TastePoint located just west of Philadelphia.  The wall panels may get the attention, but the glazing is the winner here!  Kudos to Mark Rabinowitz and the team on this winner!  They say, “Consider it done,” and this one was done well!!

A truly GREAT state of Texas

Fun industry week as both the events in Texas and Washington DC were massively successful.  Texas Glass Conference IV raised the bar again.  From having 45 people and 4 sessions in 2017 to 155+ and 8 sessions, this event is on a rocket ship.  I am honored to still be on it!!  Congratulations to the Board and Membership of the TGA for an awesome effort.  Some highlights and people sightings….

Educationally a few moments stuck out.  Jeff Wolfla on insurance, planning, and risk management was fabulous. Great speaker that left you with a lot to think about and implement.  The Kyle Jones panel on new products was super and had the room buzzing, with some jaw droppers from “Stone Cold” Jeff Haber. (You had to be there the next day to grasp the “Stone Cold” connection)  Tyler Hall gathered a GC, Developer, and Architect and it was a stunning session filled with insight and followed by some excellent questioning on some ridiculous overreach by the consulting community.  That subject could be a full day.  Of course, the sessions were kicked off by legend Greg Oehlers enlightening all of us about the challenges of glass and glazing right now and solutions coming down the pike.  Greg was also awarded the Lou Green Award which is deserved recognition for his amazing contributions to our industry.  

As for the people side- Texas always delivers and so many cool folks made the trek to Austin.  Loved visiting for a brief moment with Felix Munson Sr. and Dennis Bevans.  Great people always and I’ll always appreciate their support.  And on support, hard to ever quibble with how great the Country Glass team is when it comes to our world.  Brian Risinger and Joe Lambertson are always classy and front and center and was cool to meet Brian’s impressive son Daleton.  

I only get to see the amazing Jacque Freeman of Binswanger at events like this- and that helps make it for me.  She continues to crush it out there and I am so proud.  Also on fire Shelly Farmer of Pellucere.  She’s moving that company forward with top skill.  

I always enjoy expanding the network- two new adds for me with getting to know Mark Vando of Reflection Glass and Robert Taylor of RT Drafting Services. It was an absolute trip to visit with Scott & Amy Bolton of the red-hot Bolton Glass. I have not seen Scott in many years and did not think I’d see him or Amy here (figured GlassBuild with it being in Dallas) so that was a wonderful surprise.  So happy for them!  And ran into James Stammers of Everlam- super to see him in this great new spot. 

A few others to mention including the Tristar pair of Erica Couch and Jack Wickstrom.  Love how Tristar always supports.  Great to visit with Greg Grothoff of GlassFab, Kyle Lamb of Universal Glass, Rick Newnom of HouTex Glass, and of course Sam and Chris Hill of Oak Cliff and Salient.  Grateful for the time from them!  

Last a heartfelt thank you and congrats to Kyle Sharp from Sharp Glass for his work in setting this up and having me at this huge success of an event and Jennifer Fontana for all the organization.  Great stuff!  And I’m more fired up than ever to return to Texas in the fall for GlassBuild!

 

Also to my friends in Houston- thinking about you all post storms.  Hope all is OK and you get power back soon!

 

Elsewhere…

 

Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days was a huge win from all accounts.  Quite a few high-level visits took place and serious dialogue at a few different levels make it a positive going forward.  You know an event has touched people when they do their own LinkedIn posts and make goals on them. That happened.  A lot!  Kudos to the NGA and every volunteer who took the time to attend.  Way to step up for the industry!!

 

Last week I listed by “Best Presenters/Speakers” in the industry and I had a huge miss.  I failed to list Syndi Sim of DFI.  Syndi is an unreal presenter- tons of energy (shocking right- you follow her on LinkedIn and she seems bored… LOL LOL) and information in every approach and she has a very punchy delivery that sticks.  Sorry Syndi for not having you on the original list! You deserve the recognition!

