Successful in Many Ways

A new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now up, and this was a learning edition for me.  First up, Seth Madole of Viracon.  Seth has been a key cog in the Viracon machine for years, and it was great to get his insight into successful business approaches and, of course, the supply chain, which falls under his responsibilities at Viracon.  Lots of good stuff from a first-class person.  Then I talked with Kevin Black of Flexijet. Kevin is also a fantastic person and talent, and I loved his take on attracting youth to our space —if more people did it, we could fill more holes.  Plus, Flexijet was a product I knew little about until recently (thanks to smarter guys than me, Ryan Shoemaker of Champagne Glass and Abdeali Karimjee of Precision Glass Industries), and I am fascinated by it. Looking forward to seeing it in action at GlassBuild.  Two people, two differing worlds and roles,  but two people who shine in our space.  Check it out and THANK YOU for the continued support!

VIDEO

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

Thanks to FHC-Frameless Hardware Company for sponsoring this episode!

Elsewhere…

-- Seth and I talked about the indexes (he had a great take on the ABI), so it made sense that both the ABI and the latest start info were released this week.  The ABI I expected to stay flat sank badly instead, to 43.3, one of the lowest tallies ever.  So obviously things aren’t great in Architect land.  Project inquiries, which are a key metric for me, stayed above water again at 50.1.  On the starts side, the news was a little better, but for the first time in a while, the inflation adjustment was added, which took some wind out of our sails.  Still non-residential and commercial posted positive scores- we did know things were busting out a little more, so this was a nice confirmation (no matter the reach) for me. The grind continues, folks… let’s be smart out there, ok?

-- Another industry titan was lost recently.  Don Thomas, a longtime customer of mine in Michigan and the father of two very successful leaders in our industry, Brian Thomas at Super Sky and Tim Thomas at Erie Architectural, passed away.  Don was pure class and did things the right way.  Qualities that his sons picked up and carried on 10-fold.  My condolences to Brian, Tim, and the Thomas family on their loss. 

-- Good and huge news…I have written a few times about Acelab, the best outlet for connecting architects with building material manufacturers.  I’m a fan. I even had their founder, Vardhan Mehta, on my podcast very early on in their journey (October 2022). Anyway, they announced a very nice series A funding play (14 million!), which will allow them to keep going and growing.  This is huge, and it is really the future in that space.  I am so happy for Vardhan and the team- good folks! Congrats!

-- More good news about great people… Walker Glass announced 3 moves with 2 of my all-time favorites involved.  Marc Deschamps is now Vice President, Products and Business Development, and Charles Alexander is now Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing.  Marc and Charles are terrific people who are fiercely dedicated to our industry and obviously their company.  I love seeing them both gaining more honor, which is deserved.  In addition, Walker announced Angelo Grippo as the new Vice President, R&D and Technical Services.  I don’t know Angelo, but I do know Randy Brooks, CEO of Walker, and his brilliant business acumen tells me Angelo is probably a great talent too.  Congrats to all!

-- And last this week… did you know that on October 25th, 2005, I posted for the very first time on this blog?  Twenty years later, here I am.  I’ve celebrated past milestones before (last year was 1000 posts, etc.), so I won’t go crazy with memories, etc.- but just a simple thank you to everyone who was on then, picked it up years ago, or picked it up recently.  It means a ton.  And please —if you see me at GlassBuild, grab me to say hi.  I love meeting/catching up with people from our space and expanding the network!

LINKS of the WEEK

This is fascinating.  A driverless WAYMO taxi gets pulled over… how did the cops handle it?https://apnews.com/article/waymo-no-driver-traffic-ticket-0a0dffb19bf38c5ee85681a6f83591ff

Well, how about this... Chat GTP helped a woman win the lottery https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/10/16/lotto-Michigan-Lottery-Powerball-ChatGPT/2361760633593/

Michael J Fox has a new book out with a comical take on his role in the cult hit “Teen Wolf” – which was the movie right before he broke out in “Back to the Future” https://nypost.com/2025/10/17/entertainment/michael-j-fox-on-why-he-felt-like-a-whore-on-the-set-of-teen-wolf/  ((Real ones know his turn as Alex P Keaton was the breakout though))

PROJECT of the WEEK

Out to the west coast, and this beauty was posted by Patrick Sullivan of Pacific Coast Glazing. He noted a design-assist project for the UCI Mesa expansion.  The glass and glazing look spot on, and I assume everyone involved in this is pretty happy- or at least they should be.  Patrick did not note who the various suppliers were on this one, but I did see in the comments that my pals at Architectural Glazing Solutions (the wonderful Pompeo family) had a product on there.  Good stuff!  Congrats to everyone on this one!

