Get Automated

I could start this post with a look at the ABI, but we’re all coming off the high of the holiday in the US, so I won’t get to that stomach churning news just yet.  Let’s talk something that is never an issue out there and always easy to find.  Labor.  LOL.  I know this continues to be the challenge but this past week I ran into a statement on labor that really hit me. The line was “Labor productivity is worse than labor availability.”  Wow.  So this continues to tell me that upgrading your operations is a must because even if you can find the bodies what they are producing isn’t nearly efficient enough.  I still see though people passing on automation because of expense and figuring they’ll “find the workforce” but that continues to be path that doesn’t look very good.  As you’ll see below, times are challenging, so getting your house in order takes more of a priority than ever before…  And yes I know not everyone can spend immediately on automation, but the plan should be there and in advance of that, building that culture within your company to support that workforce is a must. (and yes we'll always need that human aspect, so building the best base and offering the most resources to compliment the human side is crucial too)

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  As predicted, the Architectural Billings Index was ugly in its latest release.  44.3 was the main number and honestly even though that’s awful I was thinking we’d see at 42.  (Remember break-even is 50.) But amazingly that wasn’t the really bad news.  No, we got a doozy of a “inquiries” number this time out with a negative under 50 number for the first time since the teeth of the pandemic in July of 2020.   So yeah, not a great indicator this month.  None of this should surprise anyone though and hopefully everyone reading this has been doing all they can to be ahead of the slower times.  We knew 2024 would have some challenges and the indexes are pointing it out for us.  So interesting times ahead for sure. 

 

--  It’s been a few weeks but a reminder on my last Podcast post- an episode with the awesome duo of Dan and Nico Pompeo of Architectural Glazing Solutions and with Ron Parker of Ballistic Glass and Armor Solutions.  Fun conversations that ran the gambit between family dynamics and new technology in protective glass and everything in between.  So please check it out!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Also you can search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify, Google etc.)

 

--  MVP Season is here!  At the end of every calendar year I award my Glass Industry MVP along with a handful of runners up.  So in the next few weeks I’ll be rolling that out and announcing the MVP on my last post of the year in December.  Tons of great people and companies out there and eligible.  I started this in 2013 and my goal has been to bring recognition to those who go above and beyond for the industry and also to spotlight different people and companies every year.  So far so good with no repeats but always tough to narrow down since we have so many amazing people.  I’m looking forward to this process and sharing with you all in my upcoming posts. 

 

--  Good one to note- NAGMA- The National Architectural Glass and Metal Association partnered up with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) to offer some excellent webinars scheduled for 2024.  There are four set and they’re presented by seriously strong companies like Sage Glass, Technoform, Dow, and AMS/NACC.  See the details and make a note to attend to learn more. 

https://www.nagmassociation.org/webinars/

 

--  BIG CONGRATS to Michael DeFrank on his new gig with powerhouse JR Butler. Love this combo of a very good guy with a company that is always doing big and exciting things in our space.  Congrats Michael on the new position and to JR Butler on the inspired hire!

 

--  Last this week… Thank you all for the many TV recommendations.  Very very clutch and excited that I now have a queue filled with options. And as I noted I needed “treadmill” shows and after everything I hate during Thanksgiving (for the whole weekend really) I need as much treadmill time as possible!!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Not sure this has happened yet- but friends in So Cal, look out for a Fruit Fly war out there… yikes.

 

This is a wild story of stealing cars in the tech age of 2023! (Also lots of broken glass and destroyed storefront)

 

Have you seen or followed the new NBA in-season Tournament?  They created new courts specifically for these games. And now you know why tickets for sporting events continue to go thru the roof. Plus these courts are brutal to look at it.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Great looking project from the feed of Denise Baker of Spring Glass. This is the Lone Star College, Visual Arts Building and I love this look.  No mention on who else participated on this excellent glazing effort from Spring, but congrats all and everyone on it!  Well done! 

 

 

 

New Pod, Tough Econ News, & the Best Holiday of the Year

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is up with insight and info from all parts of our world.  Kicking it off is long time Manufacturers reps Dan and Nico Pompeo of Architectural Glazing Solutions and Dan brought the term “Sweep Aggressively” into the lexicon.  Plus and Dan and Nico (and of course Stacey, who had to miss the pod unfortunately) have so much rolling and provided some cool insight into products and the future.  Next up Ron Parker came back on the pod after his debut 2 years ago.  Then Ron was a leading consultant in our space, now he’s settled in as CEO of Ballistic Glass and Armor Solutions.  He’s a good friend so having a chance to catch up with him was wonderful.  Ron told an amazing story about glass being stronger than stone and some great insight on the growing protective space including a pretty cool new product.  So another good one for you to add to the playlist!  Thank you for checking it out and supporting!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Also you can search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify, Google etc.)

Elsewhere...

--  I mentioned last week that the Connor Lokar presentation at GlassBuild had people buzzing and for some, on edge.  The forecast, like a few lately, are pointing towards tougher times in 2024.  It’s been a perfect storm of issues that are leading us into a rough go- led by the interest rate increases.  So the theme continues, be smart with the spends, be active in diversifying what you offer and of course communicate up and down the chain.  More on what Connor covered can be found HERE.  And for more insight and potential stomach churning, my pal Scott Goodman of CRL shared THIS READ from the freight side of things.

 

--  Quick one… Congrats to the team at Aldora Glass on the grand opening and ribbon cutting at their new spot in Newport News. Good positive news in our space for sure and kudos to all involved!

 

--  TV… So suddenly I went from having tons of shows to watch while on the treadmill to like none.  So any recommendations, please hit me up or comment.  The key is I like shows that keep me glued while running on the treadmill, so I lean towards more action and intensity vs. others.  I do see the new season of Jack Reacher is coming in December (which I am so pumped for) and again kudos to PR Superstar Jen Friess of Guardian Glass for the initial heads up on it last year.  Great show.  So I am up for recommendations! 

