Happy holidays to you all! I know I’m very much looking forward to New Year’s Eve festivities (if you can’t imagine why I might be excited about 2010, you may want to watch our recent newscast!) and am already hoping that the new year has good things in store for our industry. Being prone to reflection, I can’t help but take some time now to look back at the year drawing to a close. Last year the contributing editors of USGNN.com™ each offered their take on the top stories of 2008, and this year I thought I’d ask for your input.
For my part, I think it’s easy to say that the economy has remained at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Obviously one high-profile bankruptcy has been leading the headlines of late, but we’ve run numerous stories throughout the year about several large fabrication and manufacturing facilities closing due to the economy. On the other hand, I’ve been surprised by how many stories we’ve also run about smaller fabricators growing into new markets and expanding their businesses. I think the story for 2010, perhaps 2011, may be about some of the smaller companies rising to the top of the industry supply chain.
We’ve also looked at a couple of the headline-making stories of 2008 that grew more quietly in 2009. For example, BIM wasn’t quite the magic word this year that it was last year—at least not for subcontractors—but the number of glass product suppliers listed in BIM libraries had grown exponentially from when we had first reported on this trend. Also, by 2009 it seemed that the word solar was becoming better understood; that is, while solar energy remained a hot topic for the glass industry, more speakers on this topic have offered words of caution rather than unbridled optimism.
As far as trends to come, in the scattered days I’ve been at work this month (between the holidays and some surprising snow days), I’ve been following up on what’s shaping up to be a big trend for at least early 2010: the business opportunities in energy efficiency retrofits. Green’s continuing as a money-making trend that could help commercial glass suppliers and installers keep plenty busy as new construction starts slow. (If this is a trend you’re noticing, please let me know.)
And there are a couple trends we at USGlass have been very much impacted by. I mentioned our newscast at the beginning of this blog, but the newscast is simply one of a multitude of ways we’ve been growing online. At the recent BETEC Symposium, I found myself taking notes and snapping photos for our newsletter and print stories; shooting video footage to use in that newscast; and tweeting highlights from the presentations. What is surprising is that the online mutlti-tasking is hardly a media trend—glass businesses have been jumping online in increasingly new and creative ways this year as well.
So now it’s your turn. What would you say was the headline of 2009? What about the biggest trend? Please share your comments here.
And for a similar take, check out DWM editor Tara Taffera's blog.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, November 30, 2009
Holiday Shopping – for Glass
I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving. I actually hosted my first turkey-day and I’m happy to report that the house is still standing, so I consider it to have been a success. Despite my neighbors who several weeks ago put up the white lights and wreaths on their house (before taking down the scarecrow, might I add), I believe we’ve only just begun the holiday season and the bustle of shopping that comes with it. I’m hoping that for many of you holiday shopping means big sales of doors, windows, mirrors, shower doors, glass tabletops and other related goodies.
My last couple of blogs have focused on my personal adventures in door and window shopping; now I’m hoping that you will share your experiences on the selling side. The January 2010 (yes, already 2010) USGlass will include our annual look at glass in the residential market. Are things starting to look up? Are certain products selling more than others? Do you have any predictions you’d like to share for what’s to come? Please drop me a line to let me know what trends you’re seeing.
Now speaking of predictions, each December or January when I contact people to offer their forecasts for what they think (or hope) will come to pass in the year ahead, I get at least one or two comments along the lines of “well I don’t have a crystal ball, but …” I’m sure, too, that some of you readers share my usual reaction, “These predictions sound about right to me, but how many of these forecasts actually are going to pan out?” That’s why this year we’re taking a different angle (credit for this must go to the ever-creative Mr. Paul Bieber). Knowing what you know now, we’d like to know what you would have done differently during 2009. Our hope is that this look at what’s taken place in the year behind us is likely to help us more critically examine what’s to come. If you’re willing to offer a sharp look back at the year that’s passed for our article in the January USGlass, please let me know.
My last couple of blogs have focused on my personal adventures in door and window shopping; now I’m hoping that you will share your experiences on the selling side. The January 2010 (yes, already 2010) USGlass will include our annual look at glass in the residential market. Are things starting to look up? Are certain products selling more than others? Do you have any predictions you’d like to share for what’s to come? Please drop me a line to let me know what trends you’re seeing.
Now speaking of predictions, each December or January when I contact people to offer their forecasts for what they think (or hope) will come to pass in the year ahead, I get at least one or two comments along the lines of “well I don’t have a crystal ball, but …” I’m sure, too, that some of you readers share my usual reaction, “These predictions sound about right to me, but how many of these forecasts actually are going to pan out?” That’s why this year we’re taking a different angle (credit for this must go to the ever-creative Mr. Paul Bieber). Knowing what you know now, we’d like to know what you would have done differently during 2009. Our hope is that this look at what’s taken place in the year behind us is likely to help us more critically examine what’s to come. If you’re willing to offer a sharp look back at the year that’s passed for our article in the January USGlass, please let me know.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Decision Time
I had one other lumberyard I wanted to check out for the door and window products I need for my remodeling project but it turned out the supply company was only open while I was working and things have been a little bit too busy here at the office for me to take a couple hours to go shop. So one evening while at Home Depot looking for a couple other items, Chris and I stopped by the window display.
I hate to say it, but the display was very nice. They had three manufacturers’ products on display, with a range of high-end to what I’d call more reasonably priced options for each manufacturer. We were immediately drawn to one particular window and about the time we had made up our minds there was a sales associate at our elbow ready to help us draw up a quote. Elijah walked us quickly through the options for the window and was able to print out a price and detailed description of the particular window we wanted in less than five minutes. The two-week delivery time was a bit of a drawback but as there was no question this was the product we wanted we agreed to the purchase. The patio door we did ultimately purchase from Supplier A – it was a good product he had and the lower price helped our decision.
Now hopefully I’ll have some photos of the installation process in a couple weeks!
Now on another note, I just wanted to send out a reminder that the December issue of USGlass features our Industry Buyer’s Guide. If you or someone at your company has not yet registered to be included, please send me an email this week. We’ve updated our process for bringing you the guide, putting it entirely in your hands, so it’s essential that you register with us to be listed. And trust me, you want to be listed. This is the issue that people will be reaching for all year to find out which companies offer the products they need.
I hate to say it, but the display was very nice. They had three manufacturers’ products on display, with a range of high-end to what I’d call more reasonably priced options for each manufacturer. We were immediately drawn to one particular window and about the time we had made up our minds there was a sales associate at our elbow ready to help us draw up a quote. Elijah walked us quickly through the options for the window and was able to print out a price and detailed description of the particular window we wanted in less than five minutes. The two-week delivery time was a bit of a drawback but as there was no question this was the product we wanted we agreed to the purchase. The patio door we did ultimately purchase from Supplier A – it was a good product he had and the lower price helped our decision.
Now hopefully I’ll have some photos of the installation process in a couple weeks!
Now on another note, I just wanted to send out a reminder that the December issue of USGlass features our Industry Buyer’s Guide. If you or someone at your company has not yet registered to be included, please send me an email this week. We’ve updated our process for bringing you the guide, putting it entirely in your hands, so it’s essential that you register with us to be listed. And trust me, you want to be listed. This is the issue that people will be reaching for all year to find out which companies offer the products they need.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Secret Shopping Part I
After my visit to what we’ll call Supplier A, I had to give the company props for being contractor-oriented—even if, as a retail customer, I was put off by the customer service.
As I mentioned last week, my roommate, Chris, and I are in the process of
shopping for a new patio door and window for our den, and our contractor advised visiting Supplier A for products. So Saturday morning we headed down the road to a nearby industrial park. While the way to the building was clearly marked, upon reaching it we couldn’t figure out where to park. The lot crowded with heavy equipment turned out to be the correct side, unfortunately.