 

This week we’ll have the latest edition of the Architectural Billings Index. Last month was a shocking surprise with a brutal showing of 43.5. (break-even is 50 and previous month was 49- so we thought we were close).  What happens this time?  Given the rate debacle was still raging until this past week and a decent inflation report, I’m thinking more of the same.  But we’ll see…. Until then we soldier on out there!

 

Good news- Bob Cummings is back in the glass fabrication side.  Bob has joined on at Hartung and it’s a great fit.  Bob is one of the best ever- and he knows that Hartung world and culture well.  Hartung has brought in some super people between Paul Mahedy, Jeremy Hoy and now Bob they continue to move the needle.  And on Bob- his hire had me thinking about my brother Steve’s “tree”- folks that were either brought forward in our industry or grew under the tutelage of my brother.  It’s an impressive list and a legacy that my bro should be proud of- though he is the one that stuck all of you with me… so deduct a few points!

 

Last this week…if all goes well, I will have a new pod episode for you all next week.  2 sets of guests with some subject matter I have never had before on my show- so that will be interesting.  And in June I’ll have my special 50^th episode featuring Cal Beyer and Dave Argus covering the range of mental health and addiction awareness and support.  That episode will be an amazing one for me (and may end up being a two-parter). Can’t wait!!  Thank you all for following and listens.  (Was neat to hear from Dorothy Gurka, the incredible lead at the Houston Area Glass Association tells me this week how she immediately played my current pod with Kyle Sharp- so awesome when I catch stuff like this)

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Who knew Finger Wrestling was a sport? 

https://apnews.com/article/germany-bavaria-finger-wrestling-competition-championship-8297cc5045a6e939eecd4928bb44af5b

 

Paging my guy, the very talented James Esver- would this be considered an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)? Or is it just a shed? Or is a shed an ADU anyway? 

https://www.the-sun.com/money/11381430/tiny-home-costco-affordable/

 

Funny story- better headline. 

https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2024/05/15/canada-Guinness-World-Records-gathering-dinosaur-costumes-disqualified/5071715792855/

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

I am big fan of Stephanie Aldrete of GlasPro as I think she’s done an incredible job with that brand there.  This week spotlight ends up on a sweet project that they did in Northern California. This is the Dublin Public Transit Center.  GlasPro did the digital printing on glass for a public art installation in collaboration with Rowe Fenestration and Lincoln Glass & Mirror. (Have I ever mentioned I love the Rowe Fen team too?? Must be the Texas trip- I am in a good mood this week)- This one is a winner all the way around.  Congrats Stephanie and all involved!!

Texas, Speakers, and DC

Big week ahead as the 4th Texas Glass Conference kicks off this week outside of Austin.  The Texas Glass Association once again has put together an amazing agenda, and the speaking group/subject matter is top-notch.  I can’t wait to be there to participate! I am very curious to get some insight from the attendees on the various product trends, too.  Even though that is one area I am talking about, I am looking forward to some feedback on what other people are seeing and experiencing.  I’ll have the recap with pertinent details next week here on the blog!

 Elsewhere…

 -- In case you missed it, one of my guests from my most recent podcast is playing a huge role in the Texas Glass Conference IV.  Kyle Sharp of Sharp Glass is the current President of the TGA, and he gave a nice rundown of the event, among many other nuggets.  Also on that pod is the fabulous Chris Giovannielli of Kawneer.  The thought leader approach that Chris and the team are doing is really super and good for our industry as a whole.  So please if you haven’t listened/watched yet- check it out!

VIDEO

AUDIO (also search for “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify etc.)

 -- I teased a few weeks back that I was going to do a “Top Industry Speaker” list, and here it is.  I will note- this list is missing the amazing Troy Johnson of Apogee/Harmon- as I put him in a class all by himself. Plus, I don’t see Troy speaking at multiple events like the people below have done and will most likely do so in the future. (getting him to BEC was tough enough!) So, in no specific order, here’s who I consider the best public speakers/presenters right now.

Wade Arnold- USBP- I have heard him speak in public and on webinars, and he is tremendous. Strong grasp of the product and codes that surround it and speaks in terms everyone can understand and also throws some sharp jabs too when needed.  I always learn something and appreciate the effort he puts into it.

