From the Fabricator

Good Reading

The latest issue of Glass Magazine is out, and it features the Glass Magazine Award, which I mentioned last week on the blog. Aside from that, though, it is a strong issue. Once again, some of my favorites include important pieces by Norah Dick, Rachel Vitello, Pete deGorter, and Amy Becker that…

Authenticity on Display

The latest episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live, and it features two incredibly genuine people. I start with the very sharp Kristina Buckett of Dallas Flat Glass and Excel Glass Systems. Then Joe Silva joins me.

The Consensus Says...

The AIA Mid-Year Consensus Forecast was just released, and as you could expect, the numbers were adjusted downward overall. There’s a fly in the ointment somewhere because I really feel like those education numbers are undercounted. Also, this week on the summer “Catch Up” series, I get with the…

Summer Hours

As noted previously, for the summer the blog will take a different look. I still hit the news, but with it being slow in that area, having a series of catch-up interviews is a great way to not only fill space but also bring relevant updates to the market from some wonderful and classy people. The…

People that Get It

I’ve got a great new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast out and ready for your listening pleasure. This time out, two really fascinating and talented people who have found our industry and, for one, I think it’ll be home for a long time, and, for the other, he’s ours forever, thankfully!

Family Business Recognition

As you may have picked up, there’s a lot happening at GlassBuild this fall. One of the areas that has me pretty stoked is that there’ll be a program celebrating family-owned businesses! The family-owned business has been around for more than 100 years and is still going strong, serving as the…

Insights from the Top

I’ve got a special new episode of “From the Fabricator” this time out. A solo guest episode with Lakisha Woods, President & CEO of the National Glass Association. Lakisha has been in office for almost a year, and I thought timing-wise, it was the perfect opportunity to catch up with her, see…

Holiday Catch-Up

So, if you only read this blog via Glass Magazine Weekly, I did have a post last week with a special episode of From the Fabricator, a classy family celebrates an open house, a couple of good people moves and much more. With the holidays this past week, this is more of a quick hit, catch-up post.…

Advocacy in Real Life

From time to time, I get the question about advocacy. As in, what sort of advocacy is happening in our industry? I think there is a perception that the only path to advocacy is through face-to-face or 1:1 meetings with members of the legislative branches of government. And while that is a form, I…

New Pod: Codes, Hustle & More

A new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now up! This time out was a very cool mix with the guests, and it had tons of helpful notes. I lead off with Tom Culp, consultant extraordinaire and one of the key cogs of the NGA Technical Superhero team. Next up was the fabulous Jamie…

Are We Good or Not?

“Construction shows signs of life beyond data centers." This is the headline that caught my eye and got me excited. Then I saw the subheadline. “Despite hopeful signs, rising fuel prices will take a toll on material costs in the second half of the year, according to construction data provider…

Glazing and Hurricane Season

June 1 marks the start of hurricane season, and each year we get predictions from experts about what may happen. Before I get to that, I do need to point out that hurricane protective glazing was a huge win and move for our industry. It is now what school security will eventually be. A must-use…

Fresh Perspectives

For the holiday weekend, a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is ready for you. Guest numbers 219 and 220. I kick it off with Randy Brooks, president and CEO of Gardner Glass/Walker Glass. Randy is the genuine article, and it was fun to catch up with a guy I first ran into in this…

Getting Out of the Box

One thing I often talk about is moving away from the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” mentality in our industry. Yes, I’ll admit, I actually fall into that trap from time to time too, especially as the years go by, so I know it’s not easy. But in challenging times like the ones we’re facing…

Big News on the School Security Front

So the industry picked up a huge win last week, one that you’ll hear more about this week and for sure weeks going forward. Behind a herculean effort by NGA’s Urmilla Sowell and her incredible team of technical & advocacy stars, a new bill was introduced in Congress that could be massive to the…

The Pod & Lots of Great People

Good stuff this time out after an excellent industry week. First, the latest “From the Fabricator” podcast is out and has two really enjoyable conversations. First up was Jason Epps, CEO of Specialty Fenestration Group (Quikserv & USBP). Then I connected with JJ Derman of NovaTech Wall…

TGA Does It Again!

This past week was the Texas Glass Conference at the Woodlands, near Houston. Tremendous event overall. The Texas Glass Association really delivered a great gathering chock-full of excellent insights and networking opportunities. A few standouts included a really informative AI panel and a fabulous…

Advocacy in Action

The challenge of getting our industry and our needs in front of the right people is an ongoing process. One of the big things that happens each year is NGA’s Glass & Glazing Advocacy Days, and they're coming up in May. I am grateful for those who attend and hit Washington, D.C. with the passion…

Triple Threat Pod

A jam-packed new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now ready for you. It’s a rare “3 sets of guests” edition, and each one brings something cool to the table.

Make Plans

I’ve noted a few times that coming this June is the new NGA Glass Fabricator Conference (GFAB) and now registration is open and questions are flowing in about it. So, here’s my take, this conference is focused on the glass fabricator space. The content is geared towards that audience, and it’s…

April Show Time

As we roll into the new month, there are two excellent regional events on the calendar, and I think they are well worth attending. First, in the great state of Texas, the Texas Glass Conference is April 23-24. Then, on April 29th, the premier event for the Philly/Jersey area is the Annual…

Shower Special

Back at it with a special new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast. This time out, a focused edition on the shower door side of the business with three of the best around. Leading off, I visited with one of the best minds on the shower-door side, Danny Donahue of FHC. Danny delivered a ton…

BEC Bonanza

The 28th BEC Conference is now in the books, and it was one heck of an experience. Going in, there was concern about how challenging it would be to get to Louisville. But those concerns obviously went away because the people showed up in droves. Once everyone arrived, Louisville and the host hotel…

#BEC2026 Let's Go!

Well, it’s finally here! BEC is upon us and I’m ready for a great few days in Louisville. Lots lined up, and I have hit on much of it in past blogs. Though I don’t think I mentioned the coverage of major items like thermal bridging, hiring options, and immigration law. These are a tiny part of what…

Smart, Forecasts, Texas & More

I’ve got a new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast for everyone, and it’s got a bunch of strong takeaways. First up, the 2015 Glass Industry MVP Jon Kimberlain of Dow joins me. Jon is just a brilliant guy. Smart as heck, extremely friendly and always doing his best for his company and our…

Experience: Here, There and Everywhere

I’ve got a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast for you, and I gotta say it was a real dandy. Leading off was Brad Thurman of General Glass International. Then to Paul Robinson of Pioneer Glazing.

Actionable Insights Coming

We are now one month away from the BEC Conference in Louisville, and I am getting more and more excited every day as more people register to attend. There’s a lot happening there, and I’ve called out a few things in past posts (Workforce, Forecasts, Codes, etc.). I also have to mention the plans…

Pods Galore and Stats Too

2026’s second episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live and I’ve got a pair of guests who bring something new to the pod. I lead off with Mike Rapp of PDS IG. Mike and his family have been stalwarts in this industry for a while, so it was nice to get a deeper dive on their background…

Carey Mobius

By now, I assume you may have heard the incredibly sad news that Carey Mobius of Garibaldi Glass passed away. For a ton of us, it was an absolute gut punch. Carey had a positive effect on so many in our space; he blazed a fresh trail in his operating acumen and pushed us to be better in the…

Quick Look Back at '25

We are off and running in 2026, and that first tough week, where everyone is catching up after the long holiday run, is done.  As is tradition, each year I review my predictions from the year before. I have to say I didn’t fare too badly with my calls in 2025. So here goes…

New Year, New People, New Pod

Time to kick the new year off with a new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast! Since it’s a new year, I started with a couple of people new to me and maybe to all of you.

Special Solo Podcast & MVP Announced

Last post for the year and usually the most read one too… it is where I drop my annual solo podcast with a major player in our world, and I award the 2025 Glass Industry MVP and its runners up. So, without further delay…

MVP Season is Here

Next week, in this space, I will announce the 2025 Glass Industry MVP Award winner, along with the runners-up. I started this program in 2013 to recognize folks/companies who go above and beyond for our space, and it’s been a great mix of people & companies from far and wide. Below is the list…

Playing Positive

Hope everyone who celebrates enjoyed the holiday! Kicking it off this week, a few forecasts dropped while I was off. First, the latest Architectural Billings Index (ABI) came in slightly higher than last month, but it's still underwater. Up is up, though, and the key metric I always stare at is the…

Coast to Coast

The latest edition of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live, and we go coast to coast with two tremendous guys. I start in Seattle with Joe Kaiser of Herzog Glass. Thoughtful and brilliant guy, and the chance to learn more about him and the world inside Herzog was fun. Plus more tidbits on…

GlassBuild 2025 Recap

I’m completely beat… GlassBuild finally arrived, and the three days passed in a flash. So, it’s now time for my annual gigantic recap, including what I saw and heard at the show, and, of course, a lot of name drops. I was very lucky to run into many amazing people. So, settle in, this is…

It's Time!

