New Pod, Predictions Reviewed and More

The newest podcast in the From the Fabricator series is up and it’s a fun one that has some younger stars in our space.  I kick it off with Sterling Guyette and Luke Jacques of Insulite Glass.  They have done some amazing things with that fabricator, took excellent approaches and are really sharp and grounded guys.  Then I get to visit with Stefanie Couch of Build Women and also the new Grit CRM.  She spoke at GlassBuild and rocked it, and she delivers again on my podcast.  Good takes on her past and experience and then moves now and into the future to make us all better. So really good stuff all around to kick off 2024.  

VIDEO

AUDIO (or on Spotify, Apple, Google or wherever you listen to podcasts)

Thanks for checking it out!!

 

Oh and speaking of checking it out- tons of you did so last year!  THANK YOU.  Thousands upon thousands of downloads and listens and up double digits in % from 2022 too.  So I’ll take that!  

As for most listeners in cities/areas… 

1-    Minneapolis- Last year #2 but I think having Garret Henson on this year moved the needle.  His podcast that featured him as well as Nicole Mann and the trio of Michael Spellman, Art Huard, and Charlie Boyer (another Minnesota guy) was my most listened to pod of 2023. 

2-    LA- Last year #3 grew a bit and I appreciate my friends in So Cal.  

3-    Houston- Last year #1 slipped a bit but I’ll never complain about anything in Texas except for the Austin airport.  LOL

4-    New York- Not ranked last year and jumped into the top 5 this year.  Very cool.

5-    Dallas-  Also not ranked in 22, so very nice to see the home of so many great folks and friends of mine on the list.

Not in top 5 this year Orlando and Charlotte… 

All in all that was a fun year on the pod and I have a ton lined up for this year and we’ll see if “Minnesota Nice” continues to lead or California dreamin’ can catch up.

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  Traditionally on my 2^nd post of a new year I review my predictions from the previous year and note if I made the right call.  I am usually good on a couple, off on a couple and then a toss-up or two.  Let’s see how ’23’s prognostications turned out.

Imports are back – They did come back and the supply chain was more settled.  So this one I’d take as a win though it was an easy call. 

Residential players to push into commercial- Count this as a wrong answer.  There was a little push here but not the way I forecasted and without the depth too.  

VIG- Some may say I was wrong, but VIG made significant growth in ’23, new companies jumped into the fray and the education on it was at a high and constant level and I saw a lot more projects and specs calling for VIG. 

More consolidation- The buying continued but the consolidation I envisioned did not.  May be a year too early here.

Unitized /Modular- Unitized stayed steady but I think I was too early on modular.

Bonus- The SHOWS KEEP GROWING-  Oh yeah!  Incredible attendance at BEC, the Glass Conferences, and GlassBuild as well as a floor overflowing with oversized cowboy hats at TEXPO.  Yes, a great year for the shows and so excited for this year!

So not bad overall- seems to always follow the same path.  Next week, I’ll bring out the crystal ball for the industry predictions for 2024!

 

--  Two massive moves involving great people and iconic organizations hit to start the year.  First Brin Glass announced a transition in leadership with Priscilla Koeckeritz taking over as President.  Bill Sullivan, will remain as CEO and Chairman but will pass the CEO role on to Priscilla in 2 years.  Of course, this is some excellent planning from Bill, Priscilla and the team at Brin and I’d expect nothing less from a previous industry MVP!  Bill is one of my all-time favorites and I look forward to getting to meet and know Priscilla.  Meanwhile at Virginia Glass Products and Virginia Mirror, John Korff has moved on to the Board of Directors clearing the way for Larry Lamb to take over as President and CEO.  I have known John Korff for many years and he’s a great guy who did tremendous things in his leadership of Virginia.  I am glad he’s staying involved.  Meanwhile same as my sentiments on Priscilla above I look forward to getting to know Larry and wish best of luck here.  Looks like both companies will continue to be in good hands going forward!

