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Sunday, February 24, 2013

From the fabricator: Is it real this time?

This past week, the latest Architecture Billings Index came out, reflecting its best performance since 2007. So, is it time to party? Can we take this seriously? Sadly, my answer is … no. I just have a nagging feeling that this report was a fluke, and that next month we’ll be off the trend again. Plus, the positive ABI from last year has not really had a direct effect on our industry (especially in specific geographies). At the  end of the day, I enjoy following and commenting on these reports, but I am reluctant to believe them.

Elsewhere…

  • Want to read a depressing story that will make you angry about government waste, corporate greed, lawyerly deception and overall ineptitude? Check out this piece on the Home Affordable Modification Program and see how efforts like this can go very badly.
  • Last week, I hammered the cruise world after the Carnival debacle and I heard about it from several people.  Former Texas Glass Association Professional of the Year David Ozment of Binswanger Glass was not pleased with my comments, given the effect a cruise slowdown could have on his Galveston territory. And he’s right.  If the cruise industry suffers, the effect it will have on its ports will be dramatic. Still, I wonder how many people saw that coverage and decided, no way, not going on one.
  • Amazing news: last week, I had a brief interaction with the folks at the Department of Energy and I must say, the new blood is very very good. We have hope, folks. Good people at that organization could have an incredibly positive effect on our industry.
  • If you read this blog, you know I like lists. This one though was tough. I picked it up thanks to the fantastic Twitter feed of Earnest Thompson, and it was Forbes Magazine’s “top miserable cities” for 2013. The link is here, but as a preview, a lot of Michigan and California cities are on the list.
  • Kudos to the team at MyGlassTruck.com for their latest fundraising success. You might remember these guys as the folks with the memorable exhibits at GlassBuild America. They also are pretty amazing when it comes to raising money for breast cancer, and last week, they announced they passed the $10,000 mark in secured donations. Great work gang!! Plus, I can’t wait to see what they have up their sleeves in Atlanta this fall!
  • Last this week, I read that Lance Armstrong was paid $31 million by the US Postal Service as part of the cycling team's sponsorship deal. I guess this is yet another reason why that organization is so deep in debt. I would’ve loved to be in that marketing and strategy session to hear what the justification was on why they sponsored him, and more importantly, how they thought it would drive more people to use an archaic mail and delivery service. And I get brand awareness--live for it--but that argument doesn’t play here for a ton of reasons (majority of races overseas, lack of TV exposure, tainted sport, etc.).

Read on for links and clip 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.

Monday, February 18, 2013

VIG: A future game changer?

Vacuum insulated glass (VIG) has been tapped by the Department of Energy and other organizations as an emerging, highly efficient window technology to watch. And with the potential for R-values of R-10 or higher, according to several VIG manufacturers, that's no surprise.

Driven by the continual push for higher window performance, VIG seems to be gaining traction and attention in the United States. The DOE pointed to VIG as one of several highly insulating window technologies to watch during its Windows Technology Roadmap session during the Window and Door Manufacturers Association Technical Conference in June 2012. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is working to develop low-cost, durable and highly insulating VIG. And the technology has been on the agenda of the Emerging Technologies & Innovation Committee at the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance—the IGMA committee is in the process of developing a VIG educational white paper for the window industry, as well as architects and others in the building community.

Despite the recent interest, VIG is far from a new technology. In fact, the first mention of a type of vacuum glazing was found in patent literature from 1913, according to Nippon Sheet Glass. And NSG actually began commercial production of its vacuum glazing product, Spacia, in 1996.

Vacuum glazing has been used in residential and commercial applications throughout Asia for almost two decades. "It's a fact of life there," said Chris Barry, the former director of technical services, building products, Pilkington North America, during the IGMA Annual Meeting two weeks ago in New Orleans.

Despite the proliferation of VIG overseas, the technology has lagged domestically. Currently, there are no commercial VIG lines in the United States. That isn't to say U.S. companies aren't investing in VIG R&D. Guardian Industries has been developing a VIG product for a number of years—in fact, the company showed a prototype during the 2009 AIA Expo. And, EverSealed Windows is hoping to enter the market in the next several years with a flexible edge-sealed VIG design.