As I mentioned last week, my roommate, Chris, and I are in the process of
shopping for a new patio door and window for our den, and our contractor advised visiting Supplier A for products. So Saturday morning we headed down the road to a nearby industrial park. While the way to the building was clearly marked, upon reaching it we couldn’t figure out where to park. The lot crowded with heavy equipment turned out to be the correct side, unfortunately.Inside I found Supplier A to have a very orderly showroom with several window products on display. A customer was waiting while the man behind the desk spoke on the telephone, and so I went to browse the window displays. There were five display windows installed into sample walls of siding products. Each window carried an Energy Star label and proclaimed in a sticker at the top that they were available in glass packages that qualified for the tax credit. Alongside each sample wall were racks of literature, including a range of brochures from the manufacturers whose products Supplier A offered and a detailed glossy on the ARRA tax credit, stamped with Supplier A’s logo. I thought that was a clever touch, and when I headed up to the front of the store I found Chris had one in hand as well as they were scattered throughout the store.
Once the other customer left the store the salesperson at the front desk asked what he could do for us. We explained we were looking for a new door and window and he stared at us for a moment and then went to retrieve a thick yellow binder.
“Steel or fiberglass?” he asked.
“Fiberglass,” I said.
“You going to put something on it, like some lace, or something else like that,” he asked, his face scrunching up at the word lace as addressed Chris.
“Yeah, we’ll probably install blinds,” Chris replied.
“How much sun does it get?” the salesperson asked.
“Just a couple hours of morning sun,” I answered. “Nothing direct for very long.”
“Ok,” the salesperson said, “then you don’t need anything like the low-E or argon-filled if you agree you don’t get much sun over there. I’ve got this problem in my house where the sun’s coming through my front door pretty much all day and burning through the door.” I didn’t think he believed my answer, but considered it a good sign that we were edging toward a real conversation.
The salesperson flipped to a page of patio doors.
“Something like this?” he asked, pointing to an open glass door. We pointed to the one next to it with divided lites.
“You want the grids on the outside, the removable grids or the inside grids?” he asked us.
Explaining that I wasn’t thrilled with the removable grilles on the other windows in our house, I suggested attached outside grilles.
“The inside grids are for easy cleaning,” he explained with a motion of wiping the glass. Obviously in addition to lacy stuff this sales guy figured I also was obsessed with window cleaning. Boy does this guy not know me, I thought to myself, thinking to the handprint that’s been on our patio door since we moved in; I kind of like the way it seems to wave to me.
“Sure, why not, the interior grilles are nice,” I said.
After deciding on the handing he pointed to the product he would offer us. “Do you have any options we can take a look at?” Chris asked.
The sales guy got on the loudspeaker and called for his assistant to come out. Knowing how long we’d been waiting initially I was a little frustrated to know there was another helper lurking in the back. But when I saw said helper, I understood why he’d been hiding.
Okay, I understood this place is geared toward contractors and the usual customers might have found the inappropriate logo on the guy’s shirt amusing. But c’mon guys, if you have a showroom and there’s the least chance you’re going to be doing retail business, let’s leave the risqué logos at home, okay?
Sighing, I began to explain the size and style of the window we wanted to match the others in our home but when I said the word “wood” the salesperson shook his head and smiled grimly. We pushed him to offer a quote on a comparable vinyl product so that we could get a sense of the price difference.
At that point another customer walked in, obviously a regular as the second salesperson greeted him. Apparently thinking that it would take me ten minutes to quickly scribble down the approximate costs of doors, window and siding, our helper excused himself to assist the contractor with what he needed. In a place geared toward contractors, I could appreciate putting the regular customer first … but it still ticked me off.
After the other customer was taken care of, our salesperson took us back into the warehouse to look at products. It was reasonably clean in the area where we walked, with wide open aisles of wood, siding, doors and windows. He pulled out an example of the door he’d guided us toward and we agreed that’s what we were looking for.
Next he took us over to a window display. As he showed us the size options, I couldn’t help but think that the large cardboard boxes scattered in front of it were a slip hazard. Chris joked that I 
wanted the biggest windows available—which, I’ve got to admit, is true, since I love our view—and the sales guy laughed at me and told Chris, “Boy have you got your work cut out for you.” I like to think he wasn’t intending to be rude but by that point my patience had already run out.
wanted the biggest windows available—which, I’ve got to admit, is true, since I love our view—and the sales guy laughed at me and told Chris, “Boy have you got your work cut out for you.” I like to think he wasn’t intending to be rude but by that point my patience had already run out. And then that was that. No writing down quotes. No business card. The sales guy explained that next Friday he’d be leaving for a month but that anyone at the front could help us with our order.
So you can probably guess what I’m doing this afternoon. Yup, checking out the competition down the road. I’ll keep you posted.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Adventures in Remodeling
At the Atlanta show a couple of weeks ago I talked with several individuals who mentioned that there are lots of opportunities out there for the glass industry when it comes to retrofitting. I’ve been reading about a couple notable examples of retrofits in the consumer press, and it’s a topic we’ll be looking at more closely in USGlass in the future. So if you’ve noticed this trend, or are planning to take part in it, please send me a note about your current or planned retrofit projects.
On a much smaller scale, I’m excited to share that the first real remodeling project at my own home is going to involve a new, energy-efficient door and window. I’ve been living in the 20-year-old house for a full two-months now. My projects have included painting most of the upstairs, whereas my roommate tends toward more extreme (i.e. expensive) measures to personalize our home. But I could hardly argue with him when he proposed this project, since it would mean a chance to visit some local glass shops (glass geek that I am).
Saturday morning I got to meet Ken, the second contractor to come out and offer a quote on our little project. We explained that we wanted gone the foggy old sliding glass door that breaks up the very long den. Instead we’re hoping to install at one end a French door to lead out on the deck and on the other end, close to the fireplace, install a window. It’s essentially an attempt to make more cozy and usable an unusually long and narrow room that's broken up in odd ways.
Ken listened while we explained, nodded a few times, and said, “Sure, that’s no problem.” Once he got to offering a quote it seemed he might be right.
Ken went on to explain that now is the time to be doing remodeling projects, when so many contractors are out bidding on the same project (an unfortunate problem I’ve been hearing repeated by glazing contractors). He added that purchasing new doors and windows is a great investment now given the tax credits available for these energy efficiency upgrades (I smiled and nodded, pleased to hear that this benefit was being promoted – for more information you may want to visit our sister publication DWM’s e-green site). Ken finally said that if we had something particular in mind regarding the new glass products, we could pick them up ourselves and he’d be happy to supply the labor. Now the only tough part here is to shrink everything I’ve been reading/writing about, and all the products I got to eye at the show earlier this month, into a selection for my own home.
Consider this part one of my glass adventure. We’ve got one more individual swinging by to offer a quote, and then I’m off to shop some of the local glass shops – I’ll keep you posted on what I find.
On a much smaller scale, I’m excited to share that the first real remodeling project at my own home is going to involve a new, energy-efficient door and window. I’ve been living in the 20-year-old house for a full two-months now. My projects have included painting most of the upstairs, whereas my roommate tends toward more extreme (i.e. expensive) measures to personalize our home. But I could hardly argue with him when he proposed this project, since it would mean a chance to visit some local glass shops (glass geek that I am).
Saturday morning I got to meet Ken, the second contractor to come out and offer a quote on our little project. We explained that we wanted gone the foggy old sliding glass door that breaks up the very long den. Instead we’re hoping to install at one end a French door to lead out on the deck and on the other end, close to the fireplace, install a window. It’s essentially an attempt to make more cozy and usable an unusually long and narrow room that's broken up in odd ways.
Ken listened while we explained, nodded a few times, and said, “Sure, that’s no problem.” Once he got to offering a quote it seemed he might be right.
