GlassBuild Kicks Off

This week writing this mostly from the floor at GlassBuild as we’ve finally made it, we’ve finally gotten to the show!  It’s been a heck of a run since the last GlassBuild in person in 2019, and so far so good in getting to see people and build back those great personal connections that we all strive for.  Next week I’ll have my traditional “who’s who” from the show, but for this post it will be more vibe and news from the event.  The biggest feeling going on the commercial side is “business has slowed but the work has not” – let me unpack that some.  What is happening is the number of orders coming and projects being released has slowed more and more over the last several weeks- remember we are in the middle of the expected hole in the forecast right now- but despite that everyone is “busy” and that’s because labor at every level is a massive challenge. Shortages in the field and warehouse are always a given in our world but this latest challenge is office based. Less project managers than ever dealing for with more complex materials and settings.  So many folks here are swamped but without the benefit of an increased top line benefit.  A real frustrating pickle for many.  And that aspect of labor shortage and being busy absolutely affected attendance here as well.  Obviously, there’s another issue that played a role, but I know several folks that stayed back because they simply couldn’t get away.  

 

The thing people are looking for the most here are ways to ease that burden of busy.  More operational effective materials and processes (including automation) are really driving interest along with new products that could separate one from their competition.  I was excited to see so many full scale machines setup here that caught many eyes.  Also among the new products with great buzz was the VacuMax VIG product from Vitro via VIG Technologies.  I’ve covered that one a bunch and it was great to see some product live and in person. Plus, Glazier Nation setup their new software and I expect their spot to be jumping with glaziers and vendors signing up.

 

In addition, as previewed on my podcast last week (if you haven’t checked it out yet, please do- it features Jim Evans of BidClips, Michael and Carolyn Spellman of IGE Glass Technologies, and Barbara Haaksma of CR Laurance.  Video here, Audio here) the product releases from CRL really delivered in a BIG way. What I mean is that I felt like I was in the movie “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” because everything in their booth was gigantic.  Super impressive work there!

 

Plus CRL made news on the eve of the show with the naming of Arty Feles as President.

Feles spent the past 12 years in roles including Chief Financial Officer and, most recently, Regional President of U.S. operations for CRL and steps in for Lloyd Talbert who’s transitioning to new initiatives inside the company.  CRL has always been a tremendous supporter of the industry and GlassBuild and I assume that will continue under Arty’s guidance. 

 

This week the many winners of the most prestigious award platform in our industry were recognized- The Glass Magazine Awards.  These are truly the Oscars/Emmys of our world and congrats to everyone who was honored. All the winners are details are HERE!

 

In addition, this year Glass Magazine commissioned an Ad Study award program and I felt pretty vindicated by that…. Why?  Because each month I pick an “ad of the month” when I review Glass Magazine and sure enough the top two honored ads were ones that I had previously recognized on here. Congrats to the great Rob Struble of Vitro for grabbing the top spot.  That guy is an absolute legend.  Those winners can be found HERE but look at it this way, keep reading this blog and you’ll know ahead of time who the winners are!

 

See you next week with a longer rundown of the show and happenings!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

This is stunning.  Almost 40 years in a coma before passing away.  Had to be brutal on so many.

 

With GlassBuild this is very timely… the cautious returns of conventions

 

This list of Nobel prizes can’t be real right?

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

This week from the LinkedIn feed of Nick Beaumont Publisher of Intelligent Glass Solutions. Classic project in Denver with the new Welcome Center at the Museum of Art.

Players listed were: 
Architect: MACHADO SILVETTI (Design Architect), Fentress Architects (Architect of Record)
Glazing Contractor: Harmon.
General Contractor: Saunders Construction
Building Envelope Consultant: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.

Congrats to all on an amazing project!! (Picture does not do it justice!!) 

Trailblazers and Disruptive Forces

Episode 9 of the From the Fabricator podcast is out and it’s an interesting one with some folks that are really disrupting our industry in positive ways.  Before I dig in to tis tease- I know there’s a ton of great podcasts now in our industry, so thank you for still hanging with me- it is appreciated!  This month, I start off with the energetic and dynamic Jim Evans of BidClips.  His customer service platform is incredible and his past that drives him forward each and every day is inspirational.  The guy is a winner.  Then on to Michael and Carolyn Spellman, founders of IGE Glass Technologies and VIG Technologies.  These folks blazed a trail and created a segment in our industry that still thrives today on the machinery side and are leading the way with VIG now as well.  Absolute legends. Was fun to get the background and more here.  Then my final guest Barbara Haaksma of CR Laurence was very cool, I enjoyed getting to know her path to today and also getting a ton of sneak previews of what to expect from CRL at GlassBuild and beyond.  All good stuff and once again an honor for me to interview such talented and important people. 

To watch- CLICK HERE

To listen (and also available wherever you get your podcasts) CLICK HERE

Thank you!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  I know in some pockets of our industry there’s stunningly no sight of a glass shortage, all is well.  In others it’s a struggle.  Well folks the bad news is I think things on the glass side are going to get even worse.  So those of you not having issues, get ready, and those of you who are battling- buck up and be strong because capacity is being sucked away and if we heat up business wise like we all expect in 2022, lead-times and glass availability are NOT going to be what you are used to, even in todays challenges.  I hate being negative, but all the indicators I am seeing look very ugly. 

