BREAKING! DONE DEAL

Its official as of this morning....

Oldcastle purchased Vistawall.

The first story can be found here- (click)

MUCH more on this I am sure on USGNN and on this blog.

UPDATE 9AM

The Press release from Blue Scope (Parent of Vistawall) is here.

Props by the way goes to the folks at USGlass who had the guts to run with this story back on May 17th.

I am sure that more info will be streaming today.

As for the "Smoke Screen" of someone else buying Vistawall, it is now pretty obvious that somewhere along the way, with the heat really coming down on this deal, that a semi-concerted effort was undertaken to try and throw folks off the path. Wow who would think about intrigue like that in our industry!!!

Interesting Rebate Reduction

Just tons of stuff again this week… and once again they’ll be another post end of the week- so please check on back.

One of the bigger stories that got precious little play was the announcement that the communist Chinese government was reducing the rebate to their industries- thus forcing them to attempt a novel approach and start to not give products away. Obviously and evidently, these daily articles that show up in the USA Today and all over the country are having an effect, and maybe the US Govt nudged their communist pals and said “you know, you gotta straighten up some- we’re getting tons of heat here” or something like that. Bottom line- step in the right direction- but will it stop the communist flow into our continent and their desires to take over everything from glazing to fabricating? Not a chance. Believe me, as long as there is so much extra capacity in communist China, they’ll be issues over here.

Elsewhere this week…

-- And one more note on China… manufacturers reps, that had deals with Chinese companies are getting burned badly. Yes in classic nasty business maneuvers, these reps are working to get Chinese companies materials accepted and sold and then once that happens, guess what? They are getting stiffed on their commissions!!! Ah you deal with the devil, you may get burned… basically the MO is simple, the rep gets the products approved and engrained and when the customer goes to order (usually the 2^nd order- not the first) the Chinese will play the “ther're a house account” card. So manufacturers reps, beware, because if you do get hung, good luck suing for your cash.

-- On a happier note- Congrats must go out to Scott Surma of IIMAK- he and his wife Anjanette welcomed baby daughter Berkley to the world this week. For anyone who knows Scott, they know he is extremely high energy, so I am guessing his little girl is already angling to be CEO of her day care class (with plans on calling on an architect or two as well!) Anyway, best to the expanding Surma clan!

-- This week’s “Green is Everywhere” piece… (and I could literally do an entire separate blog on “Green is Everywhere” as its virtually inescapable!) In this week’s Parade Magazine it gave advice for you to figure out your “Carbon Footprint” - which means basically the things you do to live your life is calculated and you then know how much carbon dioxide to the atmosphere- affecting the climate. They even gave a link at www.carbonfootprint.com (or click here) so you can see. By the way the article said one of the bigger carbon footprint angles are weddings. That line then got USA Today obviously thinking because on Monday they ran a huge story about marrying “green” (click here). This stuff is surreal.

-- And lastly there’s no way I can ignore the firestorm that surrounds the possible Vistawall sale. Those posts last week generated a good amount of e-mail (which for those of you new to this site, my address is MAXBCAT@aol.com) that ran the gamut of emotions. Everything from confirmations that they’d heard some of the same things, to plans in the future for the newly acquired Vistawall, to a rebuke from one person that told me with all due respect to mind my own business. But the underlying tone to the majority was the “culture” angle both from people who could be in the deal and people outside of the deal, the meshing of the cultures of two large companies- with their own identities really carried the day. So we will see. As for the other possible destination for Vistawall, that rumor is still percolating out there, so time will tell who was right and who may have been smoke-screening….

And like I said above- a second post coming later this week… as for the Video of the week… it comes from the NBC show, The Office, and its one of those classic office pranks- but in reality can this EVER happen?

Rumors- The Follow Up

Wow, talk about some rumors and BAM tons of interest and views of the blog follow! Wednesday’s post set a record for traffic to this site- so Thank you and feel free to bookmark this address and check back again.

Anyway, with all of the interest in the rumors, the questions came in starting late yesterday and throughout today…

Who is it?

Well I can tell you if Vistawall is being bought by someone other than Oldcastle, it WON’T be: YKK, US Alum or Arch… but it is a major aluminum player…. And its not EFCO as scuttlebutt on the street says they are for sale too (Could it be that Oldcastle is going after EFCO and all of the talk about Vistawall was a very elaborate and well done smoke screen?) I still don’t think so, but then again so many people are talking about this deal, who knows what is fact, fiction or otherwise.

So I guess we will see what comes down in the next few weeks. But my gut still leans to the OC/Vistawall angle, but my bets have been hedged just slightly with the revelations hinted above.

Elsewhere…

-- Noted from the Friday USGNN- 2 items…. First the joint statement from the industry groups on the NFRC. As mentioned here last week, it’s a great step and it proof that this industry is not as fragmented as some within the NFRC and DOE believe. While there will obviously be some differing opinions from within our industry, the reality is the massive majority is united. Best line from the release (though the whole release was super)

The program needs a fundamental change (not just minor tweaks) to make the program viable.

-- Also the note on the weakness of the CSI show is one I covered on this blog several weeks ago. There’s no question that show is in deep trouble, and maybe under new management it has a chance to re-invent itself. (Ah Vegas in June- 112 degrees here we come!) But when people start using the quantity vs quality argument, you know you’re in trouble. I think I learned that in marketing 101… tell your superiors while traffic was slow, it was all quality leads! Plus aside from being slow, I am sure the poor souls who exhibited were probably inundated from people trying to sell them on lead programs and website ads.

-- Lastly for this extra “bonus” post for the week… the USGBC, rated as “From the Fabricator’s” Most Powerful organization (click here- scroll down) announced today that they will require at least 2 Optimize Energy Performance points. Now I take that as great news for our industry because that would mean that the desire to go to more efficient Low E’s like Guardian’s new SN 54 among others, as well as thermally improved spacer like Edgetech’s Tri Seal or Azon’s Warmlight would be welcomed in the big scheme of things. From the aluminum side, there are also products with thermal breaks that will provide the performances needed. So for our industry I take this as a plus. We still fall behind bike racks and waterless urinals, but we’re making strides.

About those rumors....

Several weeks ago, USGNN ran a piece on the possible sale of Vistawall to Oldcastle. After I did not mention in my next blog post, I got a spate of e-mails asking me why I hadn’t commented on it. Quite honestly I was hearing so many things, I really wasn’t comfortable coming out and posting my opinion. (Some rumors had different players, so much so that I thought one scenario had Oldcastle trading for Kobe Bryant) But now, with more info clearly flowing, this deal, Oldcastle buying Vistawall looks pretty much done. The only thing holding me back from saying it’s an absolute has been the unprecedented chatter surrounding this deal. Usually in plays this size, the communications are kept silent, but in this one, everyone’s talking so that’s odd. Which could mean it’s a lot of smoke screen. (((UPDATE! 6/20/07 It may actually be a smokescreen as now the hottest rumor is NOT Oldcastle buying Vistawall but another verrrry major player in the industry. Wow, my head is spinning, as soon as I get one more clarification, I'll let you in on who it is. But if it is, who I am hearing, its a stunner))) If and when it (Oldcastle) does, my thoughts on it are… from an Industry commenting standpoint, it’s an interesting deal. It’s another angle of consolidation with one side of the industry creeping onto the other side. Plus the culture issue will surely come into play, as from my view, they are not similar. From a personal standpoint, it’s an endorsement of the business model that Arch has worked for many, many years- being a one stop shop nationwide… or a “Single Source” if you will. I am sure they’ll be honored that Oldcastle is following in their footsteps. So stay tuned, we’ll see if and when the rumor becomes reality.

