Pod, Birds, Deals, and Great ABI too!

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now live and I’m thrilled about how it turned out.  Three unique and cool people joined me, and we covered a ton of items.  Leading off was Sophia Panova of SO-ZHA Architects.  Very talented person who “gets it” and I enjoyed her perspective throughout.  She is on her way to being a force in that community.   Then to Mark Rabinowitz of Paul Rabinowitz Glass and we covered the great work he and his team does, challenges in our space, and what’s ahead.  Last it was fun to catch up with Bill Wilson of Specified Systems.  Bill has done an amazing job building his company and setting it up for great success going forward, plus the recognition he and his company shared on some folks was very cool.  So all in all this was a fun one and it was 3 people in one form or fashion who bet on themselves to take their places in our industry/world and do better by it.  This is a perfect episode to catch during the upcoming holiday too!  Thank you for listening/watching!

VIDEO

AUDIO (and search from From the Fabricator on Apple, Spotify, Google etc.)

Elsewhere…

 

--  I was honored to be invited on an online plant tour of Orion Laser Tech on Belgium via their partners here in the US, IGE Glass Technologies.  Orion is making a bird friendly laser engraver for glass, and it was stunning to see it in action and learn more about it.  Really remarkable technology and important in a space that keeps growing.  Thank you, Michael Spellman, for the invite and opportunity to watch, and once again Michael is on the front end of a break-through technology!  (I am told that they’ll be more of these online tours coming, so if you are interested in bird friendly fabrication- you’ll want to get with IGE to check it out!)

 

--  I was telling a future podcast guest this week that we are in the middle of “selling season” in our industry and within 24 hours deals by OBE and Assa Abloy went down.  With some of the uncertainty of 2024, many owners are thinking NOW is the time to get out, so I am expecting more deals to come. As for the OBE-Syracuse deal- really made sense for both sides.  Nice move for OBE to jump into that territory and a good exit for the folks from Syracuse post the very sad passing of Joe Gudenburr.

 

--  Last week I said I was dreading the ABI, expected misery and then jokingly said it’ll probably be up since I was so negative… and sure enough it WAS UP.  Actually a shockingly good month for the index as all metrics bounced back nicely. So overall a positive.  The negatives were the West and Northwest sectors being soft, so not everyone is/was celebrating.  Some of the comments from the report did point to while things seemingly stabilized, it is “harder” to get the work including the challenges on banking/financing and of course the people issue. Even in the design community labor is a challenge.  Bottom line?  I’ll take this bounce back and let’s keep it going!

 

--  Another TV show- more use of glass that is topical.  This time it was “Class of 09” on Hulu.  So far not a bad show, not great (only halfway through- so staying hopeful) but glass had some big roles.  Early on bird friendly made an appearance when a poor bird died after striking the glass (and that played a role in the story) and then later we had some very high-quality bullet resistant in play.  I joked last year that Tom Donovan of Thompson IG wrote an episode of Ozark that had thermochromic glass and now I am sure he wrote on this episode since he’s heavy into both bird and BR products.  Really need to get Tom to get my podcast playing in the background in the next thing he writes!  Anyway, I will say it was nice to see the BR be real and effective and show bird friendly glass would make a difference!

 

--  Last this week…. No blog next week as I am taking it off as a part of the Independence Day holiday in the US.  Obviously if big news breaks I’ll get it out there but otherwise please enjoy the 4^th  of July, stay safe, and get ready to finish the 2^nd half of the year strong.  And one note- if you are shooting off fireworks please think of your neighbors- try and do it early and get em overwith quick.  Thank you.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

I had never heard of “Zillow Gone Wild” and I guess I should’ve.  Crazy.

 

As you all know I’m a dog guy, and this is a tough one

 

Wrong reaction to this viral photo- yes it’s “cute” but it’s also crazy dangerous too. People really shouldn’t be trying to get candid poses here.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Brett Trainor of Ecker Window Corp posted this awesome one and I immediately saved it for a future project of the week.  The job according to the post is 14 @ Irving (124 E. 14th St NY NY) and it showcases a custom unitized curtain wall with fins & mega size panels.  Very good-looking project! Congrats Brett and Ecker team on this one!

In the Movies

I did not plan to start this week off with a rundown of the animated movie Elemental, but after seeing it and its connection to the glass industry I had no choice.  So this is a movie via Pixar and Disney and those of you who follow closely know my son Zach is heavily connected in that world with his Boardwalk Times website (the ultimate destination for the Disney fan) so I joined him in seeing this one when hit theaters this week.  I did not know what to expect and overall the movie was well done- really was a Hallmark level “Rom Com” so that worked but the use of glass was the kicker here. YEs our beloved product played a pretty major role.  The movie is about Fire and Water and those elements interacting and growing to get along.  Early on we see the Fire lead character break a glass display case and then with her fire hands create a brand-new piece of Bent Glass to replace it.  (Bent so good that I think my pal Tony Kasprzak sold it since he’s a big-time bent glass rep and also a Disney guy).  So at that point I’m thinking cool- neat to see.  Well as the movie continues, there’s a situation that the Fire character created a glass wall to save a community from flooding.  When it was done, one of the characters exclaimed “She did it.  It’s TEMPERED GLASS” and when that was said I yelped.  Loudly and embarrassingly.  I mean I don’t think I ever heard the words “Tempered Glass” and in a positive manner in a movie setting before, so I was out of my seat with it.  I’m thinking- this is what the NGA preaches- Glass REALLY can save the world.  (Which it can, and we all know that).  Anyway, the movie continued and SPOILER ALERT (skip to next paragraph if you plan on seeing it) the glass ended up breaking and it was not truly tempered.  While still happy we got a plug, I was bummed that the glass broke and know for sure the SGCC would not be happy with the mis-labeling.  LOL.  No doubt I’ll take the excitement of the glass coming through and hopefully someday Disney will ask me (or probably my son) what sort of glass would truly be best to stave a flood off.  (Surely 2022 Glass Magazine Award Winner FENEX would be raising their hands?  Right Juan Posada and Brian Johnson?)  Yep, so there ya go- and by the way I think I am banned from that theater too for being too excited.  

