G3: Industry insiders talk glass

Commercial

Paul Main, vice president, regional manager, Southwest region, Trainor Glass Co., Alsip, Ill.

I'm looking forward to [the Glazing Executives Forum] and GlassBuild America in Las Vegas. The GEF is a great opportunity for glazing contractors to learn and network with peers from across the industry. Jason Baumgarten from [FMI Corp., Raleigh, N.C.,] will present on managing labor costs, and Jeff Dietrich [senior analyst with the Institute for Trend Research, Concord, N.H.,] returns with his forecast for the construction industry and the economy in general. (See Closer Look for more on Dietrich's presentation). Both are timely topics in the current business environment. … I think everyone who attends takes away new ideas that they can put to practical use in their business and career. There are topics of interest to everyone, whatever size of your company may be. I find the active participation to be the most valuable part of GEF. We put aside our competitive instincts, and a spirit of co-operation and shared interest takes over.

Retail

Ron Knopp, owner, Pacific Mirror & Glass, Kapaa, Hawaii

We are looking for new and innovative glass, techniques and products that will benefit our customers. Because Hawaii is so isolated from the mainstream glass industry, we actively try to seek out new products to expand what we offer to the commercial and residential arenas. GlassBuild America enables us to discuss our projects and issues, and establish a personal connection with our suppliers by meeting with them face-to-face, which ultimately benefits our customers.

Fabrication

Steve Coonen, BIPV consultant, Grass Valley, Calif.

I hope to come away from GlassBuild with a sense of urgency from the glass and glazing industry as it relates to both energy efficiency and integrated photovoltaics. Both are front-burner topics for the current administration and carry both funding sources as well as customers with them.

The first, energy efficiency, provides the ability to slowing down your customers utility meter through the use of less energy. The second, integrated photovoltaics, brings a capacity to generate energy within the glazing products used on building skins every day. With GlassBuild bringing together all of the major glass industry players under one roof, an opportunity exists to take advantage of large federal incentive programs -- many states have them as well -- to deploy glazing products with lower U-values and lower SHGC along with the generation of kilowatt hours.

I am excited to find the glass industry taking advantage of an incentive program that satisfies a customer needs, both economically and socially.