Back at the BEC

It’s big week in our industry with BEC and GPAD FINALLY here.  By the time some of you read this most of the events will be done.  I am just so happy it is here- it’s been a long time since the last time we held this event live in March of 2020.  Great to get everyone back together!  Next week in this space I’ll break it all down, the sessions, the people, the vibe and more.  And if you’re at BEC/GPAD- please say hi- I always love getting to network!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The Architectural Billings Index shocked me and came in positive yet again.  I know I am not alone as a few analysts I follow felt the same way thinking this would be the month we’d have a dip.  But it held up again!  The worry though is focused on lagging numbers in the Northeast and West.  Those areas have posted some “meh” numbers and this month they turned to ugly.  So that is what we are watching… and as always as an industry we stay focused and resilient no matter what.

 

--  I missed this- Katy Devlin broke down key forecast indicators she’s tracking.  Quick important read on metrics we need to keep on top of.

 

--  At BEC I am hoping I see James Hatch from Kovach as he is a TV Star!  He and Kovach were featured in an incredible morning show report in the local Phoenix TV market.  HERE it is.  Really showed off how great their operation is and make us all look good!  Congrats to James and Kovach on the pub!! 

 

--  Also good to see the gang from United Architectural Metals stepping up and go after the future potential leaders in our industry.  Tom Nesbitt, Bob Cummings and the team there are stepping up to grow what we all do, and it started with 44 students in their operations recently.  Love the approach and fully expected by great class people like Tom, Bob and the team at UAM.

 

--  I have mentioned before but once again they came through again.  I’m talking about Vitro and their Education Center.  It really is an amazing site and the way Rob Struble and company deliver it is so perfect.  This week the wind and snow load subject came in and immediately caught my eye.  Good stuff gang!

 

--  Last this week… we are coming up on Baseball season starting and even though I don’t follow like I used to- I need to still make my predictions here.  People depend on this sort of info from me right????  So I’m going with the White Sox to win it all over the Dodgers…. Sorry to my friends in Chicago- my picks are only good for post season (not in magazine predictions with Katy) football!  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

 

--  These guys just wanted to join the Florida Gators swim team!

 

No rush to fill in a supply chain issue- why?

 

Not for me and doesn’t look safe but I guess it could work to get around?

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

I thought this was appropriate for this week.  A Nashville project done by a company that is always invested into BEC.  This is from Zach Foland of Pioneer Cladding and Glazing Systems.  What an absolute stunner!  Hoping that I see it up close and personal when I am in town.  Great job by Zach and the team at Pioneer and kudos to whomever the glass fabricator was as well! Love it!

 

 

 

Exciting Stretch Ahead

We are about to enter a cool little stretch of industry events and I am excited because this may be the first real “normal” stretch we’ve had in 2 years.  Next week the movers and shakers of the glazing and fabrication world will descend on Nashville, Tennessee for the BEC and GPAD events.  The back-to-back sessions are slated to draw some incredible crowds and the networking and education will be at its absolute best.  Can’t wait!  I’ll have more about both of these from the scene next week and then of course the week after, my rundown of who’s who at the event.  Then in early April, Glass Expo Northeast takes place and the great Andrew Haring will be holding court there bringing the gospel of the glass world’s leading education process- MyGlassClass to the region.  Later in the month, I am absolutely blown away to be speaking at Top Glass in suburban Toronto.  I have been a fan of this event for years (Glass Canada Magazine does a tremendous job), and to be able to attend AND speak is just awesome.  I love the glass community throughout Canada, and to be at a big-time event like that will memorable.  And last but not least, early May has me back in my favorite state… the great state of Texas, at their bi-annual Texas Glass Conference.  This event put on by the incredible people of the Texas Glass Association never fails. I love being a part of it, and this year aside from the education and networking, they’re having a special guest speaker in Kris Paronto.  Kris is known for his amazing heroism in the siege of the US Embassy in Libya in 2012.  If you’ve seen the movie “13 Hours” that it.  So get ready for some quality “normal” along with learning and networking as we push ahead!  And if you are in any of these regions, get to these events- they’ll be worth your time!

Elsewhere…

 

--  Next Architectural Billings Index drops this week.  I keep predicting it to be negative (and obviously hoping it’s not) but I do think this one will be below the magic number of 50.  Too many trends working in the wrong direction have caught up- but that metric has been pretty resilient, so we will see and I’ll have it for you here next week. 

 

--  A few weeks ago, I wrote here about the inflation aspect of things and how packaging was off for me, that I could tell less was in some of the products I commonly buy.  Well, I wasn’t crazy, Quartz magazine dug into and had some interesting takeaways… check it out… “Shrinkflation” is the term I guess. 

 

--  I love Orlando, and I am in and out of there quite a bit.  They have a new terminal being built and it will be completed soon (glass and metal on it?  No idea- speak up folks) Anyway I ran into this article on the new tech aspects of the terminal.  It looks intense BUT could there be a WORSE place to try super high-tech things on travelers than Orlando?  90% of the travelers there are families who are already stressed and not travel savvy.  Something tells me that this terminal for all of its bells and whistles is going to have some serious growing pains.