 

--  Last this week… No blog next week with Thanksgiving in the US happening.  If something big happens I’ll have it on LinkedIn and social media (and I’m getting a feeling something big may actually happen) and be back here the week of 11/26.  Also while I’m off the blog the next ABI will be out and the feel is its going to be awful again.  Will it be as bad as this past month? We’ll see… my bet it’ll be worse.  Hope I’m wrong!  And as for this holiday- no matter how challenging our world is (and the glass world and ESPECIALLY the real outside world) now we all still have a ton to be thankful for.  Please take a few moments to reflect on that aspect and appreciate what we’ve got!  Have a wonderful holiday! (Note- US Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year so I am pumped)

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

To Milwaukee we go and an awesome project from the feed of Brian Pigney of Vitro. I think the combo of the glass, sky and that red logo really made it all pop.  Kudos to Vitro and then the others that Brian listed that included Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope - Wright City, MO and Klein-Dickert -Milwaukee, WI.  And glad Brian grabbed shots of this one before the snow hits!

The Big GlassBuild 2023 Wrap Up

Wow.  What a show.  I mean I think those of you that know me know I love every time we all get together but this one really went above and beyond.  Truly a tremendous time and three show days absolutely flew by. Overall vibe I took away was resilience, preparation, and cautious optimism.  Those emotions had to come to play especially after those who watched the great Connor Lokar give his economic forecast!  I’ll have thoughts on that next week but make sure you check out Glass Magazine for a recap on that and all else with the education at the show.  Time now for my annual who’s who and what was what at the show! So buckle in as this is the longest post of the year with a few names dropped along the way!

The show floor was special with the booth looks raised to a new level and then one step beyond with Quanex. They went all in for Halloween and delivered a memorable exhibit.  Kudos to Cristina Murray, Carrie Scheetz and company on an epic display.  So many other stands were strong too- I loved the open layout and mix Salem had though I never made it into the booth during the show (I was too busy) and as always Q-Railing delivered with a beaut too.  The Best in Show judges had tough calls all over but I think the ones they chose were deserving and the reactions of people like Tasha Birdwell of dormakaba and Rob Botman & Jordan Richards at Glassopolis were priceless. 

 

Learned a lot of new things this time out.  Haffner’s screen efforts continued to amaze me and large crowds, IGE’s range of products/machinery always get people going but the addition of JRS into the drilling and milling space had the audience absolutely buzzing.  There goes that man again, Michael Spellman blazing yet another trail.  Cool.  Seeing Art Huard and Shawn McHale (NVOY Architectural) with the chance to chat with their partners from POLFLAM was a positive experience- a strong and exciting entry into the North American fire-rated space.  

Meeting new people or people I follow online is always a thrill and that list was long this year.  Shannon McKinney of DT Glass was a fun one to connect to after seeing her in many Shower Door Professional forums. Ty Clem, I have written about and only got to shake his hand briefly, but I appreciated the quick interaction.  Matt Becker of Andersen was famous before the show for being on one the GlassBuild posters and was awesome to chat up on the floor. Mike Pennington of Brin stopped me to say hi and I appreciate that- good guy there (Minnesota Nice always delivers) I spent a bit of time with Adam Shearer of iMagic Glass and was a fan of his company before and now even a bigger fan post interaction.  Had a nice time chopping it up with Matt Fox of FTI and Travis Nevins of IUPAT and I learned a ton.  And I finally got to meet the truly brilliant Vardhan Mehta of Acelab in person, which was a must for me. His platform rocks. 

 

Old friends always make it worth it.  Ren Bartoe made an appearance!  That was incredible.  Saw Frank D’Aprile for a split second- he was wheeling and dealing like always.  The Mayor of Glasstown, the one and only Jon Johnson never fails me, and loved catching up with Jeff Ziesche of FHC who also delivered goods from Buc-ee’s to me, so clutch.  

Speaking of FHC they had a huge show, packed booth and brought the energy.  Must be the podcast appearance from Chris Hanstad and Barry Sutherland.  Also loved the enthusiasm from the Isoclima/Global folks.  They had the bourbon contest going and were having fun.  Krisy Kilpatrick there is an absolute ball of fire, and she’s a newbie to our space, so great things happening for sure. Walker Glass always is a must and for the 2^nd year in a row I could not get into their booth party- too many folks again.  Nice problem to have! And kudos to Will Downing and Orgadata for incredible costumes on day 1 (I tried to get there for a picture and failed) as well as Gary Di Dio and company at LiteSentry/SoftSolution for the snazzy zebra coats. 

 

Fun to catch up with Brian Risinger of Country Glass in Texas.  He’s a great guy and they continue to slay it out there and he brought me swag that I will wear proudly.  Love it.  Seeing old friend Dan Wright of Paragon and actually having 10 minutes to talk with him was fantastic.  Plus he intro’d me to Matt McGinnes of Cypress Companies and that was a pleasure.   A quick side note on Paragon, prayers up (and feel to join me) to their HR Assistant Stephanie Moore who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this week. It was found during the always important preventive screening.  Thoughts are with Stephanie, her family and the team at Paragon. 

 

Next up seeing the northwest duo of Joe Kaiser and Luc Boileau of Herzog Glass was extremely cool.  They support our industry always and thrilled they made the trek from Seattle into the show.   Billy Britt of Britt Tilson Glass is my guy.  We got a picture together which is now tradition and we both are hoping the Detroit Lions make a run this year.  If they do I think Billy gets a share of any win. (He’s got a massive connection to the team)

 

Good seeing Brad and Christina Leamon of “The Shower Door Guy” and they continue to grow and Christina was very impressive and made an impact this week for sure. Dan Poling of Schott always is fantastic to run into and same for Rick Newnom of HouTex Glass and Kyle Sharp of Sharp Glass.  You just walk away from those chats in a positive place! And while we are talking positive and smiles, that’s Lindsay and Dustin Price of Texas Glazing Solutions- that’s their speed and I dig it. Of course no show is complete without seeing the nicest guy in the industry, Tom O’Malley of Clover Architectural.  He jammed this visit into an extremely packed schedule.