Andrew Haring- FHC- Most know Andrew for his LinkedIn persona, but he’s an unreal speaker.  His performance at the Texas Glass Conference III was a masterpiece in grabbing the audience, pulling them close, and taking them on a thrill ride of info.  Very effective and interesting and, of course, creative to the core.

Paul Bush- Vitro- You may not have seen Paul speak since he veers more to the technical stuff, but if you ever get a chance to hear him- run, don’t walk.  Intelligent and in-depth presentation skill and he is able to mix a ton of info in the right style where you “get it” and your eyes don’t glaze over.  I once had the misfortune of having to follow him in the speaking roster.  I was dying in the audience as he was crushing everything including tidbits I had. Following him would be like the opening act following the headliner.  Good stuff!

Henry Taylor—Kawneer—It’s all about the style and tone here. Henry makes you feel like you should pull up a chair, grab a lemonade, and listen intently to tales of storefronts and curtain walls. Always thorough and always giving you more to think about and act on, Henry delivers a top-notch experience. His knowledge base is also unreal.

Seth Madole-Viracon- Seth delivers info with authority and a genuine touch.  Maybe it’s the mix of being 7 feet tall and being Minnesota Nice, but whatever it is- it works.  Deep dives delivered in that easy-going Midwest style, and you walk away from it smarter and also hungry for more. Plus, Seth has such a wide range of experience that he can walk in another person’s shoes and provide a ton of really helpful content.  Always an enjoyable experience!

So there a go- first round of folks on the list, and I’ll keep watching and listening for future additions!

-- This week also has the industry headed to Washington DC for Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days.  The National Glass Association has done an incredible job organizing this, and it brings much-needed visibility to the issues that affect our space now and into the future.  Among the topics that will be covered this week with lawmakers from all over the US… Bird Friendly, School Security, High Performance Glazing, and Workforce Development.  Follow the NGA social accounts (are you following on LinkedIn? Do that now) and in the next issues of Glass Magazine Weekly and Window + Door Weekly for more!

-- Last this week… saw a blurb on a recent webinar that Architects are getting more and more frustrated because they’re doing more design concepts and not getting compensated.  We all know that feeling in some form or fashion, right?  Anyway, they listed who were the main culprits of these actions and it’s not surprising to me.  Worst culprit- the Developer.  Followed by Institutional Non-Profits, Building owners, Government, and private institutions.  Interesting list and situation going on- especially with certain conditions softening, being gracious and doing things for “free” gets a lot harder.  We’ll see if there’s any pushback ahead!

LINKS of the WEEK

The potholes that come with certain Electric Vehicles are surely concerning.  This story hits a few.

https://www.autoblog.com/2024/04/30/fisker-ocean-door-ding-nightmare/

Here we go again with fishing controversies!!

https://sports.yahoo.com/complaints-objections-swept-aside-15-151200293.html

Reasons I hate Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL.   Example #1287

https://sports.yahoo.com/university-of-houston-blowing-off-nfls-cease-and-desist-about-oilers-like-uniform-were-doing-it-180043039.html

 PROJECT of the WEEK

This came across my feed from Mark Dutrow, CEO of U.S. Glass.   Sutter Roseville is the job.  I loved the way the glass looked, and the curtain wall was on point.  Mark didn’t list who the manufacturers were, but obviously, everything looked good, and the glazing made it fly!  Congrats to Mark and the team at U.S. Glass on an awesome project!!

New Pod and More

Finally- we have a new podcast episode for you!  The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now live with two insanely talented guys.  First up, maybe you caught my hint last week on a guest being “sharp.” Well, this one is… both for real and in name.  Kyle Sharp from Sharp Glass gets us going, and it is interesting to run through his past and present and also great looks at the market, doing things the right way, and, of course, the awesome and upcoming Texas Glass Con IV.  (Which is open for more than just folks in Texas by the way- good event!).  Then, next up is the ultra-cool Chris Giovannielli of Kawneer.  I learned a ton here about Chris personally, which was super, and then even better, his insights into the hot segments, Kawneer’s intelligent approach to them, and also the growth of our industry overall.  There is good stuff all around, and I think there are plenty of positive takeaways here for all. 