 

--  Jim Evans of BidClips won the internet last week with this absolutely hilarious bit on calling on customers in our current age.  I am an unabashed fan of Jim and his company and this messaging really was super.  

 

--  Just a random question- is there any product segment hotter right now than Bird Friendly?  I know laminated glass overall is hit, but to me it feels like Bird Friendly is just on a rocket ship right now.  Really amazing growth there and good on our industry to be really open and positive about it all. 

 

--  Last this week… A few new TV choices for you… 2 documentaries and one cheesy series.  First the Docs… Dream/Killer was about a young man wrongly jailed and spent 10 years in prison while his Dad and others fought to get him out.  The guy just appeared on this season of the Amazing Race too.  Was well done.  On Netflix.  Also on Netflix, “Downfall” which is the backstory on Boeing and the 737 Max tragedies.  This one will get your fired up and shows where cutting corners can have serious consequences.  The series is “Winning Time” on HBO and it’s about the 80’s LA Lakers.  It’s very cheesy but well done and if you are at all a sports fan, you should like it.  The only thing missing so far is super Laker fan Joe Carlos making a cameo.  I expect that soon!  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Fascinating story on a Chick-fil-A that is too busy.  I mean I have experienced it but they’re the most efficient operators around and if anyone will figure it out- its them

 

Stealing Gas. Just a matter of time before this started to happen.  And will get worse!

 

I’ve gotten into the wrong Uber twice.  Including one that WASN’T an Uber (ouch- in the early days of Uber) but this was the AirBNB version of that….

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

To California, and Architectural Glass & Aluminum (AGA) and this project at UC San Diego.  This is Franklin Antonio Hall and its almost complete and its pretty awesome to look at.  Great work by AGA and all of their partners (no glass or metal folks were listed- come on, gotta give those guys the love!)  including the design team of Perkins & Will.  Congrats to AGA on this project and way to make our world look great to students at UCSD!

 

The Pains of Labor

In all of the scary things happening right now, the one that brings the most worry but probably gets the least overall attention is our shortage on the workforce.  Maybe the lack of overall concern is because it’s been a problem for a while but we really need to ram up our efforts to address it.   Why am I bringing it up again?   Recently the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) put out a notice that we are short 650,000 construction workers.  650 THOUSAND. Here are the details. Ouch.    That number is insane.  It really is time for us to start going harder into the secondary schools (the gang from MyShowerDoor and D3 were early into this process) and also being aggressive in promoting how cool our industry is. (I think folks like Matt Verderamo at Alliance Exterior Construction get it)  Little things like in your job ads show the beauty of the work, the difference that glass and glazing make, and why this is a trade that truly can stand out vs. all others.  Time to think outside the box too- they’ll be discussions on this at BEC, but we’re gonna need more creativity to get past what is coming our way.  We are battling so many things, but if we don’t have folks to make and install the material- nothing else matters.  

Elsewhere…

 

--  We just wrapped Women in Construction week and I was really impressed with all of the action and focus online for it.  We really are blessed with a ton of talent in this industry and I loved learning more about some of the women that are making a huge difference in our space.  The National Glass Association on LinkedIn had smart and quick Q&A’s with some awesome influencers so if you don’t follow the NGA on LinkedIn- go there now, follow, and catch up on the details.  Andrew Haring though took the prize (as he always does) with this ultra-cool story about the strong women at Rountree Glass.  Check it out…. 

 

--  If you missed my podcast when it dropped last week please catch it now.  I appreciate the feedback that comes in to- like this week noting Matt Price’s cool voice, Julie Schimmelpenningh’s cool past (which thankfully did not pay) and Ron Crowls’ very cool choices for favorite athletes. All of that plus really great insight and lessons.  Thanks again for checking it out and supporting!

 

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AUDIO

 

--  Congrats to DFI and Q Railing on a smart collaboration.  DFI will supply their coating on the Q Railing systems- nice connection between some very cool people on both sides.  Congrats on the arrangement!

--  Latest Dodge Momentum Index was up in February which I think we could all feel and appreciate.  The key now is seeing how that trend continues given some of the outside pressures with supply chain and of course the Ukraine situation.  Obviously as I noted above our labor deal is perilous.  But inflation and war are obvious massive concerns as we move forward. 

 

--  I was really pumped to see the list of some of the folks attending GPAD.  A mix of strong established fabricators and then some really smart up and coming ones. Neat to see people that want to really better themselves stepping up.  That will be strong event and I am excited to experience the sessions and learn from some of the best in the world.  Time is running out but if you are a fabricator- I’d get on board HERE 

 

--  Sad to see the passing of Gyo Obata the original “O” in the legendary HOK architectural firm.  The effect that Gyo had on design in our country was unbelievable and his accomplishments will be appreciated til the end of time.  This was a nice look back and tribute to a tremendous person and leader. 

 

--  Last this week I mentioned on my podcast that the TV show “Reacher” on Amazon was a fun one to watch- a real good “treadmill” show that is a lot of good action and detail that makes you not realize you’re exercising.  Check it out and a thank you to Jen Friess of Guardian Glass for the heads up on it- and obviously Jen has the juice since Reacher was the #1 streamed show in the US last week…. (or that many people caught my mention on the podcast…hmmmm)

 

LINKS of the WEEK

A nasty invasion of spiders are coming?  Nope for me!