But, according to several representatives at the recent IGMA meeting, VIG continues to face notable challenges to entry into the U.S. market. The high cost of VIG, technical hurdles, and a potential lack of education and familiarity with the product within the building industry all hinder domestic VIG use, they say. "People around the world see potential with this product. Hopefully [manufacturers] will come up with solutions that can be cost-effective in the U.S.," said Bob Spindler, Vice President Technical Services at Cardinal Glass Industries, during the IGMA meeting. 

Devlin is senior editor for Glass Magazine. Write her at kdevlin@glass.org.

1 comments
Monday, February 18, 2013

From the fabricator: Fun and interesting feedback

I have been writing this blog for a long time. Since 2005, I have been posting my thoughts, opinions, theories and awful sporting predictions (although this year, I did call the Super Bowl; thank you very much). I have enjoyed it a great deal, but I must say the last several weeks have been the most fun I have had writing this blog in a very long time. You, the readership, have been incredibly engaged. The amount of feedback I have received has made writing this blog a blast. It is awesome to see that people are interested in the subjects I hit here: education, technology, talent, and heck, even Taylor Swift. While I created this forum to release my feelings, it is also an outlet for your feelings and issues. And I am thrilled it continues to fill that role!

Elsewhere…

  • Speaking of education, several weeks ago I mentioned SAPA’s Commercial B&C Academy as a great learning opportunity. It was held a week or so ago, and I heard it was great. People from all over North America attended, and there was some serious learning going on. Congrats to the gang there for their efforts. I will surely do all I can to attend the next one in person!
  • A quick “get well soon” wish to good friend Steve O’Hollaren of ICD. Can’t wait to see you back out on the road and at the shows!
  • Enjoyed the Glass Magazine “G3” piece this month that asked the “expectations for 2013” question. Mike Turner of YKK, Sue Moore of Moore Glass and Scott Thomsen of Guardian Industries did a great job of hitting the important points for the year ahead. By the way, I really like this feature; it is a quick and interesting way to get insight and opinions from some very fascinating people.
  • As a marketing guy, I will be very interested to see if Carnival Cruise lines does anything to change the current perception in the marketplace. Last week’s debacle with the ship broken down at sea drew so much negative attention to the line, I have to wonder how they will bounce back. Heck, the whole industry suffered mightily. Even though these ships are “floating cities,” when things go wrong, you are  really in an ugly place. For the record, I haven’t had the desire to take a cruise. After this event, even the slim desire is gone. I’ll stick to land.
  • Last week, the Grammy Awards took place, and my comments are simple. Taylor Swift did not sing the song I liked, and the show lacked that awesome performance they had in years past (like Bruno Mars in 2012). Too bad.
  • Last this week: a meteor hit Russia. How is this not bigger news? If one hit the U.S., it would easily be the second biggest story of the day behind Marco Rubio drinking water or someone learning the Harlem Shake dance. Seriously though, the meteor hit was an insane event, and a scary one. And from a glass standpoint, one story noted that more than a million square feet of glass broke after impact. It's a really big story that somehow, at least in my viewing, did not get the attention it deserves.

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.

5 comments
Monday, February 11, 2013

Your questions, answered

In each issue of Glass Magazine, we ask three executives representing the commercial, retail and fabrication segments of the market to answer a question of importance to the glass and metals industry as a whole. Now, it's your turn to ask the question.

Our G3 series of articles addresses everything from product trends, to market conditions, to customer demands, to personnel issues. And as we move into 2013, I'd like to hear what questions you have for  industry peers. Below are links to some of the topics we covered in 2012. If you have suggestions for future topics, please email me or post a comment below, and I'll do my best to get your questions answered.

What are end users asking for in terms of products and services?

What are the most challenging, and rewarding, aspects of custom projects?

How does your company use social media to connect with customers?

What are the most common glass and glazing products that are value engineered out of a project? What can you do to ensure this doesn't happen?

Chase is editorial director of Glass Magazine, GlassMagazine.com and e-glass weekly. Write her at jchase@glass.org.

7 comments
Sunday, February 10, 2013

From the fabricator: The end of an era

Several weeks ago, I mentioned that the IGMA Annual Conference in New Orleans was going to be a strong one, and judging by the reports that filtered back to me, it was. Quite a bit of news came out of the event, including an update from the IGCC's John Kent about the never-ending adventure of certification and the presentation from Quanex's Mike Burk (one of my all-time favorite conference speakers) on safety that included a discussion about how incentives might not work, and dangers to the neck area. Certification and safety are major concerns in our world, for sure.