 

--  On to more exciting stuff… GlassBuild is NEXT WEEK!  Two things I am looking forward to among many others are the Mercedes Benz Stadium Tour and the Glazing Executives Forum.  The tour is a treat- it is a great structure and while glass isn’t a major part of the exterior, the usage inside the building is awesome and major kudos to Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope, CRL, and my good friend Tom O’Malley at Clover Architectural Products for work well done AND sponsoring this event!  The Glazing Executives Forum is always a cool chance to network and learn and this year I am honored to moderate a panel with David Ben-Isreal of MGAC and John Nolan of The Gary Law Group on Best Practices to Avoid Legal Headaches on Projects.  These two guys have so much great insight to share that I am going to toss the ball up and let them play- the audience is going to win big.  So pumped for this and the show overall!  Next week I’ll have a bit of the flavor of GlassBuild with then my normal “who’s who and seen at the show” coming the week after.

 

--  Congrats to Maheshi Perera on her being named as Business Development head at SPIL Glass Software.  Really sharp person and an excellent hire by the always astute Lakshman Kalupathirana.  SPIL has made some nice moves and additions in the last year and this yet another one- congrats to all!

 

--  Last this week…pro football starts this week and my good friend James Wright of Virginia Glass Products shared a fun poll with me.  It is the pro football fan bases that drink the most per game. Now before I break down the top 5, I will tell you I take issue with this list.  For most of my young life I went to every Steeler home game and those folks there could drink… a lot.  And on this list Pittsburgh finished a stunning 23^rd.  Also my team here Detroit, which gives fans PLENTY of reason to drink a ton checked in at #10.  Impossible!  Your top 5 were:

5- Carolina Panthers- Really?  I didn’t know they actually had fans

4- Chicago Bears- Yeah I can see that.  I’ll ask Tom O’Malley at the Stadium tour if true.

3- Buffalo Bills- No doubt Bills mafia fits this ranking

2- Baltimore Ravens- No way. I refuse to believe this one.  

1- Cincinnati Bengals- This happens to be James’ team and he confirms personally its true and I know a lot of Bengals fans who are frustrated- so I am good with it.  

Interesting poll for sure… and while I am at it- my fearless pre-season Super Bowl prediction is Green Bay beating Tennessee for the title.  I am on a roll now after picking Tampa's Super Bowl win last year... 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  Ok which one of you manufacturers are making the Goat Resistant Windows now? 

 

--  There is so much going on in this story of using guns (seriously) as a marketing tool and then doing really shoddy work, denying it, ripping people off and so on.  Just amazing.

 

--  Banning a woman from the chimp she loves.  Wow.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

This week a slightly different twist- this is keeping a project safe- so that goes to Matt Price and his team at ArmorGuard.  This is the Hard Rock Biloxi and the glass and frames are being protected by ArmorGuard as the building is renovated.  Matt and his team are big supporters of our industry and will be at GlassBuild so I wanted to give them this spot and throw the spotlight their way in thanks for all they do to protect our products and support our world.  

Articles, Ads, Reports, Pods, & More

No matter how much great content is out there online (and I’ll be mentioning a few below) nothing can replace my monthly dose on insight from Glass Magazine.  So with that said, it is time to review the latest from the “glass and glazing authority” and their special GlassBuild issue does NOT disappoint.  Starting with the cover featuring an incredible eye-catching shot of vacuum portion of a CNC machine from Salem Fabrication Technologies.  I think that’s the 2^nd cover this year for those folks- so congrats on that!  Inside the magazine it’s heavy on GlassBuild content which is tremendous whether you attend or not.  Seeing a ton of products and services that will make your life and business better is a great thing for sure. Also the latest Glass Information Bulletin (GIB) is in there and great to be up to speed on.  

Ad of the month is bear to choose because this being the GlassBuild issue everyone rolled out the best they could muster.  Great work.  But my winner this month is goes to SoftSolution North America with the cat eyes staring at you.  Gets me every time.  Great ad!  And I have to give a quick nod though to the FeneTech testimonial ad- I always like seeing good people and Mike and Joyce Cully of United Plate are amongst the best around.  Seeing them brought a smile to my face.  So kudos to SoftSolution, FeneTech and all the advertisers this month- super work!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The latest Architectural Billings Index was strong yet again but did show some slippage from last month.  Possibly some of the uneven aspects of our economy is starting to catch up?  The score of 54.6 down from 57.1 is still excellent but does show there’s some leveling off and the new inquiries came down as well from its insane record high from last month.  So this index may be settling down and as long as it stays in the positive, all good. 

 

--  Some podcast notes.  I was lucky and honored to be a guest on Patrick Flannery’s Glass Canada Glass Talk Podcast recently and we covered a ton of ground some of which probably got me in trouble in some parts of the US.  Was a fun one. Here it is.

On his newest episode Patrick talks to Ryan Spurgeon of Antamex- that one should be very good as Ryan is a very impressive guy with a laser focus.  I am excited to hear what he says and I’ll be checking that one out this week.  That link is HERE.