Top 10

Typically, I usually end my blog posts with a list… but this week I’ll flip the script and start with one.  This is the 1st half of 2025 Top US Metro areas for commercial buildings and multifamily housing construction starts via Dodge.  I found it interesting in a few ways, mostly performance this year vs. last.  So here we go…

10- Boston.  It’s in the top 10 but off 10% from last year.  Being -10 is better than I thought in talking to folks in that region.

9- Chicago.  Flat with last year.

8- Columbus, OH.  The chip push was driving a lot- down 4% from last year, but really impressive to still be 8th overall!

7- Atlanta. Up 5% from last year.  Surviving despite no GlassBuild this year, there.

6- Phoenix. Up 3% from last year

5- Houston.  +4% in 2025, which will probably surprise a few folks in that area who feel like it's slower than that.

4- Miami. +31%!  Wow. Look at South Florida go.

3- Washington DC +31% - This is a stunner to me.  Good for the folks in our industry in that area. I would’ve never have guessed.

2- Dallas, TX-  Up 10% which is solid, but my guess is that folks in the area would also consider that “down”

And the leader after the first of 2025…

New York City… I am NOT surprised by being #1. I am surprised that they are UP 41% over 2024. Wow.  Maybe that trend can spread from NYC to the rest of the world!

In fact, the Wall Street Journal had an interesting piece this week, trumpeting the massive comeback of office space in New York.  So nice to see, and it can give some hope for sure.

Elsewhere…

-- This coming week, the next Architectural Billings Index will be released, and despite the good vibes above, I still expect the index to be down and flat vs. last month.  There have been murmurs of work breaking, but has that hit the billings cycle at the Architectural level? I am guessing not.

-- The monthly Glass Magazine review… this is the annual GlassBuild preview- so it is loaded with info on the show and the players involved. A must-read ahead of you heading to Orlando.  Plus columns from brilliant contributors like Joe Erb of Quanex and Travis Nevins of IUPAT.  To see it online- CLICK HERE!

-- Ad of the month… it never gets easier for me to choose because the marketing folks in our space keep raising their games.  Four ads immediately caught my eye, but I can only pick one, and the winner in a very tough call was…. Diamon-Fusion DFI- with their Happiest Machine on Earth.  My bias of Disney (thanks to Zach Perilstein’s ownership of that space) probably tipped the scales. Placing the machine in the middle of Orlando's excitement worked.   Fun, creative, and eye-catching ad that surely makes the reader stop and look!  So, kudos to the team at DFI for a job well done! 

-- The annual Committee on the Environment (COTE®) Top Ten Awards are out, and I love seeing the buildings and design.  At least 7 of the 10 had a significant glazing element on them. That is better than I remember from the past.  Take a look at the winners HERE and congrats to Vitro Architectural Glass for having worked on five of them!  Nice.  Rob Struble strikes again.   

-- Last this week… a hearty congratulations to a great friend and one of the most talented players in our industry.  Shelly Farmer joined the team at Glasshape as Director of Sales, Southeast USA.  This really looks like a perfect match- a tremendous company and a fabulous sales professional connected together.  Exciting and happy for all parties!

LINKS of the WEEK

I love glass… I love this luxury glass igloo even more, I think! https://www.newstribune.com/news/2025/oct/05/inside-glass-igloo-on-an-expedition-cruise-in/

Wow- Using a Billboard to find a husband… and getting tons of applicants too. https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/celebrity/woman-42-launches-billboard-campaign-to-find-a-husband-nearly-2-000-men-have-already-responded/ar-AA1NTSRh

This could be the craziest thing to happen in Bettendorf, IA in a while.  Cocaine. Fire Extinguishers, Blood and more. https://viewfromthewing.com/bad-reaction-to-cocaine-naked-guest-triggers-marriott-evacuation-after-spraying-fire-extinguishers-and-smearing-blood-across-second-floor/

PROJECT of the WEEK

Brad Sears of DS Windows is an online favorite of mine (I don’t think I have ever met him in person), and once again, his work grabs the spotlight. This sprawling project had everything a glazier (and glazing geek) could want- from beautiful glass railings (from front of building to balconies to around the pool) to a great looking storefront, sunshades, windows etc.  NICE work, Brad and company. Not sure who supplied the glass and hardware- you all deserve props too. 