 

I missed seeing a bunch of people which was a bummer… didn’t see my guy Scott Goodman of CRL, I am sure he was buried all week. Same with Joe Staffileno of Fuyao. I wanted to meet Reece Austin of Hardware and Glass, Conley Oster of Raise Robotics, and Junaid Saleem and failed there too.  Next time!

 

I got a few minutes with Garret Henson of Viracon which I always appreciate and bit longer with Seth Madole and Brian Savage from there.  Was great that Viracon took part in the epic rodeo-themed event we had and I appreciate them supporting! 

 

The brains were out in force and so when I can learn from our truly incredible minds in this industry, I relish it.  Shared a cab and time with the awesome Dr. Kayla Natividad of Pilkington. So tremendous.  I’m a huge fan of Sneh Kumar of Kawneer and consultants Charlie Boyer and Paco Bono.  I just wish I had a tiny fraction of their brain power.  And while he’s known as a sales guy- Alan Kinder of Guardian Glass is whip-smart and always has it going on. Plus a few minutes with the guru of all laminated glass, Mike Hallahan was worth it.  

 

I know I am missing people to mention... many for sure and maybe I’ll throw more in next week but for now I think it’s time to wrap up.  Two items- the National Glass Association really is remarkable, and I am honored to work alongside the women and men there. This show is big one to pull off and the gang pulled it off again!  Truly extraordinary people and I have to single out Andrew Haring and Melanie Dettmer for keeping me sane in the run up to the show- they’re the best. 

And last, some of you may have met or seen my daughter Natalie this week.  She was a temp worker for NGA for the show and she was blown away by all and I loved having her there and see her interact.  Everyone was so kind and welcoming to her proving this industry is a great one with the best people around. (James Wright of Virginia Glass is on record predicting she’ll be in our world someday- that is not the current plan but we’ll see!)  Sure we have battles and challenges and competition etc. But we have a class and an approach that no other industry can touch. The glass and fenestration world is the best and I’m proud to be a part of it.  Let’s all keep rocking forward and take it all on and succeed! 

 

No links or project this week because of the length here- they’ll return next week along with the additional news and views from our world!

BIG WEEK!

We’ve got a special edition of the From the Fabricator podcast for you out now.  Kicking it off with the outgoing Chair of the NGA, Brian Hale of Hale Glass.  Fun and wide-ranging conversation with a guy who has had an amazing 45+ year run in the business.  Then onto a newer guy in our space, Merv Campbell of Omni Cubed.  Merv took a wild path from Northern Ireland to Northern California and now is doing important things with carts and apparatus to move glass safely and efficiently.  Plus he’s got a great accent- that’s worth the listen alone!  LOL.  Last the best beards in our industry are back with Brandon Bellegarde and Tyler Faulk of Drafting Marketplace stopping by with an update on the newest addition to their offerings- engineering assistance.  Good stuff all the way around.  I really enjoy getting to know these folks and I hope you all do as well. Thanks for checking it out and look for all of these people at GlassBuild and tell them you listened/watched!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Search for From the Fabricator on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you listen to pods)

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  It is indeed GLASSBUILD WEEK!  So pumped.  So much going on and I know this week will be a blur.  Looking forward to learning, catching up with old friends and making new ones, and prepping for 2024.  As for the show floor, I need to see James Wright and the gang at Virginia Glass as they celebrate 110 years in business with cake and drinks (Cake? That could be the sugar burst needed to finish the show day strong!) Oh and rumor has it James celebrates his birthday on Wednesday during the show, so you gotta stop for that too!  Plus I have to see what the big boys like Guardian Glass, Vitro, and YKK have going on.  I always have to see what new trail Michael Spellman and team at IGE at blazing (including the breaking news about IGE with KERAjet and Diptech), and look forward to catching up with many past podcast guests in their booths like Trent Thiry, Chris Hanstad, Barry Sutherland, Mike Synon, Mike Willard, Jeff Dalaba, Ben Beeler, and Kyle Lindersmith.  Also excited to see the new products that Kevin Roth and Privacy Glass Solutions are putting out as well as seeing what’s up Joe Silva and Mike DeBotte’s sleeves at SmartLift.  So much to see.  So many people to see.  So much to learn.  Can’t wait!  Of course next week my blog will be dedicated the who, what, when, and where at the show. 

 

--  Congrats to the great team at W&W for being named ENR New York Specialty Contractor of the Year.  An absolutely well-deserved honor and one that brings positive recognition to our industry as a whole.  So kudos to everyone at W&W on this and on continuing to do such amazing work out there. 

 

--  Sad news this week with the passing of Steve Howes.  Steve was the founder of Glasslam and he was a maverick and truly original and unique guy.  He developed many products over the years and was best known for his approach in the impact safety glass space.  Big loss for our world and condolences and prayers go out to his family, friends, and team at Glasslam.  

 

--  Last this week… my pal Josh Wignall of Quaker Window sent me this cool link with the news that Vikings during the time of 800 to 1100 had windows!  Glass was recovered.  Cool little read here.  So that means in like year 823 some Viking Glass Nerd was looking intently at the glass to see who made it…. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Holding on for dear life?  Wow

 

Seriously would anyone watch a fight between Seagal and Van Damme?  

 

Spiders- I hate em.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From Chris Hill of Oak Cliff Mirror and Glass and this one looks great.  It is the District 121 office building located in McKinney, Texas and according to the post on LinkedIn, Chris gave kudos to US Aluminum, Guardian Glass, and Tristar Glass.  NICE work everyone!!  Next year with GlassBuild in Texas we’ll all have to get a tour of the great work in the state! 