 

--  Good news all around Bill Daubmann and the team My Shower Door/D3 in Florida.  In just the first 2 weeks of the new year they had a nice piece published about them in a regional newspaper, appeared on a TV remodeling show, their NIL sponsored football player won a National Championship (GO BLUE!) and Bill was inducted into a school Hall of Fame.  A continuation of an incredible run by some great folks who not only do well for themselves and their employees but are huge supporters of our industry.  Congrats to Bill and team on all the well-deserved props!

 

--  Quick dose of Architectural Billings Index news.  Ugly.  Again.  So we are in the belly of the beast now for sure with another rough outing.  This month it came in at 45.3 which was slightly better than last month but still not good.  But there was one area that had some positivity and that was the fact that new inquiries bounced back and had its best outing since last May. So there’s that.  We knew that this index was going to turn rough for a bit and its coming true, the thing now is how long will it last?  The prediction was 8 months.  By my estimate we’re halfway through it.  So we’ll continue to monitor… 

 

--  Super Bowl Prediction time.  Each year I make a pick at the start of the year that usually turns out woefully wrong and then before the playoffs get rolling I pick again and in the last 2 years I have nailed it.  Can I make it a 3-peat?  At the start of the year, I picked KC over Minnesota for the title.  The Vikes struggled because all the players were spending too much time listening to Garret Henson on my podcast, so they didn’t make the playoffs.  I am not confident in my KC pick with the way they’ve been playing so I am going to take my mulligan here and make the call of Baltimore over Dallas in the Super Bowl. It’s the year of the Harbaugh!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

A good rundown on what’s to come on a favorite site of mine.

 

Road Warriors- what’s next in hotel innovations?

 

I do enjoy a good biopic. (Iron Claw was excellent by the way, though very dark) and soon we’ll get one on Linda Ronstadt.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

A big favorite of mine is Alan Kinder of Guardian Glass.  The guy has a serious gift of being one of the smoothest talkers/presenters out there.  (I’d say Wade Arnold also in that class too- I may have to do rankings someday) Anyway, each year Alan counts down the year with some of his favorite projects and this one caught my eye. This is 222 N. Detroit Ave in Tulsa, OK and the glass looks tremendous! Congrats to Alan and Guardian Glass along with the fine people at Tristar Glass who fabricated and the team at American Glass Inc. in Tulsa who installed.  NICE WORK!

2024 is here... Let's go!

Happy New Year!  Back at it here on the blog as we head towards the 19^th anniversary of this effort.  As I always joke, I started the blog at and around the same time as Facebook and Twitter launched.  Man did those folks miss the boat with their ideas vs. mine!  Anyway, it’s another adventurous year ahead and I do think 2024 will surely be of the rollercoaster variety.  But before I dig into that, I need to do some housekeeping.  Next week I’ll review the predictions I made for 2023 and see how my crystal ball was working.  Then the week after my predictions for 2024 will be posted.  Yes, a little later than normal but it’s too good of content to rush out.  Ok now back to the matter at hand.  2024.  We know from the various indexes and industry economists that there’s some murky water ahead. Initially most predictions pointed to slower work in March and continuing for the rest of the year.  Lately though the predictions have changed some with some segments slowing down faster than others (one being small to medium work drying up quickly but bigger work hanging in) then a longer path to a comeback for all.  Now all of this is also on pretty shaky ground because in the US it’s an election year and normally those cause weird iterations to all markets but this year’s edition is poised to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before, so those rumbles may have a deeper effect than normal.  Meanwhile companies that are being strategic with cash, looking to be diverse, and working/communicating at high level up and down their supply chain will be in good shape while those who are not will suffer.  And unlike the last downturn, there’s no PPP out there as a lifeline.  So this could be very interesting overall. Bottom line is our industry is resilient and we’ll all keep hustling but the coming year is surely going to have some battles. 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  In case you missed it… before the break I did a pod with John Dwyer of Syracuse Glass/Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. John is an absolute champion and was fun to just hear his stories and feel the energy and enthusiasm he brings.  