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  A special summer series of podcasts made their debut this week.  GlassCast from the NGA dropped episode one and it’s a perfect quick bite of insight and info.  The great duo of Katy Devlin and Sara Neiswanger hosted this episode that led into a monologue from Jeff Haber of W&W Glass via this past springs BEC.  The subject was ESOP’s and Jeff’s insight was spellbinding and this quick pod covered it nicely.  There are handful of episodes coming and I think it’s a nice series for the quiet summer news season.  Check it out and big kudos to Katy, Sara and Melissa Fischer the editing wizard at NGA for a job well done!

VIDEO

AUDIO   - and on Apple and Spotify- search GlassCast

 

--  Speaking of podcasts- the next From the Fabricator podcast drops next week and I am pumped.  Unless something crazy happens I have 2 awesome glaziers and an impressive Architect lined up.   Stat wise I continue to be amazed.  The video stats are meh- this is just not a format that lends to video, especially long form.  But audio, my numbers are mind blowing.  They keep growing each show and more and people are finding older episodes and listening.  It’s incredibly cool and I thank everyone who checks it out.  If you have not heard any, search “From the Fabricator” where you listen to your podcasts.  By the way, geographically the update is thanks to Eliot Benor of Building Envelope Testing, New York surged into the lead of the city that listens the most to the podcast.  And we’ve seen nice runs from Philly, Seattle, Atlanta, and Chicago joining Houston, San Antonio and LA as popular areas for listening.  Absolutely awesome.

 

--  Thank you to Scott Goodman, my good friend and superstar sales hustler from CRL for the heads up on the CRL releasing a new reference guide at AIA.  I missed this and it is super resource and good to have handy!

 

--  Kudos to Vitro Architectural Glass for their latest EPD effort.  Check out the story from Glass Magazine as it explains it very well, but this was an excellent step forward in an area that WILL continue to grow and be a very important part of the commercial glass project realm.  Get familiar with the EPD angle folks and good on Vitro for their latest breakthrough!

 

--  Last this week.  I’ll be watching this Wednesday for the newest Architectural Billings Index.  So much has eroded on the banking side and more and more investors have grown skittish that I am curious to see if that feel has hit this index harder.  Good news is when I feel negative the index usually goes the other way.  So we will see…

 

LINKS of the WEEK

A vulture makes its way into a house and kudos for the homeowners for battling to get it out!

 

When too much bling stops your car from starting

 

Possibly a case for the Door DOORK Benji Bolick?  I’m so far behind he’s probably had this one.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Back to the pacific Northwest (where the NGA Glass Conference will be soon- Tacoma- sign up today!) for this awesome one from Goldfinch Brothers. From their post on LinkedIn- this is the Costco HQ (wonder if the glaziers got any tasty food samples when done) and it is sharp one.  Unitized glazing with Schuco, glass from Vitro and congrats to MG2 Design for the awesome look. This one is fabulous!  Kudos to all!

Trouble Ahead?

The Wall Street Journal had a sobering report on the commercial building space and that the boom that fueled a ton of its growth is now coming to a very bumpy landing.  Basically these landlords were dealing in “interest only” loans and kicking the can down the road.  Now because of the myriad of issues in the finance space, this bill has come VERY due and it’s left two options for those affected- sell or default.  And selling is not exactly appetizing or easy.  The entire article is HERE but my point in bringing this up is in every presentation I give I talk about the volatility of the banks and financial markets and this article gives the background on why.  There is no doubt that the area where we like to do so much work- in the commercial building- is probably not the healthiest going.  By the way the dollar amount of commercial mortgages in this mess is almost 1.5 trillion.  That is “trillion” with a T.  Wow.  Never a dull moment eh?

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  More evidence of that challenge in the commercial space? The latest Dodge Momentum Index was battered and the blame fell on the commercial structures along with the hotel side.  Now I have been bullish on the recreation (lodging) area and I am not alone (past podcast guest Nick St. Denis noted that too) so I think that will find its footing but the concern elsewhere is real and should continue to impress on upon you to be diverse in your approaches. 

 

--  OK on to some better news…  from all indications attendance at the AIA show this past week was positive.  I know that the NGA’s annual Blueprint for Collaboration event was a huge hit and I heard from others that traffic was solid.  Shows are most decidedly “back” which has me absolutely geeked out for GlassBuild this fall.  Nothing better than getting everyone together and pulling our industry forward with the best exhibits, education, and networking!

 

--  Before GlassBuild though we do have the NGA Glass Conference: Tacoma and one of the lead subjects is Bird Friendly Glazing.  The NGA Super Hero tech team will be running down the latest there which has a few interesting twists and turns still to play.  So don’t get left behind on the latest.  Learn more and register today HERE.