 

--  NEXT, very pumped about the launch of “The Façade Pod” with Mitch Hawkins and Matt Krier.  These guys have a GREAT plan on the podcast front and have lined up fantastic guests to talk facades and glass.  The quick preview is out- so check it HERE and get ready for their first season debut later this week.  Both of these guys are young stars in our universe- Matt at Viracon and Mitch at Martineau and Company and I think these will be a great one to add to your podcast rotation!  

 

--  Great news this week from the team at Ubiquitous Energy with an initial breakthrough install at Michigan State University.  The school did a fabulous write up of it HERE and this is one to watch as this space will continue to grow as Ubiquitous marches forward.  I am typically more of a University of Michigan fan but after seeing this- I am all for MSU- “Go Green!” – which is both part of the MSU cheer and a great move here too!

 

--  Last this week, a lot has me excited about GlassBuild but I have to admit waiting to see the special stuff Glazier Nation has been teasing is leading in the clubhouse.  Matt Day and company have been building the anticipation for a while with their various trips around the US and as we get closer I have become all in.  I am pretty sure we are going to see something that is going to be big time game changing.  Can’t wait!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Heart warming pet stories get me every time and this one features a turtle, so I’m all in!

 

This is one porch pirate you probably won’t stop!

 

Tremendous composure here that most of us would not show.  I know I’d be inside in a flash.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From the Virginia Glass Products feed on LinkedIn.  Awesome laminated vestibule.  This is in North Carolina and it is the Duke-Raleigh Hospital.  Sharp project with laminated from Virginia, installed by SPS Corporation and the design from HOK.  Great work everyone!!

It's ON!

In about 3 weeks the industry will gather once again in Atlanta for GlassBuild.  Yes.  The show is on, everything is still set and hundreds of awesome exhibitors will be there ready to show off the latest and greatest.  No doubt that things have gotten wonkier out there but the excitement of getting to see everyone and do business in a real “live” setting energizes me and many others each and every day.  Obviously, this year is not like any other in the past and there’s differing reasons on why someone would NOT attend, but I can say that those attending are going with missions in mind- this will be probably the most motivated show crowd ever given 18 months between national events and a massive pent-up desire to get back at it.  There are some excellent reasons to attend beyond the big supply chain advantages and networking too.  The “Ask the Experts” sessions with access to the best technical and code minds in our industry is alone worth the visit.  Plus there’s also going to be opportunities to meet the editors of the NGA publications and a ton of content from major trade organizations from all over the construction space too.  The whole package is absolutely worth the time and effort and I hope to see you there.  Book your hotel and register now…. And if you have questions of any kind, ping me, I’d love to talk to you about the show and your visit to Atlanta.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  In case you missed it, episode 8 of the From the Fabricator podcast dropped last week and the reaction has been incredible.  Thank you.  People have commented to me that they loved the projects that Chris Dolan of Guardian Glass showed, the approaches that Jodi & Dan Martinez of All Star Glass talked about, and the overall attitude of Bill Daubmann of MY Shower Door. Thanks to all that have listened and watched so far!

For audio version- CLICK HERE or you can find it on your favorite podcast app (Apple, Spotify etc.)

For the video version and to see great projects along with my ugly mug- CLICK HERE

 

--  And speaking of Bill Daubmann, congrats to him yet again for making the Inc. 5000 list for I think the 80^th year in a row.  (Or maybe 7^th- not sure!). Bill had two spots on the list with MY Shower Door corporate and also their Tampa store.  Very happy for Bill, who if you check out my podcast really works his tail off to achieve these victories.  Being listed is no accident for him and the great teams at MSD.  Also some newcomers to the list- congrats to Brandon Nicastro and GCS Glass & Mirror and also old friend Kevin Roth at Privacy Glass Solutions (aka Vistamatic) Good to see our world represented!

 

--  Saw the movie “Free Guy” this past week.  Fun and different sort of flick- I enjoyed.  There was a small glass connection- tons of tempered… broken tempered that is… and I enjoyed noting the break patterns.  So much so that my son told me to stop pointing it out and enjoy the movie.  Yep, I have issues… LOL

 

--  Good news for a great person.  Lindsey Parker of Rowe Fenestration was named an Emerging Professional to watch by NAWIC and received national recognition, amplifying the success of women in the construction industry. Lindsey is an absolute Rock Star in our world and I love that a major and important org like NAWIC has pointed that out.  Congrats Lindsey!

 

--  Last this week… another piece of sad news from the California glazing market.  Stan Green the founder of GlasPro passed away .  GlasPro is one of best players in our world and Stan started the business in 1988 and his son Joe has done a tremendous job running and building the business from there.  Stan’s experience in the industry was incredible, and his ability to develop glass and glazing solutions & options, including heavy technical ones were a part of his impressive legacy.  My thoughts and condolences go to Joe, the Green family and everyone at GlasPro with the loss of Stan.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Looks like Wally the Walrus has the life!

Exploding Smart Phones are still a thing? 

Doing the entire Appalachian Trail… at 5 years old! 