VIDEO

AUDIO (and you can search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.)

And on the podcast side, I’ve got a new episode, the first of 2024 next week and I’ve got some amazing folks lined up for the first few months of the year.  Next week I’ll share a couple of fun stats from 2023 too!

 

--  The end of the year marked a couple of massive retirements in our space.  Carle Abernathy and John Linhart both hung ‘em up after absolute landmark and incredible careers in our industry.  Carle is a guy that I competed against early in my career and was in awe of.  Heck I was in awe of him even when I saw him this past October at GlassBuild.  Class act and who always was a major presence in his markets and at least for me always greeted me with a smile and a hearty handshake.  I never got to know John that well and then was lucky enough to sit next to him during a group dinner in 2023.  Wonderful guy and I came to find out we had so many shared past adventures in this space where we  could compare notes.  John spent the last 10 years as a part of the Tristar Glass powerhouse and his knowledge and approach was the picture-perfect fit there.  Plus he’s another one of those guys that no one ever had a bad word for- at least to me.  Our industry will dearly miss Carle and John and all they brought to the table- but I am thrilled for both of them and wish them the absolute best in their next phase of life!!

 

--  Also, news from the end of the year had these two notes… First - Mark Jacobson is retiring from full time work at Kuraray and transitioning into a consultant role.  Mark is laminating legend and a guy whose wealth of knowledge and passion for the space is unquestioned.  I am glad he’s hanging a consultant shingle out as I hope he keeps tabs on our space and shares insights and knowledge when he is able! Congrats Mark on the move and incredible career at DuPont/Kuraray.  And Jon Kimberlain, one of the most popular guys our industry has ever seen, recently was promoted to Principal TS&D Scientist for Dow Performance Silicones.  When it comes to talking about “great industry guys” – Jon’s name is ALWAYS in that conversation and I am thrilled to see him getting some positive recognition and advancement at Dow. Congrats my friend and keep rolling! 

 

--  FYI!  Did you know registration is open for GPAD and BEC?  First let’s talk GPAD.  If you are a glass fabricator, and thinking about expanding into that space, this is a no doubt must attend.  The opportunity to get excellent insight and education from some of the best machinery people in the world in a close setting is huge for your business.  Really strong agenda!  If you have questions or need more details, ask me!  The info for it can be found HERE.

Meanwhile I think most that read this blog know about BEC, and it’s something that once again will be an incredible event.  Two keynote speakers have been secured so far in Ricardo Maiz of Vitro and Troy Johnson of Harmon.  It is worth it alone to see them but then there is so much more.  It will truly be a special show.  For more check HERE.  

 

--  Last this week- you know me- love the lists- so why not start the year off with one… the Top 10 affordable cities (no specific order) for homebuyers are out and here they are:

Columbia, SC and Greenville, SC- I do love South Carolina and can see how these both make it.  

Indianapolis, IN- Amazing the growth there and still affordable

San Antonio and Houston- A ton of my readership comes from the great state of Texas and these two areas make sense.  We surely know a city like Austin isn’t but I have to admit I’m surprised to see Houston.

Cincinnati, OH- The home base of sales king James Wright of Virginia Glass & Mirror 

Greensboro, NC- Speaking of Virginia Glass- not far from this spot and good to see the area thought of positively.  It took a step back after Mike Dishmon (now at Vitro) left town, so nice to see it back

Raleigh, NC- I did not expect or think this was affordable thanks to so much growth but evidently it is.

Louisville, Kentucky- Tony Kamber of AMG has kept this as his secret of an amazing place to live but that secret obviously is now out. Hearing tons about how great it is too for business and meetings as well. 

And Lakeland, Florida.  Interesting as the only Florida location and especially given its proximity to the theme parks etc.  Nice town and I was visited there last summer and liked it. 