Ken went on to explain that now is the time to be doing remodeling projects, when so many contractors are out bidding on the same project (an unfortunate problem I’ve been hearing repeated by glazing contractors). He added that purchasing new doors and windows is a great investment now given the tax credits available for these energy efficiency upgrades (I smiled and nodded, pleased to hear that this benefit was being promoted – for more information you may want to visit our sister publication DWM’s e-green site). Ken finally said that if we had something particular in mind regarding the new glass products, we could pick them up ourselves and he’d be happy to supply the labor. Now the only tough part here is to shrink everything I’ve been reading/writing about, and all the products I got to eye at the show earlier this month, into a selection for my own home.
Consider this part one of my glass adventure. We’ve got one more individual swinging by to offer a quote, and then I’m off to shop some of the local glass shops – I’ll keep you posted on what I find.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Show Review Part I
First things first – thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth to hand me a bottle of hand sanitizer. Just to know you are all reading that closely had me smiling throughout the event - and I made it out of Atlanta unscathed so I suppose it helped!
Second, a huge thanks to everyone who, with a big grin, told our Newscast viewers “they are watching USGNN.” Readers/Viewers, next week’s Newscast will have lots of unseen show footage and a couple great surprises so you’re definitely going to want to tune in for that.
I had a lot of exhibitors asking for my take on the show and when I got their input, boy was there a range. In a few cases I heard “best show in years” and in many cases I heard “no one’s coming by.” We were happily in the middle. Every time I eventually made it back to the booth there seemed to be someone on my heels eager to talk and I was thrilled that so many people came to seek out us (and, more likely, extra copies of the magazine).
Speaking of which, I was so glad to see the folks at APG International coming by for extra copies of this September issue. We were honored to publish Ed Zaucha’s article, which I think is a big wake-up call to anyone who doesn’t have such a plan in place. If you haven't read it, I'd encourage you to seek out our digital edition pronto.
It was a pleasure to meet in person Eugene Negrin and Mike Kelley, both of whom I talked recently for our feature in the October USGlass on tips for purchasing new machinery and equipment during a down economy. That’s always one of the highlights of the show for me, to finally shake hands with those people who are so eager to help out with comments for and insight into our various articles. I got to meet a lot of new faces, which was great, and I look forward to working (and, in some cases, playing shuffleboard) with you all more extensively in the future. It also was very interesting to hear the thoughts of those long-time GBA veterans on the show, from our own sales rep Scott Rickles, who has been attending for a good 30 years; to Dan De Gorter who shared his thoughts on the transitions the event has taken for our preview; and Dennis Clark who offered his comments for us on video.
To the exhibitors I talked to who seemed so downtrodden about their chances in our Green Design Awards (you know who you are) ... you might be surprised ... To everyone who hasn’t voted yet, visit http://www.usglassmag.com/ to cast your votes this week!
I was glad I finally ran into Urmilla Sowell, Helen Sanders and Stanley Yee who have all be so active in GANA’s efforts to try and work with ASHRAE on its updates of 90.1. It’s a huge issue we all need to pay attention to, but they’ve done a great job in taking the lead on this. If you made it to the ASHRAE meeting that took place in Atlanta last week, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this issue.
To everyone I didn’t get to say hello to in person—please drop me a line with your thoughts on the show or anything you feel must be included in the show review. I tried my best to cover it all, but I think one of the results of a smaller show is that everyone had a little more time to talk.
Now this is part one of the show review ... for the in-depth review you'll have to keep checking back to USGNN and look for the November issue of USGlass.
Looking forward ...
Metalcon is set to kick-off tomorrow in Tampa, Fla. While I won’t be able to attend that event myself, I would like to you hear your thoughts on it.
Taking place later this week is another energy-focused event—the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. Let us know if your products will be featured in any of the energy-efficient test homes being built on the National Mall as I know last year we got a ton of news releases on this event.
Vitrum is coming up at the end of this month. Two years ago I provided some tips for first-time attendees to the Italian trade show of note. If you have any to add to the list I hope to update this blog as this event for glass fabricators gets underway.
A little further afield is Greenbuild, set for November 11-13 in Phoenix. I know YKK AP is saving its latest product launch for that up-and-coming show; let me know who else thinks that will be the glass industry’s big event for the year.
Second, a huge thanks to everyone who, with a big grin, told our Newscast viewers “they are watching USGNN.” Readers/Viewers, next week’s Newscast will have lots of unseen show footage and a couple great surprises so you’re definitely going to want to tune in for that.
I had a lot of exhibitors asking for my take on the show and when I got their input, boy was there a range. In a few cases I heard “best show in years” and in many cases I heard “no one’s coming by.” We were happily in the middle. Every time I eventually made it back to the booth there seemed to be someone on my heels eager to talk and I was thrilled that so many people came to seek out us (and, more likely, extra copies of the magazine).
Speaking of which, I was so glad to see the folks at APG International coming by for extra copies of this September issue. We were honored to publish Ed Zaucha’s article, which I think is a big wake-up call to anyone who doesn’t have such a plan in place. If you haven't read it, I'd encourage you to seek out our digital edition pronto.
It was a pleasure to meet in person Eugene Negrin and Mike Kelley, both of whom I talked recently for our feature in the October USGlass on tips for purchasing new machinery and equipment during a down economy. That’s always one of the highlights of the show for me, to finally shake hands with those people who are so eager to help out with comments for and insight into our various articles. I got to meet a lot of new faces, which was great, and I look forward to working (and, in some cases, playing shuffleboard) with you all more extensively in the future. It also was very interesting to hear the thoughts of those long-time GBA veterans on the show, from our own sales rep Scott Rickles, who has been attending for a good 30 years; to Dan De Gorter who shared his thoughts on the transitions the event has taken for our preview; and Dennis Clark who offered his comments for us on video.
To the exhibitors I talked to who seemed so downtrodden about their chances in our Green Design Awards (you know who you are) ... you might be surprised ... To everyone who hasn’t voted yet, visit http://www.usglassmag.com/ to cast your votes this week!
I was glad I finally ran into Urmilla Sowell, Helen Sanders and Stanley Yee who have all be so active in GANA’s efforts to try and work with ASHRAE on its updates of 90.1. It’s a huge issue we all need to pay attention to, but they’ve done a great job in taking the lead on this. If you made it to the ASHRAE meeting that took place in Atlanta last week, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this issue.
To everyone I didn’t get to say hello to in person—please drop me a line with your thoughts on the show or anything you feel must be included in the show review. I tried my best to cover it all, but I think one of the results of a smaller show is that everyone had a little more time to talk.
Now this is part one of the show review ... for the in-depth review you'll have to keep checking back to USGNN and look for the November issue of USGlass.
Looking forward ...
Metalcon is set to kick-off tomorrow in Tampa, Fla. While I won’t be able to attend that event myself, I would like to you hear your thoughts on it.
Taking place later this week is another energy-focused event—the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon. Let us know if your products will be featured in any of the energy-efficient test homes being built on the National Mall as I know last year we got a ton of news releases on this event.
Vitrum is coming up at the end of this month. Two years ago I provided some tips for first-time attendees to the Italian trade show of note. If you have any to add to the list I hope to update this blog as this event for glass fabricators gets underway.
A little further afield is Greenbuild, set for November 11-13 in Phoenix. I know YKK AP is saving its latest product launch for that up-and-coming show; let me know who else thinks that will be the glass industry’s big event for the year.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Nervous Nelly Braces for Atlanta
Usually about this time of year I’m eagerly anticipating a chance to get on the road and get a chance to mingle with the familiar faces at national trade shows. But I don’t know, folks, this year I’m feeling a bit more trepidation about next week’s GlassBuild down in Atlanta.
For starters, my colleagues and I made the decision a couple months back to drive down to the show, our magazines and booth in tow. Seemed like a great idea at the time, until the reports started coming in about the terrible flooding the area is facing. Our hearts go out to those impacted by the floodwaters. But then too are the practical concerns, which began to worry me even before I chatted with Vitro’s Alice Dickerson about her downtown commute.