 

--  Three big anniversaries in our space…  First to Brian and Gloria Hale and their company, Hale Glass, hitting the 45 year mark!  That is awesome.  Brian and Gloria are great people and huge supporters and ambassadors to the industry.  Also Brian has one of the best senses of humor in our space which is always appreciated.  Great company and thrilled that they are rolling along.  Next is Kenpat marking 20 years, which I saw online thanks to my good pal Frank D’Aprile.  Kenpat started as framing, acoustical and drywall and now has grown dramatically and has their very competent fingers into a bunch of items.  Congrats to everyone there!  And last but certainly not least, SPIL Software celebrated its 14^th year in business.  Lakshman “Lax” Kalupathirana is one of the nicest people around and he and his team have built an incredible fabricated glass software platform being utilized worldwide.  They represent our space well and I love that they continue to innovate and evolve to help companies become more efficient.  Congrats to Lax and team! 

 

--  Last this week… two items from the airport in Houston.  First, I am on a streak of always always always picking the wrong lane in TSA Security (and super markets, toll booths etc.) It is incredible the run I am on, no matter what lane I choose, it inevitably goes a lot slower than the others. So if you are with me at any lane choosing scenario, pick the opposite. Second, kudos to the Houston Bush Airport.  Have not been there in years and it’s a solid place led by the fact that it easily has the best food options of any airport going right now.  They have a Blaze Pizza (which is amazingly clutch) along with Chick-fil-A, Jack in the Box, Wich Wich, and many (healthier) others.  Just a huge range of options that work.  Note I may be jaded because a few of the recent airports I have been in and out of have really been weak food option wise… so this was nice!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Hopefully the driver is ok- this one is a wild piece of video of a car launching after running straight into the ramp of a parked tow truck.  

 

Good to see better use of the old “6 car garage” – yes a 6 car garage now tiny homes…

 

Apple with a big update on “auto correct” but won’t help my issue where it often auto corrects the word “said” to “Saud” because I used to work with a fine gentleman named John Saud and he’s in my contacts….

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

A favorite company of mine is TSI Corporations and they get the spotlight.  I had their excellent Will Pounds on the pod last year (LINK) and I am a big fan of Thomas Cornellier there though I rarely get to talk with him. (Some day I’ll get more than 30 seconds but for now I know he’s swamped).  I think this may be the 2^nd or 3^rdtime I’ve had TSI in this spot, which is rare since I like to spread it around, but sometimes I can’t help it.  Anyway, this is Signal House and it is a beaut.  My gosh.  Gensler with the design and according to the TSI post they worked with the folks at Erie Architectural on this one- so kudos to all.  This is one fantastic looking building!

 

Houston Rocks

The great state of Texas never disappoints and that was the case again this past week when I had the honor of speaking at the Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) luncheon.  Just a tremendous group of people that are so engaged in our space and future.  Among the highlights for me was HAGA awarding four scholarships to college and trade school applicants.  I love that this organization (and I know others do as well) is doing this and hopefully it can keep growing and help us eventually attract those folks back into our world.  Obviously, the people there were a highlight for me, starting with one of my all-time favorites Jacque Freeman of Binswanger Glass.  She continues to just dominate out there and that is incredibly cool for me to see.  The board of HAGA is a great group and it was nice for me to get to meet and chat with the current president Landon Lovette of Door Control Services.  I enjoyed getting to meet a bunch of new people too. RJ Hernandez of Absolute Glass not only had some great insight on our market and the adventures currently, but his company logo and shirt won the day.  Kenoel “KB” Burleson and Charlotte Davis of Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope were also new people for me to meet and both were super impressive.  Mario Lopez of MI Glass has a heck of a back story and he and his companies are crushing it.  Also doing well and nice to finally meet in person was John Dockery of Dockery Fabrication.  We were supposed to meet a long time ago and whatever craziness at the time hit and postponed it.  Was great to finally make that connection here.  YKK AP was well represented, and it was super to chat/meet Julie Freund and Heath Brown from there.  I am sure that is why that brand is so well respected in the area there. And when it comes to respect, big time tap to Terri Gilmore of A3 Glass- everywhere she goes I know the respect and appreciation follows.

Plus seeing folks I have known for years like Dustin and Lindsay Price of Texas Glazing Solutions (they were not wearing the lone star shoes though), Wade Arnold of Quickserv (an amazing presenter in his own right- I think he’s going on an arena tour soon with his presentation) Mike DeBotte of Smartlift (who gave me a great tutorial on the amazing machine he had on site) was a great extra plus.  Thanks also to Dorothy Gurka of HAGA for her hospitality and to Kyle Sharp of Sharp Glass and the Texas Glass Association for driving 3 hours to see the presentation- hopefully it was worth it for him! (And I know not as fun as shooting up stuff with Andrew Haring but hopefully close!)

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  In case you missed it, my latest podcast is up and it is getting incredible feedback.  Guests were Anas Al Kassas of INOVUES, Eliot Benor of Building Envelope Testing, and the duo of Tyler Faulk and Brandon Bellegarde of The Drafting Marketplace. Majority of the feedback has been along the lines of “did not know that” in the sort of knowledge nuggets these folks dropped. Thank you for checking it out!

VIDEO

AUDIO – And also on Apple, Spotify, Google and more!

 

-- The best thing going on Facebook is the Shower Door Professionals group but for many the angle of Facebook was a non-starter.  So good news, the great Chris Phillips has brought a version to LinkedIn.  So if you are involved anywhere in the shower door chain- this forum is for you.  It’ll probably take a minute to replicate the success of the FB version but I have no doubts it will.  Check it out and join HERE.

 

--  Good to see the YKK/cove.tool mash up.  Two forward thinking companies and the combo makes sense.  cove.tool has been sending me e-mails for a while and each one takes a dive into how they are helping note energy and carbon performance on a project.  Glass Magazine has more details as this connection gets officially announced this week.  No doubt more and more focus is coming to this space in the future.

 

Last week… Those who know me know I love the Buc-ee’s chain.  And this article breaks it all down on why.  A must stop whenever you can…

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Great story and visual about a pilot locked out of his plane but it makes no sense to me.  Obviously there were people on the plane- including other pilots and crew?