That’s it- note very clustered overall with 9 of the 10 combo’d with an area nearby.  Also surprising that some of the areas in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri did not make it and nothing west.  Read the whole story with context HERE.

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Wildest things caught on the doorbell cams in 2023

 

I’m old.  This story about a resume hack and TikTok made me feel even older.  No way this works right?

 

And if you didn’t see the guy flying in to attack a judge, here it is.  Gotta assume his sentence just got a lot worse!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

We start the new year with a jaw dropper as the project of the week.  Via the feed of Seth Madole of Viracon.  This is the Harwood 14 project in Dallas, Texas and it was obviously fabricated by Viracon (since Seth posted) and glazed by Harmon.  The façade is stunning and glass looks perfect.  This is the way to get the year started!  Congrats to all involved!

Year end Pod and 2023 MVP!

The last scheduled post of the year is here!  Lots to cover… first up, my annual one on one year end interview is with John Dwyer of Syracuse Glass (now a part of the Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope family).  John has had a heck of a run, especially in the last five years and we covered that and so much more.  There’s no doubt in my mind that John has been one of the most successful operators we’ve ever had in this industry, and it was great to just chop it up with him.  We dropped a lot of names too- was fun and lots of ground covered that is for sure.  Thank you to Michael Kovacs who suggested I have John on the pod too.  So please check it out! 

VIDEO

AUDIO (and you can search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.)

 

Ok… on to the annual awarding of my Glass Industry MVP.

 

So since 2013 I have awarded this to the person, duo, or company that I thought made a major impact in our space.  Maybe they were active at the trade level, maybe through social and marketing, or maybe at the architect, code, or product side.  I traditionally name an MVP and then a few runners up (see last week’s post for previous) and this year will be no different.

 

Before I get to it- just a note. There’s two people who deserve a mention and all platitudes that they can get. My brother Steve Perilstein and Andrew Haring.  Both are massively crucial.  Without brother Steve, innovations and approaches that are now standard in the industry don’t happen (at least as quick) and I’m probably anchoring the nightly sports in Waterloo, Iowa.  (So he’s also to blame then for me too- LOL) I’m grateful he offered me $6.50 per hour in 1991 to join this crazy world. 

And as for Andrew- he is the ultimate all time MVP- the OG Glass Nerd has done more to raise our profile worldwide than anyone imaginable.  Whether its Germany or England or South America or anywhere in North America, Andrew never fails to deliver the goods.  And note- he’s more than just a pretty sales/marketing face- his technical and design skills are scary good.  It’s an honor to work with and learn from him. 

 

So for 2023 let’s go! First the Runners Up…

 

Matt Day

This is a guy who truly does live and breathe our industry.  He, like me for some folks, is not everyone’s flavor, but there is absolutely no denying that Matt puts the industry on his back and does all he can to promote it. His documentary that is in the works is amazing, his push for the yearly Glazier Nation awards and Hall of Fame incredible, and his drive to achieve more for our space is truly appreciated.  He has put time and resources into these efforts that many would scoff at- but end of the day his care is genuine.

 

Tyler Faulk and Brandon Bellegarde

These two guys came out of nowhere to positively affect so many in our space and also deliver new and important ways to get things done.  They’re also unselfish and dedicated to the cause, often putting others ahead of themselves which is impressive. So between developing an efficient resource that many use and being active ambassadors for our industry (best GlassBuild promo of the year) these guys deserve the recognition.  Oh and did you know they both have glorious beards?  That is not mentioned enough…

 

Jennifer Lang

This one I give credit to my brother for recognizing years ago. (see above- he’s a visionary) He always said Jennifer was incredibly sharp and one of the best out there but I had no interaction with her or her company.  Then a few years ago while researching “best under the radar” websites for my blog, I came across her amazing site for Minneapolis Glass.  Soon after Steve introduced her to me and I had her on my podcast and then I started to see her everywhere. She jumped into some of the Women in Glass and Fenestration events and began mentoring some of the up-and-coming women in our space.  Plus, she’s got her company REALLY rocking now with a move to a new state of the art HQ.  So suffice to say a great 2023 for Jennifer, she brings a ton to the table, and we’re lucky she’s in our industry!