That said, when I had heard that Ray Wakefield of Trulite was attending his last IGMA meeting, I was really thrown. To me, that’s the biggest news of the event. Personally, I can’t believe it. Ray is an industry institution, and the thought of him not being involved in things like IGMA blows my  mind. I wish you well Ray. These deals won’t be the same without you!

Elsewhere...

  • And let’s give props to outgoing IGMA President Dave Cooper of Guardian. During his tenure, the meeting agendas were strong and interesting. The next president (I have not heard yet who that might be) will have really big shoes to fill.
  • Good news: the Dodge Momentum Index went up in January. Again, trying to stay positive with my thoughts on our economy.
  • On the negative side, gas prices, even before winter storm Nemo, were inching towards $4 per gallon again. In Michigan, we saw almost a 50-cent increase in two weeks time. Ummmm, can anyone explain why?
  • A very strong effort by the team at Glass Magazine on their latest Top Glass Fabricators report. They have made this yearly edition something that can’t be missed. I really enjoyed the poll questions, some of which had to be tough to answer.  For example, the one on “greatest challenges” had to be a brutal one to answer since so many of the choices were kinda like a "1 and 1A" sort of thing. I’m stunned that so few companies said “finding financing” would be a challenge.
  • One question that wasn’t hard to answer, however, was  “What are fabricators' future capital acquisition plans?” The dominating answer was adding new products and product lines. I think that is so dead on, and we see it daily. Companies are hungry to diversify and jump into new business segments, and I believe we are only seeing the start of it. If you have not seen the latest issue of Glass Magazine yet, check it out here.
  • The Big 10 in basketball is like the SEC in football: just stacked. What a wild March this is going to be. Just thinking about the brackets is exciting.
  • Last, I have to admit I might be the only mid-40-year-old guy around who would do this, but I really dig Taylor Swift’s new song “I Knew You Were Trouble.”  It's just a great tune, in my opinion, and man it does stick in your head.

Read on for links and clip 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.

Monday, February 4, 2013

3D printers on the jobsite?

I stumbled across a fascinating TED Talk by Behrokh Khoshnevis, professor at the University of Southern California. Khoshnevis, speaking in April 2012 at TEDx Medellín, discussed a possible future technology for the construction industry—one that uses large 3D printers to actually construct buildings, layer by layer.

 

The process, called Contour Crafting, has already been pegged to construct simpler structures (including lunar structures for NASA), and is capable of building homes, and eventually, larger buildings such as schools and hospitals, Khoshnevis said. The robot printer layers the walls, and can complete tasks such as painting walls and tiles, constructing plumbing systems, and completing the building wiring.

The technology, still in its very early stages, isn't near installing glass or curtain wall. However, I have to wonder if future developments could have a major impact on the industry, if building progresses in this direction. Could contract glaziers be out of a job?

Khoshnevis addressed the employment impact in his talk. "This is, of course, a serious issue. What is going to happen to the current construction workers? Construction is a major employer of the workforce," he said. "But this is not a new question. When the steam engine was invented, people asked what would happen to carriage drivers. And at the beginning of the last century, over 60 percent of Americans were farmers. Today, less than 1.5 percent are farmers. ... When there is a technology that makes sense, we have to use it."

The technology does face some hurdles before it can progress, he said. "We need to address the social impacts, in addition to the regulatory impacts, such as building inspection and permits. This needs to be addressed and taken care of before any construction technology becomes commonplace," he said.

While Contour Crafting may still be a futuristic construction technology, this talk reminded me of the ways 3D printing is already affecting our industry. Just last year, Mic Patterson at Enclos Corp. showed what his company is doing with rapid prototyping/3D printing.

 

Devlin is senior editor for Glass Magazine. Write her at kdevlin@glass.org.