Assuming we make it to the show without problems, I know some of my coworkers are a wee bit concerned about the stories circulating regarding the H1N1 virus. Nowhere does a germaphobe live more in fear than in areas where large crowds circulate, eager to shake hands. So don’t be offended if you stop by Booth 2902 to talk with my colleagues Holly Biller and Katie Hodge, who will be manning the booth, and catch a glimpse of them heading straight for the hand sanitizer.
Then there’s the show itself. I’ve spent all day double-checking appointments, revising my seminar schedule and other such organizational tasks. Unfortunately, it feels like the second I’ve written down a booth number, that company is no longer on the exhibit list, so I’m nervous that we’ll have another mis-marked directory on our hands.
I’m not usually such a pessimist. And I am optimistically hoping that these concerns will fade by the time our van is stuffed with magazines, or at least by the time the appropriate driving music CD is blasting. But I think I’d feel a lot more optimistic if some of my co-attendees out there would drop me a line or leave me a comment here about what you’re eagerly anticipating at this week’s show … or if you’ve got your own organizing to do, just drop by the booth Wednesday to share some positive stories about your company that will help set the tone for this year’s event.
For starters, my colleagues and I made the decision a couple months back to drive down to the show, our magazines and booth in tow. Seemed like a great idea at the time, until the reports started coming in about the terrible flooding the area is facing. Our hearts go out to those impacted by the floodwaters. But then too are the practical concerns, which began to worry me even before I chatted with Vitro’s Alice Dickerson about her downtown commute.
Assuming we make it to the show without problems, I know some of my coworkers are a wee bit concerned about the stories circulating regarding the H1N1 virus. Nowhere does a germaphobe live more in fear than in areas where large crowds circulate, eager to shake hands. So don’t be offended if you stop by Booth 2902 to talk with my colleagues Holly Biller and Katie Hodge, who will be manning the booth, and catch a glimpse of them heading straight for the hand sanitizer.
Then there’s the show itself. I’ve spent all day double-checking appointments, revising my seminar schedule and other such organizational tasks. Unfortunately, it feels like the second I’ve written down a booth number, that company is no longer on the exhibit list, so I’m nervous that we’ll have another mis-marked directory on our hands.
I’m not usually such a pessimist. And I am optimistically hoping that these concerns will fade by the time our van is stuffed with magazines, or at least by the time the appropriate driving music CD is blasting. But I think I’d feel a lot more optimistic if some of my co-attendees out there would drop me a line or leave me a comment here about what you’re eagerly anticipating at this week’s show … or if you’ve got your own organizing to do, just drop by the booth Wednesday to share some positive stories about your company that will help set the tone for this year’s event.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Overheard in Kansas City
Just got back from Kansas City, Mo., and the Glass Association of North America’s Fall Conference and I just wanted to share a few observations from the meeting:
Was one of many thrilled to see Greg Carney at this meeting. He was quite the man of the hour …
Got a nice chance to chat with Henry Gorry (ask him about his tennis injury). We went to a favorite topic of travel when he mentioned that Guardian might be considering a second site in Russia for manufacturing glass, in addition to its facility in Ryazan …
Heard an interesting conversation regarding the soon-to-be-completed Protective Glazing Manual – print, digital (i.e. CD) or both? Good question – what’s your preference? …
Was happy to touch base with Rick Kalson during the meeting regarding our new Contract Glazing Site. This means some great new updates from that site coming soon on USGNN.com …
Governor Parkinson did a terrific job on his presentation before this group. Each of the Energy Seminar presenters provided a lot of interesting information, but I was pleased that the governor seemed not only knowledgeable about the audience to whom he was presenting but very passionate on the topic of renewable energy …
GANA executive VP Bill Yanek noted yesterday morning that there were more than 120 participants at the Fall Conference, even more than last year. Considering during Glass Week we were hearing this annual event might simply be a webinar, it seems the membership really supported the great benefit of these meetings. Kudos again to the staff at GANA for making all this happen …
There were oohs and aahs during the Decorative Division meeting when a photo of division chair Kris Vockler’s beautiful new baby boy were projected on the screen. Looks like she had a great excuse for missing this meeting. Congratulations, Kris, and we look forward to seeing you in March …
Can’t believe how many information bulletins are poised to come out of this group. I’m sure there will be plenty of updates by the time we get to the next big meeting, Glass Week, set for March at the Paris Las Vegas. Looking forward to seeing everyone there …
In the meantime, folks, keep an eye on USGNN.com as we’re coming closer to the November issue of USGlass, with its special GANA supplement. We’re cooking up some good ways to get everyone involved and you can expect a request for submissions to come out soon.
Was one of many thrilled to see Greg Carney at this meeting. He was quite the man of the hour …
Got a nice chance to chat with Henry Gorry (ask him about his tennis injury). We went to a favorite topic of travel when he mentioned that Guardian might be considering a second site in Russia for manufacturing glass, in addition to its facility in Ryazan …
Heard an interesting conversation regarding the soon-to-be-completed Protective Glazing Manual – print, digital (i.e. CD) or both? Good question – what’s your preference? …
Was happy to touch base with Rick Kalson during the meeting regarding our new Contract Glazing Site. This means some great new updates from that site coming soon on USGNN.com …
Governor Parkinson did a terrific job on his presentation before this group. Each of the Energy Seminar presenters provided a lot of interesting information, but I was pleased that the governor seemed not only knowledgeable about the audience to whom he was presenting but very passionate on the topic of renewable energy …
GANA executive VP Bill Yanek noted yesterday morning that there were more than 120 participants at the Fall Conference, even more than last year. Considering during Glass Week we were hearing this annual event might simply be a webinar, it seems the membership really supported the great benefit of these meetings. Kudos again to the staff at GANA for making all this happen …
There were oohs and aahs during the Decorative Division meeting when a photo of division chair Kris Vockler’s beautiful new baby boy were projected on the screen. Looks like she had a great excuse for missing this meeting. Congratulations, Kris, and we look forward to seeing you in March …
Can’t believe how many information bulletins are poised to come out of this group. I’m sure there will be plenty of updates by the time we get to the next big meeting, Glass Week, set for March at the Paris Las Vegas. Looking forward to seeing everyone there …
In the meantime, folks, keep an eye on USGNN.com as we’re coming closer to the November issue of USGlass, with its special GANA supplement. We’re cooking up some good ways to get everyone involved and you can expect a request for submissions to come out soon.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Greening GANA
Next Monday the Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) Fall Conference kicks off with a meeting with PGC International (that group’s co-located meeting runs through September 1). There seem to be a number of highlights on this year’s conference. Among them is a presentation by Stephen Harty of BNIM Architects on “Master Planning for Greensburg, KS.” If you’re not familiar with this town’s story, after being leveled by an EF5 tornado in May 2007, the community decided to rebuild and make Greensburg a model green town for the future. It’s a really forward-thinking attitude and I, for one, can’t wait to hear more about how glass figures into the town’s “greening.” In addition, Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson will be at the conference to speak on “Emerging Energy Technologies and Government Support/Demand.” Gov. Parkinson’s talk on September 3 will be just one of the many highlights of the Fall Conference’s energy seminars sponsored by Solar Glazing magazine.
Speaking of the magazine, if you haven’t visited our http://www.solarglazingmag.com/ site lately, you’ll want to keep checking back for daily updates to newly released products and stories in the consumer press related to this field. In addition, there are several solar events coming up that we’ll be following closely on our site in the weeks ahead. (And starting next week, just in time for the Fall Conference, you’ll be able to visit the site to sign up early for the standalone Solar Glazing magazine, coming in 2010!)
Among the recent stories posted on the site was one today for the U.S. Department of Energy’s annual Solar Decathlon, coming up again October 9-13 and 15-18 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. According to the event website, the Solar Decathlon is an international collegiate competition in which student teams compete to design, build and operate completely solar-powered houses that incorporate building-integrated photovoltaics. There were some really exciting projects included last year and now that solar energy is such a hot topic for our energy, I have no doubt a lot of unique new products and designs will be on the table for the upcoming event. If you know your company’s products will be a part of one of the houses under construction, let me know so we can be sure to include it in our coverage.
