Pods Galore & Stats Too

2026’s 2nd episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live, and I’ve got a pair of guests who bring something new to the pod.  I lead off with Mike Rapp of PDS IG.  Mike and his family have been stalwarts in this industry for a while- so it was nice to get a deeper dive on their background and to learn about the innovations Mike & team are working on now.  Then I connect with Cam Reynolds of 3 Form.  In my efforts to bring some new faces to the forefront, Cam fits that bill.  Whip smart and very engaging- Cam provided a ton of insight on the decorative state and a big nugget on office rebuild tastes.  Hopefully, we see more of Cam active in our space.  Overall, two fun interviews.  Thank you very much for checking it out!!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Or search "From the Fabricator" on your favorite podcast platform)

Thank you to FHC Frameless Hardware Company for the continued sponsorship of this effort!

Elsewhere…

-- I have my pod stats for 2025, and that will come next- but I wanted to call out another podcast from this week. I was honored to be asked by Katy Devlin to appear on Glass Cast to discuss BEC. There’s been a lot of talk about what the agenda at BEC looks like, and Katy and I went through it in a lot of detail.  Take a look HERE. (or search Glass Cast on Apple/Spotify)  Also, the agenda online is continually being updated- so click HERE to see it and register.  Key components are Workforce, Forecasts, Code changes (including stretch) A.I., Legal, including immigration issues,  Precon Success, and Jobsite advancements + much more!  I look forward to seeing you in Louisville, March 1-3.

-- Ok, on to my stats for 2025.  Always fun to share!  It was a record year on the podcast- and it was pacing ahead of 2024, and then Troy Johnson of Apogee Architectural Metals happened, and things went bonkers. Incredible year. Thank you!  So here goes:

·      1065 minutes in 2025 with 17 episodes

·      Always fun- Locations checking it out.  50 countries listened along the way up from 29 in 2024

·      In North America, 726 cities were represented in the listening stats – (no idea on past- first time they listed this)

Top Cities by Listens/Downloads:

·      Minneapolis was #1 – Minnesota Nice for the win!!  (in 2024 #3 but #1 in 2023)

·      Chicago #2 (First time in Top 5)

·      Dallas #3 (In 2024 #5) Love my Texas folks!  Will be speaking at the NTGA on 2/18!

·      LA #4 (In 2024 #3, 2023 #2 Consistent!)

·      Orlando #5 (In top 5 for first time since 2022)

Episode Ranks by listens & downloads

#1-- Troy Johnson (Solo Episode)

#2-- Bendheim (Peter Stattler & Said Elieh) & Ted Baumgardner

#3-- Karolina Styk & Corey Thompson

But note- there was not much daylight between the #2 through #17 - so I really am blown away and grateful! THANK YOU for the support!!

-- Last week, I had my handy predictions for 2026, and I had 2 comments that I wanted to bring out and show here.  It was regarding my take on D10 and our industry growing within it.

First, Travis Nevins at IUPAT dropped in with this: “I love the momentum around demountable partitions! I see that momentum carrying into ‘26 and beyond as well. In regard to that, I think folks need to look carefully at their market and not attempt a one size fits all solution. Not to be a negative Nelly, but we, the contract glazier community, are coming from behind on this. It’s going to take intentionality and continuous effort. Nothing this community can’t do though”

Very strong advice there.  The worst we can do is get in and not do the job we know we can do.

Then old pal Jay Phillips, now at DIRTT (VP of Sales) jumped in:

“As you know I transitioned from the industry to DIRTT. I’m always happy to discuss opportunities with those interested in developing a DIV10 business.”

Obviously, this is very meaningful given DIRRT’s standing in the space there- AND- Jay gets what we do thanks to his past.

Thank you, Travis & Jay, for adding to the conversation!

-- Big industry news last week as well, when Merritt Gaunt was named President and CEO of Guardian Industries. In this role, he will assume leadership of Guardian Glass.  Any change of leadership can be nerve-wracking, but from what I hear, this was seamless, and the focus and support of our industry will continue full speed ahead.  Love it.  Congrats, Merritt, on the new position.

-- Last this week… the great Dr. Kayla Natividad of Pilkington/NSG sent me this article on the bathroom trend of being “all glass” and, in some cases, in the middle of the room.  Read the whole thing- it’s quite a hoot.  Now I travel a ton, and I have seen things like a hot tub in the middle of the room (Vegas), but never a glass-enclosed bathroom. Anyway, for glass geeks like us, it’s a fun read. Thank you, Kayla, for the share!