6 comments
Monday, February 4, 2013

From the fabricator: Talent on display

One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing negative comments about the talent in our industry. The comments, which have become more prominent recently, basically assert that too much of our little piece of the world is lacking the brainpower of other industries. I am sorry, but that is just plain wrong.  As an industry, we are very unique, and admittedly, we don't always do the smartest things. In my opinion, however, that doesn't stem from a lack of talent but from other out-of-control factors. (And I guarantee you that other industries have similar issues; no world is perfect.) In all honesty, I believe we are loaded with men and women who could transfer into any industry and do VERY well.  For example, I would put guys like Oliver Stepe of YKK, Devin Bowman of TGP and Garret Henson of Viracon up against anyone from any other industry. And I believe I’d win. And these are just guys I can think of off the top of my head. At the end of the day, it is an absolute fallacy that we lack talent. There’s tons of it; maybe some folks just don’t want to look for it.

Elsewhere…

  • As a side note to the above, I believe our family business model also draws criticism, as so many companies in our world are family operations. But that is not a bad thing. A great example of a family success that probably doesn’t get enough pub is My Shower Door/D3 Glass with the Daubmann family at the helm. Success is not an accident there; it took some talent, for sure.
  • Obviously, I have written a ton about the DOE over the years and most of it has been negative. But now, there’s a chance that we could be moving into a positive space. With the resignation of Dr. Steven Chu, there will be a new leader coming on. With some impressive fresh blood now in the organization, I am very hopeful.
  • The ABI went up again. That news, combined with last year's totals, means we should have a great year, right?
  • I’m told the new show “The Americans” is really something to see.  Hopefully, I'm going to check that out this week.
  • Last this week... the Super Bowl... the power outage? Crazy eh? The comeback? Even crazier. Me losing a Super Bowl Square payout because of the safety? Depressing. Anyway, on to the commercials. Overall, I thought they were weak. On the good side, I really liked the M&M's "Anything for Love" spot, enjoyed the the fantasy of the "Go Daddy" ad and got a kick out of the Oreo library commercial. Plus, "The Rock" is truly an American star. His best spot was the milk commercial. And the halftime piece from Jeep was fantastic. On the flip side, I thought the Doritos spots missed badly, and I have no idea why Budweiser keeps introducing new beers during this game with such awful and unmemorable efforts. Oh, and I did pick the Ravens from the start of the season. The blind squirrel found the acorn for sure...

Read on for links and clip 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.

5 comments
Monday, January 28, 2013

The value proposition

Looking at the year ahead, industry executives say the promotion and sale of energy efficient glass and metal products will remain critical to growth, both on the company and industry level. Nearly 60 percent of respondents to this year's Top Glass Fabricators survey say energy efficient products offer the most sales potential in the coming year, and glass and metal manufacturers see opportunity in the product segment as well.

"I’m bullish in 2013 on energy solutions,” says Scott Thomsen, president, Flat Glass Group, Guardian Industries. "Four years ago, [approximately] 1.65 billion square feet of commercial space was completed. Since then, that number has dropped down to [about] 650 million square feet. So, today you have more people fighting over a smaller pie, and the best way to increase your margins is to increase the value proposition of the products you sell.

"We were also very close to ASHRAE lowering the window-to-wall ratio," Thomsen points out. "I think for the first time there is full recognition at all levels of the value chain that we need to either improve the energy efficiency of the glazing or face less glazing,” he says.

Kelly Schuller, president, Viracon, says one of the biggest challenges facing the industry going forward involves educating customers about “value-added fabricated glass features that allow for high window-to-wall ratios.”

Developing energy efficient solutions and communicating their benefits to customers will be paramount in 2013, agrees Mike Turner, vice president of marketing for YKK AP America. “It is each company's responsibility to convey a clear value proposition and premium service to create demand,” he says.

The question is not whether or not the need for energy efficient products exists, or whether our industry is capable of providing them. The real challenge lies in our ability to effectively show the building community the value proposition they offer. Agreed?

Chase is editorial director of Glass Magazine, e-glass weekly and GlassMagazine.com. Write her at jchase@glass.org.

26 comments
Monday, January 28, 2013

From the fabricator: The talented and the technical

Last week, I spent a few days at the GANA Annual Conference, and as always, came away impressed by the talent in our industry and the work that is accomplished during the event.  Many of the discussions involved crucial, technical pieces that will have an effect on the way business is done in our world. The big piece for me were the decorative division meetings; that segment and division continue to grow in prominence, thus the need for education, direction and standards. The decorative glass group, led by their incredibly sharp chair Marc Deschamps of Walker Glass, is surely up to the task. Plain and simple: if you are in the industry and you care about the future, you need to attend events like this to stay properly informed on what we are up against in a very challenging world.

