Sitting with Uncertainty 

I was reviewing market predictions from Glass Magazine’s 2026 Construction Industry Forecast, and a statement from Eric Gaus, chief economist, Dodge Construction Network, jumped out at me: “As of right now, the construction industry as a whole is sort of on the same knife edge as the rest of the economy. It’s slowing down. It’s not really clear whether it’s in recession or not, but it is awfully close and very uncomfortable.”  

Though this statement was made last year, the description of the industry’s “knife edge” tension was echoed in many of this year’s responses to the Top Glass Fabricator survey. As usual, the responses are compiled from fabricator respondents and compiled into the industry ranking and market report. While fabricator challenges remain as complex as they have in previous years, the industry consensus seems to be that their major pain point is uncertainty.  

Tariffs result in confusion, delays 

Many fabricators report that tariffs were a major cause of uncertainty last year, and resulted in project delays. Chris Mobius, owner and vice president of operations at Garibaldi Glass, says that “tariff uncertainty and changes, as well as an unpredictable market” were major challenges in 2025, as well as “delayed or abandoned projects.” 

The changing nature of tariffs made it difficult for companies to plan ahead. “Uncertainty regarding tariffs that seem to alter on a weekly basis limits planning and productive procurement,” says a representative of Glaz-Tech Industries Inc.  

“It's been a rollercoaster ride for our sales team and our clients to navigate the tariff game that is going on,” says Derek Losee, sales manager, sedak. “Since many of the products our company produces can only come from overseas, the uncertainty of when and how long tariffs will apply has presented many challenges for us.” 

Companies also reported higher costs, including for raw materials. “Raw material prices moved higher mid-year while selling prices softened, creating a difficult price squeeze,” says a representative for Press Glass Inc. Thirty-nine percent of responding fabricators said that tariffs affected raw glass last year. 

“Economic uncertainty, tariffs on certain raw materials and supply chain issues have impacted our business,” says a representative from Prelco. “In particular, higher costs and availability. To enable us to remain competitive, we have worked closely with our partners within our supplier network to ensure we have even stronger relationships and more product offerings going forward.” 

Hoping for a return to stability 

Despite a difficult 2025, many fabricators expressed a positive, though realistic, outlook for 2026 and flat to small, slow growth in the year ahead. Despite uncertainty, some fabricators articulated specific plans for their own company’s capacity expansion. 

“We have a strong outlook for 2026,” says Adam Mitchell, marketing manager, Agnora. “The important distinction over 2025 is a better understanding of the economic environment and a willingness for our partners to commit to a project.”   

“Despite broader industry indicators pointing to a cautious outlook, our business forecast for 2026 remains positive,” says Spencer Raymond, director of business development, GGI. “Our anticipated sales growth will come from expanded product offerings, enhanced fabrication capabilities, and a continued focus on quality, lead times, responsiveness, and customer service.”