LINKS of the WEEK

Hey, when it comes to defending your home &kid, you use anything- including a frying pan! https://www.wtvm.com/2026/01/18/father-uses-frying-pan-fight-off-armed-intruder-while-daughter-texts-911/

Don’t see this every day- a stray cat rescued with a Dorito’s bag on its head. https://www.kcra.com/article/cat-saved-with-doritos-bag-on-head/70038297

PROJECT of the WEEK

To Western Canada for this stunner.  This via Jon Fearn of the Flynn Group of Companies.  This is the TELUS Ocean project outside of Vancouver, and I think you can say just by looking at it- that’s a beauty. Jon noted some interesting aspects too:

“This project marks our first-ever Unitized / Speedwall Hybrid façade system, and our team rose to the challenge by designing and modeling a fully prefabricated envelope that meets the demanding requirements of Step Code 4 and TEDI 19. The façade seamlessly integrates alternating opaque and full-vision panels with expressed 'sawtooth' units (including the finished floor!).”

Congrats to Jon and the entire Flynn team on this one.  Once again, we have systems and people that can do what is needed- and then some- for every situation out there!

Carey Mobius

By now, I assume you may have heard the incredibly sad news that Carey Mobius of Garibaldi Glass passed away. For a ton of us, it was an absolute gut punch.  Carey had a positive effect on so many in our space; he blazed a fresh trail in his operating acumen and pushed us to be better in the Architectural space.  He was a mentor to many folks and a sounding board for others as well.   From a personal side, I thought Carey was a blast- he lived life to its fullest and then some.  He could light up a room, and you wanted to be there with him.  I had known Carey for a bit, but didn’t expect an invitation to speak at the trend-setting GlassDay® program he created at Garibaldi.  I was honored beyond belief.  That was a huge boost for me in so many ways.  And elevating those around him was a staple for Carey- and he talked the talk and walked the walk.  When I was lucky enough to get him to do my podcast way back in April of 2022, Carey delivered a masterclass in what good business should look like.  He coined the term “Win-Win-Win” during the cast, meaning all parties on a job, GC, Glazier, Fabricator- all should be pulling that rope together so we all win. That line, along with so much more from the pod, sticks with me.  Carey leaves behind a legacy and talented family members who will absolutely deliver on his messages.  If you have not seen the full tribute from his family- read it HERE.  It is a wonderful recognition.  And that letter ended with a perfect Carey angle.  “In lieu of flowers, send purchase orders.”  Truly incredible.  My sincerest condolences to the entire Mobius family, the Garibaldi team, and the friends of Carey.  He will be missed but not forgotten.

(Note- there are so many beautiful online tributes-his impact was real- this one from Rich Porayko is a great example)

Elsewhere…

-- Ok, moving forward… Each year I make predictions and it gets tougher and tougher because so much can change in an instant.  Still worth a shot, though, and I think I have some good ones for 2026.  Here we go!

Breaking up is hard to do- But is it really?  I’m calling that in 2026, bigger companies will get smaller by spinning off locations- I look at it as the start of some deconsolidation.  Honestly, in some segments, the herd actually needs to be thinned because there’s just too much capacity. But that sort of reduction most likely won’t happen, but I think we’ll see some downsizing.

A true D10 push- This may be the theme of 2026. A ton was talked about this and presented in 2025, and I think 2026 is the year the glass industry, aka Division 8, makes a significant move into the interior/furniture provider space.  We have the systems, and we are getting more and more people focused on this daily.  Building owners/Developers & Architects should want and, quite frankly, demand that glass and glaziers install these glass and glazing projects.

The tariff effect-  I’ll refrain from commenting on the specific tariff issue, as there’s not enough space anywhere for me to get it off my chest.  However, I will say this… one of the effects I see of the tariff, and probably not one that certain people want, is that European and Asian companies will be setting up shop in North America with actual manufacturing and fabrication locations.  No more ship and drop.  It’s now make it here and deliver. And me wanting the herd to be “thinned,” yeah, that’s surely not happening.  And note that this could play into that first prediction, with offshore companies buying ones here vs. greenfielding.  Either way, it’s going to happen. And this is glass-related only. Metal will still be the way it is, and its volatility will sadly remain.