Come on... BE THERE!!

It is that time… GlassBuild is approaching, and with the hotel deadline this week, I figured this was a prime opportunity to make my pitch on why you should be there.  This is the show for the entire industry.  A chance for all of us to connect, learn, and grow.  I hear from people who say they don’t go because “there’s nothing for me there,” and to that I say…NONSENSE!  To me, it means you are not looking at it the right way.  So, you’re saying that with 600 exhibitors there, there’ll be none that would help you or your business?  So, you’re saying with top-notch speakers and educational sessions, there’s nothing at all to gain? (Just seeing Conor Lokar is worth the trip because of the knowledge. Or the panel at the Glazing Executives Panel featuring supply chain insights from leaders at Viracon, YKK, and Allegion) So, you’re saying that with 8000+ other people there, you won’t run into someone who can help you with your business/life? I think people sometimes see “trade show” and if they’re not in the mode to buy something, then it’s not worth attending.  Well, this one is.  It is crucial even more this year, given a sluggish economy and unknowns everywhere.  So, if you are on the fence, jump off and sign up.  If you were a “no,” reconsider and join us.  Go to GlassBuildAmerica.com and use my code- MAXPOD25 at checkout for a free show floor entry and get to Orlando.  You won’t regret it.  And as mentioned above, the hotel deadline for the best locations and rates ends this week, so you probably shouldn’t wait any longer on that.  Thanks for hearing me out!! 

Elsewhere…

-- In case you missed it… the latest From the Fabricator podcast that dropped last week was one for the books.  Getting insights from Devin Bowman of TGP/Allegion and Paul Daniels of FHC was priceless.  Feedback has been incredible too… Thank you for giving it a shot!

VIDEO

AUDIO

Thank you to FHC Frameless Hardware Company for sponsoring this episode!

-- Recruiting.  A huge issue.  So it was awesome to see the always astute Jim Stathopoulos of AJAY Glass leading the way at an event last week in Rochester, NY.  Jim, along with the NGA, took part in ROC With Your Hands – a hands-on career exploration event connecting 1,500 students (grades 8-12) with skilled trades careers.  Cool stuff.  NGA had a great take on it all here, and it hit home.  Check it out and know if Jim is into something, then it’s a great signal to follow his lead!

-- The latest Dodge Momentum Index was released, and it, of course, is still pointing more positively than we all expect (and probably feel.) I’ll take it- positive always works. There was one great line from the report that I think is worth sharing:

 “After a prolonged period of uncertainty, owners and developers are advancing projects into planning, but activity is expected to normalize in future months.” 

Ok, this is what we have been talking about… when will the dam break?  Money has been sitting on the sidelines… is it starting to move?  I do think the uncertainty is still considerable (the Fed may not cut rates again as expected —bears watching), but the need to progress may be outweighing it all.  For me, I want to see what Conor Lokar says at GlassBuild.  That will surely help to determine what is coming down the pike and when.

-- Last this week… I have many friends in the Philadelphia area, and my heart goes out to the sports fans there.  What a miserable, no-good, brutal week you just had.  The Eagles go from 4-0 to 4-2 in the space of 4 days, and then the Phillies lose a series in the most agonizing, insane way with a walk-off dribbler matched with a mental freeze.  Rough.  Hang in there, folks… And as for me- watching the Tigers lose in the longest elimination playoff game ever (while texting the Mayor of Glass Town- Jon Johnson for all 5+ hours) was a tough experience too…

LINKS of the WEEK

-- In a past life- this would be a dream to be near… a truck loaded with M&M’s crashes and they spill all over the road… https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2025/09/18/MMs-spill-Knowlton-New-Jersey-Interstate-80/1961758218902/

Staying on the food theme- a 24-hour trip to replenish your cocoa?https://nypost.com/2025/09/19/lifestyle/chef-flies-2400-miles-on-extreme-day-trip-for-this-wild-reason/

Could it be time to be real-life “Jetsons”- flying cars are here https://news.yahoo.com/news/autos/auto-shows/articles/robot-dogs-flying-cars-five-122443169.html

 PROJECT of the WEEK

To the great Pacific Northwest and the tremendous Joe Kaiser of Herzog Glass.  This is the famous Seattle Space Needle, and the glass surroundings were done 7 years ago, but recently, it was the first time I had seen it on LinkedIn.  The glass and layout look stunning, and Joe and team make what was obviously a seriously complex install look easy.  The last 2 times I was in Seattle, I did not go to the Needle.  I will not make that mistake the next time (whenever that will be). Kudos to Joe and his team at Herzog Glass and everyone involved!!

