A New Launch and Next Steps

A major player and major brand made news this week, and I'm certain both will be positive efforts. First, past Glass Industry MVP Ron Crowl is back at it after a short break from our world.  Ron announced the launch of a new company- Clevaris Solutions- that will serve the window, door, and glass market.  Clevaris will focus on ERP/MES implementation, configuration, software engineering, system integration, optimization, and ongoing support. The company brings particular expertise in FeneVision, including integrating FeneVision with other enterprise and manufacturing applications.  So it’s really a double win- Ron and team will be a great resource to many, and he’ll also be back supporting the best interests of our space, as he has done previously.  That is huge.  Congrats Ron.

Next, the great team from Steel Encounters announced that, after more than 40 years as Steel Encounters, they’re evolving into Encounters Construction, a 100% employee-owned parent company. Under Encounters Construction, they’ll have two specialized businesses: Facade Encounters, which will encompass the architectural business, including façade systems, fabrication, special projects, and high-end residential. And Steel Encounters will continue as the structural business, providing value-added steel joist and metal deck solutions.  The timing makes sense, given the previously announced leadership changes and so on.  And yes, I know many who will ask- ok what happens to incredible folks like Bruce Murray? Well, I’m told he and all others continue on in one of the companies, and I know they’ll continue to represent our world with class and skill.  Congrats to all there!

Elsewhere…

-- In case you missed the latest “From the Fabricator” podcast- please give it a watch/listen.  The insights dropped by Tom and Kyle Nesbitt at United Architectural Metals & United Glass and Panel- and Omar Maalouf of Momentum Glass have been making waves out there. The feedback has been excellent, and the one thing I am hearing the most is along the lines of “I like how they do things” – so that has made the day for me!  Give it a whirl. Thank you!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Search “From the Fabricator” on Apple/Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts)

Thanks to the fine folks at FHC-Frameless Hardware Company for supporting this episode!

New pod next week- and as long as I don’t have scheduling snafus, this one will be a fun mix of business and mental performance.  I think you’ll enjoy.

-- Great read from ASTM on standards and glass, and why it matters.  You’ll surely recognize a few names in this piece, including Urmilla Sowell, who has now risen to the incredibly prestigious position of committee secretary and member of ASTM’s Board of Directors. The fact that our industry is represented at that high level is a huge deal.  And papers like this also educate the world at large. The more, the better!

-- The Comeback Kid Billy Britt of Britt Tilson Glass continues to make it happen.  The recovery that he and his team have accomplished has been unbelievable.  Now, the latest step is an open house to support the opening of a new showroom.  This makes me so happy.  From seeing the work you, your family, and your team did for so many years wiped out in an instant to now celebrating another step forward is tremendous. 

-- Some housekeeping for the rest of the year.  Funny, I normally say “time flies,” but this year feels like it's crawling slower than a snail.  The plan going forward is: four more blog posts, three more podcasts (with a unique and interesting range of guests), and, of course, the annual Glass Industry MVP Race!  It’ll be the 13th edition of a rundown of the best of the best of the year and more. So stay tuned for that!

-- Last this week… Fellow road warriors will get this SNL Delta Airlines sketch.  I sure did- and I thought it was one of the best things that show has done in years.  A good laugh is always needed! Here it is!

LINKS of the WEEK

Chef is fired for refusing to put pineapple on pizza  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx4g1qy6gq9mo

 Not all robots are not ready to work in a convenience store https://www.techspot.com/news/114445-six-humanoid-robots-worked-24-hour-shift-convenience.html

 This is the headline: “Man caught in car with £14k of drugs as a lamb ate chips in the back seat avoids jail” -- I mean, what can you make of this?!?! https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6rmyrnwylwzo

 PROJECT of the WEEK

I have had Eric Kern of Industrial Louvers on here before, and he always seems to post incredible projects.  This one fits in that mold.  This is Montbello High School (man, my school didn’t look like this!) and it’s got it all going on.  Curtain wall from Kawneer and, of course, the stuff that Eric delivers- the sunshades and scrimwall from him and the team at Industrial Louvers.  Also, another past “project of the week” player and fave of mine, Element 13 Facades, was the glazier.  Fantastic work, everyone- making all parts of our industry look good.  Keep it up!