Finally. GlassBuild America week! If you are at the show, please feel free to grab me to say hi. I often am in 1,000 different directions, and I miss seeing people… I look forward to it. 

Successful in Many Ways

A new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now up, and this was a learning edition for me. First up, Seth Madole of Viracon. Seth has been a key cog in the Viracon machine for years, and it was great to get his insight into successful business approaches and, of course, the supply chain…

Top 10

Typically, I usually end my blog posts with a list… but this week I’ll flip the script and start with one. This is the 1st half of 2025 Top US Metro areas for commercial buildings and multifamily housing construction starts via Dodge. I found it interesting in a few ways, mostly performance this…

Come on...Be There!

It is that time… GlassBuild is approaching, and with the hotel deadline this week, I figured this was a prime opportunity to make my pitch on why you should be there. This is the show for the entire industry. A chance for all of us to connect, learn, and grow. I hear from people who say they don’t…

Big Hitters

The latest edition of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is out, and we’re big game hunting this time with two industry heavyweights. I start with Devin Bowman of TGP & Allegion. A brilliant guy who’s had a significant impact on our space and continues to push the envelope. Great hearing his…

Maybe Closer to Stable?

The most recent Architectural Billings Index was released, and as expected, the main number remains underwater —though slightly better than last month. The big key again was inquiries were positive, making that a nice trend, and even the AIA analyst is seeing some hope.

A Wide Range of Insights

I’ve got a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast loaded up for you, and as I mentioned last week, it’s a real dandy. This time out, I begin with Kevin Hardman of Hardman Glazing Management. You may know him from several different avenues, including his legendary Tools Tuesday pieces, but…

Hoping the Trend Grows

From time to time, I do hit on “adaptive reuse” as I genuinely believe that is a must as we move forward. Old inventory with good bones and no one using it should be reset into housing. It was nice to see this article running down a great success story in San Antonio. This shows it can be done.…

Tough Losses

Well, this is probably one of the toughest blogs I’ve had to write in a while. This past week, our industry lost two incredible men, both of whom were close friends of mine. First, it was Tim Moore who passed away. Tim was a technical powerhouse and a great and loyal person. He had an intense…

Refreshing People

A new episode of the "From the Fabricator" podcast is now available for your holiday listening/watching pleasure. I opened with Mark Seeton of Vitro. It was a great time for me; he answered a few glass geek questions for me, including what the game-changing product in our space from his…

Stats of the Week

We were all over the place this week on the economic front. The latest Construction Stress Index showed that delays and cancellations have lessened from the start of the year, so that is good. The bad is they are lessening from historic highs, and that index, even with a recent nice run, is still…

Dynamic People

Fun new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast just dropped. I caught up with two dynamic people with interesting backgrounds. I start off with Karolina Styk of Press Glass. Super bright and passionate for our industry. It was cool to hear about her journey from Poland to the US and how she’s…

Top of the Tops

One of my favorite Glass Magazine issues yearly is the Top 50 Glazier edition. It’s always great to see the names of the major players in our space, but I always love the way the Glass Magazine team does deep dives into the market surrounding the players. Kudos to Norah Dick and team on that effort…

Behind the Headlines

A topsy-turvy week in the forecast world…no rate cut (as expected) and new forecasts for the rest of 2025 released. The AIA Consensus Forecast brings several predictions together and puts them all in one handy-dandy setup. Usually, that’s the fun of going through it and seeing who is predicting…

Chips Off the Old Block

Fun new podcast episode is up! The latest From the Fabricator features two individuals whose fathers were in the business and they have applied the lessons learned from them to make significant strides in their own careers.

New & Exciting!

You may have seen the news lately that the NGA announced the formation of a new event called GFAB; NGA Glass Fabricator Conference, coming to Chicago next June. This is big. There has always been a gap in the market for a comprehensive fabricator gathering, similar to BEC for glaziers, and now we’…

The Info You Must Have

One of the most important sessions for our industry, maybe ever, will come this fall at the Glazing Executives Forum and GlassBuild when Connor Lokar of ITR takes the stage. This year has been unlike any other, and trying to figure out the marketplace/forecast/economy has been perilous to say the…

Old, New and All Good!

Hope everyone had a good holiday week! New podcast for you covering two ends of the spectrum. I’ve got a company that is almost 100 years old, and another that is just getting going. It was very cool stuff. 

A Bit of Positivity

I have been pretty salty lately regarding the economy, so I guess I need to set aside that negativity to note that the latest indexes did show some signs of life. The Dodge Momentum Index had a nice May, up 13% from April. Also included here is the third interview in the Summer Interview Series.

Surprising Stat

I was pretty surprised this week when I came across this line in a story from The Wall Street Journal: “There were almost 500,000 more sellers than buyers in the U.S. housing market in April, according to Redfin.” Everything I see and hear is that places go up for sale, and they are snapped up…

This and That

I hate being the one to deliver bad news, but right now, it is what it is… and you can’t just bury your head in the sand and hope it goes away. This week, the latest Construction Stress Index was released, and it was ugly. Private work is getting abandoned at record levels, and the index is now 22.…

AIA, Milestones & More

AIA Boston took place this past week, and I received a mixed bag of feedback. Some said that traffic was solid on the first day, while others said that, although there was traffic, it was the wrong kind, meaning students, other vendors, and so on—basically, people who could not specify what you…

New pod

I’ve got a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast for you, and once again I have extraordinary guests. This time out, we start with Brian Risinger, the brilliant owner at Country Glass & Mirror and also the current President of the Texas Glass Association.

Forecast Foibles

Some forecasting numbers hit the street this past week. The Architectural Billings Index did go lower in April at 43.2 (from 44.1 in March), and honestly, I thought it would’ve been worse. The worrisome news was that once again, the project inquiries index was at 48 (50 is break even), which has…

Impressive Leaders

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is live with two inspiring guests. I kick it off with James Hatch of Kovach. He and I may have chatted a bit over the years, but this was my first extended time with him, and I was extremely impressed. What he’s done and the excitement around what Kovach does…

Texas Delivers

I say it all the time. Texas never disappoints. And that was surely true this past week at Glass TEXpo in San Antonio. The wonderful folks at the Texas Glass Association took care of me once again, and I am truly grateful. 

Back and Catching Up

In case you missed it, the most recent From the Fabricator podcast dropped right before I left. I had enlightening conversations with two of the best folks around—Sneh Kumar of Kawneer and Kyle Sword of Pilkington. Check it out at the links below. The next pod (coming soon) will feature a…

BIG News & BIG Pod

News finally broke this week about the new leadership coming to the National Glass Association. Lakisha Ann Woods has been named as the replacement for the retiring Nicole Harris, marking an exciting step for the organization and the industry. Lakisha’s credentials are very strong, and her past…

CGA Gets the Spotlight

This week, the industry focus will be in Southern California with a massive California Glass Association (CGA) meeting at the new campus of FHC. A ton is on the docket for this meeting, with some of my favorite presenters taking center stage. NGA Chair Rick Locke is kicking things off, and then…

New Pod & The Same Ole Trope is Back!

A new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is out, and as always, more insights to share from very cool and talented people. I lead off with Pat O’Connor of the Glass & Metal Alliance. He and his group have a big show in Atlantic City at the end of the month, the Glass Symposium.

Another Huge Retirement

Massive industry news to start the post. Steve Weidner, President and Head of Architectural Glass at Pilkington NSG here in the US, announced his retirement. Steve has been at this for more than 45 years and, quite frankly, still brings the same energy and zest now as he was when I first met him 30…

Texas Time

This week, I'm preparing to head down to Dallas for the Texas Glass Association luncheon (a trip that was postponed last month). I'm looking forward to catching up with the great folks there. 

Pod, People, Shows & Winners

A new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast has dropped and it’s got guests that may not be on people’s radar right now, but should be or will be soon. I started with Nick Davy and Adrian Winoto, the Smart Material company, Andluca. They are two fascinating guys who have studied the past and…

Massive BEC Recap

Well, that was a heck of an experience. BEC 2025 was genuinely fabulous from start to finish. So, on this post, I will offer a little flavor of my own and link to others who have the space to go deeper. Then I’ll drop into my annual run of who’s who from the room. Buckle in, this is going to be a…

BEC Week. Finally.

BEC Conference kicks off this week! Stay tuned for my complete recap next time. In other news, my new pod has had some great feedback, and I share some top takeaways from the International Builders' Show that just wrapped.

Chi-Town Winners, New Pod Episode & More

The newest episode of the From the Fabricator Podcast is now live! This time out has a Windy City flavor, with two Chicago icons taking center stage.

BEC Conference Coming Up Quickly

We are getting close to BEC time! Obviously, I am very excited because I love seeing everyone and I love to learn. This year, once again, the programming team of volunteers and NGA staff are delivering top-notch stuff. 