The return of color- From my contacts within the design community, the play for the upcoming year is to get more color into their projects.  Architects now know and love digital printing, and they understand its use. Plus, colored and design interlayer specs will grow as will new framing colors, more creative spandrel choices, and a pivot to lighter reflective glass.  Plus, more color on building attachments like sunshades, screens, etc.

So, there ya go.  We’ll check back in one year and see how I did.

-- Latest Dodge Construction DMI is out, and it has a very positive start in mind. The index rose 7.0% in December, closing the year at 296.8 as planning activity accelerated across key nonresidential sectors.  And I am THRILLED to note that Sarah Martin, Associate Director of Forecasting at the Dodge Construction Network, will be speaking at BEC!  So, a chance to hear from a leading voice in the space on what’s happening now and further into 2026.  Seriously, do you think you can miss this? 

Get your hotel and register (early bird ends this week on the 21st) now!

-- Some big product news.  Vitro introduced their new crisp, warm-toned low-e glass that subtly reflects champagne tones with Solarban Champane™  (not a typo- a fun use of the color and an industry term) Right in time for the architectural trend mentioned above.  Excellent.  Also, an aside from Vitro- if you’ve never seen their Glass 101 video- check it out HERE.  Incredibly creative and a great way to educate on the making of glass.  This should be a must show to every new employee.  On both of these, he’ll defer the credit, but Rob Struble truly is a genius.  Also, excellent news from my friends at IGE as they announced that they have resumed their work with systron in North America.  I wrote about systron a few years ago and absolutely love the machinery, and so having them back “home” with the IGE (Michael & Carolyn Spellman & team) is great news for the industry and everyone in North America looking to take that next fabrication step! 

LINKS of the WEEK

I’m old.  So, no way am I getting into a driverless car.  Because this would for sure happen to me. https://www.kolotv.com/2026/01/11/waymo-passenger-jumps-out-self-driving-car-after-it-stops-rail-tracks-near-oncoming-train/

A miracle baby passes- incredible story I had never heard. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79re5415n2o

Kinda hard to story to follow- but also crazy enough to read.  Plus, a dog is the main character, really- so I was all in. https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/lifestyle-buzz/help-me-tampa-man-overhears-man-talking-about-getting-rid-of-his-girlfriend-s-service-dog-now-they-re-on-a-mission-to-find-mermaid-and-her-mom/ar-AA1U8Jei?ocid=msedgntp&pc=ACTS&cvid=fdf5d8252fd34c6fa699bc2eab7c6718&ei=53

PROJECT of the WEEK

To North Carolina we go… and this one has a cool background to it.  Posted by Tom Peruc of Charlotte Glass, from first look, this is a showstopper.  But then you dig into the details (it was a massive reglaze) and your appreciation grows.  From Tom’s post:

“The building was originally built by M.B. Kahn Construction, and completed in 1976. Over the decades much of the original glass has failed, been replaced, and gotten discolored.

Charlotte Glass was selected to reglaze the 14 story building with a modern high performing (Guardian SNR-35 on clear) glass. Simply replacing the glass was not an option as much of the gasketing and old caulking had either deteriorated or disintegrated. All aluminum face caps, pressure bar and cladding have also deteriorated, oxidized and weep holes blocked. We collectively as a project team agreed to replace all joint plugs, pressure bar, face caps, and brake metal cladding. Because the age of the building, we couldn’t simply call the manufacturer and order new parts. We had to pull these old original parts and have each of them all manufactured via new custom cut dies and custom extruded new parts both aluminum and vinyl.”

Congrats to Tom and his team on a job well done- and one to follow to see how it performs with its new glass and glazing!  Also, kudos to Alan Kinder and Guardian Glass on their efforts, as well as my old pal Darijo Babic and OBE, who were involved in the fabrication.

Quick Look Back at '25

We are off and running in 2026, and that first tough week, where everyone is catching up after the long holiday run, is done.  As is tradition, each year I review my predictions from the year before. I have to say I didn’t fare too badly with my calls in 2025. So here goes…

Advocacy going further- I was predicting a deeper push into the codes & standards, and we did have a few nice wins.  Still muddled a bit on the school side, and that really needs to be worked out.  (I am confident it will be) Overall, I am calling this a win- The awesome Urmilla Sowell and team worked hard for us.  Thank you!

Ride the Rail- It wasn’t a real leap to say Railings would be strong in '25- so this one ended up being an easy win.  More people did get into it- though I was surprised at one potential acquisition that did not happen that could’ve really supercharged it even more.  Still a good year, and I don’t see this segment slowing.  It’s a great one for our space!