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

Good one from the feed of Jim Biroscak of Vitro Architectural Glass.  This is in Austin, Texas and it is the “Eastbound” building.  Simple and sharp and the glass and glazing look fabulous.  Design from Gensler.  Install by Dynamic Glass LLC, and glass fabricated by Oldcastle  BuildingEnvelope.  The glass product was Solarban 60 on Starphire.  Beautiful.  Keep up the great work everyone! 

 

 

New Pod & Stunning Closure

The latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live!  This month I am joined by 4 very cool people all with some excellent stories to tell.  I kick it off with Chris Dolan of Guardian Glass and I love the perspective Chris brings- he is so talented in so many areas of our world, there’s always an angle he brings that gets me- and on this podcast he brings up a few.  Then Jodi and Dan Martinez of All Star Glass join me and they blew me away- talk about a couple that does things the right way. The way they dealt with the pandemic and kept rolling was just one impressive item of many we covered.  Last I chopped it up with the great Bill Daubmann of MY Shower Door and D3.  Bill is an incredible business man and also an inspiration as someone who absolutely figures out a way to get it done and then keeps going.  Also a great guy too- really cares about our world.  So a lot of interesting tidbits on this one, thank you for checking it out!

For audio version- CLICK HERE or you can find it on your favorite podcast app (Apple, Spotify etc.)

For the video version and to see great projects along with my ugly mug- CLICK HERE

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The Apogee news on closing Statesboro, GA and Velocity still has me stunned- especially the Velocity portion.  Just did not see that coming at all.  I was in Texas for TEXpo and people were raving about Velocity and I know they had extremely talented people running that organization.  Obviously, there’s new management at the top of Apogee and there’s always that angle where the new have to come in and make their mark and I guess this is it.  Plus being a public company, if the shareholders want to see some action, this certainly can goose the stock price.  I can grasp the logic on the Georgia plant but on Velocity I am still stunned. 

 

--  Where were the hot spots during the first half of 2021?  Dodge broke it all down and some of the metro areas may surprise you.  Good read. 

--  Congrats to Rob Kassabaum for the launch of Central State Glass in Florida.  Rob bought the non-auto glass options from K&K Glass and has set out on his own with a nice head start.  Rob is a good man, with tons of experience in our industry, and will do a nice job with this business.  Happy for him and looking forward to seeing what he does in the marketplace!

 

--  Massive pet peeve of mine… so “Architect” magazine sent out a big e-mail calling for new product entries for a special section they are doing.  To submit your product you had to pay $125 for processing.  Then in the body of the e-mail it noted that you are not guaranteed to be mentioned or included in the section and no money back. To me this is filthy.  The money is not the issue- that’s tiny, BUT it really is the scammy hook here.  I know space and bandwidth is limited, but if you are charging for it, at the very least have an area of links of those that didn’t make it.  To me this is a weak cash grab preying on smaller building product players and startups who don’t have the connections out there or the major budgets to take-out full-scale ads. (In our current “pay to play” ad world) And playing this as special editorial section while charging for it, is pitiful- but it’s not surprising.  This magazine obviously knows people will pay it and not care because the opportunity to get in front of an architect for many building product folks is the great goal in their life.  So, throwing any sort of money away for that hope is worth it, I guess.

 

--  Last this week… Another good podcast to add to your rotation?  Jim Evans of Bid Clips hosts one called “Today in Trades” and it’s a great range of subjects on the subcontractor side of things.  He does delve into auto glass and some areas that aren’t typical to the reader of this blog, but overall really good stuff. I’ve become a big fan of Jim’s- he’s a GlassNerd ™(Andrew Haring) through and through!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  A good news story from the Olympics you may not have seen.

 

--  I am not a fan of snakes- this would freak me out

 

--  Wow- big rock comes flying through home- thankfully no one hurt- be careful on those construction sites!

PROJECT of the WEEK

So in this stunning picture below is a project that features products from LAURIER ARCHITECTURAL, AGC Glass Company North America and ICD High Performance Coatings. It came to me via the great Casey Anderson and when Casey recommends something, I am there.  Plus it had the endorsement of Ben Wojcikiewicz and I like pretty much everything he posts- so easy call to make this my “Project of the Week”- even though I am not sure what building or buildings have their material! LOL!  Regardless well done all!!

Bernard and Dick Sr.

This isn’t going to be a normal post for me.  This past week was a rough one in our industry.  Two tremendous and important men passed away.  One was very well known nationally, one was not.  Both though had immeasurable effects on our business and I am dedicating this post to each of them.  Remembering Bernard Lax and Dick Macurak Sr.

 

Bernard Lax of Pulp Studios was extremely well known and when I named him as one of the most influential people in our industry last year, he was one of the easiest choices. Bernard came into our industry and did it his way and did it better than pretty much everyone- and he was not shy about noting that either.  Better yet, he was PROUD to point that out.  The last time I saw Bernard was BEC 2020 and he showed me the edges on his laminated glass.  They were pristine and perfect and that was the bottom line standard that Bernard demanded and engrained in all his organization provided.  Bernard also constantly gave back- he was asked to speak and present so many times and he pretty much always accepted and always came through with interesting and smart performances.  He truly was something to behold. From a personal standpoint I loved every interaction I had with Bernard.  I loved running into him and Lynda at the shows and getting 10 minutes with him while he updates me on the latest and greatest.  I loved hearing about the new innovations he worked on and enjoyed hearing about whatever new venture he was working on like his custom whiskey business.  The first time I met Bernard I was pretty green.  We shared a cab after a conference and I was enthralled with everything that Bernard was delivering to me, and I hated when we arrived at the airport. Then and pretty much every time after Bernard would tell me “anytime you can get out to me, come see my operation” and I always said I would.  I never did and that eats at me more than ever now.  