Lots of News and Nuggets

Last week was a big and busy one in our industry, and I am all for it. I was in California for the NGA Glass Conference: Carlsbad. As noted, it was my first NGA Glass Conference in a while, so I was curious and excited to experience it. 

Insights, Forecasts, Conferences and More

The newest episode of the From the Fabricator Podcast is now out! This time out I kick it off with Steven Acker of Wicona/Hydro. Steven has seen it all and then some in a very stellar career in our industry, so we cover that. We also talk repurposing of buildings and the first ever Acker Building…

Following Up & Catching Up

A few weeks ago, I posted a blurb about an article in the Wall Street Journal about bullet-resistant glass, the confusion in the marketplaces, and misuses of the product and segment. It was a powerful piece and very eye-opening; hopefully, schools and institutions will pay closer attention to what…

2025 Predictions

We’re now a few weeks into the new year and the time has come to make my fearless industry predictions for 2025. Not everyone will like these, but they are what they are, right? Here we go.

Birds, Design Build, & More

The first episode of 2025 for the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live! This time out we kick it off with Marc Deschamps of Walker Glass. We spend a good amount of time in the bird-friendly glass realm, and Marc’s insights are always spot on. Then, Scott Lowe of The Beck Group joined me. Scott…

A Salute to an Incredible Career

Happy New Year! I hope the season was smooth for everyone. Big and great year ahead! However, one thing that will be different in 2025 is that a huge person in my life and this industry will no longer be in the day-to-day churn for the first time in 45+ years. At the end of 2024, my brother Steve…

MVP, Runners Up and Year End Podcast

Here we are… the last scheduled post of 2024. This year did go by quickly, and I am glad about that. I am more than ready for 2025. Bring it on! On this post, I have a new podcast episode, another tease, and then we get into the 2024 MVP race and results.

Big News

By now, you may have seen or heard that the President and CEO of the National Glass Association, Nicole Harris, announced her retirement. This is massive industry news since Nicole is the leading figure in our space, and her work over her career has been crucial for the industry and many of us in…

The Future + Free Education + More

I'm back at it, and I’ve got a new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast for you to take in. This time out, I start with Scott Smith of LTS. He's a fascinating guy, and he had excellent thoughts on products past and present (and future), along with so many other takes that made that segment…

Tough Now, Better Soon?

This week some of the latest forecasts for 2025 were dropped, and for the most part, the news was positive. Obviously, for many in our industry, things are softer than we’d prefer, so this dose of good news was welcomed. Probably the hardest aspect is the fact that a lot of the movement probably…

2024 MVP Season Begins

For those of you who may be new to this blog, since 2013 I have awarded a yearly MVP award at the end of the year. We’re now a month away from that happening, and once again a ton of folks to choose from. I try not to select anyone who has been listed before, either as a runner-up or the actual MVP…

New Pod and a Mix of News and Notes

The latest edition of the From the Fabricator Podcast is now live! Two really interesting guests with regard to backgrounds, approaches, and products.

2024 glasstec Review

It was a good and interesting week in Europe at glasstec. The biggest question going into the show was how people feel about the markets— worldwide. Well, actually, that was the second biggest question…the biggest was what did I think of Condor Airlines? And for that I give it a hearty thumbs up.…

This Week- Germany

Next show up! Time for the adventure that is glasstec in Dusseldorf, Germany. It kicks off Tuesday and runs through Friday with show hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those are some serious show hours folks. If you have never been or never heard of this event, it is held every other year and takes up 9…

Look Back/Look Forward Pod & Blog

Fresh off the show, I wanted a podcast that hit on the next show (glasstec) and a highlight from GlassBuild. First up… Jason Isackson from Sentinel Facades joined me. Jason and Sentinel burst onto the scene at GlassBuild and made an impact with custom hockey jerseys and a coffee bar. Their product…

GlassBuild Dallas Recap

GlassBuild 2024 is in the books, and it was a great one. Even though many companies right now are slower than normal and backlogs lighter, the attitudes were flying along the line of “we’re going to make the best of it and do what we can to keep moving forward.”

Finally GlassBuild Time!

If you ever followed pro wrestling, “The Rock” (a wrestler before he became a movie star) would come into the ring and exclaim… “FINALLY… The Rock has come back to… (insert city)” and that is what is on my mind right now. FINALLY. FINALLY… GlassBuild is back. FINALLY… we are in Dallas and all of us…

GlassBuild Pod Preview and More

New Podcast episode for your GlassBuild preview and/or trip in. Because it’s a special occasion, it’s also a massive podcast with four segments. Most people watch and listen in chunks anyway, so I figured for this one, why not go big heading into the biggest show of the year?

Sales, Operations, Safety

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out, and once again, I was lucky to have three fabulous people on. This time out, though, we had some clear divisions: sales, then operations, then safety. Kicking it off was the fantastic Diana San Diego of SAFTI First. Very sharp insight into what they do…

Blog #1,000

1,000. That is a heck of a number. It is also the number of this post. Starting with post 1 in 2005, we’ve now reached post number 1,000. I’m blown away that this bit of “therapy” I started years ago is still plugging along weekly. “Therapy,” I called it since I missed my broadcasting days and…

Can't Miss Event

Last week I wrote about GlassBuild and the Main Stage. For this week, I wanted to immediately hit on what is happening at the Glazing Executives Forum. Katy Devlin and team have put together an amazing program that covers everything from using the latest technology to build your team and business…

Triple Threat Pod

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and it’s a super-sized edition with three amazing guests covering a wide range of topics once again. I kick it off with Syndi Sim of q-Railing and of course the energy is there and flowing, but also lots of perspective plays and insights that I found…

Industry winners

I celebrate the winners of the annual Glass Magazine Awards, which show us what glass and glazing can do. Plus, a look at struggling ABI indicator, and an important discussion on mental health in the construction industries.

Rough Week

An interesting week in the glass industry combined with a rough week on the markets has given off a gloomy feel. First up, earlier in the week, as in what would be considered a surprising move, a price increase on glass was dropped from the primaries. Obviously, some parts of the country are…

A Terrific Trio

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now up and ready for you to check out. Real interesting trio this time out with lots of lessons and insights. I kick it off with long-time industry player John Leonard of FHC. John joined me at the last minute, and it was a good run through the railing…

Good Vibrations at the CGA

For me, it was an adventure getting to and getting back (thank you worldwide computer outage,) but all- in-all the California Glass Association (CGA) event was awesome… so impressed with the passion and drive this group has and the potential is so clear and exciting. It was honor to attend and…

Houston Strong

This week all thoughts to my friends in the Houston area after the devastation from Hurricane Beryl. There are still tons of people without power and a long road ahead for clean-up. I think we as a world sometimes become desensitized to hurricane damage anymore because it, unfortunately, happens…

Some Good, Some Bad, Some Ugly

I hope everyone had a good holiday run and we’re back at it. So, the best way to get moving is with a new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast. This time out, two pretty fascinating people that bring some exciting approaches to our space. Starting out with Jason Douglas of HB Fuller.…

Hitting the Floor. Really.

This past week, I was invited to Splendor Glass outside of Toledo, Ohio. I was so excited to visit and hit their manufacturing floor. That was until I actually hit their floor.

Mental Health and Well-being

In this podcast, I do a deep dive on mental health in construction with expert guests David Argus and Cal Beyer. Plus, my takeaways from the Top Manufacturers report, and industry anniversaries.

Learning Curve

Environmental impact. That term and all that goes with it will be growing eventually in North America. It is a slow process and I will be the first to admit my personal struggles with understanding it all. So, I saw three things this week that gave me additional hope. First, from the manufacturer…

The Chill Period

Before our slower news season this summer, I'm curious about how AIA's expo will do this week, given the historically poor experience it's been for exhibitors. More on my most recent pod, responses to the (debatable) Best Places to Live, and a new case study from Tubelite.

New Pod Drop + Milestones + Best Cities

For the long holiday weekend, I’ve got a supersized episode of the From the Fabricator podcast with some seriously interesting people and angles shared throughout. We kick things off with good friends Tom O’Malley of Clover Architectural and Kevin Mayer of PurOptima. Those two are working together…

A truly GREAT state of Texas

Fun industry week as both the events in Texas and Washington D.C. were massively successful. Texas Glass Conference IV raised the bar again. From having 45 people and 4 sessions in 2017 to 155+ and 8 sessions, this event is on a rocket ship. I am honored to still be on it! Congratulations to the…

Texas, Speakers, and DC

Big week ahead as the 4th Texas Glass Conference kicks off this week outside of Austin. The Texas Glass Association once again has put together an amazing agenda, and the speaking group/subject matter is top-notch. I can’t wait to be there to participate! I am very curious to get some insight from…

New Pod and More

Finally, we have a new podcast episode for you! The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now live with two insanely talented guys. First up, maybe you caught my hint last week on a guest being “sharp.” Well, this one is…both for real and in name. Kyle Sharp from Sharp Glass gets us going. It is…

The Challenges Continue

Last month when the Architectural Billings Index (ABI) came in with a stunning “positive” number, there were two thoughts. Is this the start of the comeback, or is it a fluke? Welp. We got our answer this week, and it came with authority. The ABI checked in at a horrendous 43.6. Or, as the main…

Moving On, Moving Forward

Not sure if you heard the news last week that the one and only Andrew Haring was leaving the NGA and returning to the for-profit world in an undisclosed position. There’s an “LOL” needed because you had to have heard…the news hit, and it spread pretty much like nothing I have seen. And for good…

Catch Up Time

No traditional lead story this week, just a lot of catching up with tidbits of information and happenings around the glass world. Plus, if I write about the adventure with interest rates and dire predictions from this past week, I may get too depressed to continue, so I’ll save that for another…

Headed to the Big D

Thrilled to be headed to the great state of Texas this week to visit with the North Texas Division of the Texas Glass Association. I love the opportunity to meet and network, as well as share some of the latest insights in our space. There’s quite a bit of news to cover too, so that will be fun.