 

Now to the MVP

2023 goes to Ron Crowl.

A theme of everyone who usually makes my list is being unselfish and Ron owns that role.  He’s given of himself and his company for years and this coming year he’ll rule the volunteer roost as Chair at the NGA. But even before that Ron is always active in all facets of our industry.  From shows, to education, to promotion, you ask him for support and he never says no.  He’s developed amazing products that many use (including my pod guest John Dwyer who was an early adopter) and he’s put the industry first in so many instances that many businesspeople would not.  He’s also built a great culture and team that represents our industry extremely well.  Class act always, super friendly, and seriously deserving of a Browns Super Bowl run…. But in case that doesn’t happen this year I am sure this MVP will be just as good.  LOL.  Bottom line though is a guy like Ron could’ve sold his company and hit the beach.  Instead he’s gotten even more committed to our causes and more determined to help us all grow and be the best we can be.  Ron fits that previous list of MVP’s well and I am honored that through NGA I’ve gotten to work with him and learn along the way.  Congrats!

 

So there you go… 2023’s honorees are in the book.   What a year eh?  And we’ve got an interesting one to come with some serious unknowns ahead. So buckle up.  I’ll be back week of January 7^th with prediction reviews, new predictions for 2024, more podcasts and all the other fun and adventures you see in this space weekly.  THANKS to each and every one of you who read and comment and listen and watch.  The traffic this year was absolutely stunning (especially audio podcast wise) and I am extremely grateful.  I love this industry and so many people in it and it truly is mind numbing to work and converse with so many of you.  So here’s to a great holiday season and a HAPPY and HEALTHY 2024!! 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

End of an era?  The original location of Caribou Coffee closes…

 

A holiday toy safety concern… just an FYI… but odd because this is not a new product so odd that all of a sudden they realized the danger?

 

There’s a lot to unpack here but for me I have never heard of this breed but I am sure now I have seen this style of dog on one of my runs.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From the feed of good friend Brad Glauser of Edify Studios and Luoma Design this is 400 Westlake and it’s a newsmaker thanks to being one of the most sustainable projects of its size and kind.  Designed to generate 105% of the energy it consumes, the 15-story office tower is a net-positive energy building. AWESOME!

Brad was involved in the historical windows and fire rated and this one is a beauty in so many ways! Congrats to Brad and all who worked on it!  

Who's Next?

And down the stretch we come… this is the next to last scheduled post of the year!  A few items to cover this week and we’ll kick it off with a look back at my past Industry MVP’s and Runners Up as the 2023 edition will be unveiled next week.   I created this program in 2013 to recognize folks and companies that go above and beyond to support our industry.  Many on the lists below are still active and very involved in our space which is very cool, and many continue to make positive impacts even in new places.  Some have retired and one sadly passed away who is missed daily. 

 

Starting with the past winners- your previous MVP’s were:

 

2013- Tracy Rogers

2014- CR Laurence

2015- Jon Kimberlain

2016- Chuck Knickerbocker

2017- Joe Erb

2018- Nathalie Thibault

2019- Bill Sullivan

2020- Tim Kelley

2021- Matt Kamper and Steve Dean

2022- Jodi Martinez

 

And the long list of previous Runners Up:

 