Elsewhere…

- The Glass Processing Days looked like an interesting event. Not sure if there’s word for word transcripts available for it, but if there was I would love to see everything that was said from the panel featuring among others Russ Ebeid of Guardian. I think those guys covered some hot subjects and had some extremely interesting angles on where we are now and where we are headed glass-wise. No offense to the press that covered it, because the reports were great, but for me I wanted more and maybe that’s coming when the hardcopies of the magazines come out.

- A follow up on a comment left on my post about the Laminated Glass study. To save you the trouble from toggling down, the comment basically agreed with my premise that this study, while headlining such great news, was not that it seemed. However the commenter asked what I thought about the fact that the “field” was really optimistic on growth more so than the reports show. My thought is that I think people see what they want to see, there’s been this urge to get into laminated and many people are either getting into it or expanding against the advice of the people who truly know what’s going on… that would be the interlayer manufacturers. While I don’t see any of the interlayer guys publicly stating that lami sales will be flat going forward, I know for sure that it’s being discussed privately. Yet the surge continues- thus the hiring of groups to pull together “studies” so the purchases/expansions can be justified. Yes time will tell, but with communist China bringing billet laminated into this country, I really don’t see the future as rosy as others. (Then again do I ever?) Thank you to Marc for the comment- I do appreciate it!

- This week’s “Green” moment is actually not one… in our world of trying to go “green” I saw one example of what I would call a RED moment. At Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the team plays in covered air conditioned stadium. The stadium has a retractable roof, so when weather truly permits they can play with the roof open and they can keep real grass as the turf. However, the last 2 nights the D- Backs played, the team kept the roof open- despite being 112 degrees! But no fear, they just cranked the AC more so the fans would be comfortable! So instead of keeping the roof closed and running the AC at one level, they chose to open up, and try to cool a 50,000 seat stadium. And you know what- IT WORKED! Yes, they showed on the scoreboard that it was a comfortable 80 degrees inside the park with the roof open and the AC on full tilt. I mean is that not nuts? Maybe they are doing something organic to keep it cool, but unless someone can tell me different, I think a huge waste of energy is going into the Arizona atmosphere nightly. Oh and by the way, one of the big sponsors of the team is the local power authority… I guess that’s a no brainer eh?

I have a few more items, but I am going to save those for a post later in the week… yes another week with multiple posts- but why not, with this blog growing the way it is, I don’t want to stunt the momentum. Plus I’ve been told if I go too long, I'll lose people, so gotta stay with my version of “Short Attention Span Theater”

This week’s video however is…. in honor of the Sopranos much talked about ending, one of the literally thousand "Fake" endings or parodies on the web. (Yes everyone from the Pirate Parrot to Hillary Clinton has done it)... maybe if it ended like this there would be some closure...

China & NFRC Update

Not sure if you saw this... from the USA Today on Wednesday.

Click- Money Cover Story- China-US Tensions

So it looks like congress may finally be stepping up and taking some action to curb the flow of communist Chinese material.

Also from Wednesday's USGNN the report from IGMA on the NFRC CMA issue.

Hallelujah!

Like I noted in my last post I was confident that AEC, GANA and IGMA were working to do the right thing by the industry and it sure appears that they are. Its a very long road and even an industry consensus will not stop the profiteering portion of people that basically make the rules and agenda within NFRC, but it is truly a good step.

By the way, it has been mentioned to me, alot more than once, that I should just chill out and let this all play out because if the NFRC is as out of tune as I say they are, then the proof will be in pudding. And that's an interesting angle. But I think I can still achieve both. Informing and educating the masses on what's going on and still watching them do what they do with a basic disregard for the fact that there's no glaring need or call for the intensity of the proposed action. (Remember I am all for a design tool to rate products, just not for all of the extra pork and policing that will go with it)

That "Great" Forecast

As you may have seen yet another market study was released last week touting the growth of Laminated and Tempered glass by 2011. The report had all of the basics, the great features that laminated and tempered offer and with new technologies really hitting stride, lots of value to be offered. However, this miraculous increase only comes to 1% per year. So unless I am reading it wrong, while business will improve, its only going to improve by 1%, and that paltry improvement will surely be equalized out by all of the other costs that affect business these days like health care, and utility prices. Not to mention more and more competition. So while it seems like everyone and their mother has a laminated autoclave on order, I wonder if they are truly seeing the big picture and understanding that there’s just not as much growth out there as it seems.

Elsewhere….

-- AAMA and IGMA are having their meetings right now and one item caught my eye. The issue of AAMA 507 being a welcome competitor to the current effort of NFRC to rate and police the commercial market was discussed. And the residential side of the membership took issue because they are worried that AAMA taking on NFRC would jeopardize the relationship the two organizations have. As noted AAMA does do work for the NFRC, and by promoting this, they may lose their gig there. So now the membership of AAMA really has a decision to make, do you want to be beholden to NFRC or do you not. If so, that’s fine, but then you should go the way of the WDMA and be all residential.

-- Like noted in the previous post, I have been getting a good amount of feedback on the NFRC CMA fees and the news surrounding it. The one question I got a lot was “is there any way that AIA would stand for it?” Well I can tell you that the NFRC has tried recently to get the AIA’s input on the program. They sent them this letter (click here) and asked for feedback. Problem is, the letter was typical NFRC (vague) and it was probably scanned by someone at AIA before being thrown away. Not only that, their reaction after reading pages 2 and 3 would be “I’m not doing this crap” but the best part? There’s 995 words on 3 full pages and the words “Cost” “Fee” or "Code" are not on any them! So I guess by reading this letter it’s a free program right? So why, if I am the AIA, should I care, it’s a free voluntary program- not gonna cost me or my client a dime!!! So when you hear that the NFRC asked for feedback, you know what they sent and the "details" that they conveniently left out.

--A note on USGNN mentioned the various industry groups have been quiet on their meeting with the NFRC last week. I do not take it as anything but these groups possibly trying to work quietly through the system. The Greg Carney’s and Tom Culp’s of the world did not become highly respected industry people by jumping the gun. I have to have faith that the AEC, GANA and even IGMA, who I have been critical of in the past because of their lack of action years ago when this started, will be exhausting every angle they can to try and educate the Board of NFRC and trying to get them to make sensible decisions. Especially since there may be only 1 NFRC board member who actually knows what goes into the glass and aluminum on a commercial building.

-- Came across this story (click here) on Blogs in medical field. It was an interesting read and another piece of evidence showing the growing trend of blogging. I think though I’ll have to ask my doctor if he blogs, because not sure I’d want him chatting about my medical history on line…

-- Lastly, its Father’s day weekend and once upon a time I wrote an article for USGlass talking about the great “Dads” in our industry. And that holds very true today. With family businesses still strong it’s no doubt that the “Father” figure really is a huge piece of our businesses. So here’s to all the Dad’s… both in life and in death (We miss you Poppy!) a Happy Fathers Day to all.

Feel free to visit the USGNN message boards here to join the comments on Father’s day.

The video this week is honor of Bob Barker- who is calling it quits from hosting The Price Is Right. Great blooper here where the contestant says what I think Bob is probably thinking!

Passing the time while stranded

Since I am stuck in an airport waiting on a flight that has been delayed due to the stormy midwest, I figure why not do a quick update on the blog…

I won’t go into a ton here as most people choose to read this blog mid week, though there are many of you who check on other days as well.