New Pod: Paints, Innovations & More

The latest “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live for your listening and/or watching pleasure. Kicking it off with 2 guys who are incredibly detailed and strong on the paint and finishing sides. Neil Chrisman III and Chris Incorvaia were great in running down the various issues on that area of…

Good News, Events, Products, Big Fish and More

I'm excited for several personnel shifts in our industry, including Shelly Farmer's great new position a senior vice president at rising company Pellucere Technologies. Plus, upcoming events to put on your calendar.

Amazing Project and People

I had noted last week that I was afforded a great opportunity while at BEC in Nashville. Troy Johnson, President of Apogee Architectural Services (Harmon) asked if I wanted to visit a jobsite that they had rolling in town. For me, timing was a nightmare with my responsibilities to BEC, but Troy and…

Tremendous Week in Nashville!

What a run in the music city for our industry with an amazing BEC and GPAD. Truly a top notch and memorable experience all the way around. So, settle in, this is my traditional extra-long recap that features thoughts and lots of name drops too!  

New Pod and It's a huge week!

A great new podcast ep, plus BEC/GPAD! We're in Nashville, with the best of the best in our space, and I can’t wait to learn and listen and catch up with old friends and make some new ones as well.

Almost There!

Next week! Yes, next week brings on the month of March and it finally brings on BEC and GPAD in Nashville. Obviously, I am very excited on both. The chance to connect with so many has me jumping out of my skin.

Bonus pod, tough loss, 'Shrinkflation,' and more

I spoke with Matt Kamper of Woodbridge Glass and Kyle Lindersmith of Burkle for my bonus pod. Plus, my thoughts on the the Superbowl (commercials). 

Conferences, Sales, Boards & More

The latest edition of the NGA Glass Conference wrapped up this past week in South Carolina and I am always amazed at how much gets done at those things. Not being close to a technical stalwart, I tend to review these events from afar, leaving the technical superstars from our industry to do their…

Forecast and Other Insights

The newest episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is now up! This time out we’ve got two making their return to the airwaves with great insight and info. Kicking it off for the third year in a row, a forecast session with Nick St. Denis of KMR.  

2024 Predictions- Take 2

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…

New Pod, Predictions Reviewed and More

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…

2024 is Here... Let's Go!

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…

Year End Pod and 2023 MVP!

The last scheduled post of the year is here! Lots to cover. First up, my annual one on one year end interview is with John Dwyer of Syracuse Glass; now a part of the Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope family.

Who's Next?

And down the stretch we come…This is the next to last scheduled post of the year!  A few items to cover this week. We’ll kick it off with a look back at my past Industry MVP’s and Runners Up as the 2023 edition will be unveiled next week. I created this program in 2013 to recognize folks…

"Taylor" Made

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and it is truly “Taylor” made for the industry. Yes, I know the term is “tailor” made, but this episode features two awesome Taylors; Trey Taylor of BEES Inc. and Henry Taylor of Kawneer.  

Get Automated

I could start this post with a look at the ABI, but we’re all coming off the high of the holiday in the US, so I won’t get to that stomach churning news just yet. Let’s talk something that is never an issue out there and always easy to find. Labor. LOL. I know this continues to be the challenge but…

New Pod, Tough Econ News & Best Holiday of the Year

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is up with insight and info from all parts of our world. Kicking it off is long time manufacturers reps, Dan and Nico Pompeo of Architectural Glazing Solutions.

The Big GlassBuild 2023 Wrap Up

Wow. What a show. I think those of you that know me know I love every time we all get together but this one really went above and beyond. Truly a tremendous time and three show days absolutely flew by. Overall vibe I took away was resilience, preparation, and cautious optimism. Those emotions had…

BIG WEEK!

We’ve got a special edition of the From the Fabricator podcast for you out now. Kicking it off with the outgoing Chair of the NGA, Brian Hale of Hale Glass. Fun and wide-ranging conversation with a guy who has had an amazing 45+ year run in the business.  

ABI, HOF, CGA and More

Tough week both professionally and personally, but resilience is always the word around here so we plug on.  First, on the professional side. The Architectural Billings Index absolutely cratered, coming in with a brutal score of 44.8. That is the worst score since the teeth of the pandemic,…

All About the Prep

Obviously everything in the industry right now is GlassBuild focused, so of course the latest Glass Magazine leads with it and goes in heavy on the event. If you are attending, being prepared by checking out that issue now will really help you get ready for the show. If you are not attending, you…

Hear the Trends and then More

I get asked a ton on “trends” and what I see coming down the path, so I am pretty stoked that I’ll soon have the ability to moderate a panel all about trends and what is next! At GlassBuild on day one; the very first session on the Main Stage at 10:30 a.m., the panel will be focused on trends and…

New Pod- Catch Up and Grow

The newest episode of the From the Fabricator Podcast is now out and we go to coast to coast with great guests yet again. I am so fortunate to be able to talk to this sort of talent! Kicking it off by catching up with Chris Hanstad and Barry Sutherland of FHC (Frameless Hardware Company). They…

Review, Awards, Indexes and More

Kicking it off this week a review of the latest Glass Magazine. Really strong edition led by the ultra-prestigious Glass Magazine Awards. Congrats to all the winners there and note at GlassBuild they’ll honored in person. Very cool!  

Be on Guard & Stay Informed

One of the most talked about parts of my post from last week was the video I posted from CNBC talking about banks being winners/losers during the growing volatility out there. So this week when I saw this blurb on the excellent newsletter “The Scroll” I knew I had to share.

Podcast Trio of Justice

The latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now up and we’ve got three folks coming from three different directions. Good stuff on all.

The Thrill of the Pod

Next week there will be a new episode of the From the Fabricator podcast. It looks to be a good one. It got me thinking on how many people I’ve interviewed so far. The three guests that will appear will be numbers 114, 115, and 116. When I tallied that up, I was somewhat stunned. I did not think I…

Thoughts Out West

I never thought I’d be leading off a blog talking about a hurricane hitting southern California and the southwest, but here we are. Obviously sending positive thoughts to all, especially with regards to the rains and floods. Stay safe out there my friends.  Note: We’re also watching the…

The Best... and Staying That Way

“Glass can do everything…” that was the headline for the annual Glass Magazine Awards. When you look at the winners you realize that, indeed, it really can do everything! I loved going through the projects especially. Congrats to everyone who participated in this process as it makes our…

News and Nuggets

We may be square in the “dog days” of summer but various news and happenings are always popping in our industry. This week a handful of things to rundown, but leading off with a long overdue Glass Magazine review.

Podcast on Both Coasts

My new podcast is up, and I speak with Ashley Klein of AK Glazing as well as Evan Afenir of Double Play Glass, two glass industry up-and-comers that are the future of our space. We talked about how they're navigating this current market and more.

Forecast Focus

It's a big week in the forecasting side of things with the latest Architectural Billings Index (ABI) and the release of the mid-year AIA Consensus Forecast. First on the ABI, things held in the positive territory, barely, but still, we’ll take it versus it being negative. Good news also in that…

The Office Part 2

Last week I talked about the glimmering hope on the return to office area and the positivity there and I noted I’d have more on that this week. For that it was an article in Wall Street Journal that talked about the effect that the lack of return to office is having on so many people,…

Are We Getting Back to the Office?

Back at it after the holiday and what else also may be back? People coming into the office! Yes, you have heard it before, more than a few false starts in the last 18 months, but recently Kastle Systems, a major player in the swipe card area and they track the office data closely, reported that…

Pod, Birds, Deals, and Great ABI too!

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now live and I’m thrilled about how it turned out. Three unique and cool people joined me, and we covered a ton of items. Leading off was Sophia Panova of SO-ZHA Architects. Very talented person who “gets it” and I enjoyed her perspective throughout.…

In the Movies

In the new movie Elemental, architectural glass gets to play the hero in an exciting way. Plus, new podcasts from me and the NGA, and product news from industry leaders.