ABI, HOF, CGA and More

Tough week both professionally and personally, but resilience is always the word around here so we plug on. First on the professional side. The Architectural Billings Index absolutely cratered, coming in with a brutal score of 44.8. That is the worst score since the teeth of the pandemic, and I think it was one of those scenarios of flying too close to the sun for a while and we finally got burned.  We expected down scores for a while, and it never happened so I think the dam just broke.  The analysts now say this starts a new cycle. The last 12 months this index was pretty sideways.  (Basically flat) so where does the index go now?  Does it follow previous patterns in the down times like the “dot com” or recession or will it be like the Covid one where the comeback was quicker.  Only time will tell.  There was some good news though in that backlogs are holding up for the architects and new inquiries were still coming in well above break even.  And hopefully with the Fed cooling on raising rates again maybe we’ll stabilize?  Now more than ever I cannot wait to see what Connor Lokar of ITR says at GlassBuild. He will surely give us the insights needed! 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  One of the things going on during the GlassBuild timing is the Debut of the Glass Industry Hall of Fame that was spearheaded and executed by Matt Day and team.  It has turned into an excellent process, and it’s been exciting to see it all come together.  Our industry finally has that place to honor those that made a difference in our evolution and day to day activity.  So kudos to Matt and team for pulling this through. It’s been a ton and Matt has done it up right.  In addition, the annual Glazier Nation awards will be handed out during the event.  I am still humbled to among the winners because this list of people is truly top notch.  So besides a great GlassBuild to take in, you have the added flavor of these incredible events! 

 

Also Matt and team have a documentary in the works- Check out the first 3 minutes HERE.  It is awesome. If you love glass (and if you are reading this you probably do) you’ll love where this is headed.

 

--  If you listened to my podcast with the ultra cool Amber Deimler of MyGlassTruck you may have heard her hinting at something fun for her booth at GlassBuild.  Well that hint is now a reality as MyGlassTruck announced they’ll have a very cool electric glass delivery tricycle on display.  It is the first of its kind and features a sleek MyGlassTruck glass rack and a range of up to 30 miles.  And best yet you can win it!  They have more on this awesome promotion HERE, check it out and then make sure you see it at the show!

 

--  Congrats to all the folks who worked so hard to get the California Glass Association re-born and off the ground as this past week the news came out that they are an official chapter of the NGA!  Tremendous news!  So kudos to the three fine folks I had on my podcast a few months ago to talk about the journey- Kristie Rehberger, Adam Posik, and Nathan Seeman and to my pal Dan Pompeo who had been banging the drum for this for a long time.  This is great news for the industry and all involved!

 

--  The list of the top 175 Architectural firms for the year is out and really nothing jumped out as a surprise.  Many of the same names lead the way but I always find it interesting looking at this list and of course looking at the revenue numbers.  Those numbers are also interesting because according to the last AIA Forecast call I was on, the bigger the firms billings, the longer the backlogs they have.  So the bigger companies are in better long term shape right now vs. smaller.

 

 

--  Missed this one… in early September it was reported HERE that New York’s Local Law 97 may not have the full teeth when it is due to go into effect next year.  It’s an interesting read on what may happen with this important legislation- one that I believe is a very positive one for our industry.  The key takeaway is the possibility that there could be a two-year grace period if there’s a “good faith” effort to meet the law.  We’ll see.  There’s another hearing on this in November which I assume will clarify it all and it surely will be interesting to see what happens.  And speaking of NYC- this nugget was good to see and helps ease the queasiness that I note above:

Construction spending on projects across New York City will reach $83 billion by the end of 2023, a gain of about $13 billion from last year and a 10% jump from pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent report from the New York Building Congress.

 

--  Last this week… some of you may have heard that my father-in-law Peter Meldrum Sr. passed away this past Tuesday. While he never worked in our industry, he was a huge fan of what we did and always had an insatiable interest in what was new and happening in our world. (Always got a kick out of me looking for tempered logos and for names on IG spacers)  He was obviously a huge part of my life and support system and a massive positive influence.   Plus when I was traveling like a mad man, he was always there to help with my wife and kids.  Never ever said no and loved every minute of it.  He was an amazing man who after he retired from 35 year's at Chrysler went back to school, got two advanced degrees, and then taught and in his spare time and volunteered at hospitals and medical facilities counseling those in need.  This week was tough and I will miss him dearly.  Thank you to all who have already connected with me on this, I and my entire family truly appreciated your prayers and support. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

United trying some new boarding techniques- but this one is fraught with problems too.

 

I’d call this a happy accident.  Getting to go to Disney better than most alternatives

 

I’m very familiar with this area and this story does not surprise

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Over the years I have seen posts from Sunrise Erectors and thought for sure I had spotlighted them here- but upon checking I had not.  Wow.  They’ve done beautiful work.  So here’s one…

This is Gillette Stadium; home of the New England Patriots and this great looking Curtain Wall may be the only good thing that’s happening with the team this year (Ouch sorry Pats fans!)  Anyway great work Sunrise team and kudos to Viracon and EFCO on the Glass and Metal.  Good stuff!   (Note this job is probably done now so if anyone has the completed picture feel free to post in the LinkedIn comments)

All About the Prep

Obviously everything in the industry right now is GlassBuild focused so of course the latest Glass Magazine leads with it and goes in heavy on the event.  If you are attending, being prepared by checking out that issue now will really help you get ready for the show.  If you are not attending, you can at least learn a bit of what the latest and greatest of what will be happening in Atlanta in a few weeks.  The editorial team at Glass Magazine did a great job in breaking down the event, it really got me fired up. Not GlassBuild related, so make sure you catch an awesome piece from Katy Devlin on the “underground history of glass”- very cool. Also the issue had some tremendous “food for thought” articles from regular contributors Matt Johnson of Paul Gary Law and Joe Erb of Quanex.  So check this one out and get up to speed on all!