Don’t give up on New Tech- Going to give myself a ½ point here.  I noted last year that the name “Andluca” will become a household name in the US, and it surely is on its way- especially after a few big awards and a successful debut.  But I also noted “Alpha SolarTech” would be as well… and well, that one surely did not happen. That one never even left the launch pad in North America.

Alive to 25, in the Mix to 26-  More people stayed alive in ’25 than I think we all thought.  A couple of bigger names went out, and there were some branch closures, but for the most part, we battled through it.  I also stressed that attending BEC would be a great way to learn and grow, and that came through nicely, too. Jeff Haber gave the audience the answer to the test, and I think those who heard it were among the year's winners.

So, overall, I’m pretty pleased with these calls- maybe my best showing ever.  Now the pressure is on for this year, and those predictions come next week.

Elsewhere…

ICYMI- The first podcast of 2026 was released, and I’m loving the feedback. Both Sarah Andreasen of Kawneer and Chris Scheiblein of IUPAT/LMCI got a ton of comments (to me) about their approaches and accomplishments.  Very cool.  Love hearing the positivity!! Thanks again to those two for their time.

VIDEO

AUDIO

Or search “From the Fabricator” from wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you to the fine folks at FHC- Frameless Hardware Company for the support on this episode.  Much appreciated! 

-- I noted above the value of attending BEC.  Yearly, 700+ people do, and they ALL gain from it in one way or another.  This year will be NO DIFFERENT.  Get to glass.org and sign up —early-bird pricing ends soon.  I’m pumped because we’ll have a very strong economic forecast session, and I love Evan Afenir and Emily Yukish, and I am thrilled they are among those participating.  Brilliant people who are extraordinary talents.  That link again is HERE.  Get registered before the pricing goes up!

-- One of the many reasons I am excited for the BEC economic forecast is that I do think too much is focused on the Architectural Billings Index.  Of course, I follow it and report on it each month, and I feel I have a good handle on it.  But there are so many other factors and data that I don’t have access to that will tell a more complete story.  You’ll get that at BEC!  In the meantime, the ABI came out when we were all off for the holidays, and billings were down slightly, but contracts were up and inquiries stayed in the positive zone.

-- Last… In the NFL – At the start of the season, I picked the Ravens over the Packers – and I did some damage there- cost the Ravens coach his job, and the Packers a truly painful season-ending loss in Chicago.  So new pick! I'm rolling with Denver to win it all, beating the Bears, who may just be a team of destiny. So, we’ll see how we do! In any case, it’ll be a fun run to the Super Bowl, and if your team isn't in it, hopefully, we get good commercials.

 LINKS of the WEEK

-- AI to replace Guide Dogs for the Blind?  The tech is now here. https://interestingengineering.com/photo-story/forehead-glasses-let-blind-people-navigate

-- Adaptive reuse is one of my favorite subjects.  Recently, I talked about Malls.  How about older schools? Some wild potential projects! https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/cheap-abandoned-schools-buy-now-home/

-- There are scams, and then there’s this wild child support one.  https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/child-support-scam-arrest-coweta-county-brya-hardy

PROJECT of the WEEK

We hit Florida this week for the spotlight project.  This was posted by Trevor Barrett of Physical Security and its beautiful hurricane impact hospital project. I am going to copy a paragraph of how Trevor described the work:

This project features the RT-3 Enhanced Level E and Level D Glass Framing System, pushing the limits of performance and design. The glass panels exceed 60 sq ft in the vertical wall configuration — and to achieve the architect’s concept, we integrated Level E radius glass panels just under 100 sq ft per Glass panel at a design pressure of +125 / −135 psf.

Fantastic stuff.  The companies that collaborated with Physical Security are surely stars in our space. Guardian Glass, Eastman, Kuraray, Pulp Studio (Go Kirk Johnson go!), Tristar, and my good pal Tom O’Malley at Clover Architectural. (Who has to be thrilled with his Bears!) Plus, Alex King and Jesus Lozano of Façade Studio were involved in the engineering. (I think everyone listed will be front and center at BEC, too- Nice!)

Bottom line: this is a great showcase for our industry and how our products not only look great and are high-performance, but are also critical to the safety (Hurricane Protective) of the occupants.  Shutters would never be possible here! Congrats to everyone involved & thanks, Trevor, for putting it out there!