When I got the call early last week that Bernard may be very sick, I was floored, I couldn’t process it. Bernard was always larger than life and him not being around and active is something too hard to fathom.  I will miss him, and our industry will miss him a ton. To Lynda, Taylor, and the team at Pulp, and all of Bernard’s friends, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

My pal Andrew Haring was one of many who been online with tributes,  I wanted to share his here too.

 

Dick Macurak Sr. was not a national figure like Bernard but he has a legacy that is very comparable. Dick built DM Products in Pittsburgh from a small glazier to one that does massive monumental projects today. Dick and the Macurak family are amongst the classiest people out there.  Dick Sr. worked with my Dad and Grandfather at the old United Plate starting in 1954.  He was a key part of the business but in 1972 he decided to start out on his own.  He bet on himself and it paid off as he succeeded in many awesome ways and now with his son Dick Jr. at the helm DM Products is a monster.  Dick Sr. stayed active literally to the day he died.  He was working in the business until early July when he ended up in the hospital, and even while there he was in contact with the office, with one of his last phone calls wanting details about a big bid coming up.  The guy was a worker from day 1 and every bit of the 67 years after.  So many family businesses struggle to move from one generation to the next but Dick Sr. made it seamless and smart. With Dick Sr.’s influence DM Products embraced working with new technology and great suppliers (like the fantastic folks from United Architectural- who were/are ahead of the game).  Dick Sr. valued and cherished relationships (a great trait passed on to his son and grandson in the business) to the point that it allowed advanced collaboration and always kept their supply chain at its strongest.  

My sister Marcie (who worked more directly with Dick Sr. and DM than I did back in the day) said it best to me, that Dick Sr. was a gentleman and scholar, one of the nicest people she ever worked with and someone that no matter what happened always was pure class.  I am sure that I could ask that same question to tons of other people in the Pittsburgh market and they would agree.

To Dick Jr, Kathy, and all of the Macurak family as well as the DM Products team, my thoughts and prayers to you all as well.

 

If you’ve gotten this far thanks for hanging with me on journey to pay honor to these great men. Our world and our industry are a little less together today, but we owe it to great leaders like Bernard and Dick Sr. to stay focused, innovate, love, and push our businesses and industry further- I know I will….

 

LINKS of the WEEK & PROJECT of the WEEK

These will return next week along with a more traditional blog.  Until then stay well everyone. 

Focused Forward

It’s August.  This year is just flying by.  We are now just 6 weeks away from GlassBuild and I am trying to stay focused on that and not on the absolute circus in the US with regards to the virus, mandates, and so on.  Since the pandemic started, I have avoided that discussion here because you all can read it somewhere else and this is a place to get away from that- but I’m lifting that for a moment just to say I am hopeful that the backward angles (and what I consider absolute bizarre guidance and horrendous messaging) that is taking place right now will be temporary and we’ll be back on track again.  That's it. I refuse to look back- I said that at the start of this year after getting that wisdom from Mr. Friese and Randy Steinberg- don’t look back, only go forward.  So here we go, 6 weeks we’ll all be together at an incredibly important event, and exhibitors are hustling daily to prepare the best exhibits you have ever seen.  Hopefully saner minds will rise above, and this will be a blip in time.   So, join me, look positively at the future, and get excited to be in Atlanta at the show.  GlassBuild.com to register and any questions feel free to ping me.   

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  If you happened to miss my podcast for July, please check it out.  It was a fun one with really interesting people.  First up was Charles Alexander of Walker Glass.  Interesting guy and a company that truly gets being diverse and active.  Then to Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows, young, sharp, and an absolute riser in our world- love his takes.  Last but not least Jen Marchesani of Shildan, and I have gotten a ton of feedback on her segment and the new appreciation for Terra Cotta.  So to view this on YouTube and see pictures of great work from these folks CLICK HERE and if you just want to listen the audio is HERE or you can download from wherever you listen to podcasts.  Thank you!

 

--  Nice match up of Lite Sentry and SoftSolution- two excellent companies partnering up for the greater good. I like it.  I respect both organizations and their products which are crucial to high quality in our fabrication plants. I think arrangements like this only make things better in the end- so congrats to all involved!

 

--  Good to see the news on Rhyno Glass becoming first company in Florida to reach NACC status.  I have never been shy in communicating my respect for the NACC program and I think it is absolutely crucial for the future and health of our industry.  Congrats to the Rhyno team for being first in Florida- let’s keep adding to that list there and everywhere else!

 

--  I have seen a few stories over the years on repurposing on suburban shopping malls and this is a good one from ArchDaily pointing out the move of malls to residential living.  We need to do more of this… 

 

--  We as an industry go to Atlanta every other year… well look out, there are BIG plans for the area around the World Congress Center area coming in the future.  The initial thoughts from world class firm Foster + Partners is out and it looks very promising.  Could the area there become a hot spot like Nashville?  Hmmmmmm.  Check it out.   (Note: NOTHING can be as great as Nashville, but areas can try….)