Elsewhere…

  • Of course, I need to point out some of the folks I got to meet and greet. Meeting John Rovi of SAPA for the first time was enjoyable. I had heard a ton about him, so it was nice to meet him in person. When I talk about some of the talent this industry possesses, I gotta point to guys like James Wright and Tim McGee of Glass Coatings and Concepts; they bring personality and energy to the game with some serious sales and marketing chops.  It was nice to get to know them. I dig Nick Bagatelos of BISEM; his passion for the product is really hard to top. Plus, I wish I had his hair and style. Last, getting to see Stanley Yee and Jon Kimberlain of Dow Corning is always a treat. Stanley just recently joined Dow Corning, which is an absolute coup for those guys given the knowledge base he possesses.
  • Lost in the controversy of whether or not Beyonce lipsynched was the part of the president’s inaugural speech that covered climate change and building better infrastructure and buildings. We have heard that before, but maybe the time to get serious is here. I expect to see movement from our industry on this before too long. Stay tuned.
  • Any guesses on the Top 12 cities leading the way for sustainability? Some folks on this list will surprise and some will not. Interesting nonetheless.
  • Congrats to the gang at GGI on their smooth, revamped website. Really strong piece of work; it's clean and very smartly laid out. Well done folks.
  • By the way, at the start of the NFL season I did pick the Ravens to make the Super Bowl, which means somehow one of my picks panned out. First time for everything! So, I am sticking with the Ravens to win it all next week. Wonder if CBS will tell us that Ray Lewis is retiring? (Sarcasm intended!)
  • And last this week: the Super Bowl brings us not only the game but also the commercials.  I will be curious to see who brings the best and I also expect this year to have a ton of social media connection too. On next week’s blog I’ll be listing my favorites….

Read on for links and clip 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.

5 comments
Tuesday, January 22, 2013

From the fabricator: Uncertainties of the real world

We are now a few weeks in to the new year. You can start to feel that the holiday hangover is passing, and we’re now starting to settle into what’s “real” in our world. For some regions, that means slowing of business and more crucially the slowing of cash flow. In other areas, it’s still rolling along nicely though they too are watching their cash flow closely. All parties, though, are surely wondering how long this trend will last. For those on the slowing side, some past experience has shown that it was usually slowing up by late January, early February. Then awful until late March and early April. Will this year follow pattern? The clock is ticking…

Elsewhere…

  • Missed this last week, but a hearty congrats to Kirk Johnson on his promotion at Hartung Glass Industries to COO. I’ve known Kirk a long time and it’s great to see him advance to such a strong position at one of the industry’s best companies.
  • Also missed last week, Steven Brenner, joining McGrory Glass as Director of Architectural Sales. I am thrilled for Mr. Brenner and the classy McGrory family, as this is a win-win proposition for sure!
  • And one more item from last week, I was heartened by the reaction to my piece on the supply channels being disrupted. I received a ton of feedback, both online and to me personally. Very cool. To hear from folks like Scott Surma and Gerry Duffy is just an honor and thrill. It is a serious subject and I am glad people see it as such.
  • I’m on my way to the west for a few days for the GANA Annual Conference. I have not attended one of these in a while, so I am looking forward to seeing what is new and happening on the technical side of our world. Plus getting the chance to visit with folks like Greg Carney, Julie Schimmelpenningh, and the Pittsburgh legend Ren Bartoe among others is very exciting.
  • Cold enough outside for everyone? Man oh man, just seems more bitter than normal. Then again my friends on the auto glass side are just pleading for a few ice storms to help that business segment.
  • Lance Armstrong. Manti Te’o. I just don’t know what to say. What a wild news cycle.
  • I have been involved with some of the planning of the Glass Management Institute, and will say that I am very excited about the speakers and subjects lined up. More info is coming, but suffice to say, this will be “can’t miss” sort of stuff.
  • Hockey is back… my picks… St. Louis vs. the Rangers in the Cup. Early apologies to Paul DeGray, who, I believe is a huge Ranger fan, and is now screaming at the screen that I jinxed the Blue Shirts. Sorry, but I think King Henrik will carry them. 

Read on for links and clip 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.

38 comments
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