 

The internet can be great for people to waste time.  This is an example

Cougar right outside your doorwall?  Yeah if I lived there I’d have serious hard core protective glazing in that spot!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Pennsylvania is the place and thanks to a post from Glass Enterprises for pointing out this beauty. One Montgomery Plaza is the project and it turned out great.  According to the Glass Enterprises LinkedIn post, GEI fabricated with National Glass & Metal doing the install.  This was a 2-year renovation/retrofit project and those are never easy but looks like these folks knocked it out of the park!  Fantastic!  Congrats to Josh Burg and his team at Glass Enterprises and Joe Clabbers and the gang at National Glass & Metal on an awesome effort that makes our industry look spectacular. 

Well that was a BIG week

That was a busy week eh?  Not every day the week starts with a 3.4 billion dollar deal and it will be very interesting to see how things progress there.  I’ll dig in more on that in a second but first, I have something waaaaay more valuable than that deal… Episode 3 of the 2^nd season of the From the Fabricator podcast is out and I have 3 billion dollar guests….  So this month very lucky to get 3 people who have blazed some serious trails in our world.  Kicking off with Matt Price of MPS and Armor-Guard- this is a guy is pure hustle and grit and coming with important products for our space.  Then on to the legend Julie Schimmelpenningh and she does not disappoint- her takes on the market, growth of laminated and what’s ahead are only a small part of a really fun conversation.  Last this month, Ron Crowl of FeneTech joins me and we get the low down on his path, Klay Thompson, GPAD and more.  Neat range of folks all doing very good and very important work in our industry!

To watch CLICK HERE

To listen CLICK HERE or find it on whatever podcast app you like- Apple, Spotify etc.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Ok so the deal I was alluding to above was Oldcastle being sold for 3.4 billion and by now everyone has all of the details and info and I am sure more to come with the crack team at Glass Magazine working on it all.  Backing up a bit- I knew the due diligence was in full gear but I thought we were maybe a couple weeks away from this being done.  So I was a bit surprised when I got the heads up in the middle of the night Sunday into Monday that this was done.  Lots of tires were kicked here and I think a lot of people who had no idea what a curtain wall or tempered glass is learned about our world. Now with the deal final, as I always say in these spots, my hope is the new owners embrace the industry and keep up or even grow what the previous owners did.  So that is a big one for me.  Obviously, the thing everyone asks is “what’s going to happen, will this be carved up, what changes are planned?” and my answer is right now is it will be business as usual.  There are great people at OBE who will integrate with the new owners and for now things will run as expected and then we’ll see where the next moves fall.  But I’d be stunned if anything “big” happens for a while.  So this is a sit back and monitor sort of thing and now with a few other companies for sale, is it possible that those who lost out on OBE will be buyers there?  Stay tuned…

 

--  Congrats to the team at Billco for adding the 1^st ever Glass Industry MVP, Tracy Rogers to their ranks.  Great addition to the team- Tracy is a strong performer, smart as heck and will bring a ton of value to the team.  Pumped that this could mean we’ll see Tracy (along with the great Jay Campbell) at events like BEC, GPAD and GlassBuild too because he knows the value is so crucial (and can’t miss) and now I’ll get to chat with him there.  Congrats to all involved!

 

--  Speaking of events- your friendly reminder to get signed up for BEC (HERE) and GPAD (HERE) and you may even get invited to a party or 3.  Heck I even got a dinner invite and was invited to 2 offsite receptions despite the fact that those who know me know I am as anti-social as they come- but for BEC and GPAD I actually go out… may not stay out- but I actually go… so come on- be there!

 

--  Missed this but saw that the days of any sort of Blackberry phone are now done.  Between no more software support and now the demise of 3G, the beloved Blackberry- if you still have one- is going to be obsolete.  I loved my Blackberry.  Never thought I’d use anything else.  Wild the way the world changed on them.  An amazing book was written about what happened to Blackberry- it’s a few years old now but an awesome read nonetheless.  “Losing the Signal” by 

Jacquie McNish & Sean Silcoff well worth it if you like rise and fall business stories…

 

--  Last this week… inflation.  Pure misery. Has anyone else noted that not only does most food items cost more but they are coming in smaller quantities or packaging not coming close to containing the normal or advertised amount.  This whole stretch we are in is a mess and I don’t see it getting better.  Just a tough one all around.  And I didn't even mention gas prices....

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Pretty dire stuff for Northern California predicted… wow.  

 

This will end up going big time.  Though will be interesting to see what Disney does.

 

Surely a security issue at this jail.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

From the LinkedIn feed of Denise Baker at Spring Glass… this one will be a showstopper when done!  Looking good already.  Ft Bend High School.  Hurricane Impact glass- no mention of fabricator or primary- but glass looks awesome and of course the install is strong!  Congrats to Denise and team on an "in the works" beauty here!