 

As always I award the Ad of the Month from each issue and given this is a massive edition and one of the most read, the advertisers come out strong.  So a tough choice for me, but each month I do it and I’m up to the task.  The winner for this month is Trust Seal.  Really sharp way of showing their product both in place and then zoomed in.  The color and layout were really strong and it passes the “make you stop and look” rule that I have.  So whomever at Trust Seal did this one- congrats!  Job well done!

 

Elsewhere…

 

One more item on the GlassBuild front… if you are coming and have NOT registered yet, please do yourself a favor and do it ahead of time (like now for example).  Lines in Vegas last year extended out because of so many walk-ups and I would assume that could happen again this year.  So save time and get it done now.

 

The lates Dodge Momentum Index is out and it was a mixed bag.  The overall ticked up, but the segment we all care about was actually down 1%. Year over year, the commercial segment is down quite a bit and so that is continuing concern.  So while the headlines are positive and overall bounced back, we still have those challenges ahead. 

 

Has anyone seen the Planet Fitness commercials touting  “Low E” – they obviously are playing the Low Energy card for working out, but every time I see it, I’m thinking about our Low E glass options.  I really need to get away from the industry for bit don’t I?  LOL.

 

Last this week… the best small cities in the US was released. These are cities with between 25,000 and 100,000 residents.  Interesting list for sure… and here goes.. from 10 to 1.

 

10- Brookfield, WI- Been there- really nice area. 

9- Saratoga Springs, NY- No clue here but I do love Saratoga Springs at Disney

8- Melrose, MA – I am sure a legend like Brian Shaw of OBE knows this one

7- Milton, MA- If you are someone who knows Barstool Sports history- you know Milton

6- Fair Lawn, NJ- I’m so sheltered- didn’t realize there were any small towns in Jersey

5- Fishers, IN

4- Westfield, IN- The Hoosier state has come in strong

3- Brentwood, TN- The Nashville halo? 

2- Lexington, MA- ok is there a New England bias to this list?

And 1- Carmel, IN – have heard a ton good on that spot- guess I’ll need to visit some day

 

So looks like Indiana and Massachusetts feature some of the best small towns around.  I am stunned nothing in the Carolinas made the top 10 and I assume everything in Texas is too big to make it?   Anyway always interesting stuff

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Interesting story on predictive policing and how it works… or doesn’t.  

https://gizmodo.com/predictive-policing-cops-law-enforcement-predpol-1850893951

 

I truly don’t understand the lack of logic here

https://www.engadget.com/the-epa-wont-force-water-utilities-to-inspect-their-cyber-defenses-232301497.html

 

More frustration- the car dealer adventure

https://jalopnik.com/ftc-rule-would-make-a-special-exception-so-car-dealers-1850921959

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Slightly different one for me this week.  Dustin Price of Texas Glazing Solutions (and also all around good guy and one ½ of the awesome team he forms with wife Lindsay there) posted this one that is a great looking project for sure.  It features black painted curtainwall corner closers, bone white break metal strips, and Dark Bronze break metal.  It is a great look.  Glazier was Western Glass LLC and Southern Aluminum Finishing (SAF) was the manufacturer.  Project is in Round Rock, Texas and is something to show off!  Congrats to Dustin and everyone involved in this beauty!! 

Hear the Trends and then More

I get asked a ton on “trends” and what I see coming down the path, so I am pretty stoked that I’ll soon have the ability to moderate a panel all about trends and what is next!  At GlassBuild on day 1- the very first session on the Main Stage at 10:30AM will be focused on trends and happenings to watch in our space.  The panel is absolutely rock solid awesome.  It consists of Alan Kinder of Guardian Glass, who if you’ve never heard or met is brilliant and in-depth.  I always learn from him.  Shelly Farmer of Sightline Commercial Solutions is the best sales/biz dev person I have ever worked with and always has a laser focus on the market.  Ron Crowl of Cincly, is the godfather of the entire software space and knows seemingly every movement happening in every nook and cranny of our world, and someone new for me that I have heard a ton of positive things about in Bruce Wesner of PGT.  PGT is one of the best around, so I am confident Bruce will be delivering the goods.  So please add this to your schedule for GlassBuild.  Get in the doors, say hi, then work your way to the Main Stage for this session.  I am so looking forward to sharing the stage with this awesome crew!

 

If you haven’t checked the schedule yet of sessions- do so HERE.  A strong mix of business and personal level insight and info available over the three days of the show. 

 

Elsewhere… 

 

-- In case you missed it, the latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and people are talking about it! (Thank you!)  The main themes have been, the advancements that Chris Hanstad, Barry Sutherland and the entire FHC crew have made in a short time and the excitement of more expansion.  And pretty much everything Amber Deimler from MyGlassTruck talked about- but led by the appreciation how the team there goes to work and communicates with their customers.  That was a theme overall in most of my feedback- people really like working with these companies because they communicate with their base effectively.  Love it. This was just a small part of the talks- check it all out. Thank you!!

VIDEO 

AUDIO (also on Apple, Spotify, Google and more) 

 

--  Sad news from our world this past week with the passing of Frank Iaquinto.  Frank was a major player at AFG for many years and has had a lasting effect on our industry.  To me Frank was a classic character- told it to me like it was, but always had our best interests in mind and took care of our needs. (we were a customer of his early in my career).  Frank’s impact is still felt clearly today with quite a few of his proteges are out there making serious waves (the great Gus Trupiano among them) and with the company his sons own in Michigan- Midwest Glass Fab. My sincerest condolences to Frank’s family and friends.  A very good man that truly will be missed.