Tom Culp, Mark Silverberg, Ed Zaucha, Mic Patterson, Oliver Stepe, Dr. Helen Sanders, Scott Thomsen, John Wheaton, Rick Wright, Tom O’Malley, The late great Bernard Lax, Garret Henson, Walker Glass, Dip Tech, Kris Vockler, Mike Albert, Thom Zaremba , Urmilla Jokhu-Sowell, SAPA, GCI, Darijo Babic, Cathie Saroka, Felix Munson, Jeff Haber, Glenn Miner, Rob Struble, Greg Oehlers, Courtney Little, Scott Rowe, Rowe Fenestration, Syndi Sim, Dustin Anderson, Casey Anderson, Sam Hill, Bill Daubmann, Keith Daubmann, Dr. Kayla Natividad, Kyle Sword, Adrian Lowenstein, Tom Jackson, Stanley Yee, Chris Phillips, and Frameless Hardware Company- FHC

 

Some do ask me about my process, and they’ll say these are all your friends- and yes many on the list I consider my friends but there’s a few on this list who don’t even know I exist and some who legit aren’t fans of mine.  Yet when they were chosen it was deserving because of what they did (and in many cases still do) for our space.

 

Who gets added to these rolls this year?  Next week you’ll find out!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  In case you missed the latest From the Fabricator podcast- I had Trey Taylor of BEES Inc. and Henry Taylor of Kawneer on.  Both conversations featured quite a few take aways on training, approaches, culture etc.  Two excellent people for our world from leading organizations too.  Next week I’ll have my traditional year ending podcast with just one guest and I think it will be a great for all to check out!  Thank you for supporting!  To check out the Trey and Henry episode- 

VIDEO

AUDIO (or Search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your pods)

 

--  The last Glass Magazine of 2023 is out and another tremendous combination of info and insight from the remarkable editorial team there!  Rachel Vitello dove into a great project in Oklahoma featuring some of the best of the best in our space, and we even have columns from past MVP’s Joe Erb and Chuck Knickerbocker.  And the Glazing Information Bulletin included is a biggie.  The whole issue is chock full of goodness!  Check it out!

Meanwhile the coveted Ad of the Month went to FHC for their ASPIRE ad.  I am normally a less text is better guy- but this ad made it work and the use of color- especially on the word mark “Aspire” made it pop.  So kudos to the gang at Frameless Hardware Company for a job well done!

 

--  My good pal Scott Goodman came through big time this week with a link on a bowling ball being shot at 500 MPH at “bullet-proof” glass (Note- I HATE the term “bullet-proof” but that’s how the article states it.  Ugh!) Anyway check this out HERE and thank you Scott for always supporting!

--  Last this week… another past MVP, Bill Sullivan of Brin Glass with a clutch shared tweet.  This is wild and something you’d normally see at glasstec… incredible precision, skill, and obviously a dash of voo-doo to make this happen.  Thank you Bill for the share!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

I always crack up about these stories that note “towns safe enough to keep your doors unlocked” – I mean doesn’t that just send a huge signal out to the bad guys?

 

Huh- interesting photography action here

 

Lost in space…

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

2024 I believe is going to be the year of the retrofit.  But the gang at St Germain’s Glass in Duluth, Minnesota got a jump start on it in ‘23 with this remodel.  Good looking elevation of glass and aluminum as a part of a facelift to an older building. Given that it’s probably snowing like crazy there now, I am sure the St Germain’s team got this one buttoned up by now.  Congrats to all on a tremendous effort and keep it up!

"Taylor" Made

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and it is truly “Taylor” made for the industry.  And  yes I know that term is “tailor” made but this episode features two awesome Taylors… Trey Taylor of BEES Inc. and Henry Taylor of Kawneer.  Trey is an awesome human and wildly talented and what he and his team have built at BEES is truly impressive.  Was great to get that background and then Trey’s takes on products and prospects going forward.  Very enlightening.  Next it was an honor for me to chat with Henry Taylor.  Henry and I worked together years ago and he was (and still is) a key cog in the BEC machine too.  Love Henry and he surely did not disappoint.  He went deep on takes on training, occupant comfort, new approaches and much more. So enlightening and a good friend to boot.  

I know you have several podcast choices (including an episode I’ll mention below) so I thank you for the support.  The audio version stats just blow my mind, and I am extremely grateful to all of you who give it a whirl each time out.