 

--  Last this week… normally when you see a story about a 27,000 sq ft house for sale (and not selling) there’s a backstory.  This one surely has it.  Interesting one here, and this is A LOT of house.  Wow.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Another person going past barriers to get close to dangerous animals.  And you know what happens next…

 

I seriously don’t get how a sports trading card – especially recent ones- can be worth millions.

 

Whoa!  Could SpongeBob be real?

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

North of the US border again this week with an interior project from Accura Glass.  I think you know I love interior work and when you can utilize bent glass properly on an interior it is a massive win/win.  Accura did that here, added a decorative touch to it and off they go.  Glass on the interior is a major growth area- nice work from Accura on meeting this need. Congrats!

 

 

Big & Important Deals

What a week in our world.  Two massive partnerships were announced that could really push emerging technology to new levels.  Very exciting stuff for our industry for sure.  First up was the Vitro-VIG Technologies announcement.  Once again Michael Spellman is trailblazing his way through our world.  Michael is the lead behind VIG Technologies and his tVIG product is a showstopper and now working with the massive Vitro machine, this is poised to do very positive things in the glass and glazing world.  Kudos to Martin Bracamonte, Nathan McKenna and the entire Vitro team for seeing this.  Then there was Ubiquitous Energy and Antamex with their news.  I have been a fan of Ubiquitous for a while, had the excellent David Maikowski on my podcast, and just love this technology.  Now with this hook up with a major force like Antamex (who is in smart growth mode obviously) this product also will be a substantial disruptor in our space.  I love both of these products because of the energy performances and overall sustainable advantages that will be gained.  We take a ton of heat that glass doesn’t perform well- now you have options that perform like a wall or generate renewable energy from sunlight without giving up the natural light.  Someone asked me are these partnerships the hot new trend and I would say yes- if you are not aligning yourself with great technology, you will miss out.  Big and important moves in our world and congrats to all involved!  

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The Architectural Billings Index did not falter in June, the performance was super at 57.1 and the new project inquiry number was an absolutely crazy 71.8 which is a record by far.  Keep in mind numbers in these indexes are always in the 50’s and we’re crushing those over the last few months.  This bodes great for 2022 and into early 2023 and also shows a resilience against worry on supply chain and COVID.  And also interesting was that even architects are noting THEY are having labor issues too.  So that is something we are all in the same boat on.  Overall, I love this positivity.  The worries that I mentioned last week (labor, supply, virus) will hang over us and we need to keep fighting through it but as for the future indexes, that is looking pretty good…

 

--  GlassBuild.  Big advice here is get your accommodations done now.  The blocks are filling up and get the hotel you want.  Some people like staying close to the show, others like staying up in the main downtown area- so lock that in before it is too late.  This LINK will take you there.

 

--  Speaking also of GlassBuild the fantastic opportunity to tour Mercedes Benz Stadium is back. Those who did the tour in 2019 won’t forget it- a tremendous experience and now thanks to the great folks at Oldcastle BuildlingEnvelope, CR Laurence and Clover Architectural Products, the tour is back!  How do you get on it?  Register for GlassBuild now.  A drawing will take place soon…. The tour is scheduled for first thing in the AM on 9/14 before day 2 of GlassBuild begins.  If you are a sports fan you will want to be on this tour for sure…

 

--  And sports wise the Cleveland Indians announced they are changing their name to the Cleveland Guardians.  Obviously, a certain glass company is probably thrilled by that, but the name just doesn’t work for a sports team to me… (When I see “Guardians” I think glass or galaxy) For me I liked the name Cleveland Spiders- was a cool throwback to an original team name.    I’d be curious what Ron Crowl of FeneTech thinks as he may be the biggest Cleveland sports fan I know.

 

--  Last this week… thoughts and prayers to Joe Silva and his family.  Joe’s wife Marianne suffered a brain aneurism last week and is hospitalized in New Jersey.  Joe (Glazier Nation VP) is a relative newcomer to our industry but he’s an amazing guy- I have really enjoyed getting to know him and he’s all class.  In this time of need, Joe and Marianne need all the positive push they can get.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

I gotta ask my friends from Scotland on this.  A home there being heated by recycled vegetable oil??? The smell would probably make me hungry!

 

Easy to lose faith and interest in any sort of Olympics when they do stuff like this.

 

Close call on a lottery ticket!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

This week kudos to Innovative Openings Solutions out of Norwood, Ohio for this project at the legendary Dayton Arcade.  Great job on the exterior storefronts and a lot of sharp interior work. I don’t know much about these folks but stumbled upon it on LinkedIn and liked the way it turned out.  I have seen a lot of nice work from others come from the Dayton Arcade refresh, so good to see a company I wasn’t familiar with on it too!

