From the fabricator: A truly 'dynamic' week

Last week saw huge growth in the world of dynamic glass. Within a span of 24 hours, this industry segment took massive steps forward and increased its legitimacy dramatically.  First, Sage announced that Saint-Gobain was purchasing it whole. I am very happy for John Van Dine, Dr. Helen Sanders and the folks there. Combining with a giant force like Saint-Gobain will surely pay some dividends.

The next day came the news that Guardian was teaming up with Soladigm. That just continues the push into the mainstream, and with the excellence of Earnest Thompson pulling the marketing levers, it will be exciting to see what comes out of this process (more on that below). Add these developments to previous announcements like Pleotint’s arrangement with PPG and RavenBrick’s continued advancements with its patented thermochromic technology, and you have an industry segment that is maturing right in front of our eyes.

If there’s a down side it will be price points and education, both of which are a challenge in any emerging area, but especially so in our industry, which has never been known to enjoy expensive tastes.

And yes, in full disclosure, I do consult for the talented folks at RavenBrick, but as you can see from the above, I promote and remain positive about the entire dynamic glass space.

Elsewhere….

• The American Institute of Architects show is this week in Washington, D.C. The past few AIA shows have not been the best, but I think this year has potential to change that trend.  First off, the location is super: D.C. is a great area to attract a ton of traffic, and like I noted here previously, there’s a significant thirst for information and education that quality trade shows bring. So, we will see what happens and have the official “who’s who” at the show posted next week on my blog, as always.
• Speaking of AIA... I'm very curious to see what YKK has up its sleeve. It is promising something unlike anything ever seen on a building products trade show floor. Looking forward to it! Plus, as teased above, Earnest Thompson is at it again, building excitement for the show using YouTube to preview their efforts with a three-video series. You can find part one right here, and keep an eye out for the next two posted ahead of the show.
• Friend of the blog, Joe Carlos of Tri View Glass in California, sent a really positive and exciting link HERE from the LA Times about the need for apartments driving commercial construction. Obviously, welcome news!
• Saw an interesting tweet/video via Ted Bleecker this week about the trend of “re-shoring,” which means jobs coming BACK to the U.S. from abroad.  My problem is there will be no one here who wants to do them.  Still a worthwhile watch of 1:50.
• And yes, I might as well load you up with yet another great link to read. (Print these out, save them for another time...or a plane trip.) This one is about the debacle of building a new corporate campus for Salesforce.com. I know many companies in our industry use that program/service, but after reading this, you just shake your head.  A great inside story of money, planning and calamities all around.
• I love the artist Adele…her voice and music are epic. The song “Set Fire to the Rain” is fantastic, and I love the way she says “fire.”
• Last, I am very excited to see Lilly Grossman join the blogging world with posts on glassblog.  Her addition to the education team at the National Glass Association was super, and everyone attending future educational events will appreciate her efforts.  Welcome to the blog world and the industry Lilly!

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

The author is founder of Sole Source Consultants, a consulting firm for the building products industry that specializes in marketing, branding, communication strategy and overall reputation management, as well as website and social media, and codes and specifications. E-mail him at MaxP@SoleSourceConsultants.com.

The opinions expressed here are those of the individual author and do not necessarily reflect those of the National Glass Association, Glass Magazine editors, or other glassblog contributors.