I got a solid load of e-mail this week after my various NFRC posts. I’ll go into more of them next week, but one I really enjoyed and needed to share.

Max,

Thanks for the update on NFRC. You mention California and Washington with the upcoming program. Are those states paying anything towards these costs?

Great question. As far as I know they are not paying anything but considering this whole latest debacle was rushed into action because of California, you would think that California and the energy concerns should be willing to fund it. But then again they think our industry is dumber than a box of rocks, so we’ll just blindly pay for it.

Ironically and amazingly, the day our industry met with some major figures at the Department of Energy, the California Energy Commission “asked” the NFRC for a program to be done by 2008. Seriously it was THE SAME DAY. I know I am a conspiracy theorist, but c’mon… that timing is as fishy as it comes.

So now that “request/demand” gave the NFRC another excuse and an impetus to get this program fast tracked. So yes the CEC, which seemingly has a guaranteed seat on the NFRC board, should step up and pay or at worst convince the energy companies in California to pay.

More to come, and for those of you who immediately skip to the next page when I talk NFRC, I promise that this will not be the main focus of this blog, there’s a lot of other things that happen that I’ll be following.

It's Here....

Well if you expected me to lead off this post with anything other than Monday’s NFRC news, then you sadly were wrong. There’s no way I could not talk about the release of the “fees” associated with the program. I was quoted in the USGNN piece and I can not stress a few things enough, most of which, is these costs will be passed all the way through, forcing the glazing contractors to get after their customers for payment. The confusion and ire this program will cause will be epic. But then again I have been hammering this for a few years… so what’s new?

The biggest thing that is new is the release of the costs and it just sends the message home even more on how real this is. These will be costs that will have to be explained up the food chain as I guarantee you when it hits states outside of California and Washington, no one will have a clue on what this is all about and why these costs are being passed along.

As for the info itself, the NFRC release was typically cryptic. I’d expect nothing less from them really. But what kills me is their desire to make their investment back in such a quick time period, they are afterall a non-profit, yet unlike most non profits that would do something this bold, NFRC wants to get back to level a lot quicker. Plus it’s amazing that NFRC continues to live off the backs of only part of their membership that pays the bills. Yes in case you don’t know, product manufacturers and installers pay on a sliding scale based on total company sales. While the people who will benefit from this new program, because they will be the testers and inspectors, pay a cool $400. Shouldn’t it the other way around? Shouldn’t the people who will profit tremendously be the ones paying on a scale, while the people who have to adhere to the rules and still PAY to have services performed pay the simple low rate?

Remember the NFRC and the main group that dominates them (test labs and inspection agencies) will say how they experienced resistance on the residential side and how great their program works over there. Well while it works or not is truly up to the eye of the beholder, I can’t ever get by the fact that NFRC has never figured out that commercial building is as different from residential as I am from Mike Tyson. It’s not even close, yet it was that impetus and the desire to oversee another industry that brought this on.

(And at this point, I’ll be accused of making things up, but it was an NFRC board member who publicly stated a few years ago in a NFRC meeting that the Commercial industry was an “untapped” market- then when that was brought to light is when all of a sudden NFRC started to “dig up” all of the reasons they have for doing this)

And the bottom line… It’s absolutely pathetic we find ourselves in this position… being dictated to by a profiteering group of test labs and inspection agencies that are given carte blanche by a sound asleep group at the Department of Energy. While I have said it before and I will say it again, our industry has nothing to hide and is more than open for a creation of a system to calculate full system values. However when that system is built by people who have zero interest in our industry, zero clue on how the industry works, zero care about what we do, and zero desire to talk and LISTEN to the people this will truly affect (Building Owners, Architects, General Contractors, Glaziers, Suppliers etc). Yes this program goes forward despite all that…

China and Human RIghts

For those of you who think the communist Chinese are just warm and loving folks. Want to read a very interesting take on this from North of the border. Click Here. It's a column from the Ottawa Citizen on the fact that most people are ignoring the horrific treatment of chinese citizens so they can still keep the trade flowing.
It's also an article that is not blind to some of the realities of the situation. An interesting read if you have a few minutes.

What's wrong with the Residential side?

With the residential side of industry in a virtual free fall, it came as little surprise when I saw that Pulte Homes announced they are cutting 2000 jobs. There’s no question that residential world is being beat up badly. Tuesday night Donald Trump weighed in on it during an interview with Larry King (it was after the important news of Rosie O’Donnell quitting "The View"- wow love the priorities here.) Anyway, “The Donald” blamed new Fed Chief Ben Bernanke. He basically said that interest rates going up and out control are on Bernanke’s watch and that Alan Greenspan would not allow this to happen. When King defended the reasoning behind it saying its to control inflation, Trump blew it off. And amazingly I think Trump has a point, as a homeowner who got seriously burned by an adjustable rate “ARM” mortgage swinging the wrong way, there’s no doubt that is a huge factor in the slowdown. It’s not the only thing, but to me it’s a serious angle and you know what, the recovery may not begin until the rates get under control.

Elsewhere…

-- Last week’s post got me lots of e-mails asking why I was in such a “bad mood”- Honestly did not realize I was in a bad mood, but evidently my tone was surely taken that way by more than a few.

-- Most of the reaction came about the Chinese angle but before I get to that, I want to talk about my comments regarding AAMA. Yes I was probably too rough and the only reason I admit that was that I did not take into account the countless volunteers who give their time to create standards and develop programs that are helpful to our industry. My frustration with AAMA standing by as NFRC eats them for lunch should have nothing to do with the TRUE volunteer effort of people involved with AAMA. Really thanks need to go to Greg Carney, of GANA who slapped me upside the head and reminded me of the volunteer angle. So while I can pick on the AAMA ad’s and surmise why they are placed, I apologize to the folks who actually get the work done.

-- As for China, there was one post but several e-mails. I addressed the one post with a reply and you can review if you like. The e-mails basically called on me to keep educating and informing but to limit the “attack” nature of my posts. I’ll do the best I can folks, but I am what I am, and this issue is what it is, so I have to call it like I see it.

Moving on….

-- This story (click here) is very interesting… again shows that commercial building is still going strong, smack in the face of a horrible residential market. It’s pretty amazing that the two sectors could be so polar opposite. Thanks by the way to Joe K for the heads up on this one.

-- Another interesting story from the web was that glass pricing in India is dropping despite the fact that Steel and Cement are getting more costly and inflation is on the rise. In fact glass is the only product sector that’s price is DROPPING. I guess there’s so much glass competition over there (and with glass coaters being shipped from US Locations to India as well) that the market is correcting.

-- Saw in this week’s E-Weekly some more China news. (Yes sorry they’ll be no moratorium on China News.. just kinder and gentler… ) There was a story on China starting to have some standards and getting codes in place. Glad their priorities are in order, get the codes done, then worry about human rights. But anyway, the quote about the changes there came from Bipin Shah. Bipin used to work for the NFRC and was at the forefront of their attack on the commercial industry. Bipin now has his own company which last I heard was working for the NFRC. Anyway, Bipin talked about the codes and changes there, and the need for standards. So my thoughts, why doesn’t the NFRC open up an office in Beijing and concentrate on getting the Chinese straight before they try and make a mess of the North American industry. See wouldn’t it be great for them to be the guinea pig in this scenario?