One More Month

One month.  That is it.  One month away until we meet in Nashville for BEC and GPAD.  These two tremendous conferences will get 2022 kicked into full gear and I am seriously stoked.  Have you looked at the agendas and people involved in both events?  It is loaded with interesting and important content for a massive majority of our industry.  Then add in the primo networking and you have a trip to Nashville that absolutely must happen for you.  Take a look at BEC HERE and GPAD HERE and if you have any questions or curiosities on the events hit me up!

 

Elsewhere….

 

--  On GPAD did you catch the webinar this past week?  If not, click HERE.  Good rundown in a short period on how tech can make a difference in your plant, the crucial need for visibility, and what smart companies, ones that are on the move are doing these days in the glass fab space.  Plus key insights on where the business “really” gets done.  Really good stuff from Ron Crowl and Syndi Sim.  Check it out then get to Nashville for more. 

 

--  Sad news to report- the passing of Pete Munoz.  He was a staple of the southern California glass scene for more than 60 years.  My pal Dan Pompeo, owner of the super rep firm Architectural Glazing Solutions gave me the heads up on this one and Dan, like the class act he is, wanted to make sure the industry was aware of Pete’s passing and his positive effect on the industry and family.  Condolences to Pete’s family and friends, he surely will be missed.

 

--  On the good news side, congrats to Michael Saroka of Goldray Glass on his promotion to CEO there.  The previous CEO Cathie Saroka is moving to the spot of Executive Chair.  This is great news for all involved.  Goldray has been an absolute juggernaut out there and Michael has been a massive part of that- so him moving up makes tons of sense.  Cathie will still be in tune to what’s happening so the transition surely will be smart and fluid.  Also great news for the industry as Michael brings a great level of passion and focus to our world, which is always appreciated.  Congrats to Michael and Cathie!

 

--  The latest Architectural Billings Index came out this week and was a match to the previous month rating of 51.  With that,  this forward looking index continues to hang in there and be positive despite some rumblings to the contrary out there.  One of the biggest rumblings are the combo of price escalation and supply chain disruption and both are a big duo of destruction that we all have to continue to manage.  Those alone do give off some worry, but so far the positive beat goes on. 

 

--  Have you watched Ozark by chance?  Way back in season 1, there was a great comment during a scene where the main characters were looking at new office space and the talk turned to solar heat gain and comfort.  I mentioned it here on how I was impressed by the accurate lingo.  Well, this season they went a step further.  Once again the characters were looking at office space and again they talked specifics in windows- going as far as noting the windows were “thermochromic” – that almost threw me off the treadmill.  I assume now that Tom Donovan of Thompson IG may be a writer on the show…. I’ll have to ask him at BEC.

 

--  Last this week… the best small cities to live in… according to the story HERE, WalletHub analyzed 1,200 cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 and ranked the best ones to live in based on 43 key indicators of livability.  Here are your top 10 with my comments of course. 

10- Redmond, WA – I guess I gotta ask the gang from Herzog Glass if they agree on this

9- Cedar Park, TX- I thought I knew the great state of Texas but do not know this one.  Given its near Austin I am guessing I can’t afford to live there.

8- South Lake, TX- Aware of this one and darn nice from what I can remember

7- Brentwood, TN- Another new one for me- I need to get out more.

6- Milton, MA- I am a huge Barstool Sports guy and I believe Milton is where their first office was.  So that is a win in my book.  

5- Sugar Land, TX- I knew Texas was awesome but this list is surely locking that distinction down.

4- Needham, MA- Surprised on this one- will need a New Englander to enlighten me

3- Carmel, IN- Hey I love Indiana and love Indiana basketball (sorry Matt Verderamo and Purdue folks)

2- Lexington, MA- If you told me Massachusetts would have 3 in the top 10 here I would’ve said no way.  Wow.

And the #1 small city… SAMMAMISH, WASHINGTON.  Now I think a few industry folk live here – just not sure.  But I know I have been through there and it was nice… so there’s that.

Overall, I am stunned at that top 10.  Would’ve expected a South Carolina city in there and for sure a Florida city.   You know me I love these lists…..

 

LINKS of the WEEK

This is a brutal one- a one foot mistake caused an entire house to be torn down.  Man details do matter but I think in some cases, especially if not safety issues are involved, there has to be leeway.

 

Those rare times the internet is used for good!

 

Well this is a fitting story for an Olympics no-one watched or cared about.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Usually when it comes to promoting projects on LinkedIn from Guardian Glass Alan Kinder is the undisputed king.  But he’s got a new one coming for the crown.  Steven Versland came to play with this project – the Stack Office Building.  It is a beauty in the hot and happening Deep Ellum district.  Great work on the glass by Guardian Glass and the install from Denison Glass & Mirror.  No mention of the fabricator, so maybe someone will jump into the LinkedIn comments to claim credit there.  Kudos to 5G Studio Collaborative on the design!  Coongrats to all involved and now Mr. Kinder, next move (or post) is all yours. 