Podcast Deep Dives

The latest “From the Fabricator” podcast is now out and it features some very wide ranging subjects from excellent people in our world.  I lead off talking about Cardinal/AGC and some other moves to potentially come and then into the interviews.  Charles Alexander from Walker is fantastic- talking on Walkers evolution and their moves into Etched and Bird Friendly among other items.  Adrian Lowenstein of Skyline Windows is an absolute superstar- great chance to learn more about him and also take his temperature on so many glass and glazing items- including some riffs at the end on new technology.  Then Jen Marchesani of Shildan educates me on Terra Cotta and so much more- a tremendous learning experience and great person for me to meet.  So, episode #7 is now in the books and available for you via YouTube HERE or in Audio form HERE or however you consume your podcasts (Apple, Spotify, Google etc.)  Thank you!

Elsewhere…

 

--  And while you are adding my podcast to your list, the latest John Wheaton “Creating Structure” is out and that features Thomas Cornellier of TSI Corporations.  Thomas is a very good guy and TSI a remarkable company.  John once again is fantastic at pulling out really meaningful discussion points.  Please check it out!

 

--  I noted last week that we’d have a mid-year forecast coming out and and it was an interesting one.  We are in a slow stretch (some feel this more than others) and the outlook for the future is positive- but- concern on the virus and the lack of vaccinations in the construction trade are a worry as is supply chain and labor shortages.  As for some segments- retail looks ugly for a while, schools and offices should bounce back sooner (look for more retrofit in the immediate term for offices) and restaurants and some lodging will recover nicely. If the government steps in we probably won’t see that work until 2023/2024.   Also, more solar is a play- we know that based on the glass tightening (because of solar panels) and what companies like Ubiquitous Energy and Vitro are doing to positively disrupt the space.   There was a lot to unpack, but bottom line is it is still a battle out there, supply and labor rule the roost and doing everything you can to be diverse and efficient is the key. 

 

--  Later this week the latest ABI will be out.  It has been on fire- will it continue?  Or will some of these fears that were listed in the latest forecasting dampen it?  We’ll see and report back here…. 

 

--  Great Bendheim news. Congrats to the Jayson family on the promotion of Ben to President of Bendheim.  Wonderful family and company.  In October of 2015, I wrote a blog post congratulating Ben for joining the business and now he’s moved all the way up the ladder.  The talent in that family runs deep and neat to see the 4^th generation to step up to the plate.  Great to see!

 

--  An interesting company in our world is Quikserv and they made a nice acquisition a few weeks back with the pick-up of US Bullet Proofing.  Quikserv has evolved smartly from the core business of pass-through/drive through windows to now so much more with all of the protective options and I am big fan of Wade Arnold their Commercial Sales Manager. Sharp young guy that really is going to be a part of a push to keep the company moving in the right direction.  Plus, I see Wade becoming active at the trade level and you know I love that!  Congrats to all involved there!

 

--  Last this week- I hit on this previously on the sinking San Francisco building and it looks like there was an update… hopefully they righted this one.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

--  Rental cars continue to be a challenge, and this one is a crazy story.

 

--  My friend who sent this to me asked if it’s “time for an Ark” and given how much flooding we’ve had here in Detroit and in places like this- I’m starting to think so…

 

--  House without a bathroom sells for big money.  Yep we may have reached peak stupid in the housing boom. (And it’s me jealous because I know when we go to sell our house it’ll be during the worst time ever. LOL)

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

This was posted by my old friend and co-worker Keith Stockman of Glasswerks in LA.  This is the Nevada State College Education Building.  Really sharp project that Glasswerks fabricated using Vitro Solarban® 70 on Bronze along with great decorative laminated.  Quantum Glass was the glazier.  Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto the architects.  Nice work Keith and all others involved- love it!

Mid Year Check In

It is now mid-year forecast time and this coming week we’ll have a big release on what some of the main analysts are seeing for the rest of 2021 and into 2022.  My approach is still the same, we knew 2021 was a “donut” and for a lot of the industry (but not all) we are in the hole right now.  However, the other side is coming quickly, and things will perk up as the year goes on and it will lead to strong 2022.  Now that said, there is some skittishness because of the supply chain, worries on virus still, and the labor pool is as muddy as ever.  That can surely depress some things, but I remain fairly bullish.  What will the experts say?  We’ll find out this week and I’ll break it down next week here.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Also next week, a new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast will drop.  I’ll be recording with 3 great guests, including one person I know pretty well, one that I just got to know this year, and one that I have never met personally.  All bring interesting stories AND interesting products to the table… so I look forward to sharing soon!

 

--  Congrats to the folks at Kensington Glass Arts on their 45^th anniversary!  Tremendous accomplishment and they have done a ton in their time in our world.  As I have noted here before their support of the industry and their desire to go above and beyond (like their efforts with NACC and certification) is truly admirable.  Congrats to the team there!

 

--  Recently rules have changed where college athletes can now get some sort of compensation for their “Name, Image and Likeness”(NIL) and with that there’s been a major push to get athletes of all makes and models promoting brands and services.  We now even have a major glass company involved.  MY Shower Door signed Michigan Linebacker Peter Simmons III and yet again Bill Daubmann and family are making positive news for our industry.  This move is brilliant (and funny because a buddy of mine was begging ME to have Sole Source sign a player and I laughed it off) and typical of the always working mind of Bill and team.  So congrats to all and to Peter Simmons III – GO BLUE and make our industry proud!

