From the fabricator: GreenBuild on tap

The big show this week is Greenbuild 2010 in Chicago. This show has grown dramatically over the years and is now becoming a place for people to roll out new products, mostly because the media still finds being "green" very sexy. In any case, like all other shows, the key is measuring the attitude of where our economy is going and getting a feel for morale. In addition--with this show specifically--it will be fun to see if the average age of the attendees goes beyond the mid 20's. The floor traffic at the last few Greenbuild shows has been dominated by that age group, and that is probably one drawback to this event: you sometimes don't reach the level of decision maker that you crave. So, we'll be there for one day and I'll report back next week...

Elsewhere...

• Speaking of Greenbuild 2010, Sage Electrochromics will be there and they'll have more bounce in their step than normal. As you may have seen, Sage had huge news last week when it announced that Saint-Gobain had made an $80 million strategic investment in the company. That news is simply GIGANTIC. It absolutely tells the world that what Sage has been doing is for real and the entire dynamic glass segment is here to stay and will be a major part of our world going forward. I am thrilled for the fine folks at Sage and pumped from an industry standpoint, because as I have harped many, many times here- new technology is the key for us advancing and thriving as an industry.
• My thoughts are with the folks from Emerald Art Glass out of Pittsburgh after a fire at their warehouse last week. Emerald was one of the first real customers I got to deal with when I was starting out, and the owners Bob and Kim Zielinski always treated me and my family extremely well. They have done some amazing work in their years and if anyone can come back, even better after an event like this, it's them.
• Lots of discussion from last week's story on the economy coming back in 2011 vs. 2013.... Most folks think it will be back later this year, so basically let's hope they are right, because I am one to say if it doesn't come back in 2011, the original wild 2013 prediction may be true. Yikes.
• Big week in my household ahead as on the 16th (today if you are reading via e-glass weekly) Kid Rock's new CD comes out and for my wife, it's like a holiday. It will be fun to see if she is the oldest person in line at Best Buy that day.
• It's an end of a marketing era as General Motors has decided to retire the whole "Mr. Goodwrench" program, deciding to go with the more staid and corporate "Certified" angle. It's a sad day as yet another icon of the past goes away, but something tells me that this theme will come back again someday.

Read on for the links and video of the week...

Max Perilstein is chief marketing officer for Vitro America, Memphis. Write him at mperilstein@vitro.com.