Speaking of the magazine, if you haven’t visited our http://www.solarglazingmag.com/ site lately, you’ll want to keep checking back for daily updates to newly released products and stories in the consumer press related to this field. In addition, there are several solar events coming up that we’ll be following closely on our site in the weeks ahead. (And starting next week, just in time for the Fall Conference, you’ll be able to visit the site to sign up early for the standalone Solar Glazing magazine, coming in 2010!)
Among the recent stories posted on the site was one today for the U.S. Department of Energy’s annual Solar Decathlon, coming up again October 9-13 and 15-18 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. According to the event website, the Solar Decathlon is an international collegiate competition in which student teams compete to design, build and operate completely solar-powered houses that incorporate building-integrated photovoltaics. There were some really exciting projects included last year and now that solar energy is such a hot topic for our energy, I have no doubt a lot of unique new products and designs will be on the table for the upcoming event. If you know your company’s products will be a part of one of the houses under construction, let me know so we can be sure to include it in our coverage.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Busy Week Ahead
A few weeks ago I received a particularly nice comment on our recent “Secret Shopper” article that ran in the July USGlass. A reader down in Fort Worth commented that the details in the article proved helpful to him (the biggest compliment I could hope to get), and he extended an invitation to come visit his new 12,000-square-foot retail showroom. I was glad to know that the article proved inspiring to a few other showroom owners out there, especially since the kind folks at ABC Glass & Mirror were such good sports about letting me come in and share their showroom with the glass world at large. If there’s anyone else out there who would like to share what makes their showroom great, and get tips for improving the rest, drop me a line and I’ll add you to my list.
I’m also making plans to do a little unofficial secret shopping pretty soon here. You see, this very afternoon I’m moving into a new house. While I’m eagerly looking to leave my personality on it by swapping out paint colors and carpet, I was surprised to learn that my significant other’s first project involves replacing the ancient, heavy and largely fogged sliding glass door in the den with a fresh, new, easily opened patio door (you’d think I’d be looking at the doors and windows first, right?). So if your glass shop gets a call for an estimate on the cost of a patio door, make sure your customer service is top-notch as it could be for our Industry Outlook department; Virginia-area glass retailers, keep your aisles clean as you may be subject to some secret shopping soon!
On another note, aside from the excitement of this move, this week will also be a busy one because our company, Key Communications, is holding its annual sales meeting. It’s a chance for us editors to share with our terrific team of sales reps all of the changes and improvements we’re making to our various publications in 2010, in addition to reinvigorating our entire team for the year ahead. I’m sure your company holds similar events, and I’d love to hear what you do for your sales team and staff to get them prepared and amped up for new products or company changes. And if you’re interested in getting a copy of USGlass magazine’s 2010 media kit, drop me a line and I’ll add you to that list.
I’m also making plans to do a little unofficial secret shopping pretty soon here. You see, this very afternoon I’m moving into a new house. While I’m eagerly looking to leave my personality on it by swapping out paint colors and carpet, I was surprised to learn that my significant other’s first project involves replacing the ancient, heavy and largely fogged sliding glass door in the den with a fresh, new, easily opened patio door (you’d think I’d be looking at the doors and windows first, right?). So if your glass shop gets a call for an estimate on the cost of a patio door, make sure your customer service is top-notch as it could be for our Industry Outlook department; Virginia-area glass retailers, keep your aisles clean as you may be subject to some secret shopping soon!
On another note, aside from the excitement of this move, this week will also be a busy one because our company, Key Communications, is holding its annual sales meeting. It’s a chance for us editors to share with our terrific team of sales reps all of the changes and improvements we’re making to our various publications in 2010, in addition to reinvigorating our entire team for the year ahead. I’m sure your company holds similar events, and I’d love to hear what you do for your sales team and staff to get them prepared and amped up for new products or company changes. And if you’re interested in getting a copy of USGlass magazine’s 2010 media kit, drop me a line and I’ll add you to that list.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Online Pros and Cons
Late last week I got a phone call from Integrity Glassworks owner Linda Medine warning me that she’d twice this month been contacted by e-mail scammers. Here at USGlass we’ve been focusing so much lately on the positives of the Internet that this was the perfect reminder that there are a lot of things out there to be cautious of. If you haven’t read that story, I’d encourage you to check it out, and let me know if you’ve run into any request from scammers in the last few months so that we can let others in the industry what to watch out for.
Speaking of those positives, I want to take a second once again to congratulate those winners of the Best of the Web contest we held for the August issue of USGlass. (Those winners were announced as part of our July USGNN.com Newscast.) This is the second year we’ve run this contest and I was pleased not only at the large number of entries we received but the fact that some of those sites that were nominated last year had already been updated for this year’s contest. Today, more than ever, a web page is a first point-of-contact for consumers and an unattractive, difficult-to-navigate page might as well be a “closed” sign for many consumers. Personally, I spend a ton of time online and one of my biggest pet peeves is a slow-to-load web page. A search for glass on yahoo.com brings up 953,000,000 returns, so if your site is slow to load due to flashy graphics, then I’m going elsewhere for the information I need.
It was also interesting to note the number of sites that are branching out into other forms of online communications—including blogs, Facebook pages, tweets, video and more. We have a few updates in that area as well. I have offered my first tweets in the last week and I’m hoping that this will be just one more way in which to encourage you readers out there to get involved. I’ll try and keep this line of communication flowing with reminders about upcoming editorial focuses and deadlines, upcoming events and major announcements. You can start following us at twitter.com/usglass – and I hope you do so I have some new tweets of my own to follow.
Speaking of those positives, I want to take a second once again to congratulate those winners of the Best of the Web contest we held for the August issue of USGlass. (Those winners were announced as part of our July USGNN.com Newscast.) This is the second year we’ve run this contest and I was pleased not only at the large number of entries we received but the fact that some of those sites that were nominated last year had already been updated for this year’s contest. Today, more than ever, a web page is a first point-of-contact for consumers and an unattractive, difficult-to-navigate page might as well be a “closed” sign for many consumers. Personally, I spend a ton of time online and one of my biggest pet peeves is a slow-to-load web page. A search for glass on yahoo.com brings up 953,000,000 returns, so if your site is slow to load due to flashy graphics, then I’m going elsewhere for the information I need.
It was also interesting to note the number of sites that are branching out into other forms of online communications—including blogs, Facebook pages, tweets, video and more. We have a few updates in that area as well. I have offered my first tweets in the last week and I’m hoping that this will be just one more way in which to encourage you readers out there to get involved. I’ll try and keep this line of communication flowing with reminders about upcoming editorial focuses and deadlines, upcoming events and major announcements. You can start following us at twitter.com/usglass – and I hope you do so I have some new tweets of my own to follow.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Connected to the Glass Industry
I know this blog is late in coming, but I wanted to just say for the record that Glass Performance Days was a blast. I was really surprised about how many of us first-timers were there – and here I thought that I was the only person in the industry not to have made it to Tampere, Finland, for this notable biannual conference. Some people were drawn by this year’s expanded focus on solar glazing, some because they’re starting to do more business overseas and were interested in networking with the heavy-hitters that this event tends to attract. I was there to soak it all in. As I commented time and again to other attendees, the five simultaneous tracks was a bit overwhelming – but it was possible to learn about the seminars you missed just by tuning into the buzz at the coffee breaks or chatting with the speakers over dinner.
Of course beyond the flood of information on glass processing and design, there was another nugget of information I took home with me. Never do I appreciate the connectedness offered by the internet as when I’m overseas. While at GPD I had numerous comments from my compatriots over there about how at the end of the day they would check their email and find already a report on the conference’s activities on USGNN.com. (I had high hopes of blogging daily but somehow between the day-long sessions and the night-long networking, I’m sure you can understand that it was hard to find the time to collect my thoughts much less post them … ) On tomorrow's USGNN newscast (stay tuned!) you’ll see some video footage from Finland, as video is another great medium more and more people are adopting to help spread information. Following GPD, as I enjoyed a few days of R&R in beautiful Helsinki, I was able to better appreciate the beauty of social media as I kept my friends and family updated on my whereabouts by posting photos and stories on my personal blog.