 

--  It's a common wonder out there, especially in the traditional glass industry on where all the solar panels are going.  Thanks to a few of you for thinking of me and sending me items that show solar panels in various uses.  This one linked HERE is a pretty interesting use but not sure it’s the healthiest around.  The more popular use of panels and the one that WILL affect our space capacity wise are the massive solar fields that are being built to replace energy sources that are transitioning out.  These are happening at a rapid pace all over and will need a lot of glass and that glass comes from the same supply that we work from.  So just to keep an eye out on it.  Things aren’t tight now but forecasts focused on solar growth mean that it will be down the line for us. 

 

--  Last this week… saw the movie “Dumb Money” and it was really well done and entertaining.  Also a bit infuriating/frustrating too.  The movie is about the run on the stock “Game Stop” that happened a couple of years ago and took a dead in the water stock to insane heights… and all done by the regular buyer- the retail buyer- also known as the “dumb money” buyer.  Obviously it got the Hollywood treatment but the moral of the story was there and for those that play or follow the stock market, it adds to the mystifying nature of how it all works there.  Check it out though as it was a well-done flick/story telling.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

An alcohol-free pub- I’d assume there’s more than this out there but I guess depends on liquor license?

 

I’m good with dogs.  This run of exotic pets never ends well- like the escaped rare monkey in Indy.

 

I know retro is in- but this one makes no sense on how it can make it in the times of Amazon and other online shopping.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

The state of North Carolina keeps putting up beautiful buildings!  This week the spotlight is on Tom Peruc and Charlotte Glass.  Saw this one on his feed and it’s tremendous.  This is the 400 Hillsboro job that Tom and his team Charlotte Glass glazed.  Nice rundown of collaborators on it too with folks like Gensler, YKK, Guardian, and Press Glass involved.  Congrats to all on a winning effort for sure!! 

 

 

 

New Pod- Catch Up and Grow

The newest episode of the From the Fabricator Podcast is now out and we go to coast to coast with great guests yet again. I am so fortunate to be able to talk to this sort of talent!   Kicking it off by catching up with Chris Hanstad and Barry Sutherland of FHC- Frameless Hardware Company.  They were on my 2^nd ever episode way back in February of 2021 and needless to say a lot has changed.  Great to get the updates (including a massive expansion) and those guys and the entire FHC team is rocking right now.  Then on to Amber Deimler of MyGlassTruck for a conversation that was very enlightening on a lot of angles including culture, R&D, new products, EV and much more.  Plus the MyGlassTruck booth at GlassBuild will have a different look and a lot of cool things to see/experience.  Truly enjoyed both interviews! Please give it a listen or watch!

 

Thanks for checking my podcasts- I appreciate the support as always!!

VIDEO 

AUDIO (also on Apple, Spotify, Google and more) 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  OK folks.  Let’s get real here for a moment.  We are month out from GlassBuild.  Time to make sure you are registered and have your hotel room.  I have been checking with some of my friends in the industry and more than a few came back with “oh yes, gotta take care of that” sort of answer.  Do it now. Get it set before you forget or before the hotel you want is booked.  GlassBuild.com for it all.  And as for the show- 475+ exhibits now… and so much cool educational content I can’t wait! Next week I’m going to talk about a couple of those sessions that can’t be missed….

 

--  In my last post I noted the new Architectural Billings Index would be released and I predicted it would be down and that actually happened.  The index limped in with a 48.1 score (50 is the break-even mark) so we’re underwater officially and it feels like we may be there for a bit.  Experts are calling it a “modest softening” and that is what it is for now, but the focus is what will the continuing trend be.  Design inquiries stayed above water nicely even ticking up a bit from last month, but the interest rate issue is real, and we continue to have to be focused on a tougher market ahead.  

 

--  More food for thought?  The Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) mid-year update had a lot of data points to absorb as well. It too is showing some slower conditions among other items.  Lots to take in overall.  Check out some of the more pertinent details HERE.

 

--  Before you know it the next edition of GPAD (Glass Processing and Automation Days) will be here (March, Nashville) and one of the stars of the last event just got some good news.  Kyle Lindersmith of Burkle North America was named Vice President of the 3P Division there.  Very cool for Kyle and nice move by Burkle.  Now the pressure will be on Kyle to repeat his incredible performance at the next GPAD!  Congrats!

 

--  Last this week… Sad news.  Two big losses of major pillars of the past in our industry with the passing of Donn Harter and Rich Walker. Donn Harter was a hugely important figure out west, started the original California Glass Association and was instrumental in so many codes and actions in our space.  Truly impactful in many ways.  Rich Walker was the past President of AAMA (forerunner to what is now FGIA) and was a major part in raising the educational options in our industry and representing the Fenestration world at the highest levels.  AAMA grew by leaps and bounds under Rich as well which was a challenge given some of the economics during his tenure.  Both men were great leaders and will be missed.  My thoughts and condolences to the family and friends of both gentlemen. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Look out – a Gator or worse can use your Doggie Door!

 

Who knew we had Flamingos in my neck of the woods?

 

This emotional support animal that is just so wrong and ridiculous.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

I can’t wait to see this one when it is finished!  This is 1000 SOCIAL (Raleigh, NC)  and I saw it on the great feed from Building Envelope Erections Services, INC- aka BEES.  Great looking building and the glazing is looking sharp.  Some high-powered partners were mentioned on the post including Kawneer, Viracon, and W&W Glass.  Great work everyone!! 

Review, Awards, Indexes and More

Kicking it off this week a review of the latest Glass Magazine. Really strong edition led by the ultra-prestigious Glass Magazine Awards.  Congrats to all the winners there and note at GlassBuild they’ll honored in person. VERY COOL!  Elsewhere in this issue there were good articles on innovation by Jim Nixon of Quanex and a cool deep dive into printing on glass by Adam Mitchell of AGNORA. Plus the technical resource on mirrors is a must if you are in that business.  Good stuff all around and kudos to all involved!