 

Some freaky stuff there Georgia (meaning folks living there- not anyone named Georgia)

 

I am hugely pro-robot for our plants and jobsites.  But in the home?  Nope. (Note I am anti tech at home- I just bought a washer that has all dials on it- no keyboards or apparent electronics etc.) 

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Cliff Wright over at Layne Glass posted this one and I just love the way glass and sunshades came out.  This is a just a solid, smart building that the gang at Layne just pounded out without issue. No word on who did the glass, metal, or sunshades thought but congrats to all involved!

Latest Podcast Episode and More (Really Creative Title- LOL)

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and I gotta say it is a very powerful episode.  The insights shared this month are top notch- especially from a technical side of things and there were lots of lessons learned. Leading off is Anas Al Kassas of INOVUES.  Interesting guy with a company positioned to do some amazing things in the growing retrofit space.  Then on to Eliot Benor of Building Envelope Testing.  I had heard of him but this was the first time talking to him and his path to the current was cool but what he’s doing now and how he’s doing it all is simply awesome.  Not to mention being in the front row of some massive code changes.  Last, I end with the dynamic duo of Brandon Bellegarde and Tyler Faulk of The Drafting Marketplace.  These guys are amazing-  they have built an absolute must-use platform for glaziers AND they broke some news on what’s next for them too. Great people, great conversations- I am just so honored to get to chat every month with folks like this.  Thank you for checking it and supporting it all! 

VIDEO

AUDIO – And also on Apple, Spotify, Google and more!

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  Some sad personal/industry news to pass on.  Billy Perilstein, best known for his leadership in our industry for many years (H Perilstein Glass and Wm Perilstein Glass as key ones) passed away last week.  To anyone that knew Billy they came away with the same opinion- a true class act and gentleman.  Billy was friendly and caring and no matter what was happening had a super positive attitude.  He seriously was one of the nicest people around.  Billy stayed active in the industry up until a few years ago (he worked from 1943 to 2017!!) and was always there to provide the great knowledge he had from his incredible time in the industry.  Billy was a cousin of mine- part of the amazing 3^rd Perilstein generation that helped build so much of the industry, hitting stride in the 40’s/50’s and growing from there. (There are some major fabricators to this day that have roots back to that group) Billy will truly be missed and our world is a lesser place without him.

 

--  The next NGA Glass Conference is coming soon- July (yes that will be here before you know it) in Tacoma, Washington.  Aside from the deep and crucial technical aspect of the conference, some planning has been happening to add even more value to it.  Case in point?  A tour of TGP- Technical Glass Products.  I have been there once, and it was awesome to see.  That alone is worth going to the conference… very classy of Devin Bowman and company to welcome the conference in and support it.  Learn more and get registered today. 

 

--  A happy anniversary to the team at Premier Glass Products.  20 years in business for PGP!  That is a huge and very cool milestone. Congrats to Kyle Jones and team on it and all the success they have had and will continue to have.  Kyle has built a powerhouse there and one that comes with serious respect and makes our industry look good. Congrats Kyle and team and I look forward to many more years of your tremendous accomplishments out there!  And note- Bob Larson- one of the coolest cats in our space is on that team- and seeing Bob winning is a very cool thing for me. 

 

--  The latest Architectural Billings Index came out this past week and back to the negative the main number went… Last month was flukey- but there is no fluke in that the design contract and new inquiry numbers are really scuffling these days and that is where I am more concerned. We need those numbers to hang in there more and when they bobbing along the break-even line that is cause for concern.  Regardless we can’t control it. We can control continuing to hustle, keep our houses in order, and looking to evolve where we can keep rolling.

 

--  Last this week… Memorial Day in the United States is for remembering those who died in service for our country.  I am extremely grateful for those that fought and earlier this year I watched the old mini-series “Band of Brothers” on HBO and that truly sent home the message of the absolutely selfless sacrifice that so many have given.  So during this holiday week, give some thought to those who have served and passed and what they did to preserve our way of life.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Us Road Warriors have been seeing this but to those who don’t travel- look out- it’s really a tough one these days with costs and comfort.

 

I swear every week there’s a Gator/Floriida/right at the door story.  And I click them all!  ( I just don’t want to see them)

This garage has to be a tough one to get into- maybe they have a Jetsons style car!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Saw this one on the feed of Stephen Rosner of Custom Metalcrafters.  This is 450 11th Ave. Marriot Tribute Hotel and just the start (though I am sure by now more work has been done) and looking great.  This one will be a major showcase when completed for sure and I look forward to seeing it.  Congrats Stephen and team and keep up the good work!!  (And post some new pictures when you have them!)

What's Next?

Kawneer is one of those legacy brands in our space so when their parent company was sold recently it did send some waves through the industry.  There had been a ton of talk of Kawneer itself being sold (last year) but that got pulled back.  So though what happens next?   With Kawneer in a new setting could that mean another sale/spin-off effort is coming or do the new owners go for critical mass and start adding on. That is the nagging question for the future.  For the present the question is “what changes?” – does anything happen there that changes the approach that Kawneer takes?  Time will tell but Kawneer is loaded with some of the best talent in our space- my guy Henry Taylor is incredible as are folks like Sneh Kumar, Chris Giovannielli and many more.  So hopefully the new owners will support the good and be active in supporting and promoting our space. We shall see as a truly a new era is upon us.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The FIT show is happening this week in the UK and our guy- The GlassNerd, NGA’s Andrew Haring will be there.  I can’t wait for the content coming back from him and also whatever he is able to learn and share so we can keep advancing our industry!