What about you out there? Obviously if you’re reading this blog you’re taking advantage of one of the most popular means of social media in the name of business. But what other platforms do you use? Do you tweet about glass? Are you linked in? Does your business blog? Are your Facebook friends all in the glass industry? Let me know – not only would I like to connect virtually, I’d like to include your comments on connectedness in our electronic-focused August issue of USGlass.
In this upcoming issue we’ll also be running our Best of the Web contest (in fact, our judges are reviewing those many nominations this week …!). I can’t help but think of how for the past several years we’ve urged our readers to create and update websites, as it’s a medium you can hardly do business without these days. In the future, will a website be enough or will other forms of online marketing be a necessity for keeping competitive?
Of course beyond the flood of information on glass processing and design, there was another nugget of information I took home with me. Never do I appreciate the connectedness offered by the internet as when I’m overseas. While at GPD I had numerous comments from my compatriots over there about how at the end of the day they would check their email and find already a report on the conference’s activities on USGNN.com. (I had high hopes of blogging daily but somehow between the day-long sessions and the night-long networking, I’m sure you can understand that it was hard to find the time to collect my thoughts much less post them … ) On tomorrow's USGNN newscast (stay tuned!) you’ll see some video footage from Finland, as video is another great medium more and more people are adopting to help spread information. Following GPD, as I enjoyed a few days of R&R in beautiful Helsinki, I was able to better appreciate the beauty of social media as I kept my friends and family updated on my whereabouts by posting photos and stories on my personal blog.
What about you out there? Obviously if you’re reading this blog you’re taking advantage of one of the most popular means of social media in the name of business. But what other platforms do you use? Do you tweet about glass? Are you linked in? Does your business blog? Are your Facebook friends all in the glass industry? Let me know – not only would I like to connect virtually, I’d like to include your comments on connectedness in our electronic-focused August issue of USGlass.
In this upcoming issue we’ll also be running our Best of the Web contest (in fact, our judges are reviewing those many nominations this week …!). I can’t help but think of how for the past several years we’ve urged our readers to create and update websites, as it’s a medium you can hardly do business without these days. In the future, will a website be enough or will other forms of online marketing be a necessity for keeping competitive?
Monday, June 8, 2009
Packing for GPD
I spent my Saturday afternoon trying to cram three suitcases worth of stuff into one much-abused bag. I tend to over-pack anyway, but I wanted to be particularly prepared for anything for my upcoming trip to Finland.
“Finland?” my friends have said with some surprise over the past few months when I’ve mentioned my trip.
I do somewhat share that sentiment, in the respect that Finland seems so off-the-beaten path compared to the usual European tourist destinations. Who goes to Finland? Well, aside from the several hundred other members of the glass industry who will be flocking to Tampere for the Glass Performance Days conference?
I’ve been looking forward to this trip for about five years now, since I first joined the USGlass team and heard stories about my coworkers’ visits to this much-talked about event.
My friend and colleague, Brigid, recently shared with me a few words of advice based upon her GPD trip four years ago (which you can read about here):
- "Ask for ‘flat’ water, otherwise you get seltzer water (or be prepared to drink tea, coffee or carbonated beverages);
- If you're traveling by train, make sure you're in the right train car before you sit down;
- Don't be afraid to try food you've never seen or heard of before. If nothing else, it's a great conversation starter; and
- Don't worry about the sun not going down - the hotel rooms have wonderfully thick, dark curtains on them and you won't be able to tell what time it is outside. Not that you could even if the curtains were open," she says.
Ellen Rogers added to Brigid’s words of wisdom from that trip. “Get used to the midnight sun,” she advised. Ellen recalled from her last trip, “I remember being at an outside bar with a few others from GPD ... it was around 1:00 a.m. and still daylight. It's so strange ... luckily there are heavy drapes in the hotel rooms. One of the best parts about the trip was having dinner at the top of the Näsinneula Observation tower (a restaurant offering a vegetarian option!). It must have been around midnight ... maybe even later ... and from windows on one side of the tower you could see the sun setting, while on the other side it was rising. Very cool.”
And although I’m excited about the literal 24-hour days and am salivating at the thought of a week’s worth of salmon … the glass geek in me is anticipating a fantastic seminar schedule, as this show is known first and foremost for its cutting-edge presentations. As my friend Steve reminded me when I asked for his impressions on the show he attended two years ago, “GPD is the premiere world-wide glass technology conference. The breadth of topics along with the wealth of knowledge at this event is world class. Anyone involved in the glass or fenestration industries must attend for the scientific and networking opportunities.”
If you will be attending GPD—I’m sure we North Americans will stick out and I’ll be saying hello to you soon. If you won’t make it to the conference, take a look at the program and let me know if there’s a conference topic you’re particularly interested in, as I’ll be working to include the most useful information for you in our USGNN.com newsletter, as well as the August issue of USGlass. And if you have any tips for traveling to Tampere - post them here!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Back from AIA
I’m not quite over the jet lag 
yet, but with the May USGlass going to press and the June New Products Guide deadline just passed (yes, that’s right – but if you send in your products this week we may be able to squeeze them into this packed issue) leading to an avalanche of product releases, lounging at home wasn’t exactly an option. Yes, those West Coast shows sure can be tough for us East Coast dwellers. The American Institute of Architects Annual Convention may have been tough for a lot of exhibitors, though.
Max Perilstein touched on the show floor layout in his blog last week and I’m sure will have additional comments on the show later this week. For my part, the first day seemed to get off to a fairly slow start, but, in the South Hall at least, it remained steady even through the last minutes of the show on Saturday. While the refrain of “quality leads over quantity” quickly became tired, by the second day I found myself echoing it—not because traffic was so slow at our booth but because those architects who came by truly were excited to see the magazines we were offering. As one exhibitor I spoke with mentioned, “Probably everyone that has come by has a need where we can help them.” It just goes to show you that if you’re investing in the dollars to travel in this economic climate, you’re going to take it seriously.
But I didn’t spend nearly as much time in our booth as I did wandering the show floor (and with the many booths mismarked in the directory listing, wandering proved more helpful than setting out to track companies down). If you didn’t make it to the show, we tried to capture a sense of the goings-on via our video reports on USGNN.com, and a great many more product highlights will be featured in our full show review in the June USGlass. (If you did make it to the show, please share your observations by commenting here on this blog!)
You can see on our video post my interest in solar products was shared by a number of companies showcasing their photovoltaic products at the show. In addition to the video, you’ll want to check out our Solar Glazing website for other highlights in this arena.
My college art history courses flashed before my eyes when I stopped with my colleague Ellen Rogers at the NGI Designer Glass booth. Although I know Ellen will be writing plenty on the gorgeous decorative glass options showcased at the show I can’t help but to comment on the amazing clarity of the replica masterpieces captured within and in some cases upon the glass in that booth.
At the Dorma booth, Mari Ciastko was kind enough to give me a tour of some of the stylish new products I’d been reading about from the company. There was plenty there to impress, including the slim header of the automatic sliding door that is operated using the same magnetic technology as the “maglev” trains that float rapidly over the rails in Shanghai. According to Mari, the real “wow” factor for architects visiting the booth was the MOVEO glass operable room partitions that combine transparency with sound insulation.
Serious Materials had a serious presence at the show, and I was happy for the opportunity to talk with Sandra Vaughan and Judy DePuy in the marketing department about their upcoming projects. That’s a company that’s sure to have a lot on its plate in the months ahead as it amps up production at its new facilities that we’ve highlighted on USGNN.com. Although I got a kick out of the graphics in the booth of the Virginia Air and Space Museum in my hometown, talking with these ladies got me curious about the projects this company will be working on in the near future.