OK, that’s it for this week… but the video comes courtesy of a heads up from sister…. Its Miss USA falling flat on her behind at this past weekend’s Miss Universe pageant. It happens a few seconds into this video and I gotta give her credit, she fell but popped back up and kept working it. I think in every pageant from here on out, the judges should do this unexpectedly to all contestants to test their composure!

Mail Bag Time

With this blog growing at such an amazing pace, I’ve been remiss in answering some of the great, interesting and critical comments I have been getting sent to me. While I have personally replied to each one, I think that some of these excerpts deserve airing out in this forum.

So here goes…

So what’s the real story behind the Oldcastle-Cardinal suit?

Quite honestly I have no clue, and after the initial story on USGNN last week, no other news has come out whatsoever. I had several people give me some theories on what the details are, but some of them were even too outlandish for me to run with! Probably the thing that is really confusing everyone is that Cardinal is a residential side supplier (no matter how much they may protest that, it is the truth) and OC is obviously mainly commercial. So the fact that these two play in virtually different pools end user wise, makes it all more baffling.

The articles from China this last week made me want to puke. I can only imagine how pissed you were.

I guess I am beyond the “pissed” mode. I just think it’s amazing that so many people will want to support this angle that can be so detrimental to our lives. Probably the most upsetting was this column (click here) and the line that really made me go nuts.

"We started out with tempered glass, but now we do a lot of pattern glass and some laminated glass," he said. According to Deng, the company has a technical agreement with PPG. (Emphasis mine)

Wonderful. I mean its been well stated here PPG’s support of China, and with now having three certified fabricators there and also helping them technically, they continue to feed, clothe, and bathe the enemy. I’ll put it this way, by empowering the communist Chinese with knowledge, all that is happening is speeding up the process of putting more North Americans and North American companies out of business. By the time PPG figures this out they’ll have sold their glass division anyway, so does anyone over there care?

I am lost on this whole “green” thing, it just seems like a scam to me.

I can see how people may feel that way, its not the easiest explained set up and glass and aluminum really do take a backseat to waterless urinals and bike racks. But bottom line is “green” living is here to stay and it’s the focus of virtually every decision-maker out there. In fact did you see that all New York City cabs will go “green” by 2012? To me that’s an amazing point proving that green is here to stay and more. Now the big question is, did they mean every cab will use “green” fuel avenues or will every passenger turn “green” from the wild/smelly/bizarre ride they encounter inside the cab.

Have you seen the ad’s that AAMA has been running lately?

Yes I have seen them and they fascinate me. Its funny, someone over there must’ve realized that during this whole NFRC adventure that AAMA’s reputation was basically damaged beyond belief. When the NFRC thing bowed its head, we’d go to customers and explain to them what was happening. A majority replied along the lines of “Well if its like an AAMA thing we’re not worried” so that was strike one. Strike two is that AAMA actually does work for the NFRC, so a lot of us view AAMA as willing to allow the NFRC to do whatever they want, because they don’t want to lose their gig. (And I have been told that AAMA’s deal with NFRC precludes them from competing with NFRC). So what you are left with is an organization that has no teeth, and is trying to re-establish relevance in a marketplace that is very leery right now about policing and certification groups. All that said, I don’t think AAMA will be inviting me to speak anytime soon- but it is what it is.

Why do you worry about China so much and not about India? They are helping kill our auto industry white collar by taking all of the engineer and call center jobs.

I guess your second part is partly my answer. Right now glass wise India is no where even close to China. What I don’t get is why China doesn’t just set up shop in India. But as for the reasons, its simple, the communist Chinese push is on here, mainstream companies and projects are using them, so obviously that’s the focus. If that’s shortsighted then so be it.

What’s your call on the Stanley Cup?

Its going to be an interesting series, very contrasting styles. Anaheim has those big space clogging Defensemen, while Ottawa has those skilled quick scorers. I think it comes down to the Goaltending though and for that I like the Ducks to win in 6. Plus I was told by friends at Trulite that people from Toronto (and Leaf fans in general) never root for Ottawa, so I have to stand behind them on that.

Which Presidential candidate will be best for trying to stem the China stuff?

More research needs to be done on this, and I will answer this one more in depth in the coming weeks. I think it’s an issue that both parties need to have answers on that’s for sure.

With your travels is the economy good, bad, ugly- what do you see?

Pockets of the country are doing well, most are decent and Michigan is simply disastrous. I did see a note online that shows that 2008 the residential window side will start upticking soon. How come I have a feeling that the large window guys have a clock ticking backwards to 08 in anticipation of that? Regardless the salad days of 2005 on that side of the industry is loooooong gone.

Ok that's it for this week... our video comes from the world of TV news and the classic no microphone on the reporter, but the best is the look of the guy holding the new mic. Enjoy.

A Heavyweight Battle

Obviously the big news from the week that past was the lawsuit filed by Cardinal IG against Oldcastle. I mean we are talking heavyweight fight here. Now I have to be honest here though, when I read the suit info on USGNN, (Click Here) I have absolutely no idea of what it all means and what specifically Oldcastle is being accused of doing. Cardinal obviously feels pretty confident that its patents and property have been breached, or else there’s no way they’d file a suit in Federal Court. This may be one to pull up a seat and watch- and it will probably be better than the Mayweather-De Lahoya Fight that was supposed to save boxing. Hopefully more details will come out so I can comment, but until then we’ll sit back and anxiously await. Oh and a side note, in the past Oldcastle has used the firm of the former Solicitor General of the United States Ted Olson- so I’ll be curious if those guys will be taking this one on too.

Elsewhere…

- Saw Spiderman 3 this weekend- actually a pretty good movie really. The glass and glazing angle? Tons and tons of glass get broke in this movie, curtainwalls destroyed, storefronts demolished and even glass jars and bottles broken (that’s for the Glassbuild portion of the audience). I swear between real and computer generated breakage there had to be a good couple hundred thousand feet broken. So we now know if the commercial building economy starts to falter we need Spiderman to come to our cities and fight, because he’s verrrry good for business.

- And while we are on pop culture, on of my favorite shows ended their season this past weekend. "Survivor", who’s season started with a bossy architect, ended by announcing that next year, it’s competition will take place in….. CHINA…. Wonderful, even my favorite shows are ended up with the communist Chinese. Should be interesting though, having a show about survival in a country that pretty much ignores human rights or environmental records.

- And on that front, great line from “24” this week:

“Within a decade they will have surpassed this country in every way”- Phillip Bauer telling his grandson the reason they are moving to… CHINA. And by the way I think he was talking glass and aluminum…

- Hurricane Season got off to an earlier than normal start this past week- I wonder if the experts who are predicting a dire season will be right. My take last week on the lawyer and his column on possible Florida statutes elicited a decent amount of feedback. I was surprised at how many people felt the lawyer was right (obviously ignoring some of his more bizarre comments) and that a statute like that was wrong. My renewed take on that is I see nothing wrong with the statute, the blame needs placed on the insurance companies- the statute makes sense because it protects people and property. Unfortunately this is a fact of life, the weather pattern is brutal and to be honest any sane home owner should WANT Shutters or Hurricane Impact Glass in their structure. The fact that the government is possibly asking for it is not a bad thing- they are simply giving these homeowners the answers to the test. The problem is the insurance companies should be stepping up to the plate and incentivising the homeowners instead of damaging them.

- This week’s video is a humorous piece from Saturday Night Live… with a look at how big companies make decisions… (no clue why 2 videos are there and I can't get rid of either!)