 

Topping Off

I teased it on the post last week that this time out I would talk about something I got to do for the very first time while on a tour of Florida with NGA’s iconic #glassnerd Andrew Haring.  We were invited to a “topping off” or “topping out” celebration by the great Ashley Klein of AK Glazing.  I had never been to one of these and really had not known what it was about.  It turned out to be a tremendous experience on a few levels.  So basically a “topping off” is when the last beam of a structure is hoisted into place a top of the building.  The beam is signed and decorated by all of the trades and a small tree is placed on the beam as well to signify everlasting life (though in looking up the meanings there are some disputes here). Anyway, the beam lift is a part of it, but it is also a celebration of the hard work done to date by the trades on the building and opportunity to recognize those folks properly.  Lunch is served and fun raffles are held.  It truly was a positive experience. My ceremony was at high rise in West Palm Beach and I sat amongst hundreds of incredible tradespeople and the amazing AK Glazing team.  The vibe was unreal.  People enjoying themselves and also hoping their raffle came in (when a 70” TV was up for it, the cheers were super bowl like) I watched Ashley as she worked the room, talking to all of the trades and developing current and future collaboration angles.  It was surely impressive.  Ashley has built AK into a high-performance operation that really stands out and makes our industry look great.  Seriously the potential there is off the charts.  Anyway, being in the group was so energizing.  Everyone happy and also gearing up for the next set of work to go on the project.  The last beam was in but the job is not done yet, so this was a time to refresh and recharge.  It was an honor to be there and thank you to Ashley and her team for the hospitality! 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  The most current edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is up and if you missed it please check it out!  Great guests with some education, insight, product, forecast knowledge being shared throughout.  Also one note- on the interview with Shelly Farmer, the amount of Trex railing at SoFi Stadium was 73,000 feet.  Incredible project!

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AUDIO

 

--  By the way- I have commented on GPAD but the NGA has a good way to learn more… check out the webinar “What Exactly IS GPAD & Why is it Important for Your Business?” That happens later this week on 2/24 1PM ET – If you are fabricator you NEED to be there. Hosted by a powerhouse trio of Nicole Harris, Ron Crowl, and Syndi Sim makes it even more of a must.  Sign up for webinar HERE

 

--  Congrats time... first to my pal Rich Porayko…. He just celebrated his 15^th year in business!  Way back when he was 13 years old he founded Construction Creative and now look at him!  LOL.  Seriously though Rich is awesome and great part of the culture of industry!  Congrats on 15 and here’s to many more.  And by the way if you need glass related gear- Rich is the guy- see it all HERE.

 

--  Next Congrats to Michael Spellman and the team at IGE Glass Technologies on their newest line addition in SYSTRON.  Those who know me know I love automation and big-time processing solutions and once again Michael nailed it with this addition. Michael invented/changed the game once in this space and he’ll probably do it again here.  Will be a fun one to see in action in the glass fabrication space.

 

--  How about the fact that I picked the Super Bowl winner again (online yes, in magazine no.  So we’ll just forget about the magazine one eh, that was old too). The LA Rams came through… Amazing to be right for the 2^nd year in a row!  Also this year commercials were actually pretty good, though if you’re not getting an electric car and buying it with Crypto then you’re obviously way behind the times.  I have zero clue on Crypto by the way… I know those who are in it, love it, but it’s all a blur to me.

 

--  Last this week… as you may know 2022 is the International Year of Glass and things are already rolling with more to come.  The NGA has a nice home page for all things IYOG – so check that out HERE.  Exciting to see so many from around the world showing the adoration and respect for the product the runs our lives…. (at least most of us in this industry!)

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Some car dealers are having worse supply chain issues than others.  Ouch 

 

Road warriors- check out the potential business class on narrow body planes.  Nice.  Now I am scared to see what the coach class looks like though!

 

This tree is growing inside the building and is not going to be stopped!

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Aragon Construction is one of those rock star organizations in our world and this week the Project of the Week spotlight is on them.  This is the “Produce LA” project and according to a post from Aragon it features “a binary sequence of single and double wide alternating panels of curtain wall and corrugated metal panels. The planing view reveals a shingled sawtooth that rises & falls at varying floor lines, making the facade coordination, attachment and waterproofing a modern feat.”  Yeah I’d say so! CONGRATS to the Aragon team on a job well done!

Podcast, Travel, and Super Jobs

The 2^nd.edition of Season 2 of the From the Fabricator podcast is now out for your listening/watching pleasure!  This was an interesting one with a mix of people from all over our country to also different roles and responsibilities.  Kicking it off was the very talented David Corle of HMI Glass.  Great background and approach on all and just love the thirst for learning all the time that David promotes. Then Shelly Farmer of Trex Commercial Products joined and she has always been one of my all-time favorites. Shelly is easily one of the best all-around sales leads in our world and her drive is epic.  Next a quick look at a piece of innovation that is changing the way the glaziers in the field work. It’s a small invention but pretty powerful in its ability to help efficiency and health- hear from a couple of great glaziers (Matt Luck and Rudd Willis) who developed the Laser Lens Gambit Tape.  Last but certainly not least, the sharp Nick St. Denis of KMR joined the podcast to talk forecasts both past and present (some great nuggets for going forward) and really creating very needed data in a space that desperately needs it. Overall really fun and different cast with tons of takeaways.  Thanks again for checking it all out!

Watch the VIDEO

Listen to the AUDIO  (also on Apple and Spotify etc.) 