 

As always, I do my “ad of the month” and because this issue featured the Awards and is heavily read, it attracted a lot of advertisers and that makes my job of picking a winner that much harder.  But I do what I have to do!  So this month the winner is Lattuada North America. I am partial to the use of the color green so that helped… but seriously I loved the mix of creative and standard with the pictures of the machinery and the overall color scheme popped.  Good text to image ratio too… so congrats to the team there for a job well done!

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  I am really getting excited for GlassBuild and I think I’m not alone.  I am seeing more action online about it (and not just from the NGA team but exhibitors are really stepping up) and hearing about more meetings and gatherings on-site.  Plus my legendary brother is planning on attending, so that alone makes me think we’re getting a heck of a crowd.  Can’t wait.  If you haven’t registered yet, do so now.  Also do the hotel immediately as well as I am told they are filling fast.  All can be done at GlassBuild.com 

 

--  Not a great recent Dodge Momentum Index.  That softer market that I have mentioned here a few times is starting to spread and now showing up in reports like this one.  The bright side is the areas that pulled the index lower- schools and healthcare- are not expected to be downer segments going forward so this could be more on the fluke side than we think.  Still we know that we were in for some challenges and they are here.  Next up, the Architectural Billings Index this Wednesday.  Last month dead flat… I’ll be absolutely stunned if it’s a plus score.  We’ll see and report back on my next post. 

 

--  So the next version of the Apple iPhone was announced and the biggest thing to me is the change from a “Lightning” connector to a USB-C.  I’m pretty bummed on the change as I have tons of the current connectors and have backups everywhere etc.  Plus I am old fashioned (and old) so I like wired headphones for hands free talking and now that becomes a change too.  But I know everything evolves and now the whole world will be on the same charging platform so in the long run this probably will be good.  Just sucks for now... at least in my opinion/life.

 

--  Nice to see another past podcast guest get some positive pub!  This being the very talented and cool Asta Fivgas of Reflection Window and Wall.  She’s now Director of Preconstruction there and I am sure that rocket ship will continue to fly.  Congrats Asta and Reflection on the move and if you missed my talk with Asta- you can catch it either HERE on video or via Apple, Spotify etc by searching “From the Fabricator” and look for the May 2023 edition. 

 

--  One of the overall “best” people in our industry is Kyle Sword of NSG Pilkington.  Just a class act all the way around, all the time.  And with that in mind it should not surprise you that he just completed a very unique experience for charity.  Kyle was a part of a team that rappelled down the 16 story Libbey Building in Toledo.  It was done as an event that raised money for the Victory Center, non profit Cancer Wellness Center.  Kyle and company raised more than 4k from individual donors and a stunner 200K overall.  Absolutely awesome.  Now rumors are that Kyle did it all without safety clips, going one handed on just a single rope popping quickly down the building like Spiderman. Incredible!  Way to go Kyle and everyone else that was involved in this super event!

 

--  Last this week… no post for me next week, need to recharge the blog brain as we get to the crucial GlassBuild stretch!  But when I return to this space week of October 1^st, it’ll be with a brand-new podcast with some serious industry heavyweights.  If any breaking news happens (you never know, there’s several big companies for sale right now, a deal could close) I’ll pop on to cover that on LinkedIn. Until then, stay well everyone!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Hadn’t seen this story of rescue in Turkey- guy is super lucky!

 

Here we go again with “Extreme Home Makeover” -here’s hoping they don’t overbuild like they did previously (and leave the “lucky” family in a rough spot)

 

McDonalds getting rid of self-serve drink machines… interesting play that I think targets the people that sit at McDonalds for hours on end… 

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

This is an older one, but I love it and it deserves project of the week status… also it features material from the always splendid Tom O’Malley of Clover Architectural Products (aka the most popular guy in the industry), as well as Glass and Metalcraft and Guardian Glass.  Tremendous looking project in downtown Detroit glazed by Modern Mirror.  Really well done by everyone involved!! Congrats!

Be on Guard & Stay Informed

One of the most talked about parts of my post from last week was the video I posted from CNBC talking about banks being winners/losers during the growing volatility out there.  So this week when I saw this blurb on the excellent newsletter “The Scroll” I knew I had to share:

 

If real estate investors can’t pay the banks back—partially due to higher interest rates—the banks stop making real estate loans, which drives the price of real estate down, which makes it harder for investors to pay them back. This “doom spiral” will likely be put to the test over the next year, especially as $900 billion in loans will need to be paid off or refinanced by the end of 2024.

Scott Rechler, chief executive of real-estate investor RXR, told the WSJ that the situation is “creat[ing] a backup that will eventually overflow on the commercial real-estate markets and on the banking system.” And Blockworks macro researcher Jack Farley tweeted on Saturday, “I have it on good authority that 84% of office CMBS [commercial mortgage-backed securities] were not paid off in August.” 

 

Obviously, there’s an ominous tone there and for many in our industry not a surprise.  In some segments and regions, it’s starting to squeeze.  These comments surely add some insight to it all.  MORE than ever- insight is power- so you need to be at GlassBuild to hear what Connor Lokar has to say about this all and how it will affect our world.  The adventures continue…

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  In case you missed it… and not many of you did with some of the highest audio download numbers to date, (THANK YOU!) the latest From the Fabricator podcast dropped last week and featured 3 great guys bringing a variety of perspectives.  Hear from Joe Erb of Quanex, Nico Sanchez of Solite Systems and Charles Lubecke of Q-railing…

VIDEO

AUDIO – and also on Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts

Meanwhile I’ve got the next edition lined up and I am bursting at the seams on it- unreal lineup- can’t wait!