It also was a pleasure to meet up with Mark Kearns with Dlubak after visiting with him at my recent plant tour. Mark was spotlighting the company’s new Green Heat product among other things; you’ll be able to learn much more about what the company is working on these days in the June USGlass.
Obviously this list is far from complete, so for those obvious omissions - I'm blaming it on the jet lag. Please give me a hand by posting your impressions of the show here. And for those of you who didn't make it to San Francisco, there will be plenty more to learn about in our review within the June USGlass.
yet, but with the May USGlass going to press and the June New Products Guide deadline just passed (yes, that’s right – but if you send in your products this week we may be able to squeeze them into this packed issue) leading to an avalanche of product releases, lounging at home wasn’t exactly an option. Yes, those West Coast shows sure can be tough for us East Coast dwellers. The American Institute of Architects Annual Convention may have been tough for a lot of exhibitors, though.Max Perilstein touched on the show floor layout in his blog last week and I’m sure will have additional comments on the show later this week. For my part, the first day seemed to get off to a fairly slow start, but, in the South Hall at least, it remained steady even through the last minutes of the show on Saturday. While the refrain of “quality leads over quantity” quickly became tired, by the second day I found myself echoing it—not because traffic was so slow at our booth but because those architects who came by truly were excited to see the magazines we were offering. As one exhibitor I spoke with mentioned, “Probably everyone that has come by has a need where we can help them.” It just goes to show you that if you’re investing in the dollars to travel in this economic climate, you’re going to take it seriously.
But I didn’t spend nearly as much time in our booth as I did wandering the show floor (and with the many booths mismarked in the directory listing, wandering proved more helpful than setting out to track companies down). If you didn’t make it to the show, we tried to capture a sense of the goings-on via our video reports on USGNN.com, and a great many more product highlights will be featured in our full show review in the June USGlass. (If you did make it to the show, please share your observations by commenting here on this blog!)
You can see on our video post my interest in solar products was shared by a number of companies showcasing their photovoltaic products at the show. In addition to the video, you’ll want to check out our Solar Glazing website for other highlights in this arena.
My college art history courses flashed before my eyes when I stopped with my colleague Ellen Rogers at the NGI Designer Glass booth. Although I know Ellen will be writing plenty on the gorgeous decorative glass options showcased at the show I can’t help but to comment on the amazing clarity of the replica masterpieces captured within and in some cases upon the glass in that booth.
At the Dorma booth, Mari Ciastko was kind enough to give me a tour of some of the stylish new products I’d been reading about from the company. There was plenty there to impress, including the slim header of the automatic sliding door that is operated using the same magnetic technology as the “maglev” trains that float rapidly over the rails in Shanghai. According to Mari, the real “wow” factor for architects visiting the booth was the MOVEO glass operable room partitions that combine transparency with sound insulation.
Serious Materials had a serious presence at the show, and I was happy for the opportunity to talk with Sandra Vaughan and Judy DePuy in the marketing department about their upcoming projects. That’s a company that’s sure to have a lot on its plate in the months ahead as it amps up production at its new facilities that we’ve highlighted on USGNN.com. Although I got a kick out of the graphics in the booth of the Virginia Air and Space Museum in my hometown, talking with these ladies got me curious about the projects this company will be working on in the near future.
It also was a pleasure to meet up with Mark Kearns with Dlubak after visiting with him at my recent plant tour. Mark was spotlighting the company’s new Green Heat product among other things; you’ll be able to learn much more about what the company is working on these days in the June USGlass.
Obviously this list is far from complete, so for those obvious omissions - I'm blaming it on the jet lag. Please give me a hand by posting your impressions of the show here. And for those of you who didn't make it to San Francisco, there will be plenty more to learn about in our review within the June USGlass.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Retailers Find Ways to Stand Out
Following the response to our recent post on our USGNN newsletter “calling all glass and mirror retailers” I’ve been doing some pondering about retailers and competition. I started considering this with regard to another area with which I’m pretty familiar. Last year I began landscaping my new home and now with spring back I’ve already made three or four trips to Home Depot for bags of dirt. And when I’m making a trip for topsoil I’m usually sidetracked by brightly colored annuals as well.
However, the thing about going to the big box stores for plants is that you end up with the same stuff in your yard as all of your neighbors. And that’s fine, because it’s pretty stuff that you already know will grow well in your area. But on the way home from Home Depot I like to stop at a little garden nursery just down the street. It’s a little pricier, but has a wider variety of shrubs available. Of course, its advertising always states that the store has landscape experts on staff, even though the high school kids ringing up purchases have yet to be able to answer any of my questions. That disconnect between the advertising and reality always irks me a bit, so I tend to be a little more critical of those higher prices unless they have something I absolutely can’t get anywhere else.
Now my goal this summer is to make it back up to the traffic nightmare that is Fairfax County to the little nursery I’d once passed that had declared it had “150 Types of Herbs.” Despite the terrible location and lack of discernible parking spaces, that distinction piqued my interest. In this day and age where there’s even a vegetable garden at the White House due to the green and economic benefits of growing one’s own food, I’d bet this sign would appeal to other passersby as well.
The point is that all of these small retailers have a distinction that separates them from their competitors. For the big box store, it’s a supply of basic materials for a reasonable price. For the local nursery, it’s a wider selection of materials hand-picked to suit the region. For the third option, it’s a trendy selection of products that is likely to change depending on current demands.
For the store with the bad location, obviously that isn’t something that can be fixed, but they’ve offset it with unique roadside advertising designed to lure in traffic-weary travelers. I would guess that a rotating selection might lure those passersby back into the traffic trap to check out their new selection.
For that second nursery, the fact that their staff doesn’t support their advertising and that the customers’ expectations aren’t being met is a factor that could cause shoppers to turn elsewhere to have their needs met, despite the fact that they have a good selection of product available. But is the store manager aware of how damaging this disconnect is? Maybe, maybe not. I would expect that if customers brought this to the manager’s attention, some positive changes could be made that would in the long run improve sales. Is there a number where those advertised landscape experts can be reached? How about hour-long weekend tutorials where shoppers can learn tips for caring for roses or properly planting shrubs, and then have their questions answered?
Now on this note, in case you haven’t yet seen the USGNN blurb, in anticipation of its upcoming retail-focused July issue, USGlass magazine is looking for interested glass retailers to open their shop up to a review from our secret shoppers. If you’re interested in this opportunity, e-mail me at mheadley@glass.com by June 1 to put your name on our list. We’d like to show you how your customers really see your shop, and offer suggestions that could help boost your sales. Or if you’d like to share your tips for success with our other readers, I’d welcome those suggestions.
However, the thing about going to the big box stores for plants is that you end up with the same stuff in your yard as all of your neighbors. And that’s fine, because it’s pretty stuff that you already know will grow well in your area. But on the way home from Home Depot I like to stop at a little garden nursery just down the street. It’s a little pricier, but has a wider variety of shrubs available. Of course, its advertising always states that the store has landscape experts on staff, even though the high school kids ringing up purchases have yet to be able to answer any of my questions. That disconnect between the advertising and reality always irks me a bit, so I tend to be a little more critical of those higher prices unless they have something I absolutely can’t get anywhere else.
Now my goal this summer is to make it back up to the traffic nightmare that is Fairfax County to the little nursery I’d once passed that had declared it had “150 Types of Herbs.” Despite the terrible location and lack of discernible parking spaces, that distinction piqued my interest. In this day and age where there’s even a vegetable garden at the White House due to the green and economic benefits of growing one’s own food, I’d bet this sign would appeal to other passersby as well.
The point is that all of these small retailers have a distinction that separates them from their competitors. For the big box store, it’s a supply of basic materials for a reasonable price. For the local nursery, it’s a wider selection of materials hand-picked to suit the region. For the third option, it’s a trendy selection of products that is likely to change depending on current demands.