 

--  I am very excited to soon be back in the great state of Texas with a presentation at the Houston Area Glass Association monthly luncheon.  That all happens on June 1, and if you are in the area, please join us.  I’ll be talking about forecasts and trends and I look forward to chopping it up with everyone there!!

 

--  Big congrats to the brilliant Jennifer Lang and the team at Minneapolis Glass.  If you caught my podcast with Jennifer back in November of last year, she gave the scoop that they were moving into new HQ and in the last few weeks, ground was broken on the new facility.  Very exciting to see this awesome company move forward!  Congrats! 

 

--  And one more set of props… The California Glass Association continues to make some positive in-roads.  They had an event this past week with the super folks at Frameless Hardware Company (FHC) and from what I was told the energy was off the charts.   So happy for Kristie Rehberger, Nathan Seaman, and Adam Posik for taking yet another great step in building this organization out and of course many thanks to the fine folks at FHC for hosting! 

 

--  I have been super late on this one… the return to our side of the industry by Jay Phillips.  I actually got a heads up right when Jay started (before the PR’s came out) and normally I jump on it and put out on here but this one got lost in shuffle.  Jay is back, now as CRO at Luxwall- a very interesting company that will be very disruptive (in a positive way) in our space. (Add them in the mix for legit players in the VIG space)  Jay is held in high regard by many and I have been a fan of his for years- he did great work with the BEC division and support of the industry- which I assume will pick back up again now that he’s back.  Congrats to Jay and welcome home!

 

--  Last this week… I did see the BlackBerry movie and I thought it was very well done and interesting.  It did veer from the book more than I like and it did leave out two HUGE moments in the whole Blackberry vs iPhone moment that were gamechangers.  But I guess I can’t get it all… still this was a good flick and one that made you remember those pre-phone/android days and how connected you were (at least I was) to the Blackberry.  And I was a BBOB guy- “BlackBerry on Belt” and that familiar buzz that happened when e-mails or texts came through were ingrained in my muscle memory so deeply that it took a while from when I switched to an iPhone for them to go away!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

A beer powered motorcycle!

 

A slingshot to the rescue

 

A wild story about parents changing the birthday of their kid- to avoid the holidays

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) gets the spotlight.  This is the project that the always excellent Matt Kamper of Woodbridge Glass talked about at BEC and had the audience on the edge of their seats.  It is so amazing, and the backstory was so cool and intense.  Here’s a link to the write up on it. Check it out and kudos to Matt and the entire team at Woodbridge for pulling this one off!!

 

2023 Glass TEXpo Review

Another strong showing from the folks in Texas for this years edition of Glass TEXpo.  The hospitality is always top notch and it’s a tremendous opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Before I get into the “seen at the show” section I did want to follow up on my note from last week.  My goal at the show was to take the temperature and see what this region is feeling work wise.  So I did that and it was an interesting study.  The market right now is busy and while there have been a few more potholes than typical, 2023 is in solid shape.  The issue is 2024.  The confidence going into post 1Q 2024 is waning.  Backlogs are slower to fill in for a myriad of reasons (interest rates, banks, volatile pricing, supply etc.) and that has raised some concern amongst the players I spoke with.  But to a person, they are confident of weathering the storm and instead of just having “hope” as a strategy they are doing something about it.  Some are diversifying into other areas of the building, some are working on new products and partnerships, and many are investing into better software and machinery.  To me that is a part of the way you take this on by making those maneuvers and also really getting into a mode of understanding your costs and business.  Plus coming to events like this one, or things like the upcoming NGA Glass Conference bear fruit too because you get the latest insights and opportunities to get ahead of the pack.  So basically those warning lights are out there- the folks in Texas have seen them and are ready.  Are you?

 

--  Elsewhere at the show… as I always do when I visit an event- time to name drop a bit and lay out some of my experiences while in San Antonio.  (Great place for a show by the way) Pretty much the first people I saw were the awesome pair of Dustin and Lindsay Price- it’s been a while and was nice just to see those smiling faces and epic “Texas” shoes!  (See the National Glass Association post on LinkedIn to see what I’m talking about there.)  Also pre show I got to catch up with the great Jacque Freeman of Binswanger and met one of her co-workers, Evan Rogers .  Very cool.  Dorothy Gurka of the Houston Area Glass Association is always so nice- and she didn’t fail me this time either.   Speaking of “nice” – Kyle Lamb of Universal Glass and Kyle Sharp of Sharp Glass may be two of the nicest guys around- while also being great business leaders. 

 

--  Always an honor to spend time with the legends in our space- that being Felix Munson, Sam Hill, Rick Newnom and Bob Larson.  I always learn when I talk to them and they give me more time than I deserve.  Same goes for Regina Munson who is a dynamo out there and really making her own mark.   It was great to chat briefly with Gary Di Dio of Lite Sentry/SoftSolutions.  I really appreciate the way he and his company are supporting the NGA and the industry. 

 

--  It’s always awesome to see old friends- I hadn’t seen Dustin Dickmann for years- that was a very cool trip running into him, as was chopping it up in the registration line with Matt Price.  He’s got 1000 things going and the Perfect Edge product he’s got going is strong- so he was more pumped than normal.  Old pal Manny Borda of IGE is looking absolutely fabulous, whatever that regimen you are doing Manny keep doing it! And Bob Taylor of Trulite and David Shaw of CompleteLine are always so nice, so classy.  Was an honor to work with those guys in my past.