Lawyers and Insurance Companies- Oh Joy!

Earlier this week USGNN ran an article written by a lawyer from Florida for his local paper on the upcoming push to have all condos put in hurricane resistant material. This statute would even include existing condos in making them get up to speed to properly protect their property. Parts of the article I agreed with- I can't stand insurance companies and what they did in Florida after the last natch of hurricanes (and especially in Mississippi and Louisiana) was criminal. People paid good money for many years to these companies and when they needed them the most, the insurance giants pleaded poverty or left town all together. In Florida's case, the insurance industry basically bugged out, forcing thousands into terrible situations- some that were mentioned in the piece. However where he loses me is at the end when he complains about these statutes being pushed for the profit motive of the impact material providers. Now that's comical! With all due respect to Kim Mann, who is my all time favorite lawyer, since when can a lawyer complain about someone else's profit motives! Last I look we don't bill by the call/e-mail/minute like some of our nation's finest legal eagles. But seriously, I love the argument that protecting property with superior material is bad because maybe, just maybe another hurricane won't come through. Anyway the column has more than a few holes and I could go on and on- but instead, if you missed it click here and read and react. I may take this on in more detail next week.. or maybe not.

Elsewhere...

- My brother is in Las Vegas at the Kitchen and Bath Show and he reported the frustrating sight of rows and rows of Chinese companies showing their wares. While the Delta's and Kohler's may be the leaders, the communists are growing here to and as evidenced by my brother they are taking a very large footprint in trying to take a bite out of that industry too.

- Speaking things Chinese related- I watched the documentary Wal Mart - The High Cost of a Low Price this weekend. All I can say is wow. When your done with that one you really find it difficult to ever shop there again. While obviously the piece was slanted, it brought up some amazing points regarding Wal Mart's version of health care and their predatory efforts in the small markets that they some times look to move into. An interesting rental none the less.

- More proof of "Green" growth. Just out this week, a declaration that 80 schools on the books to be built in California by 2012 will meet some sort of Green certification. You think we can start with non VOC emitting paint?

- Lastly, lost in the shuffles of so many other items in my life, is the upcoming GANA CGEC meeting in Atlanta. This 2 day conference is for project managers from the glazing side of the business and has a very strong agenda. Unfortunately it is next Thursday and Friday, so not a lot of heads up. So if your signed up, you'll enjoy, if not and you can make plans on short notice- go for it. I gotta do a better job of keeping my calendar of events!

The video of the week comes from one of my wife's favorite channels. Its one of the Home Shopping Channels and our guy is trying to show how to use their new ladder... and he is just not real coordinated....




Oh and since I know my mom actually checks this blog... Happy Mothers Day Mom and a special Happy Mother's Day and congrats to Tara Taffera of DWM and my first editor at USGlass. She just had baby number 3 this past week... hope Mom and baby and entire family are well!

Wrapping Up AIA 2007

Well 2007's version of the AIA show is now history... and the next show on tap was the aforementioned GlassBuild America in September. (If you missed that post, its a few below this one- and it features witty banter on the new inclusion of glass bottles and jars to the show floor)

As for the AIA wrap....

- Rumors about next years show floor being worse and the show and seminars being in separate buildings is false. The show floor will be the traditional rectangle with an up/down flow. However there's not a lot of hotels around this convention center, so get ready to ride some buses! And as was noted elsewhere on the net, somehow riding a big gas guzzling bus is not exactly the greatest "green" example.

- I did get to ask several architects about the NFRC's commercial plans. And as expected none of them knew a thing about it. Tellingly all felt that their AIA documents clearly cover their specifications in a court of law and were not interested in extra steps or costs. Especially in light of all of them chasing LEED points, as one told me "I need more hurdles like that like I need a hole in the head" Amen brother. I did tell that specific architect he controls it as the famous quote from NFRC Board Member Gary Curtis, made in Atlanta 2005- "if the architects don't buy into this, we can shut off the lights and go home" and his comment was "Shut 'em off"

- A tough scene for me at the airport on Sunday as I watched a young soldier leave his wife at the gate. He was heading eventually back to Iraq and it was a very emotional scene. He was probably no more than 20. His wife was crying steadily, not hysterical, but close and it really was a tough one to deal with. So no matter how you feel about the war, there is no question that the soldiers deserve our support and prayers and their families back here at home deserve the same.

- On the plane home it was filled with architects who just attended. Made me think that its a matter of time before AIA starts to allow chartered flights and you can give CEU's on the flight down. Now that would be a captive audience! Can you imagine an architect having to not avoid you for 3 solid hours? Amazing! And no believe it or not, I did not attempt to bother any of these folks on my flight home- I was tempted though- as the principal of one of the biggest firms of the US was sitting across from me, but I decided to let him be.


The video and more industry news on my regularly scheduled post later this week.

The Amazing Show Floor

Well the AIA show is off and running and there’s plenty to talk about.

The attitude of the attendees is very good. Especially the three following groups:

Designers involved with....

Schools

Hospitals

Military bases

All 3 groups were easy to recognize because they were the ones who were carrying the most info and stopping and smiling everywhere they went.

So far the feeling is that the commercial segment will stay strong for a while- which is a good sign- at least judging from the folks I talked with they are putting up a very confident front.

As for the show itself, the main story is the floor… the actual layout of the floor to be exact. This has to be the oddest layout of a trade show I have ever seen. The building is broken up badly and this is the first trade show that I have seen people constantly looking at their maps and also checking the “You are here” kiosks. Normally trade shows feature a simple up and down flow… nope not here. I swear if a cop followed you trying to walk this floor with its zigs and zags you’d get pulled over for WUI- Walking Under the Influence. Seriously it’s so bad that I wish I would’ve sponsored portable GPS for the show floor and I would’ve been the most popular man around.

While traffic for my booth and some around me like the folks from Pilkington has been solid, I feel horrible for those who are in the outer Siberia of the show or even worse in separate rooms! Yes amazingly there are separated rooms that have a handful of booths and not many visitors. Its kind of like the AIA version of Exile Island. (And probably after this post, next year in Boston, Arch will be in Exile Island!). Or better yet, its like most of the show is at the adult table for Thanksgiving while those little rooms are like the kids tables.

That challenge aside it still very well attended and Friday will hopefully allow more people to find their way and visit the outer regions.

Also from the floor..

- Its funny I noted here in the last few weeks about the many companies that may be for sale and sure enough there was a lot of talk about that. When you get this many industry mavens in one place, you can surely expect the rumors to fly and they sure are.

- Very small Chinese contingent here which is refreshing. Also heard from a few architects that they are not happy when jobs are getting switched to Communist Chinese material. In fact one architect went out of his way to find me and tell me he had “nothing do with” the usage of Chinese material on one of his jobs. Amazing. I think part of the guilty feelings are based on the fact that sooner than later the “Buy America” act will be bowing its head and none of these guys want to be the ones that get stuck in the middle of a disaster.

- As for the “Buy America” act- get ready, it’s real and it’s coming your way soon.

- TGP had announcement on their new Steel Curtainwall. It should be an interesting product added to their current lines. Steel has been popular in Europe and could find a niche here in the States. The best part is at least it’s not Vinyl. I’m surely not a fan of Vinyl for commercial usage and have serious issues with its durability and laugh when I hear how "Green" it is. Can you recycle it? If the answer is no, its not green in my book. Then again paint that releases VOC's are considered "green" so what do I know.