Leaders in the Field

A new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is out, packed with insights!  First up: the father-son duo Tom and Kyle Nesbitt of United Architectural Metals and United Glass & Panel.  Tom is brilliant, and Kyle is following in his dad’s footsteps there.  Culture, innovation, market optimism, trophies, and “challenging the ordinary” were some of the highlights of a very wide-ranging conversation. Next, airing by popular demand: the summer interview with Omar Maalouf of Momentum Glass that I transcribed here on the blog.  This wasn't planned as an audio/video version, but the blog post made a lot of waves, and with the podcast audience growing, I thought it was a good time to share it.  Omar covers a ton, talks about great technology and innovation, and then gets into his passion for the industry and his goals to advance us.  Both interviews were a blast, and I’m thrilled to share them with all of you.  Thank you for listening and supporting as always!!

VIDEO

AUDIO (Search “From the Fabricator” on Apple/Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts)

Thanks to the fine folks at FHC-Frameless Hardware Company for supporting this episode!

 Elsewhere….

-- I mentioned above the podcast growth.  Last September I posted a link to the Top 10 Glass Industry podcasts via the Million Podcast rankings.  I was thrilled to be in the top 10 then.  The 2026 list is out now, and I must THANK YOU all, as From the Fabricator is #1.  Very, very cool.  The list is worth checking out HERE, as it’s full of good ones again.  Thank you to the team at Million Podcasts for the recognition!

-- The latest Architectural Billings Index came out the week before last, and it’s still ugly overall, coming in at 44.7, well below the break-even 50.  The bright spot continues to be the inquiries, and we’re also hearing about clogged backlogs waiting for releases.  So I am keeping the faith.  But all in all, it’s not great out there right now, and I know you all know it.  We’ll keep pushing forward.

-- Big company news: November 1st marked a huge milestone for a tremendous industry company.  United Plate Glass out of Butler, PA (and locations in North Carolina and Maryland) turned 45 years old.  A proud family business then (with just a handful of people) and a proud family business now (with quite a few more people across three locations).  Mike and Joyce Cully and the team are as classy as they come, and they’ve built one of the most impressive operations in our space.  Congrats to the entire UPG team, and here’s to many more milestones ahead!

-- Big people news: First, Apogee Architectural Metals is bringing Marc Donahue back into the mix.  Marc is a force in his area and will do great for the surging Apogee team.  Thanks to the Gold Standard in PR, Heather West, for the heads-up on this one.  Then, next up... One of the nicest guys our industry has- Tom Herron- landed at Key Media & Research as Director of Communications.  Love it when good things happen to good people, and Tom will do a fantastic job there. Wonderful for all!

-- Last… I love my empty-calorie or treadmill-worthy TV, and so the new season of “Terminal List” on Amazon Prime fits the bill.  But when you mix some industry-related stuff, then I’m really loving it.  Episode 3 of the new season- a scene taking place in an office, and the glass behind one of the characters is obviously Bird Friendly glazing.  Hey, if Bird Friendly is making it in Hollywood, then it really needs to keep growing everywhere… bring it on! 

LINKS of the WEEK

-- A plea deal in exchange for a Philly Cheesesteak? https://www.fox29.com/news/murder-suspect-offers-guilty-plea-exchange-philly-cheesesteak

-- A best fries contest in Belgium looks intense! https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/champion-chip-best-fries-contest-013404720.html

-- Any guesses on the World Record for holding a knuckle handstand?  I can’t even believe they track such a thing… https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/10/27/guinness-world-records-knuckle-handstand/7141793116324/

PROJECT of the WEEK

When this one came across my feed, my immediate reaction was “whoa- that’s snazzy,” and I’d think you’d all agree.  This is the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab in Baton Rouge, LA, featuring sunshades from Architectural Grilles and Sunshades, installed by the fine people at Synergy Glass Company.  The “snazzy” design courtesy of WHLC Architecture.  Everything on this one really connected- so kudos to everyone who had a hand in it.  Keep it all going!! Also, the picture from LinkedIn was via Tricia LaFleur of Synergy. 

What Can We Do?

Two of the glass industry's most prominent products have been in the news over the last week+, and sadly, it was for awful reasons.  We had a school shooting tragedy and a bird migration disaster.  Both buildings featured some of the right products, but not all- more like half measures- and the price was unfortunately paid.

At the school shooting in Bend, Oregon, the shooter deliberately avoided the secured front entrance and went to a side entrance with a double door that did not feature the high-performing school security glass this industry is pumping out.  The shooter had easy access and was in.