Trouble Ahead?

Reporting in the Wall Street Journal says that building in the commercial space may be coming to a bumpy landing. Landlords have been dealing in "interest only" loans, and the dollar amount of commercial mortgages is almost $1.5 trillion. 

Houston Rocks

The great state of Texas never disappoints and that was the case again this past week when I had the honor of speaking at the Houston Area Glass Association (HAGA) luncheon. Just a tremendous group of people that are so engaged in our space and future. Among the highlights for me was HAGA…

Latest Podcast Episode and More

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is out and I have to say it is a very powerful episode. The insights shared this month are top notch, especially from a technical side of things and there were lots of lessons learned. Leading off is Anas Al Kassas of INOVUES. Interesting guy with a…

What's Next?

Kawneer is one of those legacy brands in our space, so when their parent company was sold recently it did send some waves through the industry. There had been a ton of talk of Kawneer itself being sold last year, but that got pulled back. What happens next?   

2023 Glass TEXpo Review

Another strong showing from the folks in Texas for this years edition of Glass TEXpo. The hospitality is always top notch and it’s a tremendous opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Before I get into the “seen at the show” section, I did want to follow up on my note from last…

Texas Week

This week I get to go to one of my favorite states and will see a ton of my favorite people when I visit Glass TEXpo in San Antonio. I always enjoy attending this one because the folks in the great state of Texas always lay out the best welcome mat possible. Probably one of the main things I’ll be…

New Pod + Mix of News

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now out and it’s a good mix of people and subject matter. Leading it off is Jeff Dalaba and Ben Beeler from NACC & AGMT.  As many know, I am a huge supporter of the certification processes that these guys are heading up so having them on to…

Good News / Bad News

A very interesting Architectural Billings Index was released this week. On one hand the news was good, but on the other, not so much. In my last post I predicted a bad overall score. The worries on interest rates and the banking mess (still on going, though the world moves on to other issues) would…

Under the Radar Sites and More

So late in 2021 I went in search of some of the best “under the radar” websites in our industry and came up with a bunch led by a great one from the team at Minneapolis Glass. This year I once again went on the deep dive through the web to recognize more deserving folks in our space. My simple…

Schools and National Overwatch

The school shooting issue is still top of mind for me. When the possibility of interviewing a person who is out there trying to help schools do the right thing came up, I jumped at it. So I did a special one off podcast with Victor “Sal” Salazar of National Overwatch. Sal’s group is a non-…

Schools and What We Offer

By now I assume everyone reading this has heard that the school shooting in Nashville began when the shooter shot through the glass and walked right in. The doors looked like they had typical tempered in it, making it a very easy pass. Obviously this is gutting on so many levels, but from an…

Pod, Forecast, Advocacy and More

The latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is up and it’s got three dynamic and strong players on it. This month I kick it off with Susan Stone from Ubiquitous Energy. Susan was supposed to be on the opening session at BEC but had to cancel because of the insane weather her region…

A Needed Innovation

The big news for this blog dropped late in the week and I think it was hinted upon during my podcast with Garret Henson of Viracon. The announcement that Viracon would be adding a code to each IGU that will identify the exact make-up of the unit is big, big news in my opinion.

The Big BEC Recap

Another BEC is in the books and what an event it was! Once again so great to see so many wonderful leaders in our space and continue to learn and advance. As is tradition, this will be a very long post recapping BEC, but mostly noting the who’s who of the show for me. 

BEC Begins

It’s here! BEC week is upon us, and I am onsite in Las Vegas with hundreds of industry leaders. Next week I’ll have my usual “who’s who” recap of this event, but the overall vibe once again is one of positivity and hope.  

Pod, People, and More!

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now online and live. The mix of guests this month is very exciting. I kick it off with the one and only Garret Henson of Viracon and we covered a ton of ground, both in historical and also products and important issues going forward.  

Industry News and Notes

First up, great to see the new Board of Directors installed at the Texas Glass Association. Tremendous organization and top-notch people leading the way. Congrats to Kyle Sharp of Sharp Glass, President, Jody Hilton of Floyds Glass Company, Vice President, Brian Risinger of…

Be There!

We are a few weeks away from BEC and the excitement is really ramping up. The registration for the event has been amazing and the agenda has come together nicely. Last week I hit on a few sessions and this week I want to do the same.  

Good Resources

It’s been a while since I was able to give a review of the latest Glass Magazine, but I have finally caught up and time to take a look at an absolutely powerful January/February edition. This is “Future” issue, and I loved the cover project from Vitro that just popped right off the page. Inside the…

Pod, BEC, Bubba and More

The latest From the Fabricator podcast is now up! This month we kick it off with the awesome Katy Devlin of Glass Magazine and NGA. Katy is so smart and so cool, and her insights are spot on. Was fun to chop it up. Then on to three people really working hard to help their region. Kristie…

Predictions for 2023

Last week was easy. Reviewing predictions is a walk in the park compared to making them. But here we are, and this is what you expect from me, so the crystal ball is shined up and ready to go. My money back guaranteed predictions for our space in the year ahead.

Reviewing 2022

Predictions can be tough, but each year I do them and each year I follow up to see how I fared. So, before we dig into 2023, time to take a look back at my thoughts on 2022. Here are last year's calls and whether I won, lost, or tied.

New Year, New Pod and Lots of News

Happy New Year! We are off and running into 2023! Kicking it off in style with a great new podcast featuring three very interesting people all doing good things in our space. 

2022 MVP and Year-End One on One Special Podcast

2022. Get ready to enter this one into the finished column. But before we do that, there’s quite a bit to cover on my last scheduled blog post of the year. First off, my year ending traditional “one-on-one” podcast with an industry influencer. This year it's Steve Weidner of NSG Pilkington.…

Dynamic Duo and an Amazing System

We’ve reached the final month of the year and time has just flown right on by. Lots to cover this week, but kicking off with the latest From the Fabricator podcast. Really fun one, first featuring the awesome duo of Michael Saroka and Laura Little from Goldray Glass. This sibling team, along with…

Index Down

Hope everyone in the US had a good Thanksgiving holiday. The one area that did not was the Architectural Billings Index. After months of waiting for the “other shoe to drop” and the index to be underwater, its latest reading limped in with an ugly 47.7 rating. Remember 50 is the break-even…

Winding Down 2022

Down the stretch of 2022 we come. These next 7 weeks will fly on by, so buckle in. While usually some people start to coast to finish out the year, many others are grinding trying to get their plans for next year in line.

New Pod and the Deal Gets Done

A new podcast this week, acquisition news, retirement news, and looking ahead at some industry trends and data.

Catching Up

I’m still flying high after an amazing GlassBuild but it’s back to the day-to-day grind right? Some catch up items from the show and elsewhere around our industry below. 

The Giant GlassBuild Recap

What a week in Vegas. A crazy packed and somewhat confusing show floor led to an epic time at GlassBuild. I love this event, with the learning and comradery at every single turn. This year really came through at every level and was pretty memorable. The overall trend on the show floor was “…

Equipment, Architects, Vans, Skunks and more

The latest episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is now out and it’s filled with a bunch of firsts. The main ones were first time with 3 guests in one segment and first architect to be interviewed. Fun and interesting stuff. The guys from Salem Fabrication Technologies and HHH Glass Equipment…

Catching Up All Over the Globe

Before I get into this week, my thoughts are with everyone in Florida and those that were in the path of Hurricane Ian, including the home of the Daubmann family and their D3/MyArchitecturalGlass business. From what I hear, all is okay there with the plant, though they did have some damage.…

The Giant glasstec Recap

After 4 years, glasstec was back and it was an interesting experience to say the least. The vibe overall was positive, people hungry for new equipment especially and also new technology/products. 

Germany On Tap and Exciting News to Share

Good chance this week to do an international “vibe” check as I’ll be in Germany at glasstec. I'm really curious to see how people are feeling about the industry.  We also take a look at some industry milestones and an exciting opportunity for the glass industry that will be highlighted on HGTV…

Happy 80 and 100-plus Forecasts, Firms and More

It is anniversary time on my latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast. First up is the duo of Lee Harrison and Ross Christie from Walker Glass, celebrating 80 years in business. Then on to the 100th anniversary of Reed Rubber Products and Clark Reed. That was a great chance for…

Tours, Trends, Awards, and Football

This past week I had the opportunity to tour some incredible facilities and it really drove home the pure talent and drive we have in our industry.  As you know, I love seeing different operations, I always learn something. This time it was a chance to see plants that were truly…

Bumpy Forecast, Great Pod, And More

According to the latest Dodge Construction Network webinar, things are looking stable, but some possible murky times lay ahead. A great, new podcast episode is also available to listen or watch. Also, looking ahead to glasstec next month and more upcoming shows.

Beat Up Backlog

Each time an index comes out, I run through it and give you all some quick thoughts. Well now comes the latest Construction Backlog Report and that one, unfortunately, is connecting to my pessimism pretty well. This report has fallen three months in a row and is under water.