- Lastly, It was a thrill to hear from so many people who take the time to read this blog. I do appreciate your support!

This week’s video- from earlier in the week- a Dallas Maverick fan trying to dunk from a trampoline… and well he is… not…. even…close…..

The AIA Show

A big week from the supply side as the AIA show starts up Thursday in San Antonio. I will be there and will post anything that is newsworthy or interesting. Going in, it should be interesting to see how the Architects are feeling about the economy-with the big question- Are you busy? Outside of that, it will probably be a very "Green" show as everyone tries to "outgreen" their competition. I'm half tempted to even tell people my blog can get you LEED points... heck it wouldn't be a major stretch considering the way that people are trying to promote and position themselves as "green" with absolutely no clue of what it means.

- Elsewhere

- Is another Aluminum supplier for sale? Hot off of US Aluminum finally being sold, was a USGNN headline about Alcoa looking to sell off certain divisions. Could Kawneer be one of them? The article did not say... but Kellogg's or K Mart could snap up Kawneer and not have to change the logo- at least it would be instant synergy! Seriously though, the aluminum side continues to have instability when it comes to ownership as it seems mostly everyone has either been sold or been for sale in the last 2 years- so it could be possible.

- Great article on the fad of flipping houses and how that fad is now pretty much history. To read it- click here. If your too busy to read it, the article basically says that people in cities like Vegas and Miami jumped on the housing boom for the sheer profit side and now they are getting beat down... bad. To the tune of a 47% rise in foreclosures last month. Given that info, its another indicator of why the residential side of the industry is struggling.

- Speaking of AIA, we'll see if our pals from the NFRC will be there filling the architects heads with sweet nothings about how great their programs are. After all supposedly the NFRC is "seeking" out the AIA for input on their efforts. Which brings up the article by Les Shaver in the current issue of USGlass. An interesting note in there was the whole “cost” angle and the fact the NFRC is going to try and address that glaring issue. To date, while we are battling on so many fronts, the cost of the program has never been presented by the NFRC, so if that comes in high it could just add another cantankerous log on the fire. My expectation is the costs to be high because there’s a feeling out there that our side of the industry is flush with cash- just ready to support programs like this. Seriously. I was told by 2 people on the other side of this issue that exact statement. Its amazing, so every time a public company on our side of the ledger announces their results, people from the test labs and consulting firms, take that as an indication of “they can afford it- after all its for the good of the public”

- One China note- and non glass at that... did you see that the Chinese are hoping to manipulate the weather at the 2008 Olympics to be held there? Yes the scientists there feel they can "force" the rain ahead of the events, so the Sky's will be clear for the games. I mean everyday they amaze me just a little bit more.

Sorry no video this post- I will have one later in the week- but just as an update the little boy that was hurt during the Colorado State football game is OK- he got stitches. I am still amazed he is OK- that kid to a brutal hit! (See below post for video if you missed it)

A Sad Day

Sorry gang, not going to do a normal post this week. While I have plenty to cover, I honestly can't get into it with the terrible tragedy at Virginia Tech still fresh.

As I have noted before in posts and articles, its times like these that makes you think twice when you use terms in our industry like "life or death"- as what we do is nothing of the sort, and when things like Monday's misery hits- now thats the real deal.

One glass related note... as my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved at Va Tech, a special mention to a very good man and friend, Bill Rooks of ACH (Visteon). Bill's daughter goes to Virginia Tech and thankfully is OK, but I can only imagine the pain she is going through, and the fear that Bill and his wife had to deal with while all this was going down. Bill, I hope you and Erin and the rest of the family are hanging in there the best you can.

So next week I'll be back to my snarky, sarcastic self. Until then take care-

Quarter 1 In Review

The 1st quarter of 2007 was pretty uneventful overall, but still some interesting things went down and now’s the time to review. In trying to avoid being like a “Best of” blog entry, I do try and put an updated spin on things.

Industry headlines:
Glassweek in Sarasota was a strong event, though it is the last “Stand Alone” Glassweek since that event and BEC will combine next February in Vegas. How will the new event do? Going to be interesting- Glassweek is the best technical gathering in this industry and BEC is by far the best networking environment- so hopefully the two will mix like Chocolate and Peanut Butter and make a great Peanut Butter Cup of an event.

Chinese Cha Cha’s:
China continues to be an issue- last week’s entry on China got me several e-mails. The reaction was a mix between:
“How could PPG do this?” and “Stop crying, just because the Chinese are eating your lunch doesn’t mean they are wrong…”
All I can say to this is… some people just do not get it. I can’t explain why PPG is doing what they do- in the end it will only hurt them as their technology and training will and is being used against them. And as for the Chinese eating MY lunch… um, they are eating EVERYONE’S lunch and dinner. Go to Chicago and see how many jobs have gone Chinese- go to the Southeast and see how many jobs have been sold direct to General’s and Developers… bottom line, Manufacturer, Glazier, or pithy Fabricator, all are in the cross hairs of the communist Chinese.

A side note, front page of the USA TODAY on Tuesday has more interesting news how our government is relating to the China issue. Click Here to read it.

Side note 2 has the TV show "24" switching gears and now Jack Bauer can go after the Chinese- Go get 'em Jack and get a shot in for our industry will ya?

Green is Gold:
More proof of the “Greening” of America this week as both ABC News and Robert Redford jumped on board to push the process. ABC now runs features during their nightly news and Redford is producing a show on the building of Green properties.

Changes, changes changes:
AFG will be AGC NA soon, ACH will become someone else again soon I am sure, Kawneer turned their back on 100 years of recognizability and made an ad agencies life by changing their logo and taking on the same look as Special K Cereal.
US Aluminum got sold begging the question- “If an aluminum company gets sold and they really don’t participate much in the industry, will anyone really care or notice?”

NFRC:
The complete guide to the NFRC is coming soon- I promise- some long flights next week, so plenty of time to think and write.

Ewww the Economy:
A weak start to 2007, especially on the residential side… not the best of time to be a big time window guy eh? Marvin announced cutbacks on hours, and you can safely assume they are not the only ones. On the commercial side some pockets are pretty weak, but others holding strong. From all indications 07 will still turn out solid but people are hedging their bets for 2008 that is for sure. Right now there have been a few auctions of some residential window manufacturers, if commercial turns as weak, and the Chinese continue their march, the commercial side may experience the same effect.

The Blog Effect:
Traffic here has been mind blowing and in some cases comical. I’ve had visits from Nigeria, France, Brazil, Israel and yes even China. The message boards at USGlass are picking up some speed and for some people has shown to be a very helpful resource.

Video:
Sorry about last week- I did not realize that the wayward first pitch from the Mayor of Cincinnati was removed from You Tube. If you missed, you missed a classic. If you have any favorites you run into feel free to forward it to me. This week in honor of Global Warming… Snowmobile racing on grass… ah what we can expect in the future once all the snow is gone….

Burning Up The Net

My plan was to do a review of the first quarter of 2007, but in the last few days the internet provided me with too much material to not make comment on. So the quarter in review must wait, it’s time to dig into some of these interesting tidbits.

- On USGNN on Tuesday, the 4th item was a note that China based glass fabricator Xinyi Glass reported a net profit increase of almost 50% in FY 2006. My goodness does the government still need to subsidize them then? And that Tariff that was noted in my previous post will do nothing to them with numbers like this. By the way, in North America, Xinyi Glass works through the name of XYG Glass and uses an HQ of British Columbia, but bottom line is their material is still made in one of their 5 facilities in Communist China.