In Chicago, at Northwestern University, the Kellogg Global Hub had been on bird monitors’ radar from the jump, and while they finally applied bird-friendly film, it was only on the first 3 floors.  It was a band-aid, and at least 1,000 birds paid the price.  That building was completed in 2017, and Bird Friendly glass was available then… not as widespread as it is now, but it was out there and should’ve been used.   

We are making and innovating products that can improve these scenarios and save lives.  But those products need to be used in all the right places.  It’s great that schools are doing their vestibule, but they need to do every single entry point.  It was okay that Northwestern added some bird-friendly film, but if they'd spoken to any bird monitor, they would’ve been told this would eventually happen. (betting they were probably told)  These moves (main entrance in Oregon and 3 floors in Chicago) probably made people feel like they were doing something, and they were, but it wasn’t enough.

So, how do we fix that?  As an industry, we need to keep ramping up the information we share with all parties.  I'd bet the glaziers on these two jobs saw these red flags and said something, and someone probably dismissed it.  We need to talk louder there and everywhere. And more often.  Both school security and bird-friendly glass have enough manufacturers that they can amplify the message to potential users.  Your glaziers know you have it- let’s find a way to grow the messaging beyond that.  Obviously, we all in the glass industry know how hard it is to educate and inform.  It’s basically a nightmare, but for the good and safety of our world, we need to do it. Meetings like the NGA Glass Conference (I noted its importance last week) play a role, and we need to hone and develop strategy there and elsewhere to improve these situations.

Also, a thank you to Heidi Trudell and Scott Goodman, who both immediately brought the Northwestern catastrophe to my attention.

Elsewhere…

-- ICYMI, my latest podcast was a great ride.  The feedback has been strong, with people recognizing and valuing almost everything Scott Thomsen of Luxwall, Brendan Champion, and Andrew Leopard of 1st Choice Glass said.  I loved hearing from folks who listened to it on their runs, in their cars, offices, and, of course, on their walks around the park, & tip of the hat to my sister Marcie, a loyal listener!  So check it out, and THANK YOU for your continued support.

VIDEO

AUDIO (also search “From the Fabricator” on Spotify and Apple)

Thank you to the folks at FHC, Frameless Hardware Company, for their support!

-- We had a deal in the industry this past week: Salem is adding Matodi to its ranks.  That is operating company #5 under Salem, and Matodi will continue to operate under its name and operations.  Dapper Dan Reinhart (who marked the 15-year milestone at Salem this past week) and company are out there making news and moving the needle.  We need good, strong companies in all areas, so this was nice to see. Kudos to all involved.

-- Last this week… I gotta lighten it up… So I saw a poll showing “Favorite ice cream flavors by state,” and I have to say I was pretty shocked by vanilla's power!  19 states had vanilla as their leader.  Kudos to New York & Connecticut for choosing peanut butter.  Yum!  Five states chose coffee-flavored as their favorite (not me at all), but shockingly, the home of coffee, Washington state, wasn't one of them.  They went with Rocky Road.  But the winner, to me? The fine folks from Wisconsin who chose Moose Tracks!  Amazing choice by the Badger state!  See the whole graphic HERE.

LINKS of the WEEK

-- I’m not an AirBnB guy- but these rule updates sound pretty fair and right https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/new-airbnb-rules-ban-hosts-from-making-guests-wash-dishes-do-laundry-other-checkout-chores-3420832/

-- World record for “chin ups” – yeah this guy has some serious strength https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6dxwkd50d2zo

-- I can’t even wrap my head around this.  Wedding venue refuses to return deposit after fiancé dies a few months before the ceremony… and the it gets even worse… wow.  https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2026/09/23/unjust-and-ghoulish-wedding-venue-keeps-nearly-dollar16k-after-groom-to-be-dies-then-countersues-fiancee/

By the way- The venue ended up settling.  Brutal business acumen by that group.

PROJECT of the WEEK

I’m a big fan of Karolina Styk at Press Glass (and I found out at GlassBuild that I wasn’t alone- quite a few people in that fan club).  Recently, I saw one of her projects, and it’s one of those “wow” efforts.  This is the Two Kings Casino in North Carolina.  That color comes from IG’s, with the OB being laminated with a few different Vanceva colors.  Fabulous. Some may look at this one and remember past vibrant, color-led projects, but this one is surely much more impressive than anything we did before.  A1 Glass was the glazier, and Peerless provided the framing with their Talon Wall.  Nice work, everyone!  This will catch some eyeballs.