Big Hitters

The latest edition of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is out, and we’re big game hunting this time with two industry heavyweights.  I start with Devin Bowman of TGP & Allegion.  A brilliant guy who’s had a significant impact on our space and continues to push the envelope.  Great hearing his insights on protective/health & safety issues and where we fit in.  Plus, we do talk a little Seattle Seahawks football.  Then I was able to get industry legend Paul Daniels of FHC on. Paul has seen and done it all throughout his distinguished career, and it was great to pick his brain and gain some solid insights on industry changes, supply chain management, training, and more.  I think you all will enjoy this one.  We continue to be on a heck of a run with these shows, and your support keeps growing and blowing me away.  Thank you!!

VIDEO

AUDIO

Thank you to FHC Frameless Hardware Company for sponsoring this episode!

Elsewhere…

-- Connor Sell of Quality Glass & Design of The Upstate in South Carolina is an excellent follow on LinkedIn.  Always good food for thought, and one recent post really caught my eye. He talks about our role in the process and delivers a great line: “The last trade defines the first impression.” Check out the post HERE to see more.  Keep up the good work Connor!

-- Last week we had the NGA Glass Conference: Ann Arbor, and as always, Urmilla Sowell, Karen Wegert, and team put on a first-class event.  I was only able to touch a tiny bit of it before most arrived, but during that time, I was able to get a tour of the Guardian Glass float plant in Carleton, Michigan.  It had been many years since I last saw that facility, and it was very cool to revisit.  Jon Griggs is a fantastic host and very good person, and I am grateful for him making it happen and for his efforts (along with his team at Guardian Glass) doing not only my little tour but a massive one during the week for many attendees of the conference.  Great stuff.

-- Also at the Conference- John Kent of AMS was awarded the prestigious CG Carney Award for his efforts in our industry.  This was big-time deserved!  John has been a crucial part of our world, and his efforts on the certification side were gamechangers and will continue to be so. He’s built a tremendous organization that serves us all well. On top of that, he’s an incredibly nice person.  So nice person + major impact in our world = a much-deserved recognition.  Congrats John!

-- Ok- so hear me out here.  Matt Day of Glazier Nation fame is running for Congress in Georgia.  Now, Matt is not everyone’s cup of tea, but he is one of our own, and he’s put himself out there, in a very challenging race, to try and shake things up. (Tough race- at least seven candidates and a few that have a ton of money behind them already)  So I give him kudos for doing it and will be rooting for him to win.  After all, can you imagine a long-time glass guy in the House of Representatives?  The Glass and Glazing Advocacy Days would surely be different for us! Good luck, Matt.

-- Last this week… Very cool piece HERE from CBS in the Twin Cities on the Finishing Trades Institute and the opening segment focuses on glazing and features apprentices from Empirehouse and MG McGrath. Great pub for our space, and hopefully, it will catch some eyeballs and bring more candidates in the door, and then out into the field.  We need youth, we need people, and things like this can only help.  Huge props to everyone at FTI who made this happen!

LINKS of the WEEK

-- Wild place for a bathroom! https://www.realestate.com.au/news/harry-potter-loo-homes-doorless-toilet-baffles-buyers/

-- A nutty story of an open house that could’ve really gone sideways but a nosy neighbor saves the day. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/home-showing-took-wild-turn-223103017.html?guccounter=1

-- Kids today… they don’t know the adventure of drinking from water fountains…. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/offbeat/girl-asks-millennial-mom-question-about-school-sparks-viral-realization/ar-AA1NmKxP

PROJECT of the WEEK

This is a wild one!  Via Andy Matlock at GlassFab Tempering.   A very rare shower enclosure with pattern cuts in a very challenging setting.  Kudos to Andy and the team at GlassFab for nailing the fabrication, and to Exceptional Glass in Oregon for the exceptional installation (see what I did there…LOL). Good on all levels!