- On Monday, the lead item on USGNN was the note on the US reaching a trade agreement with South Korea. It’s also the question of the week on USGNN (feel free to opine on the USGlass message boards). There’s no way this can be as bad as the Chinese debacle right?

- Also on line this week, a top weather researcher came out and stated that 2007 should be a very “active” hurricane season. Forecaster William Gray is calling for 17 named storms, with 5 being major storms. The probability of a major hurricane hitting land this year is rated at 74%. Gray’s team from Colorado State University (which begs to ask, how many hurricanes hit ole CSU?) notes that last years dire predictions of major hurricanes were thrown off by El Nino. Now with El Nino gone, the activity may be more severe. I guess we will see what happens, but it will be interesting to see if a major hurricane hits one of the areas where the hurricane codes have been ignored or fought against. There is no better evidence for strong hurricane codes than South Florida. When Hurricane Wilma made mince meat of the region 2 years ago, phone lines and electrical were a mess but the hurricane glass and aluminum came shining through.

- Lastly on line, back to China, and a piece on North American Architects doing work in China. PPG commissioned a survey that showed 21% of US architects are doing work in China right now and the article also included a note that China has an intense focus on energy conservation and energy prices. Wow I think the NFRC needs to set up shop there- ASAP. But seriously it should come as no surprise that PPG is in the middle of this. Anyone who follows the Chinese influence on our industry knows that PPG has been “sleeping with enemy” for years. You want to get a flavor for what I mean, check out this classic 2005 article from China Daily.
In any case, it’s depressing that the technology that is allowing the Chinese to take work from glaziers, fabricators and other manufacturers is being given to them on a silver platter. Shame.



Before we get to the video choice of the week… it was opening day in baseball this week.. ah life is back to normal… I seriously feel complete… anyway the World Series will be between the Red Sox and Pirates, (if you are still reading this you just spit out your coffee that I predicted the Pirates… that is a late April Fools Day joke- my real choice is actually the Braves) with the Sox winning it… As for the Video, the mayor of Cincinnati threw out the first pitch and well nerves must have gotten to him, because this went very wrong…. Check out the reaction of Eric Davis (the guy due to catch the pitch) his face is priceless….



And by the way conggrats to the "Gator Nation" for winning the NCAA...

Some Good News

Got a tip on this article below from Jim Fairley... very interesting that the Communist Chinese take one on the chin. Could this be coming our way too? Though with Chinese material sometimes selling for more than 25 to 30% below North American market, even a tariff may not slow them.

I'll talk more on this on my weekly post later this week.

White House Slaps Tariffs On Chinese Paper

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2007
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(AP) The Bush administration, facing increasing anger over soaring trade deficits, announced Friday it would impose sanctions against Chinese paper imports, opening up a new avenue for beleaguered American manufacturers to seek government protection.

The action, announced by Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, reverses 23 years of U.S. trade policy by treating China, which is classified as a nonmarket economy, in the same way other U.S. trading partners are treated in disputes involving government subsidies.

The decision involved a case brought by NewPage Corp., a Dayton, Ohio-based paper company. It contended that its coated paper, used in printing glossy catalogues and annual reports, was facing unfair competition from imports from Chinese companies receiving improper subsidies from the Chinese government.

Commerce imposed penalty tariffs ranging from 10.9 percent to 20.4 percent on imports of glossy paper from China. The tariffs will take effect next week on a preliminary basis and will become final after a further Commerce review is completed in June.

The action was being closely watched by many other American companies, from steel to furniture, that were battered in recent years as Chinese imports flooded into the country.

U.S. companies have always been allowed to file antidumping cases, seeking penalty tariffs on the grounds that the Chinese products were being sold in the United States below cost.

But with Friday's action, they will also be able to seek penalty tariffs, known as countervailing duties, on the basis of improper government subsidies — everything from favorable loans from state-owned Chinese banks to direct government support.

"The United States today is demonstrating its continued commitment to leveling the playing field for American manufacturers, workers and farmers," Gutierrez said in announcing the decision.

The Chinese government criticized the administration decision.

"This action of the U.S. side goes against the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue," said Wang Zinpei, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce, quoted by the Xinhua News Agency. "China strongly requires the U.S. side to reconsider the decision and make prompt changes."

Daniel Porter, a Washington attorney representing the Chinese government, said no decision had been made yet on whether to appeal a federal court ruling on Thursday that gave the Commerce Department the go-ahead to proceed with the sanctions.

The decision by Commerce represented the latest effort by the administration to adopt a tougher approach to Chinese trade practices as the administration faces growing pressure from Democrats, who now control both the House and Senate.

Earlier this year, the administration filed a case against China with the World Trade Organization alleging that China was violating WTO rules by giving its companies improper subsidies for production of steel, paper and other products.

U.S. lawmakers, businesses and unions praised the action in the NewPage case.

In a joint statement, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Sander Levin, D-Mich., called the sanctions a "long overdue change in policy." They said they intended to push forward with legislation that would explicitly change U.S. law to make sure the Commerce actions will withstand any court challenges.

Leo Gerard, president of the United Steel Workers union, said the Commerce action was welcome news for workers at 22 paper mills in 13 states who produce the glossy paper covered by the sanctions. Gerard's union represents 90 percent of the work force in the U.S. coated paper industry.

Gilbert Kaplan, a Washington attorney representing NewPage, said the Commerce action reflected the reality that China as a major power in the global economy "should not be exempt from the laws that ensure fair trade."

When the Bush administration made it known last year that it was willing to consider cases against China involving government subsidies, it was seen as an effort to bring more pressure to bear on the Chinese to adhere to the rules of the WTO, which China joined in 2001.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is leading an effort to pressure China to let its currency rise in value against the dollar. American manufacturers contend that China is devaluing its currency by as much as 40 percent to give the country unfair trade advantages.

Time to answer some mail

Well I now know why magazines and periodicals do “Power Lists” because the ranking of people/groups/events draws incredible interest. Last week’s post was my most read ever, blowing away all previous records. The totals were mind boggling to me, and for those of you who are coming back for a 2nd time and those of you who have been here since the start- a sincere THANK YOU. It is a thrill knowing so many in our fine industry are taking a few minutes out of their day to read this site.

OK now on to the matter at hand… in the last 3 months I have gotten a ton of e-mail and verbal feedback from my posts. So its time to address some of the questions that have come through, so here goes…

I enjoyed the rankings last week, but I have to disagree, while green building may be “hot” there’s no way its as dominant as you say- I have done a ton of business in the last 2 years and have yet to be involved in any green type project. While I can see the movement, I just don’t see it like you do.

I can see where you are coming from as “green” and LEED are not exactly mainstream everyday type issues, but their growth has been explosive over the last few years. Where it’s strongest now is in the educational work area or in green hotspots like Austin, Texas. It’s just a matter of time before it catches up with you.


I have to tell you I am actually tired of the whole NFRC stuff. No one has effectively told me how they will “change my life” and I simply don’t get it.

That’s a fair and un-fair comment. Part of the problem is the NFRC moving into the commercial world has had so much coverage, articles and rebuttals, that it IS hard to truly grasp what will be the final effect. As I have been promising, I will be doing a complete post on NFRC and will try and explain it in the best detail I can. In the meantime, I believe there’s a reason why there’s so much coverage- because the “change” is real.

I didn’t think I’d like your blog but I actually do, but curious you have to be pissing people off with some of your takes.