 

--  Meeting new people is always a must for me.  Thanks to super Rep Jeff Ziesche of JAZ Sales, I was able to meet Jacob Melton of Citadel Architectural Products.  Jacob is a sharp guy and his suite of products led by the GlazeGuard panel is impressive.  Also impressive, Mike DeFrank of World Resources (ironically a connection from Jeff Z too) and it was very cool to meet and chat with him and hear about his company growing and going.  Sam Frankland of Smart Builder stopped by the Texas Glass Association booth to chat and that was nice- was good to give him kudos on his “Best in Show” win at GlassBuild last year.  And then I met three very fine people from Arrow Glass and Mirror- David Flores, Julie Gutierrez, and Alexey Batalov.  Nice folks who had stumbled onto my blog last summer and I hope they’re still reading it! 

 

--  Podcast guests galore!  Past guests like Trent Thiry of Global Security Glazing (busiest man in show business) Dan Shields (always so welcoming and friendly to me) and Ron Parker (he was swamped with visitors at his Ballistic Glass and Armor booth) were all nice to see just out there thriving.  Upcoming guests Tyler Faulk and Brandon Bellegarde of Drafting Marketplace will fit right in with the “From the Fabricator Podcast Guest Alumni” as they are just crushing it too.

 

--  Last on this- kudos to Jennifer Fontana at the Texas Glass Association for all she does and to my guy Andrew Haring who never ever ever fails to deliver a memorable time.  This one probably has a ton of choices of most memorable, but Andrew’s inspired choice of oversized cowboy hats (h/t from afar to Melanie Dettmer who made the hats happen) were a massive hit.  It was a fun touch that everyone with a sense of humor truly enjoyed.  

 

--  So another good one in the books, I ran into many more and sorry that I missed noting you here but as some of you know my phone (to keep notes) was dying and my pathetic $14 charger did not work (shocking!) so this is not as complete as it should be!   

And by the way… now more than ever knowing that in the fall of 2024 GlassBuild America will be in Texas (in Dallas) has me over the top excited.  Giddy up!

 

--  Because this was so long- I’m kicking some of the other big news to next week.  That includes the huge Kawneer parent company deal, a major player is back in our space, my next trip to Texas (sooner than y’all think) and a congrats to a company making an exciting plant/HQ move (that you would’ve know way ahead of time if you listen to my podcast).  So all that and more- next post!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

51 “cool things” you may have not known about.  (Some I have done, most did not)

As someone who lives with a kid with peanut allergies I am always hopeful when I see. These updates.

 

UPDATE on the fishing tournament cheating controversy!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

We stay in Texas for this one… Mike Rubner of Accura Systems has always been very good to me and I love what he continues to do out there.  This project he posted was a complete reskin and it is coming along very well! (look at that before and after in the pic) Mike noted in his post that he teamed with IWR North America on it and the glass came from the gang at Viracon.  Custom extrusions via Bonnell.  Reskinning buildings is going to be HUGE going forward- especially in Texas- so Mike is ahead of the curve here.  Nice work!

 

Texas Week

This week I get to go to one of my favorite states and will see a ton of my favorite people when I visit Glass TEXpo in San Antonio.  I always enjoy attending this one because the folks in the great state of Texas always lay out the best welcome mat possible.  Probably one of the main things I’ll be digging around on is taking the temperature of the attendees on how their business and market is going right now.  I do know some spots in Texas have gone soft- a very rare feeling for that region as even through some of the worst of times, Texas has stayed busy.  So I’ll be curious to see what is happening and what the outlook is.  I’ll obviously report back here next week.  And if you’ll be at this show, I hope to run into you and catch up!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  ICYMI- my latest podcast is out and it’s really getting a lot of nice feedback. I had the dynamic duo of Jeff Dalaba and Ben Beeler on to talk certification in the glazing space, Asta Fivgas on talking about her role at Reflection Window and Wall and getting more women involved in our space and Austin Casey on talking about helping glass shops become much more efficient.  I learned a lot and enjoyed catching up with some very cool people.  So please check it out- and thank you for the support!!

VIDEO

AUDIO – and as always available wherever you listen to podcasts like Apple, Spotify, Google etc.

 

--  It continues to get me fired up seeing the excitement around the VIG side of things.  Evidently  there was a recent gathering where the best of the best came together to dive in on what can be done in the space and that is a positive step forward.  I’ve noted before that I love the passion and approach of people like Michael Spellman and Dave Cooper who live and breathe this product and companies like Vitro that are doing all they can to keep advancing it.  Good stuff!

 

--  Also good stuff- the promotion of Charles Lubecke at Q-Railing.  He is now taking on the role of Director of Project Solutions there.  I have been a big fan of Charles for a while- he’s got a seriously strong set of skills and it’s nice to see them being utilized!  Now the big question though- does this mean Charles will not be in charge of building the Q-Railing exhibit at GlassBuild?  That stand never disappoints so whomever may be taking on that role has massive shoes to fill!  Congrats on the news Charles!

 

--  Lots of airport expansion news but the biggest one I saw was terminal D at Atlanta Hartsfield is getting upgraded.  That is great news.  It’s obviously going to be a pain while it’s happening but when done that will be very nice since Atlanta is a massive hub and that terminal needed it. Obviously, the airport is expanding because they know GlassBuild this fall in Atlanta will be jam packed and they are preparing for the glass industry crush of attendees.  LOL.  Also from what I read this will be a modular build too- which I think is cool and will be fascinating to see it play out.