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Had the great fortune of traveling through Florida this week with the ultimate #GlassNerd and legend Andrew Haring of the National Glass Association.  A few quick hits here and then a special rundown about a 1^stexperience ever for me on next week’s blog.   Saw several amazing people and companies and really had me fired up about the present and future of our industry.  Here’s just a sampling.   Kristin Thomas and her team at Tab Glass are top notch and class acts through and through.  Really impressed by their approach and mission.  Just chatting with them on their experiences in the field was something that fired me up- they “get it” and represent our space beautifully.  Loved seeing the Daubmann family and team at their D3 Glass operation.  It easily ranks as one of the nicest full line fabricators I have ever seen.  I was in awe of the “all-star” grouping of machinery (h/t to Andrew for coining that term) and the flow and layout of the plant was incredibly impressive.  The Daubmann’s are master marketers but they’re also premium operators with a tremendous team. Plus they really are wonderful caring people on our industry and more.  Last, Privacy Glass Solutions is a company I have followed and they blossomed into an absolute force in the areas that they play in.  Their expanded operation left me speechless- what Kevin Roth has done there in the Blinds Between Glass, Switchable Smart Glass, and Deco side is off the charts and growing- add in an incredibly sharp COO in Jamie Clingan (who has turbo charged things there) and the recipe for more serious success is in play. More on my trip next week!

 

--  On my podcast Nick St. Denis talked about the 2022 outlook and the AIA also weighed in with their consensus report.  They put out their info twice a year, once at the start and once in the middle and the initial take can be found here.  A few rough spots but really some seriously positive numbers especially headed into 2023.

 

--  If you are a glass fabricator are you ready to handle more work?  Or are you able to even handle what you have now?  I can’t stress enough the need then to get to GPAD next month in Nashville.  For what BEC is to the glazing community, GPAD is for the fabricators.  The info that will be shared there, along with supply chain options and serious networking WILL make a difference in your operation.  Learn more and be there.

 

--  Last this week… love when I see our industry in the news and same goes here from a piece in Crains Detroit on the rebuild at the old Michigan Central Station.  Super Sky is doing a ton of work there and I was able to see that in person but this article goes deep into all the work that is being done there.  Joe Lucchese is one of the best manufacturers reps in our world and he has been on fire with this project and deserves kudos for keeping our industry in the right places there.  When this one is done- we’ll revisit- but congrats to Super Sky, Joe and all involved!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

I get picked on because all I most eat these days is chicken.  But my gosh this is wildness!

 

I guess this eco cabin is a good ad for glass?

 

The home buying market continues to be bananas.. part 348

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

While in Florida this week I got to visit Faour Glass.  They did they did a job that is the centerpiece of Disney Springs a favorite destination of mine.  It is the Coca Cola store and I always have been in awe of the glass work there but to get the background from Faour AND see a part of the original mock up at their shop was unbelievable.  This job is incredible and one of many that Faour has absolutely delivered beyond belief on...  congrats to them on great work here and elsewhere- truly makes our industry look strong and brilliant!

 

Quick Takes

Everyone staying warm?  What a run over the last few weeks that even folks in Florida saw some crazy temps.  Anyway things will be heating up soon with a lot going on in our industry on tap.  This week’s post is a quick hitter style with some catch up items leading the way.

 

--  Next week will be the 2nd edition of season 2 of the From the Fabricator podcast and it’s a fun and different one with regards to the guest lineup.  Some fascinating and innovative people joined me, and we covered a wide range of subjects.  Looking forward to wrapping it up and getting it out next week!

 

--  Glass Magazine review time… this is the 2022 Forecast issue and once again Katy Devlin, Norah Dick and team knocked it out of the park!  So much good in there but if you haven’t checked out the daylight and views section, do that right away.  Articles from amazing thought leaders like Dr. Helen Sanders, Lisa Heschong, and Adam Mitchell are fantastic reads.

 

--  The ad of the month race is always a tough one to choose but this month is tougher because it’s a packed issue ad wise, and everyone brought their “A” game.   However only one winner and that is GGI and the “Max” glass board piece.  Obviously, I love the name but really the ad pops in so many ways and it does what was intended- makes you stop, look, and read.  Congrats to the GGI team on an excellent piece of marketing there! 

 

--  The latest from Gilbane on the supply chain is out and our industry stayed the same from last month with ratings of stabilizing (price) contracting (inventories) and delayed (deliveries).  I do expect some ratings changes next month in at least 2 of the 3 categories, so we will see.  Note, once again every single trade is listed as “delayed” on deliveries, so we are truly not alone.

 

--  Congrats to Rustin Cassway, President of MyGlassTruck on celebrating his 33^rd year in business.  Rustin is truly an industry original and he changed the truck rack landscape in his tenure there.  Also he made many GlassBuild’s more memorable while raising a ton of money for charity.  Good man and here’s to many more years in our universe!

 

--  Kudos to the team at Global Security Glass on the nice write up they received for a prison job in Utah.  It can be found here, and I point it out mostly because this article shows off the glass product in such a powerful and positive way.  Detention glazing surely is not a big newsy item but I thought this effort deserved extra pub.