 

--  Kudos to the awesome duo of Katy Devlin and Sara Neiswanger on the latest 2 episodes of Glass Cast.  They broke down the incredible presentations by Matt Kamper of Woodbridge Glass and David Ferret of Bagatelos Architectural Glass Systems and delivered a perfect length podcast on both.  Nothing better than lessons learned and these podcasts delivered the goods! 

#4 Video  Matt Kamper

#5 Video  David Ferret

Audio on Spotify and Apple- just search GlassCast (all one word)

 

-- A big congrats to the monster rep firm Seawall Architectural Products led by the dynamic duo of Kristen and Tony Kasprzak. They announced an expansion with the addition of Danielle Smith as Customer Experience Manager.  A great hire and shrewd move by the Seawall team.  Tony and Kristen just always keep that progress rolling!

 

--  Also speaking of strong companies making major positive moves- we can add Giroux Glass to that theme with the recent hiring of Jeff Heymann. This is huge news as Jeff is one of the most respected figures in our world (and a mission of mine to meet one of these days) and he’ll mesh nicely with the incredible group that Nataline Lomedico has built at Giroux.  Tremendous news here for sure. 

 

--  Last this week… a glass in TV/movie reference…. I am watching the mini-series “Special Ops-Lioness” on Paramount+.  It’s been solid though pretty formulaic (written by Taylor Sheridan of Yellowstone fame, he just cranks shows out) and they had a character bust through a tempered door lite with perfection and the tempered looked good too.  So unlike some other shows where the glass defied reality, this scene was legit.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

The “Gator” trend has now hit Kentucky

 

Absolutely unreal here.  The pressure to turn planes and keep things running leads to awful scenarios like this- Air Canada should step up and do right by these folks.

 

This must be a super chill yoga class…

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Some of my favorite people of all time take the spotlight this week… Aragon Construction with the 101 South Marengo retrofit.  This was a stone cube with no windows and Aragon and an amazing team of collaborators rejuvenated it into a stunner that features our main products at their finest!  Great case study on it HERE (a riveting read really) and KUDOS to Matt and Joey Aragon and the entire awesome team at Aragon for absolutely crushing this one!  

Podcast Trio of Justice

The latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now up and we’ve got three folks coming from three different directions.  Good stuff on all- I start off with the industry stalwart Joe Erb of Quanex.  Joe is truly an “industry guy” and has so many good takes on our world, including what’s happening at Quanex, and more.  Then I go on an initial voyage with Nico Sanchez of Solite Systems.  I knew nothing on Nico and very little on Solite Systems, so this was a great chance to learn.  Nico is an interesting guy with a product that is special to our space.  Plus he joins Carl Christ of DFI and Katy Devlin of NGA in the "actual" rock star category.  In any case I think Solite Systems will be one to keep an eye on going forward.  Last I welcomed Charles Lubecke of Q-railing.  Charles has had a fascinating path to our world and has made some great impressions along the way.  Good to hear about Q’s progress too as that railing space is a strong one for glass and Q railing is all in there.  Each guy also did super with the “fun” question too- lots of food for thought there!  Thank you for checking it out as always!

VIDEO

AUDIO – and also on Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your podcasts

Elsewhere…

 

--  Our world got some nice mainstream coverage this week with Kyle Sword of NSG Pilkington doing his best Brad Pitt imitation gracing the cover of a story in the Toledo Blade.  Kyle was featured in a piece about a tech hub coming to Toledo that would be a massive plus for the region.  No doubt his passion can sell this thing and help our industry shine!  Here’s the story!  Nice work Kyle!

 

--  Personnel moves… Good to see the ultra-talented Steven Acker take a role at Everest USA.  They are a strong window/curtain wall player in Europe making inroads in North America.  Obviously having someone like Steven on board will be a huge help.  Congrats my friend!  

Also recently I noted that the team at Super Sky added the top-notch rep team at PGP to their roster… well Brian Thomas there is on a roll because he did it again by adding industry vets Angus MacMillan and Allen Davidson and their firms to the organization.  I know both guys though I go further back with Angus and know he’s one of the best around.  Always love it when good people connect and match up with good organizations!

 

--  Speaking of good people, one is Joe Staffileno and he was nice enough to share with me this video of a major developer talking on CNBC about that tricky office market.  Pretty interesting take here on who the winners and losers may be as we continue to evolve the way the post covid office works.   

 

--  I’ve also talked on here about the team from Acelab, and I got an update on them this week.  They have made significant inroads adding a few massive players to the platform all the while reaching more and more architects.  If you haven’t been on the site in a while check it out, really gaining in all the right areas and a great look for our industry as we try to impress upon the design community.

 

--  Last this week… what everyone is waiting for… my Super Bowl pick!  Now my pre-season picks have not gone well (Thanks Baltimore) but my picks when the playoffs start have been on fire.  So now I have to channel that same energy into this pick and get it right.  I am going with an all “Quarterback” from Netflix final- Kansas City vs Minnesota.  Mahomes vs. Cousins.  (If you haven’t watched that show but remotely like football, you’ll love this series).  And I’m going with KC repeating.  Now that’s my head decision… Super Bowl I want to see?  Jets vs Lions.  Two fanbases that have been tortured.  The hype on this one would be off the charts- as would be ticket prices.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

You always see the video of people walking into a glass door… this is a bit of a twist on that!

 

Another week, another Gator story…

 

You gotta see it to believe it!  A bull in a car- something tells me Andrew Haring will be bringing this guy to the GlassBuild Rodeo! 

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

SMU has been in the news this week for moving conferences (to the ACC) and they also have my project of the week honor!  This is Barr-McMillion Natatorium from the great team at B&B Glass in Dallas.  Just a sharp and clean project overall and love the overall team that collaborated on this.  Aside from B&B, aluminum was from Tubelite, primary glass from Vitro, fabricated glass from Tristar, and kudos to Dow for the sealant.  Good stuff by all and congrats on this one!