Latest Pod, On Location

A fun new podcast is now live. I went on location in Missouri and spent time at the amazing Quaker Windows facilities.

Big Notes From The Road

I have been on the road now for two solid weeks and it’s been great to see people in their natural habitats again and really get out and learn. The feedback was pretty interesting overall and I wanted to share some quick takeaways.

Absorbing An Adventurous Week

I feel like this blog is like the old episodes of Sesame Street that were brought to you by a letter, so this week, it’s brought to you by the letter A, as a bunch of subjects I have started with that letter so may as well be creative.

Questions Abound

The latest Dodge Momentum Index was up again. It is now at its highest point in 14 years. While that is exciting, it is also a bit of a mirage. There are still some dry pockets out there now, and in various backlogs, so it once again has me questioning these indexes. I’ll take the positivity, you…

Power Players

A new podcast is now posted with two tremendous guys from fantastic companies.  

Moving Forward

Here we are two weeks into our latest adventure, so I checked in with glaziers and fabricators from all over North America. Overall, it was pretty uniform that people sat down and worked through it. Battled. Yes, jobs were lost to overseas players. As was predicted. Yes, jobs were put on hold…

The Friday Stunner

Wow. Well on a day that it was announced U.S. Inflation was at its highest rate in 40 years, another bombshell was dropped by a major float glass company.

Great People, Resources, Cities and More

The latest “From the Fabricator” podcast is now live. Once again, I feel like the luckiest person around with getting to know new and ultra-cool people in our industry and then sharing their knowledge with all of you. Thank you for checking it out! 

Something Special

Pride in our industry is something I totally enjoy. In the past few years, this feeling of our value as a trade has really grown and the more we go that way the better. We have something special here, different and better than any other trade; let’s keep pushing that narrative as far as it can…

Preparing for...what?

This blog has been written and re-written four times already. I am struggling on how to lay it all out. The one thing I don’t like being is negative or worrisome, but unfortunately the following is what it is. So here goes…

The Great State of Texas

The Texas Glass Association Glass Conference really delivered this past week, once again showing that people want and need these onsite events to help to grow themselves and their businesses. This year the content really was top notch. Great breakout sessions and a couple of truly memorable and…

Lots of People Who 'Get It'

Well, that was a good "blog week" off and now back at it. The new podcast is ready, and there's plenty to recap, including solar glass news and how subcontractors get paid.

Top Glass Recap

Top Glass happened this past week, and it really was a tremendous event and opportunity to once again bring everyone back together in person. It was also good to get to Canada for the first time since 2019 and see and catch up with so many.

Life and Business Lessons

Exciting new podcast for this month is now live! Went from coast to coast in a few different sides of our business and really walked away with a lot of insight. 

Catch-Up Time

It has been so hectic lately that it’s probably time for a quick hit blog covering a wide range of subjects, including upcoming events, and a recap of GPAD and Glass and Glazing Advocacy Day.

The Massive BEC Recap

Wow. What a week in Nashville. Unreal in so many ways. Get ready, for a happening this big, and two-plus years in the making, it takes an extra-long blog with plenty of name drops is coming your way.

Back at the BEC

It’s big week in our industry with BEC and GPAD finally here. By the time some of you read this, most of the events will be done. I am just so happy it is here, it’s been a long time since the last time we held this event live in March of 2020. Great to get everyone back together!

Exciting Stretch Ahead

We are about to enter a cool little stretch of industry events, and I am excited because this may be the first real “normal” stretch we’ve had in two years.

The Pains of Labor

In all of the scary things happening right now, the one that brings the most worry but probably gets the least overall attention is our shortage on the workforce. We are battling so many things, but if we don’t have folks to make and install the material, nothing else matters.

Well that was a Big week

That was a busy week, eh? Not every day the week starts with a $3.4 billion-dollar-deal and it will be very interesting to see how things progress there.

One More Month

One month. That is it. One month away until we meet in Nashville for BEC and GPAD. These two tremendous conferences will get 2022 kicked into full gear and I am seriously stoked. Take a look at BEC  and GPAD and if you have any questions or curiosities on the events, hit me…

Topping Off

I teased it on the post last week that this time out, I would talk about something I got to do for the very first time while on a tour of Florida with NGA’s iconic #glassnerd Andrew Haring. We were invited to a “topping off” or “topping out” celebration by the great Ashley Klein of AK Glazing. I…

Podcast, Travel and Super Jobs

I had the great fortune of traveling through Florida this week with the ultimate #GlassNerd and legend Andrew Haring of the National Glass Association. A few quick hits here, and then a special rundown about a first experience ever for me on next week’s blog.

Quick Takes

Everyone staying warm? What a run over the last few weeks, that even folks in Florida saw some crazy temps. Anyway, things will be heating up soon with a lot going on in our industry on tap. This week’s post is a quick hitter style with some catch up items leading the way.

Plan It Now

Have you registered for BEC and GPAD yet? Those of you who have attended these conferences know the value and I assume you’ll be signing on soon. But let’s say you have not attended, and have no idea what the fuss is about; let me take you through it.

2022 Prediction Time

After a one-week delay, my fearless predictions for 2022 are here. They range from forecasts about glass dominance as a building material, trends in IG units, and some ideas about our economic landscape. Let's go!

Pod, Rumors, Projects, Dogs and More

One of the big items people are talking about … the buzz surrounding a potential deal for Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope. And that buzz is growing big time.

2021 Prediction Review: How did I do?

My tradition is always on the second post of the year to review my predictions from the previous year and grade how they turned out. I am never always right or always wrong and looks like 2021 stayed in track with that.

Happy 2022: Now Let’s Go!

2022. We made it. Time to start another year and maybe, just maybe, we’ll see more “normal” versus what we have experienced since early in 2020.

One-on-One to End 2021

Well unless something crazy happens, this is my final blog for 2021 and I am thrilled I can end it with the dropping of my final podcast of season 1―a one on one with the ultimate leader in our industry, Don Friese.

2021 MVP and OBE

Big week, and unusually long post here. Obviously the news that Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope may be sold rocked our world this week. Also, I'm announcing MVP 2021. 

Projects, Culture, Shower Doors, Gear and More

I’m happy to announce the latest edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live! Kicking it off with Tom Jackson of Steel Encounters. The person that he is and work that he and his team does is simply amazing and a nice dive into a culture there that works very well too.

Confidence Builder into 2022

Despite the challenges we are all facing on the business settings, the economic indexes continue to do very well. The last Architectural Billings Index was released while this blog was on holiday, and it is still thriving in positive territory.

New Company, New Battles, and Lots of Kudos

The biggest news last week was the acquisition of Global Security Glazing and Dlubak Specialty Glass by Isoclima. This is massive news because it brings one of the best glass players in the world in Isoclima into the United States. Having their expertise matched with the talented and hungry folks…

Deals, Awards, Entrepreneurs and More

This is another week where there’s no lead story, but a bunch of smaller ones to comment on or catch up with. Including two stories I completely missed along with a bunch of other relevant items, including FeneTech's acquisition.

Future Still Looking Positive

Through all of the crazy and frustrating challenges we are facing, the one good index that has been on a roll, continued that this week with the latest Architectural Billings Index. The latest ABI came in at a stunning score of 56.6 which is up from 55.6 last month (remember over 50 is positive)…

Finally Getting It

I chuckle sometimes on how far ahead all of us are in this industry versus most of the world. Case in point: the supply chain. We all have been intimately involved in the massive supply challenges as it pertains to our industry for many months now, also while noticing the rest of the world is a…

New Pod, Jobsites, Careers, and the "Deathstar"

You are seeing it quite a bit online, and in the trades, but this month is Careers in Construction Month. I think all of us pushing this is more crucial than ever. We have all seen that it’s gotten even harder to attract folks to our awesome world, so time for those of us in it to step up and help…

Yes, Glass is Great

Last week Glass Magazine published a story that took off like a rocket ship and was shared a ton on social media. Honestly, this was a story that should be shared in every office in our industry and with as many people outside of our bubble as possible.

Boards, Indexes, Talking Shop and More

First, we’ll start with sad news, the passing of Thad Max Ziegler. Thad Max was great man who I had to honor of meeting back in the 90’s when our respective companies almost became partners. He was an amazing person and leader who worked an astounding 73 years in this business. My sincerest…

The Official GlassBuild Who's Who Recap

Well, that was a heck of a week…what a show we had in Atlanta. The opportunity to be back in front of people face to face really was energizing for all that attended, and my expectation of a motivated audience came true.