 

--  Also a good read from Intelligent Glass Solutions Magazine on the “Healing Power of Glass”- once again our materials are a heck of a lot better than some folks out there think.  We continue to make the world a better place! H/T to the United Architectural Metals LinkedIn feed where I first saw it.

 

--  I saw a stat this week on year over year job openings.   Obviously in our industry we have quite a few- especially on plant floors and out at jobsites.  This survey had our world in the manufacturing sector which has 66% more jobs open than a year ago.  Hospitality has 72% more jobs open than last year and transportation 90% more open!  But the one that stunned me?  The insurance world has 88% more job openings into 2022 than they did in 2021.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that industry was that rough for finding people.

 

--  Last this week… Super Bowl kicks off Sunday… Rams and Bengals.  So to go back some… in the pages of Glass Magazine (the one linked above) I picked the Ravens to win it all.  That was written when they Ravens were 8-3.  They then lost every single game after…. Anyway, fast forward to my blog of 1/9/22 where I picked the Rams over the Titans to win.  So amazingly I am still alive… will the Rams winning come through and for the 2^nd year in a row (I picked the Bucs last year) and this blog will have picked the winner?  We’ll see… I do love Joe Burrow though, he’s from the great city of Athens, Ohio and so my heart is with him too.  Either way hopefully we get a good game!

 

LINKS of the WEEK

Not sure I'd want my police force to do this all the time, but very cool still.

 

When marketing goes very wrong….

 

100% they did this on purpose or staged it for social media content.  That is our world now.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

Jan Hulin of Q Railing usually posts a ton of neat projects so it’s tough to choose, but this one I think stands out a bit.  This was on Jan’s feed last month and its Waterline Square in New York and it shows off where glass can be an excellent complement in the most grand of scenarios.  Plus this space is underground so light is needed wherever you can get it- meaning glass is a must.  The design from Jaroff Design is amazing and Q really delivered with their systems.  Bent glass from Glasshape looks super too.  Congrats Jan and Q team on a job well done!

Plan It Now

Have you registered for BEC and GPAD yet?  Those of you who have attended these conferences know the value and I assume you’ll be signing on soon.  But let’s say you have not attended and have no idea what the fuss is about… let me take you through it.  BEC is an incredible networking and educational experience.  The chance to learn and understand what the challenges are that the glazing community faces and be able to network with that space is what makes this so special.  I believe this year is my 20^thBEC (my brain is mush so not positive) and it has never failed to deliver something new to me with info or people wise.  If you are a glazier you need to be there to be ahead of the game.  If you supply a glazier you need to be there to see and understand what’s happening on that side of the ball.  Click HERE to learn more.  Meanwhile GPAD- also known as Glass Processing and Automation Days is a must attend event if you are a fabricator of glass.  With the challenges of labor and efficiency more severe than ever, getting to an event like this, where you can learn about the next level of machinery and software is crucial to your future.  Glass fabricators that are serious about improving themselves attend this conference and grow positively because of it.  Click HERE for more information and on GPAD and note that agenda will continue to be updated…. Seriously folks, these are events that can’t be missed! Plan it now and I'll see you there!

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  Big news from our world with the word that Chris Dolan of Guardian Glass is retiring.  Chris has had a massive influence on how we do things and the products we use each and every day.  Those of you newer to the business may not realize that Chris was a significant player in getting the Guardian SunGuard glass line launched, pushed, and now utilized all over the place.  When he took that responsibility on it that was a massive job and he aced it.  Now I know Chris well enough that he’ll deflect all credit and props but his efforts were big time substantial.  In fact, I would go as far as saying that on the Mount Rushmore of Guardian Glass it would be Mr. Davidson, Russ Ebeid, Joe Bruce (someone who many do not realize was a force in so many ways there) and Chris Dolan.  Without Chris’ efforts I honestly don’t think Guardian is where it is now with regards to respect, reputation, and standing in the market.  I am so happy for him, and thrilled to see him get ready to go off and enjoy the next chapter in his life! 

 

--  I sat in on a construction outlook call this week and really no major new ground was covered.  Labor issues and inflation continue to be the focus… Price escalation and volatility is getting people in some serious trouble, so folks please do what you can do to protect yourself and make sure your communication and paperwork are the best it can be.  As for the inflation and labor worries, the analysts feel that the inflation angle will eventually calm but there is not a great hope on the labor issue. We all have experienced labor being bad, but its surely getting worse.  And thus another reason why getting to BEC and GPAD is so immense because these areas will get addressed/discussed.

 

--  One of my favorite annual contests is back and open for nominations.  It’s the Eastman Vanceva World of Color contest.  I love this one because it shows off so many unique and interesting projects and usage of laminated glass.  So check it out and get your projects submitted!

 

--  Last this week, some big news on the manufacturer rep side…. One of the best rep firms in our world is Rowe Fenestration and they announced that they’ll be taking on Peerless Architectural Windows and Doors.  This is big news since Rowe Fen has really set the market table in their region and bringing this line on surely is a disruption.  Leave it to the legend Scott Rowe to always keep people on their toes!! Congrats to Rowe and Peerless (whom I know very little, but something tells me with the Rowe machine and the great Lindsey Parker pushing, I’ll know a ton soon) on this new deal.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

--  Pretty fascinating story on a 7-foot guy showing off his perspective from that height.