VIDEO

AUDIO (also search for “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify etc.)

Thank you for checking it out!!  I appreciate it!

Elsewhere…

-- Congrats to Taylor Anderson of Anderson Aluminum for her addition to the NGA Board of Directors.  That board has such a great range of talented, caring, and dedicated people, and Taylor will fit right in.  Good stuff!

-- There are a few really hot product segments out there now, but I wonder if any have the current juice that glass railings have.  The options on the railing side continue to grow and this past week we saw a new entrant into the race.  Portals introduced their VETRO line, and usually, whatever Eric Miller at Portals touches turns to gold, so I assume this will as well!  Congrats to Eric and team on the product debut. 

-- A fascinating article on China and the Real Estate adventures there was sent to me last week and it’s a great read.  I know a lot of our key industry people were in China recently for China Glass and curious about what they saw/heard/experienced, but this story really got the mind racing on all the shenanigans that have taken place and how long they were able to keep it up.

-- The NFL Draft was in my backyard in Detroit and looked like a huge success.  775,000 people attended the 3-day event, and it brought a ton of attention to Detroit. 2 notables… all of those people had to pass a building that had a custom structure to it that the great crew from Clover Architectural Products pulled off.  On LinkedIn- Tom O’Malley of Clover gave a quick description of it:

"One of the most memorable projects we have done! Each folded aluminum chevron was 10' x 2' and had 6 bends to it. The support system back to the curtain wall and all the framing was designed by Clover Architectural Products. Not an easy job but our team did a great job led by Jim Stremplewski."

511 Woodward- Clover Architectural Products

Kudos gang on this one!  I remember it because Tom featured this on my very 1st podcast- so thrilled to see it in the spotlight for more to see. (when Tom is on my podcast only gets like 500K listens so 775K in person tops it! LOL)

-- Also, in Detroit?  The Historic Train Station, after years of being abandoned and then being resuscitated for seemingly forever, is now a month away from re-opening, and that will be awesome.  There is so much excitement about that coming back online.  I was lucky enough to tour it as construction was starting to get really rolling way back in September of 2021.  I can’t wait to see it done.  Kudos to Brian Thomas and the team at Super Sky for the work they did there and, of course, the indefatigable and awesome rep Joe Lucchese of JML, who has been a force on that project since day 1.

-- Last this week… some of you met my daughter Natalie at GlassBuild last fall.  Well, this past weekend was a great thrill as she received a Masters degree from Ohio University- which happens to be my beloved alma mater.  So, for me it was super cool and emotional and the first time back on campus in 30 years.  So proud of Natalie as she continues to crush it!  She really blows me away.   And on a fun note, she now joins the club along with glass and fenestration greats Rodger Ruff and Laurie Cowin as a Bobcat alum! Heck of weekend, that is for sure, and big time thanks to all who supported her journey!

LINKS of the WEEK

The opioid crisis continues all over, but it is interesting to read about what a few country music stars are doing about it.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/opioid-crisis-in-country-music-songs-fans-1235003645/

Wow- even Jerry Seinfeld has hecklers and still thinks about one

https://ew.com/jerry-seinfeld-still-thinks-about-1993-heckler-8639953

Every week a different wild story happening to a plane.  This one with a slide falling off?

https://apnews.com/article/delta-emergency-slide-jfk-airport-4e37f1b17feb3b1b082da0e1bc857c57

PROJECT of the WEEK

I’m a huge fan of the Herzog Glass team so when I saw this project flash across my feed, I bookmarked for a future showing here.  This is the Buxton Center for Bainbridge Performing Arts.  The look of this one just stopped me and of course the glass and glazing was right on point. The image is from the incredible design team from LMN Architects.  Kudos to LMN and of course to Joe Kaiser and the great folks at Herzog.  Job well done!