Thanks for the compliment. As for my comments, it is what it is…. This is my therapy and a chance to comment on the goings on inside our industry. If AFG or Kawneer hate me because I pick on their logo’s or name changes then so be it. The goal is not to be snarky (saracastic maybe, but not snarky) but to be informing and get people thinking and talking.

What’s the difference between GANA and NFRC? Also with NFRC, is the membership behind all of the moves you talk about? I can’t imagine anyone wants to pay for extra tests and incur more costs.

GANA is a trade organization that is member driven. The NFRC is a 501c3- which means that it’s a charitable organization that is Board driven. The NFRC does not have a responsibility to its members, their focus is to the “Stakeholder” which is the public at large. The Board of the NFRC can and does make the rules and so matter what the member’s want, if the Board wants something different- it’s their call. Period.

Any more updates on the Kansas arena?

No, I got a handful of responses from people who were sickened by the process though. Ironically the new Pittsburgh arena will be designed by HOK too, gosh I hope and pray that job stays in North America.

My company got a reject note from an architect because we submitted “Pilkington” glass and it was not in the specs. LOF was though. Amazing huh?

Yep, sure is. Most of the notes I got on the “crazy architectural” rejection were of this nature. I am continually amazed….

On your organization list, I think you really missed it- I don’t see any of the 5 as powerful except AIA. The others were either plugs for groups you like or a chance to bash those you hate.

Wow. Hey you’re entitled to your own opinion- maybe it’s time you start a blog…. Bottom line, I believe my list was dead on.

You need to explain the difference between a trade group and a governmental agency because some groups really DO have more power than others.

Yes, some do have differing “powers” based on how they are set up. The IECC is apart of the ICC and they have power granted to them by the DOE. The ICC is combination of 3 former separate code groups (BOCA, ICBO, SBBCI) to make one supergroup. While they are not a governmental agency, they have the government behind them, as well as local jurisdictions who choose to follow these codes. A trade group is like GANA or IGMA and is looking out for its industry and works to create standards to be followed industry wide and by architects and designers as well. The NFRC gets their power because they have a monopoly on ratings- and the DOE/ICC allow that to happen.

Aside from crying about it, is there anything we can do in the whole Chinese material issue?

Yes there is and I am working on that too. Sometimes that’s where the blog and my job intersect, as when I get it figured out for Arch, I will then get it up here. See I do work… seriously.

How come no one ever comments, I have a hard time believing that many people read your site.

Believe me people are reading, and last week it was in huge numbers. Plus I get tons of e-mails, so if people want to be cyber-shy then so be it.

Loved the videos each week how do you find them?
I am lucky really, I come across while checking other sites and now I get calls and e-mails suggesting some. The big issue is to keep them short and to also make sure they are PC.


So that’s it, a small sampling of notes that I have gotten and replied to privately and now publicly. In all seriousness the feedback has been more positive than what I listed above, but I felt the chosen ones above were the most topical.

This week’s video is from this week’s past Saturday Night Live featuring a cool Peyton Manning, fake United Way commercial. Ironic since NFRC and United Way are both charities… yes they are… seriously.

The Power List

Every year several publications do a list of the most powerful people in various
industries or segments. I decided its time to do a list of the top 5 powerful organizations with regards to our industry. And without further adieu here they are:

1. United State Green Building Council (USGBC)- Uh do ya think that the daily “green” articles have any affect? The USGBC is probably 1 and 1A when it comes to power- they are now mainstream and despite other organizations starting “green” efforts, they are the gold standard. A big question is will the “voluntary” USGBC LEED program be affected when codes start to call for the same green building conscience? I asked this of a few people involved at USGBC and as of now, no one there is remotely worried. Another question is the USGBC’s reliance on certain experts on just one side of an argument, missing obvious facts from the other side. (Power Coat vs Liquid Paint, Vinyl vs Aluminum etc…)

2. American Institute of Architects (AIA)- So powerful that they probably don’t even realize it. They have the ultimate trade show, so good that no major national glass fabricator will show at CSI for the 2nd year in a row. They have the educational credit program, and everything else under the sun. They have think tanks and strong local groups. But imagine if they would pay attention to what is going on code wise that may affect their livelihood- now that would be a fun battle to watch!

3. National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC)- Ever heard of them? They have the Department of Energy eating out of their hands, they have a major PR firm, Potomac Communications, leading their spin, and they have a lobbyist firm, Clark & Weinstock (Who rep people like Eli Lilly, AT&T and GE to name 3) to ensure that they have anything they need. And oh, they have a program in the works to change the way commercial glazing works. And because several NFRC elite also sit on boards and committees of various code organizations (despite the insane conflict of interests) they’ll get their programs passed and into your life. Just ask the folks in California who have been dealing with this for years. Now I can go on and on (and will in another post- I promise) but bottom line is that this group can truly change the landscape of how the glazing business is conducted.

4. Glass Association of North America (GANA) Did you think I wouldn’t have any home cooking? (Disclosure- I sit on the Board of GANA- but I write this as an individual, not a Board Member, as GANA does not endorse items like this) This group is the premier organization in our industry. Technically, no one is even in the stratosphere. Led by Greg Carney, who may be one the best and most patient technical people alive, GANA marches on educating the industry and working tirelessly to ensure that its members are positioned with the best resources possible. Oh and a note- a true volunteer is someone like Julie Schimmlepennigh of Solutia- she and many others truly give their time and effort to work for the industry. A volunteer is NOT someone who can make ¾ of their income from the organization they work for….(frequent readers of my stuff will get that one)

And a TIE for 5th….

5. International Energy Conservation Code (IECC)- While a recent informal survey of industry minds showed that the initials IECC really did not register, this group has the legs to go the distance. Keep in mind, the push for “green” glazing is two-fold. One side is the Al Gore, climate worry issue and the other is reducing the enormous strain on our energy resources in this country. A group like the IECC will promote and push codes to get energy reduction measures and certification in every municipality possible. And they are making in-roads too. The worry here is that they allow obvious conflicts of interest to inter their decision making. That is not good and in the long run will challenge the credibility of the group. Bottom line though is this group can and will impose their will on the industry.

5. Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC)- An extremely professional group that is facing just nightmarish attacks from the Vinyl lobby among others. Through it all, the AEC defends itself with class and facts. Their consultant, Dr. Thomas Culp is one of the industries finest. Dr. Culp is fair, hard working, and always looking to reach the middle ground with the good of the public in mind. And yes I do seriously believe that because there’s been times where I’ve pleaded cases to Tom and he’s always reminded me that there’s two sides involved and you have to meet somewhere close to the middle. A group like the AEC deserves props because they could be dropping stink bombs left and right, but instead they go about their business the right way, and their membership benefits from it greatly.


Now obviously several groups did not make my top 5. And the ones that did probably may not be happy to be there. But the exercise is meant to keep people informed. The NFRC surely won’t agree with my assessment of them, but if they did we surely wouldn’t have a global warming problem anymore because hell would be freezing over. The IECC has no idea who I am, and that’s fine, I just hope that they can avoid conflict of interest issues when it comes to our industry in the future because I believe in codes that promote energy efficiency.

One more note- I have several e-mails to reply to on this board and will do a “mailbag” version soon. To all of you have e-mailed, that I have not gotten back to- I will be writing back- and thanks for reading this blog!

And lastly as we were speaking of hell freezing over above- not sure if you saw this video from last month when a big storm hit Cleveland… doesn’t matter how cold it is for some folks when the TV lights are on!