GlassBuild Kicks Off

This week writing this mostly from the floor at GlassBuild as we’ve finally made it, we’ve finally gotten to the show! It’s been a heck of a run since the last GlassBuild in person in 2019, and so far, so good in getting to see people and build back those great personal connections that we all…

Trailblazers and Disruptive Forces

I know in some pockets of our industry there’s stunningly no sight of a glass shortage, and all is well. In others, it’s a struggle. Well, folks, the bad news is I think things on the glass side are going to get even worse. So those of you not having issues, get ready, and those of you who are…

Articles, Ads, Reports, Pods, & More

The latest Architectural Billings Index was strong yet again but did show some slippage from last month. Possibly some of the uneven aspects of our economy is starting to catch up? The score of 54.6, down from 57.1, is still excellent but does show there’s some leveling off and the new inquiries…

It's On!

In about three weeks the industry will gather once again in Atlanta for GlassBuild. Yes. The show is on, everything is still set and hundreds of awesome exhibitors will be there ready to show off the latest and greatest.

New Pod and Stunning Closure

The Apogee news on closing the Statesboro, Georgia, facility and Velocity still has me stunned, especially the Velocity portion. Just did not see that coming at all.

Bernard and Dick Sr.

This isn’t going to be a normal post for me. This past week was a rough one in our industry. Two tremendous and important men passed away. One was very well known nationally, one was not. Both, though, had immeasurable effects on our business and I am dedicating this post to each of them.…

Focused Forward

It’s August. This year is just flying by. We are now just six weeks away from GlassBuild and I am trying to stay focused on that and not on the absolute circus in the U.S. with regards to the virus, mandates, and so on.

Big and Important Deals

What a week in our world. Two massive partnerships were announced that could really push emerging technology to new levels. Very exciting stuff for our industry for sure. 

Podcast Deep Dives

I noted last week that we’d have a mid-year forecast coming out, and it was an interesting one. We are in a slow stretch (some feel this more than others) and the outlook for the future is positive, but concern on the virus and the lack of vaccinations in the construction trade are a worry as…

Mid-Year Check In

It is now mid-year forecast time, and this coming week we’ll have a big release on what some of the main analysts are seeing for the rest of 2021 and into 2022. My approach is still the same, we knew 2021 was a “donut” and for a lot of the industry, but not all, we are in the hole right now.…

10 Years!

This week is a milestone week for me as my little company will turn 10 years old on Friday. I simply can’t believe it’s been a decade on my own, but here we are. Obviously, a major thank you to all of you who have trusted me to work with you on your communication strategy, and gratitude also to all…

June Bloom

June brings the annual start to Hurricane Season. For the next few months, we’ll be on high alert with regards to storms moving into the east coast or up through the Gulf. The glass and glazing industry has truly made a major impact, no pun intended, on this space.

Yes on the Future, Meh on the Current

The ABI's immediate analysis pointed to pent up demand and to retrofit. I have been hammering the retrofit side for a while as a huge growth area, and it’s great to see the experts agree. The only bad news here is this is future-based, so we’ll get to enjoy this run later this year and into next,…

The Road Back Begins

The road to being “back” took a major step forward this past week in San Antonio, Texas, at the TEXpo event there. The organizers and the incredible Texas Glass Association did a wonderful job with the setup and layout, and it was great to be back on a show floor again!

New Pod, Great People and Products

The news came down this week that 2022 will be the International Year of Glass! That is tremendous stuff, and should only be good for all of us going forward. I expect a lot more details to come, but as the great leader of this effort, Alicia Duran, noted in her announcement of this happening, “…

Supply Chain Scaries

Every few months a complete supply chain update for the building product world is published by Gilbane. It is an excellent resource and for the longest time glass was always listed as “stable” in the three main categories of price, inventories, and deliveries. That is no longer the case as in the…

The Vax

Since the pandemic started, I have pretty much made it a mission not to talk specifically about anything directly connected to it. This post however I am going to break that approach. Reason being is I am curious on what companies are doing with regards to the vaccination process. 

Forecasts, Podcasts, and More

The next release of the Architectural Billings Index comes out Wednesday. There is a ton of anticipation for this one given how great the last report was. I’m going in with the attitude of hope for the best but expect the worst. I don’t think there’s any way the March results will beat…

Labor Pains

The challenge of finding labor is now the biggest it has ever been, and is not getting easier. As the economy starts to come back and companies of all types are returning to “normal” business, there is a shortage of willing people to work.

Big Company Moves

We heard the news of the assets from Columbia Commercial Building Products being divvyed up between two companies, with the window system going to Arcadia and the architectural aluminum to FHC. Nice moves for both of those companies, especially with regards to expanding their products lines. Again…

Positive Report

The ABI came in at a stunning 53.3! The score of 50 is the break even and so this score not only shot past that but did so for the first time since this pandemic began. New project inquiries also went through the roof, posting a 61.2 and new contracts posted a nice 51.6. All in all, a super…

The Tightening of Supply

It has been on the radar for a while, and now it’s time to say it again. Everything is getting tighter. What I mean by that is there’s not many areas in the supply chain that are chock full of inventory.

Impressive Industry Minds on Display

The March edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is now live. This release is a bit earlier than normal because I didn’t want to conflict with the episode drops from BEC Presents coming next week, so I hope you’ll still make room in your listening/viewing schedule for all!

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

In the next issue of Glass Magazine there is a story I am very proud to be associated with. It is a “Take 5 with Randy Steinberg” of Glasswerks, and it really was a fun one to dig into. Getting this chance and digging into what makes Randy tick really was special.

On the Bumpy Road

As always, a couple keys for our world continue to be a push to make sure you are as diverse as possible and communicating at the most effective level with your supply chain. We knew the bumpy road was out there and we’re looking at it straight ahead right now.

Interesting Innovations and More

I sat in on the latest construction forecast for 2021 this past week and so far, the initial predictions for the year are panning out. Slowdowns expected to the middle half of the year with pick-ups at the end.

From the Fabricator: Huge Benefits

There was a lot of news that came out of the NGA Glass Conference last week, but the biggest to me was the announcement of a huge members benefit: the members-only Codes & Standards Help Center. That is something we’ve needed in this industry for a long time. It is finally here and it’s…

What Happens Next?

The big news of the week was all surrounding what is going on with JE Berkowitz and the CGH brand. JEB has suspended operations and Columbia in Texas is closing, and that was tough news to take. Good companies that had some super people.

Down But Not Out

Recently AIA released their “Consensus” forecast update that takes eight different indexes and averages them out. The prediction for 2021, when all is said and done, is a 5.7 percent decrease in nonresidential spending in the new year.

The New Addition: A Podcast!

I am excited to announce a new addition to the “From the Fabricator” family. I have launched a new monthly podcast! Yes, as if once a week my writing was not enough, now once a month you can see/hear me talking up the industry.

Predictions for 2021

Hot off the presses, it’s time to dive into my predictions for our industry in 2021. This should be a very interesting year (understatement alert) as we continue to hopefully move further and further away from the 2020 virus.

And so we begin!

Has there ever been a new year where there is an absolute unanimous agreement that it is great to move on to the next? I think obviously this is the one with all of us now looking forward with hope and positivity to 2021.

Get Ready for The Glass Age

Will 2022 be the year of Glass? I have mentioned this a few times, but there is an excellent international move afoot to make 2022 officially the year of glass and would begin the “The Glass Age” in our world. Obviously, I love it.

Rough Week

We start this week some tough news. A few days ago, word came that Cliff Monroe passed away. Cliff was a leading technical mind in our industry for many years, and held important roles at Arch Aluminum, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and eventually his own consulting company. Cliff was also a main…

Forecast Season Begins

The first of two major construction forecasts were released this previous week, and leading off was the annual Dodge Data & Analytics Conference. This forecast says the commercial sector for starts will finish down 23 percent this year and only gain back 5 percent of that in 2021.

The Battle Continues

It may have been forgotten, or at least minimized, in light of all else going on in our world, but our industry is still “battling” for the wall. There continues to be movements out there for less glass and it is one that the NGA and its dream team of leaders and advocates are fighting at every…

BOD, PR, and Q&A

I have written a few times on the book "Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm" by Patrick MacLeamy former CEO of HOK. I was lucky enough to get an email interview with Patrick and here is Part 1. You’ll see how his passion comes through here and the book was the same way. …

Better News

The latest Architectural Billings Index was released this week and it was an absolute stunner. The scoring was way beyond what I expected or what conventional wisdom was pointing to. After a few months being stuck at 40―remember a score of 50 is break-even―the index shot up to 47 this month.…

A Book, an Index, a Reminder, and More...

This whole Architectural Billings Index, as well as all of the forecasts, have been defying some conventional wisdom in when and where they are dropping. Obviously, I don’t want negative, but it is coming. Work on the books is dropping in real life, so eventually it’s going to play out here. 

Continuing the Comeback

FGIA's economic forecast featured a prediction that the airline and hotel industries will come back. I hope this call on the return to success by airlines and hotels happens and happens soon.  

