As the single-family market is poised to return in 2024, glass fabricators will find themselves at the forefront of meeting the growing demand for high-quality, innovative solutions in the shower door market. From glass cutting and edge polishing to glass tempering and protective glass coatings, the significance of machine automation cannot be overstated. Labor issues continue to be felt around the industry, effects of inflation are still being seen, and faster lead times are becoming more and more imperative.
Glass Expo Southeast gave me the opportunity to catch up with so many folks across the industry. Plus, I'm looking forward to NGA Glass Conference, and then double-header BEC and GPAD!
NGA code experts Urmilla Sowell and Tom Culp gave a comprehensive rundown of developing codes and standards in North America. The session, originally presented at the 2023 GlassBuild Main Stage, gave updates and insights on Energy Star 7.0, bird-friendly glass, energy efficiency and EPD production, heat treatment and edge grinding, and much more.
As we move into 2024, I'm reflecting on 2023 and the conversations I had with customers. Roadblocks remain in the adoption of software and technology in the industry, but I try to counter this by understanding the customer's resistance.
The newly-formed California Glass Association, an NGA-affiliated chapter, met on Jan. 1 at the facilities of PRL Glass and Aluminum. The evening included a presentation by NGA's Tara Lukasik, managing editor, regarding the major reports, and findings, of the Association's magazines.
It's funny I have been writing this blog since 2005 and for the first time ever, I wrote it all and then deleted it, and cleared the trash too, hurriedly because I am a putz, by accident. So hopefully this version will work, but as I sit down to rewrite, I swear my mind is blank. Yikes. Ok, so here goes.
Color palettes for coatings and finishes are trending towards “cozy” vibes in 2024, with warmer, less saturated colors. Get a forecast of the most popular colors, and their palette collections.
The newest podcast in the From the Fabricator series is up and it’s a fun one that has some younger stars in our space. I kick it off with Sterling Guyette and Luke Jacques of Insulite Glass. They have done some amazing things with that fabricator, took excellent approaches and are really sharp and grounded guys. Then I get to visit with Stefanie Couch of Build Women and also the new Grit CRM. She spoke at GlassBuild and rocked it and she delivers again on my podcast.
Several pieces of U.S. legislation encourage American made construction materials. Understanding the recently updated Build America Buy America Act is critical to sourcing and fabricating aluminum fenestration in accordance with new policies.
Happy New Year! Back at it here on the blog as we head towards the 19th anniversary of this effort. As I always joke, I started the blog at and around the same time as Facebook and Twitter launched. Man, did those folks miss the boat with their ideas vs. mine! Anyway, it’s another adventurous year ahead and I do think 2024 will surely be of the rollercoaster variety.