 

--  Last this week some pop-culture… on TV- the Amazon series “Citadel” is off to a promising start despite some brutally misplaced glass usage on a train.  But aside from that boo boo, it’s got some potential overall.  In theaters I saw “Big George” about the life of boxer and pitchman George Foreman and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3.  On Big George- solid movie- was not as good as it could’ve been given his very interesting life, but as a sports fan and history guy I enjoyed.  As for “Guardians” – I leave the Marvel/Disney expertise up to my son, but I have always liked this particular series and the latest installment did not miss. The music once again in Guardians featured some inspiring choices.  Anyway if you liked the previous movies, I think you’ll love this one. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Super lucky to survive a tornado

 

Another snake story- this time it’s causing disruptions on the roads

 

You’d think the anniversary of the World Wide Web would get more coverage… it’s 30^th  milestone just passed

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

I love all glass entrances- so smooth looking!  So this week we’ve got a new nice one from the team at DMG Glass in Huntersville, NC in the spotlight.  Not much detail was added other than this was an upgrade to previous.  Looks great folks- keep up the good work!

New Pod + Mix of News

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now out and it’s a good mix of people and subject matter.  Leading it off is Jeff Dalaba and Ben Beeler from NACC & AGMT.  As many know I am a huge supporter of the certification processes that these guys are heading up so having them on to talk about it along with other industry insights was a blast.  Next up was Asta Fivgas of Reflection Window and Wall.  She’s an architect working within our world and making a difference on a few different levels.  Sharp and interesting, I think we’re going to see and hear a lot more from Asta in the future.  Last I caught up with Austin Casey of Service Station.  His platform is a fascinating one and it’s a big help for companies that need assistance in the CSR realm.  Good background and the product makes sense.  So please check it out- very diverse subjects and people overall!  Thank you for watching and listening (the listening stats are mind blowing- thank you!!) 

VIDEO

AUDIO – and as always available wherever you listen to podcasts like Apple, Spotify, Google etc.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Mark your calendars- this week registration opens for Glass Conference: Tacoma and this is a crucial event in our industry.  Urmilla Sowell and team are putting together a really robust docket of education and dialogue and if you haven’t attended one of these conferences, I suggest giving this one a try.  More info as it comes out but try and make it happen and be in Tacoma July 25-27. 

 

--  Congrats to Vitro on the news of their connection with First Solar.  That is exciting stuff and good for them and again puts our space in a positive light.   A few people asked me if that deal would be a drag on supply and the way I understand it, this situation will not affect the typical capacity into the architectural glass space.  So that really makes it a positive overall.  

 

--  The recent focus by several states to get into school glazing is a great movement. Especially with many looking to go into ballistic glass in certain points of the building.  I hate that our world overall is in this mode, but it now is what it is.  As I have noted many times here before we have tons of options in this segment and it continues to be on all of us to push what we can do to the decisionmakers at the schools and communities.  Don’t be bashful- we have the options that make a difference!

 

--  Later this week Garibaldi Glass Day will be held in Canada and looks to be an awesome event.  Quite a bit of learning on tap delivered by some of the best of the best in our industry including the OG Glass Nerd Andrew Haring.  Kawneer, Technoform, FHC, Dow, and others will be on hand so I am sure the experience will be a good one.  Heck any time you get Andrew on campus, the fun meter just goes off the charts!

 

--  Last this week…  I am beyond excited that “Blackberry” movie is coming out in a few weeks.  This movie is based on one of the best books I have ever read called “Losing the Signal” and it was a detailed story on the rise and fall of the Blackberry phone.  There are few moments in the book that are PERFECT for the movie, so I am very curious to see if Hollywood plays it straight or gets wonky with it.  Obviously those who know me will expect me to report back here on the flick and I will surely do so later in May!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Wow- who knew scarecrows don’t work

 

This is a great example- we need to use existing structures more before building brand new!

 

This weeks worry… internet protocol issues.  (last week was cars being stolen in a new way)

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

To the great state of Texas- this was a project done by TEPCOGLASS and it’s a beauty for sure.  From what I can tell partners on this were the folks from Tristar Glass and Arcadia and the picture I grabbed really doesn’t do it justice.  Just a sharp looking project all the way around.  Congrats to all involved in this one! 

Good News / Bad News

A very interesting Architectural Billings Index was released this week.  On one hand the news was good, but on the other, not so much.  In my last post I predicted a bad overall score.  The worries on interest rates and the banking mess (still on going, though the world moves on to other issues) would weigh it down was my thought.  Well thankfully on the overall score I was wrong.  In fact the Architectural Billings Index posted a positive score of 50.4, putting us in the plus territory for the first time in 5 months.  However, a deeper look brought out my concerns and, in a way, justified my prediction.  The numbers for new inquiries and new contracts both went down- the contract one dropping to an under water 48.9 which reverses what was a positive trend the last few months.  Plus 3 of the 4 regions were negative with only the mighty Midwest in the plus side.  In addition, the firewall of the south- that in this study includes Texas- continues to stutter with its 4^thstraight negative month.  So good news that overall things are hanging in, but future facing has some additional worries to it and we all knew this road ahead was never going to be easy (it never is) but we surely have to keep plugging away. 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The next episode of the From the Fabricator podcast premieres next week and I’m pretty stoked.  I have 2 of the 3 interviews in the can and it features some good stuff from very different parts of our industry.  Looking forward to dropping that edition and sharing!

 

--  Good work from Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope on a primer about embodied carbon in buildings.  They worked with Architectural Record on a free e-book and it was a great way to explain and lay out the entire realm of this issue.  Well worth the study to get up to speed on a very important issue and kudos to OBE for stepping up and sharing.

 

--  Also a good share this week from NFRC’s Tom Herron.  The article features the top 10 recommendations for the construction sector to reach a net-zero future.  Good find and share by Tom who is a very good guy in our space.

 

--  Maryland is the latest into the bird-friendly push with a bill proposing bird-friendly glass on all state-owned buildings.  This is trend that is not going away, and our industry has really stepped up with many options and avenues to get things done. Good to see!