VIDEO

AUDIO (or Search “From the Fabricator” on Apple, Spotify, Google or wherever you get your pods)

Elsewhere…

 

--  Last week I wrote on automation and that need, and it sat wrong with some out there, so I wanted to chat through it more.  There are positions in this industry that NEVER can be taken by machines.  We know that.  But in areas that can be advanced with automation that needs to happen. Gotta go into this all with open eyes that is for sure.  In the meantime one of the areas that makes us special- our craftsmanship- will not be denied.  

 

--  Registration is now open for the big NGA Glass Conference-Isles of Palms/Charleston that is happening in early February.  This is an absolute must attend if you are on the fabricated side of the ball.  Urmilla Sowell and her team do an amazing job with this effort and everyone who attends comes away with more understanding of the technical aspects that are affecting our world now or will affect it later.  Learn more and get registered TODAY  

 

--  I mentioned above about podcasts and the one that Patrick Flannery does for Glass Canada Magazine is really good.  Pat is a great interviewer, and I was honored to be on it back in the day.  His latest episode is with the brilliant Jeff Dalaba of NACC.  Jeff is always great to converse with and he always provides so much food for thought.  Lot of strong nuggets from this one but I am biased because I am a true believer in the NACC mission.  Still it’s a worthy listen.  For more info CLICK HERE or you can search GlassTalk at your favorite outlet.  

 

--  Last this week… It’s time again for the best and worst airports from the Wall Street Journal.  This is a yearly event and one I always love to cover.  My good pal Lyle Shimazu and I have debated and his love for the Portland, OR airport still cracks me up.  He’s loyal that is for sure!

So to the list and my comments

Top 5 Large Airports:

5- Detroit- Should be #1. Checks all the boxes. Travesty that its 5^th.

4- Atlanta- Some may squeal but hear me out.  Its busy as heck but there’s a ton of food options and it is easy to get around. 

3- LAX- Ummm really?  Seriously?  Did the WSJ riders go anywhere other than the swanky Delta lounge there?  Yikes. 

2- Minneapolis- Solid airport- can get lots of exercise there. Minnesota nice always ranks with me. The giant billboard of Bill Sullivan of Brin welcoming you to town is a nice touch too.  

And #1- Phoenix- No way, maybe I missed something, but that airport lacks a lot.  Can’t be #1.  

 

For Worst Big Airports- Newark was last and that tracks, with JFK right behind, DFW, and Orlando.  No qualms there.  I like Orlando as a city, but that airport needs to get better and hopefully get some more expansions. 

 

For medium sized- the best was San Jose.  I have yet to see it.  San Antonio was 2^nd and it is a solid airport that has gotten better over the years.  Houston was right behind and I really was impressed last time I was there.   For worst on the medium side of things…  San Juan led the way with Washington DCA and Austin right behind.  Austin is brutal folks.  I love Texas but that airport can be a nightmare- last time I was there the traffic backups were so bad people just abandoned their rental cars and walked to a terminal that featured lines that were truly bonkers.  

 

The whole list and documentation is HERE.  And oh Lyle, they had your beloved Portland at #6 in the medium sized.  Still work to do there my friend!. LOL  And fellow road warriors, weigh in!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Something is off here on dogs damaging the cars- like the person who sent me the link said it had to be training because strays or any other dogs usually don’t do this..

My gosh beware the fake presenters via AI… last week we had Sports Illustrated and this…Don't worry all presenters at Glass Conference/BEC/GPAD will be real!!

 

One more for fellow road warriors- ever see a guy jump out and onto the wing?  Nope, me neither.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Found this absolute beauty on the feed of Marcia Harris of Excel Engineering.  Tremendous look to this project and in her post she noted collab between Excel and XK Curtainwall Specialists.  

Not sure who did the glass or metal but massive kudos to all involved as this looks awesome.  

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!