15 Years!

It was in October of 2005 that I started this blog. Never in my wildest dreams did I think 15 years later I’d still be plugging away, week after week posting, but here I am. Fifteen years this month. Allow me to please take a quick look backwards, especially for those of you new folks who…

Finishing Strong

Well here we are, another month down as we steam toward the end (thankfully) of 2020. And, also, with the end of the month comes the end of the awesome GlassBuild Connect event. It has been a heck of a run, and this week it finishes strong with some amazing panels. 

Huge Retirement

The big news from the industry this week was the announced planned retirement of Apogee CEO Joe Puishys. I have been a huge fan of Joe’s from the first time I heard him speak at BEC and believe he is an excellent leader and representative of our industry. 

Time to Act

This past week at GlassBuild Connect, Connor Lokar from ITR Economics delivered an incredible performance―more than 75 minutes of detailed intel and dives in the economic landscape. For all of us though I think the thing to focus on is “how are we going to deal with it?” How are we going…

Big Week Ahead

There are two major, can’t-miss presentations coming this week. On Tuesday, the most comprehensive and independent economic forecast focused on our industry happens. Connor Lokar is a tremendous speaker with impressive credentials on the economic side of things. Then Wednesday, Jorma Vitkala makes…

It Is Time! 

It is finally here. GlassBuild Connect kicks off this week, and for the next month we’ll be focused on the best that our industry has to offer. Obviously, this year is like no other and GlassBuild being an online experience is like nothing else out there. I am honored to work on…

Trends Up, Down, and All Around

The latest Architectural Billings Index results were released this past week and they came in pretty much like I expected. Still not great, and not what we had been used to, but they were better than what they were and what they could be. 

Happy Trails

The next release of the Architectural Billings Index will be released this week and this one will be more interesting than normal. As you may remember, last month was a “good” report (relative to the time we are in) and had some momentum.  

Blip on the Radar?

An interesting and unfavorable trend appeared this week in my normal communications around the industry. For the first time since the virus started locking us down, I am getting reactions that business has slowed down for many. This week, though, I heard from more than a few people in different…

Clearing Off The Desk

FTI’s month of tremendous content leading into GlassBuild Connect for a month is flat out awesome for the industry. So much learning at so many different levels. Two events back to back that are difference-makers. 

2020 Mid-Year Forecast Notes

Starting off this week with some forecasting news. There was a good economic mid-year update presented this week and some interesting nuggets came from it. The analysts see us being past the bottom now and rising. The metrics are all pointing at least in an upward direction.  

Hanging Tough

Resilience. If there is a word that accurately describes the glass and glazing industry right now, it’s that one. While I hear about other industries having companies fall by the wayside or have several actively looking to sell, for the most part our world has followed a dogged determination…

The Mental Game

One of my best friends is a professional coach. He works with business people and athletes and helps them on the mental game. He’s given me tips and directions along the way that have made a huge difference in how I am able to operate. 

The Massive Importance of GlassBuild

I think for all of us in the industry we may take GlassBuild for granted. It’s always been there, but it’s actually more than a show―it’s the lifeblood of the industry and the NGA. It’s what is needed to be able to have the technical chops, guidelines, bulletins and conferences.  

From the Fabricator: Surprising Code Watch

We had a double blast of code dives this week with webinars from the National Glass Association and from Glass Canada. Both webinars did sound at least a minor alarm about the next area of concern for the commercial glass world when it comes to codes; that would be the spandrel area. This is…

Back at It

More details came through on the July Glass Conference that will be all online. I mentioned the Conference on my last post but the extra particulars on the schedule got me going. The agenda is loaded and the value for three days of education―$150 for members and $200 for non-members―is off the…

The Glass Conference

I’ve noted this previously but here goes again; there’s a ton of content out there right now and it’s a challenge to determine what is worthy and what is not. One event that is absolutely worth it―even more than ever this year―is the Glass Conference coming in July.

Being Ready

So many times, I hear “Well as soon as things change we’ll push more, we’ll go then,” and that attitude is chasing the wave, instead of being on top of it. The play should be: Ready. Stay Ready.

Quick Hits

The Dodge Momentum Index was only slightly down in its latest reading for May. But before we get too positive, this report is a 3-month moving average, and so expectations are that this index will see some serious drops in the next month or two. It bears watching for sure.

Forecast Updates

I sat in on the ConstructConnect webinar this week that was an update to bring folks up to speed on the current construction forecast landscape. Bottom line? We all have to keep being strategic, diverse―design and code changes will help glass―and active in fighting and marketing for our businesses…

What the Recent Index Means

If the ABI continues to scuffle, and we expect it will, the angle of strategy and diversification takes a much bigger role. If you are not looking hard at what you can do to be ahead of the game right now, you are missing out.

The Work Doesn't Stop

The latest Architectural Billings Index was released, and I think we all expected bad. And dreadfully bad is what we got. The index came in with a 33.3, which is way below the break- even index of 50. 

Get Updated

One thing is for sure right now and it’s there is a lot of information out there on loans and assistance but how do you know what is right or wrong? I was thrilled that the National Glass Association was able to setup a must-attend webinar with financial expert Marco Terry to talk about things like…

Strategic Planning

We all have to be mindful of what is going on now, but if we are not constantly in motion with plans for the future we are missing out. Eventually things are going to break here―do you want to be chasing that curve or on top of it? 

Remembering the Positivity

BEC was a little over a month ago and I never in my wildest dreams would’ve thought we’d be where we are at right now. The reason I bring up BEC is because the positivity and the focus there is something we can’t lose sight of. We have brilliant people and companies in our industry and we have an…

The Meaning of Essential

Obviously, we all have felt what we do is essential and that we provide an incredible and very important building product. However, for years we had always been beaten down either in the codes or by random glass bashing articles. Now during this time of crisis we get our answer and in a majority of…

Watching Other Items

On March 18, the latest Architectural Billings Index was released.The latest report is for February and it was compiled before things turned upside-down. The index came in with an excellent score of 53.4. 

From the Fabricator: Education and Content Review

From the Fabricator: BEC Recap

BEC was a massive success. The largest attendance since 2008, and the new location, brought an amazing amount of energy. For years, those of us who were BEC originals could never fathom moving it from Las Vegas. Now, it’s pretty clear that rotating this event around gives it a new and fresh flavor…

From the Fabricator: BEC 2020 is Here

It is BEC week! Each year, there are two events for me that are above all others. The Building Envelope Contractors Conference in the spring, and GlassBuild America in the Fall. I live for these events because of the ability to grow business, and myself. 

The Virus

It is time to talk about the Coronavirus and what could be next for all of us. This obviously is very frightening situation on many levels and one that many of us in North America have not felt yet but probably will…soon. 

American Factory

Several months ago, the documentary “American Factory” was released. I immediately watched this documentary and when it was over, I said to myself, there is no way I will ever blog about this.

Looking at 2040

Lots of think pieces out there asking where the world will be and what it will look like in 2040, so I decided to do the same thing briefly with our industry in mind. I think we are headed into an incredible run because glass is about to grow dramatically on the interior of a building, while…

The Consensus Forecast Says...

We begin this week with another economic focus, with the release of the American Institute of Architects Consensus Forecast. AIA’s consensus for 2020 is showing the nonresidential world slightly up for the year.

Get Ready for the Year of Glass

How cool would it be if our industry, our little world, had the honor of having a year named for it? Well, if we all can come together and push, maybe 2022 will be known as the International Year of Glass by the U.N. 

From the Fabricator: The 2020 Predictions

We’ve reviewed past predictions and now it’s time to break out the trusty crystal ball and look at what I see ahead in the next 11 1/2 months of 2020. I am pretty confident about this grouping, and ready to go five for five when I review at the start of next year.

2019 Prediction Review

Before we can look forward into 2020, time for one more look back at 2019 and specifically at my predictions for the industry posted one year ago. Let’s see how I did!

From the Fabricator: 2020 - First Look

Happy New Year! We are off and running in 2020, and I am excited about all to come this year. Each year on this blog I start off with reviewing my predictions from the previous year, and then I go to my predictions for the year ahead. Next week is when I’ll look back, and the week after is when I’…

And the Industry MVP is....

And here we are ... the end of the year and my final scheduled post for 2019. As is my tradition, it’s in this post that I reveal the runners up and MVP of our fine industry during the past year.

My list of Best Buildings of 2019

The year’s end always brings “best of” lists and in our world, there are usually best building and project lists usually put out by architectural trade magazines. I went in search of those articles, found a few, and have to say I’m pretty bummed on the selections that some of the pubs made for…

BEC Registration Opens, Job Moves, Cool Website and More

Registration is now open for BEC 2020. This year the event is in Nashville, and the early schedule is incredible. Topics that are crucial for the glazing contracting community are on tap. This year the schedule is different than past years. DO NOT skip the second day, as it’s loaded with…

Glass Getting a Positive Push

At the end of last month Microsoft founder Bill Gates wrote a pretty fascinating blog post. The post was headlined “Buildings are Bad for the Climate,” and he went deep into the issues he sees the traditional building causing our world going forward.