 

--  I feel like I learned something when I read about a metal plan melting on a glass cook top

 

--  Long story but interesting and heavy at points on a home bought that was once a plantation with slaves. 

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

A few months back I stumbled onto the feed of Ty Clem of Global Fabrication and then connected with him. He posts (and does) some awesome work and this job in particular really delivered.  This is the Tulsa City-County Central Library and it is something to adore. According to Ty’s post it features cassette wall cubes from England (I think I know the brand but Ty didn’t mention on post and I don’t want erroneously guess) along with Kawneer curtainwall, tons of all glass entrances and TGP fire rated glass- which happens to be in the largest fire rated wall in the state.  NICE! Congrats Ty and Global Fabrication on a job well done!!

 

 

2022 Prediction Time

After a one-week delay, my fearless predictions for 2022 are here.  Let’s go…

Yes- Interior Growth this year- I called for Glass to be more dominant than ever in 2021 based in part to major design shifts to the interior using more glass.  Unfortunately, the delay of returning to any sort of work also delayed this growth.  Well, I am going for it in 2022, interiors with tons of glass will take off.

More 8mm- The trend really started to push with more 8mm glass in IGU’s then the traditional 6mm, and I think in 2022, it’s going to become more standard than ever.  Bigger sizes are demanding this and the quality options improve too.  (Though some tempering ovens will need upgraded and a bigger need for quality tracking because of this for sure.) The days of 6 over 6 as the ONLY go to are coming to an end.

Rough waters for some- We are going to lose some businesses this year.  I hope not, but my fear is the amount of crazy pricing, supply chain issues, and plain old bad luck will doom some folks.  This is one prediction I hope is wrong, but I have a bad feeling about this mostly because some businesses were not as organized as they needed to be or funded as well as they needed to be for them to ride out a monumental mess that certain things became.  We will see…

Code Crunch- The various code and guideline bodies have been pretty mellow lately which means I think we are about to see them raise up.  What will it be though?  Less glass or call for higher performing glass options?  I am confident that the brilliant NGA Superhero Code team will do all they can to keep glass flowing but I think they’re going to be awfully busy this year battling other construction segments. 

More than 1 big deal is coming- We know there are a few massive companies for sale in our industry and I think in 2022 more than 1 will actually get sold.  One of these deals will turn the industry on its head too either in who it is sold to or how it is broken up/restructured.   This is just a guess, I don’t have any intel yet, just a feel is all.  I just hope whoever makes these deals wants to do right by the industry as a whole.  Be involved with the NGA, GlassBuild etc.  We need to keep that rolling to keep our overall industry healthy and headed in the right direction.

 

Elsewhere…

 

--  If you missed my podcast from last week- please check it out.  Three incredible guests in Nicole Harris, Tara Brummet, and Andy Russo and all with tons of insight and angles.  

For VIDEO  

For AUDIO

 

--  I am happy to say I was wrong on my prediction that the latest Architectural Billings Index would be underwater this month.  The latest came in at a winning 52.0 actually up one point from last month.  So, despite the bad “feel” out there the metrics came together on the positive side.  The analysis of the report showed some concern with staffing and holes in the market but otherwise hard to quibble with this streak we are on…

 

--  Congrats to the team at International Revolving Door (Led by Whitney and Josh Kratochvil) on the launch of their tremendous new website.  Check it out here- and love the headline “YOU KNOW WHERE TO TURN” when it’s on a revolving door site- cool. Well done team!

 

--  I really enjoyed seeing two of my favorite people combine on a cool blog post… John Wheaton and Matt Verderamo go back and forth on fasteners and engineering- so for me who is clueless on so many things technically- it was an intriguing dive into the minds of two really brilliant engineers.  Good work guys!

 

--  Last this week… the Daubmann family (MY Shower Door and D3) was back in the news as they met with United States Senator Rick Scott on the state of the supply chain.  I love that these folks consistently get in the conversation at high levels and elevate our industry along the way.  The report on the meeting can be found here and I am sure this is just the start of more dialogue that our world will be a part of thanks to the efforts of folks like Bill and Keith.  

 

LINKS of the WEEK

This should be filed in the “don’t we have better things to do” category.

 

Here we go again… Google Glasses are back!

 

Brutal story of robbery gone bad and more.  Wow.

 

PROJECT of the WEEK

One of my favorites in this world is Rick Alexander of Tom Brown.  Smart as heck and nice guy too.  He turned me on to a project that his company worked on with a technology I never heard of and it opened my eyes to something pretty darn amazing.  Check this project out from INOVUES.  This is their non-invasive, overglaze window retrofit system, named Glazing Shield™, that provides the same benefits of window replacement at a fraction of the cost and time, and without disruption.  READ this release for the details and more images- very impressive and intense.  Also impressive was their leadership (Anas Al Kassas and Alex King) team which I got to speak to thanks to Rick and a podcast appearance is coming soon.  Fascinating story and product line!