 

--  Architectural Digest did a list of the 14 best designed gas stations in the world and it is worth the click.  Some wild looks and layouts here but two quibbles… Buc-ee’s has to be on there- if only because no other gas station leaves you with memories like Buc-ee’s.  And the other comment is the Winston-Salem one listed is very fashionable which makes me think that Dapper Dan Reinhart of Salem Fabrication Technologies must get his gas there to be always in tune and in style.  

By the way if you’ve never visited a Buc-ee’s don’t hesitate the next time you see one while out on the road.  It truly is an experience. 

 

--  Last this week- the passing of John Kalakos who many will know from his time in leadership at TRACO.  John was a massive part of the success that TRACO experienced- for those who may not know or remember, TRACO was an absolute monster in the market for many years.  My brother Steve and John worked closely together, and the growth of our company came in combo with TRACO’s advance.  John’s faith in my brother and our team allowed that- so we’ll always be thankful for those opportunities.  John was a great leader and person and will be missed tremendously.  Thoughts and prayers to John’s family, friends, and co-workers. 

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

Controversy over a pink door. I think it looked better pink than it does now.

 

Wild story of bear drinking 69 cans of soda. But he passed on the diet ones I believe. (If it was Diet Dr. Pepper he wouldn’t have!) 

 

Public official goes on buying spree with town credit card… and bought some interesting things!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

In my web searches from a few weeks ago this job from the great team at Double Play Glass appeared and made me immediately save for use as a project of the week.  I have no insight on it- maybe Evan Afenir of Double Play Glass can provide- but it’s a great structure and the glass looks fantastic!

Under the Radar Sites and More

So late in 2021 I went in search of some of the best “under the radar” websites in our industry and came up with a bunch led by a great one from the team at Minneapolis Glass.  This year I once again went on the deep dive through the web to recognize more deserving folks in our space.  My simple parameters were websites that looked different than the norm, were exciting and interesting, still easy to navigate AND from companies that aren’t usually in the news in our industry.  So here we go…

#5 Lockheed Architectural Solutions – From the opening video to the additional layout throughout the site this one delivered!

#4 Galaxy Glass & Stone-  These guys may not be very under the radar, but I do love and have always loved this website.  Very bold and impressive at every turn loaded with imagery. 

#3 Momentum Glass- The logo animation placed against a stunning blue building with a perfect blue sky was great and then everything flowed from there.  Also liked seeing the pictures of team on the front page!

#2 Bruce Wall-  From a tech standpoint this site is unlike anything else out there.  Use of color and design are something else- disruptive and interesting.  I am sure some may not like, but this one stands out to me.

#1 Black Line Glazing-  From the cool “loading” screen to the video that pops the moment the home page hits, this is a winner.  Love the layout and colors and site flows well.  It’s a bold and impressive site without being overdone.

Again I am sure I missed many- that’s why I’ll keep doing this yearly to call more attention those who deserve it.  As for the 5 above- congrats to you all for work well done and representing what you do and what our industry does so well!

 

Elsewhere…

--  The latest Glass Magazine review… it’s the awesome annual Top Fabricator issue and it’s loaded with so much data and insight.  Just a must read from start to finish.  Aside from the Top Fab info, strong pieces from Spencer Raymond, Amy Roberts, and Joe Erb were excellent reads.  I really just enjoyed the cross section of topics throughout and this issue got me up to date and thinking next steps- love it.  

 

--  The ad of the month- never ever easy to award any more, but I must make the tough calls and this month this award goes to Dow for their “railing” ad.  The picture is a page stopper and then the layout even with more text than I normally prefer really worked and had me engaged. So congrats to whomever the marketing mind at Dow is for this one- since I don’t know that person/group- I’ll just give kudos to Jon Kimberlain and Stanley Yee for a job well done!

I will say the MyGlassClass ad is awesome and deserves props too!  Love that design!

 

--  Mixed bag of econ news this week.  The Dodge Momentum Index was down and there really is a negative flow and tone to the report- so that wasn’t very good.  On the flipside, crane count in Q1 was at an all-time high!  So there is work out there but that darker cloud is in linger mode.  The next Architectural Billings Index is due this Wednesday and given the bank turmoil and interest rates I am expecting it to be low- possibly scary low.  But as always let’s hope I am wrong.

 

--  Hurricane Season predictions are out and thankfully the call is for a lighter season.  Let’s hope so.  We need a clean and easy season to get things back on track in so many areas.  The weather disruptions as a whole from the horrendous snow out west, the deadly tornadoes throughout the center of the country and the flood like rains in south Florida have been enough trouble, so let’s maybe go easy on the hurricane activity.

 

--  Last this week… it is National Volunteer Week and a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who donates their time, knowledge, and care to our industry. YOU make us a great industry and it’s the best to be around all of you at various meetings and events.  Thank you for the support and betterment of our world!   

 

LINKS of the WEEK

- Even one of the richest guys in the world has problems- including getting plans approved for his house and property. 

 

- Bizarre story on bank accounts being closed with little warning- I feel like something is missing from the explanations… on both sides.

 

- Yikes.  Yet another thing to worry about and this one is a doozy- a new way to steal cars.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From one of the best in the business- Tony Kasprzak of Seawall Architectural.  This great project that Tony and team repped with product from Goldray Glass.  Horace Mann Hall at Rhode Island College is the project and it’s covered nicely in THIS article.  But there was a line in there I have to call out- 

“Dingus-Eason says the window glass is her favorite feature in the building.”

Oh yeah!  Love when someone points to the glass as being the best!! (because it always is!) So congrats Tony and Goldray and everyone else on this beauty!