 

--  Link here on the 10 most livable cities in the world and there’s a few from Australia on the list… which means I need to ask my friend Lakshman Kalupathirana of SPIL Glass Software about how great it is living there and if this list is legit.  No North American cities in top 10.  I am not sure of the overall parameters used but these sorts of stories are always interesting to me.  

 

--  Good article on airport design with a look at LAX and its ongoing renovations.  I feel like LAX has been under some sort of construction for years- even seeing a Super Sky post on LinkedIn this week showing off a skylight there.  So I guess it’s a never ending process eh?

 

--  Last this week… the NGA Glass Conference is coming up quick. July 20^th is the date, and it is free to attend and only runs a few afternoon (ET) hours.  This is a HUGE opportunity to get up to speed on all of the NGA technical activities.  Given the massive challenges we all face, having more information at your fingertips could be the difference between a great month and a crummy one.  So click HERE to check it out and join in!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Python escapes in a mall but don’t worry “she’s real sweet” – Unreal.   Note they did eventually find her… 

 

Some of this article on the building collapse in Florida is good, some not. (victim blaming and a little too pretentious)  Still a decent read on what continues to be a depressing subject.

 

I swear every week there is a story like this where people are destroying things they shouldn’t.  In this day and age of info at your fingertips- this should never happen.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From the LinkedIn feed of Richard Doss of Metropolitan Glass in Colorado… this is the Kiewit Headquarters in Lone Tree, CO.  Richard and the great folks at MGI really rocked on this project and it looks incredible!  Plus I love seeing sunshades from my pal Tom O’Malley at Clover Architectural along with great fabricated glass from Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope.  Congrats to all involved on this project and Richard, keep up the great work!

10 Years!

This week is a milestone week for me as my little company will turn 10 years old on Friday.  I simply can’t believe it’s been a decade on my own but here we are.  Obviously, a major thank you to all of you who have trusted me to work with you on your communication strategy and gratitude also to all of you who have shared, supported, and encouraged me along the way.  I am very grateful.  So, 10 down and who knows how many more but it is full speed ahead for sure… great things coming!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The latest Architectural Billings Index was release and it continues to be on fire.  This month a 58.5 score was posted and it’s really amazing how positive this forecast has become.  Anything over a 50 is a plus and right now this index is soaring into record territory.  The ABI is a future facing index, so these numbers are exciting for late 2021 into 2022n but I know in the present we still are battling some soft underbelly work wise (though it seems to be picking up) and of course we are dealing with a double whammy of labor and supply shortages. That said, I’ll take that positivity of the future and know we are all resilient enough to get through all the adventures we have going on now…

 

--  Once again, the team from Glazier Nation is positively disrupting the landscape- the latest with their nationwide road show kicking off this past week.  Matt Day and team are hitting the road and I think it’s great that they’ll be getting face to face with so many of the leaders in our space. Plus they’ll be pushing great messaging including getting to GlassBuild this fall- so I am pumped for all of it. If you are on LinkedIn- check out this post to see where they’re headed.

 

--  Speaking of GlassBuild- just a reminder, go get that hotel room booked now.  I know most people wait to register for the show, but friendly advice here- get your room settled so you can stay where you want…. GlassBuild.com has all the info there for you.

 

--  Read a tremendous study from Deltek.  They surveyed 480 architectural firms and went very deep into every aspect of their business.  Really interesting stuff but I really focused in on the thoughts on marketing and advertising and the trend of pushing more online is only going to grow- so having a robust and diverse online offering is certainly the wave to ride. More marketing is actually having a bigger effect than direct sales visits!

 

--  Thanks to Justin Wolf who linked this one on Linkedin- the 15 worst highways in America and it’s a wild read.  3 of the 15 are in the Rochester/Buffalo area which makes me think that someone there should hire Jim Stathopoulos of Ajay Glass and let him fix the roads right- since I know he has the engineering chops to usually fix the unfixable!  I am surprised no Michigan roads made this list though- check it out!

 

--  Last this week… on Florida and the building collapse.  It’s incredibly sad and scary that it happened and really brings to mind it could happen again.  Thoughts and prayers to all involved there and let’s hope that this gets people moving quicker to inspect, correct, and repair anything that may end up in this category in the future.  Also great credit to Rick De La Guardia of DLG Engineering – a super person and he’s been excellent explaining to all forms of media the issues that this building had (or may have had) and worries/concerns for the future.  Rick has done a lot of work on the glass side of things and seeing his voice amplified is a comforting one because he really knows his stuff and he is an absolute professional.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

I have flown a ton in my life and I have yet, thankfully, been on a plane with this happening.  

 

Did you see the brutal crash at the start of the Tour De France?  All done in by a signholder…

 

I had never heard of the Yabba Dabba Do house until reading this… wow.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

 

Fins for the win!  Not sure the name of this project but it was from Erin Bellis of McGrory Glass and Erin is an all-time favorite of mine- great talent- so if it’s good for her- it’s perfect for me and a Project of the Week! McGrory does such a nice range of work and this one is right on pace with all else they do.   Nice work McGrory team on this one, and thank you Erin for putting it out there!