For the store with the bad location, obviously that isn’t something that can be fixed, but they’ve offset it with unique roadside advertising designed to lure in traffic-weary travelers. I would guess that a rotating selection might lure those passersby back into the traffic trap to check out their new selection.
For that second nursery, the fact that their staff doesn’t support their advertising and that the customers’ expectations aren’t being met is a factor that could cause shoppers to turn elsewhere to have their needs met, despite the fact that they have a good selection of product available. But is the store manager aware of how damaging this disconnect is? Maybe, maybe not. I would expect that if customers brought this to the manager’s attention, some positive changes could be made that would in the long run improve sales. Is there a number where those advertised landscape experts can be reached? How about hour-long weekend tutorials where shoppers can learn tips for caring for roses or properly planting shrubs, and then have their questions answered?
Now on this note, in case you haven’t yet seen the USGNN blurb, in anticipation of its upcoming retail-focused July issue, USGlass magazine is looking for interested glass retailers to open their shop up to a review from our secret shoppers. If you’re interested in this opportunity, e-mail me at mheadley@glass.com by June 1 to put your name on our list. We’d like to show you how your customers really see your shop, and offer suggestions that could help boost your sales. Or if you’d like to share your tips for success with our other readers, I’d welcome those suggestions.
Monday, March 16, 2009
On the Road Again
Last Monday I was fortunate enough to take a little road trip, and as I love any opportunity to get away from my desk and out on the road—especially when there’s the potential of seeing some cool glass machinery in action—I was particularly excited about my trip to the Blairsville, Pa., headquarters of Dlubak Corp.
Frank Dlubak was a gracious host. We started out with a walk through the factory floor where I gawked at the massive thickness of the laminated lites on the floor and Frank pointed out the five autoclaves at that particular facility, the tempering line and an IG production line. Although I recognized a number of the names on the machinery on the floor, in the other cases Frank explained to me that when the need arises for a piece of equipment to do a specific task that doesn’t yet exist—he designs it.
The innovation is hardly limited to machinery design, I learned, or even the unique applications of the company’s bent glass and aluminum products, for which the company may be best known. Frank shared that he is in the process of starting up yet another company with a pretty “cool” take on glass—keep an eye on USGNN for more on that soon.
Though our conversation focused on the rather intense topic of security glazing, due to this focus in the April issue of USGlass and the focus on this topic that Dlubak Corp. has had for the past several years, the atmosphere during the interview was relaxed. As Frank pointed out, he has no office in any one building, as his works takes him always to the next project, so we gathered with CEO David Bazzano in a kitchen area upstairs in the facility (and yes indeed, sir, those tasty sprinkle-topped brownies helped me make the long drive home). During our wide-ranging discussions we were subject to welcome interruptions ranging from the curly-haired terrier Max who came in to greet me with a wagging tail to plant floor employees with whom Frank was eager to chat to the appearance of Frank’s son and VP of operations Damon and son-in-law and project manager Sunghoon Kim who joined in our talk. It’s those “slice of life” scenarios (as my high school creative writing teacher would have called them) that make these profiles so interesting; a chance to really see what it’s like on a given day at a given company.
Coincidentally, as the oldest of five kids, I was quite intrigued by the family aspect of the company; as it was pointed out during my visit I sat talking with two sets of brothers-in-law. Close as I am to my siblings, I feel as if the majority of projects on which we have collaborated have resulted in someone being grounded …
Frank pointed out one benefit to this arrangement as being how well “the kids talk to each other every day.” That ever-open line of communication has got to be a boon in business. I know as much as my sibs may drive me crazy, at the end of the day we’re always able to work out our differences. Obviously the same must be true of a number of you out there, as when working on our Big Book of Lists last month I received countless forms indicating some form of family ownership (something we’ll be working to recognize in future issues of USGlass).
And for more on what I learned in visiting Dlubak Corp., you’ll just have to look out for your next issue of USGlass.
Frank Dlubak was a gracious host. We started out with a walk through the factory floor where I gawked at the massive thickness of the laminated lites on the floor and Frank pointed out the five autoclaves at that particular facility, the tempering line and an IG production line. Although I recognized a number of the names on the machinery on the floor, in the other cases Frank explained to me that when the need arises for a piece of equipment to do a specific task that doesn’t yet exist—he designs it.
The innovation is hardly limited to machinery design, I learned, or even the unique applications of the company’s bent glass and aluminum products, for which the company may be best known. Frank shared that he is in the process of starting up yet another company with a pretty “cool” take on glass—keep an eye on USGNN for more on that soon.
Though our conversation focused on the rather intense topic of security glazing, due to this focus in the April issue of USGlass and the focus on this topic that Dlubak Corp. has had for the past several years, the atmosphere during the interview was relaxed. As Frank pointed out, he has no office in any one building, as his works takes him always to the next project, so we gathered with CEO David Bazzano in a kitchen area upstairs in the facility (and yes indeed, sir, those tasty sprinkle-topped brownies helped me make the long drive home). During our wide-ranging discussions we were subject to welcome interruptions ranging from the curly-haired terrier Max who came in to greet me with a wagging tail to plant floor employees with whom Frank was eager to chat to the appearance of Frank’s son and VP of operations Damon and son-in-law and project manager Sunghoon Kim who joined in our talk. It’s those “slice of life” scenarios (as my high school creative writing teacher would have called them) that make these profiles so interesting; a chance to really see what it’s like on a given day at a given company.
Coincidentally, as the oldest of five kids, I was quite intrigued by the family aspect of the company; as it was pointed out during my visit I sat talking with two sets of brothers-in-law. Close as I am to my siblings, I feel as if the majority of projects on which we have collaborated have resulted in someone being grounded …
Frank pointed out one benefit to this arrangement as being how well “the kids talk to each other every day.” That ever-open line of communication has got to be a boon in business. I know as much as my sibs may drive me crazy, at the end of the day we’re always able to work out our differences. Obviously the same must be true of a number of you out there, as when working on our Big Book of Lists last month I received countless forms indicating some form of family ownership (something we’ll be working to recognize in future issues of USGlass).
And for more on what I learned in visiting Dlubak Corp., you’ll just have to look out for your next issue of USGlass.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Back to the Grindstone
The Glass Association of North America's (GANA) Glass Week and the BEC Conference were a great success from everything I saw and heard, and I think the GANA staff and conference speakers have had the well-deserved accolades piled on. For those of you who didn’t have the opportunity to make it yourselves, we tried our best to bring you a view of the conference highlights with our video footage, which you can find on our USGNN archive site, marked with a small red video camera icon.
The only thing I think hasn’t been covered, was the intense conversation on any given night at the ghostbar, located on the 55th story of the Palms, regarding whether that was in fact glass or a polycarbonate “window” set into the bar’s patio floor. Anyone want to claim this particular project and settle this question once and for all ..?
As I’m sure the 500+ attendees of last week’s conference will agree, great as the conference was, after a week out of the office the inbox was looking pretty scary upon my return. As I told someone this morning, it’s been very encouraging the tremendous response we received to this year’s Book of Lists, but after a week out of the office there was quite a lot of your forms to wade through. It’s a great problem to have, though, and my thanks to everyone who showed such interest in being a part of this annual feature.
With this massive project just about coming to a close, I’m starting to turn my attention to our April issue, with its focus on architects. For those of you who responded to our contract glazing survey last fall, I get the impression that just this mention of the architectural industry already has gotten a reaction from you. No offense meant to architects—we love ’em to death and wouldn’t have work without them—but admit it. Your life would be a lot easier if they knew a thing or two about glass, right?
Well here’s your chance to help. You can either post here or email me, as I'd like to hear the top three things you wish architects knew about glass or the glass industry. We’ll run your kind suggestions (or desperate pleas) in the April issue of USGlass, which also will feature a preview of the AIA Convention in San Francisco.
The only thing I think hasn’t been covered, was the intense conversation on any given night at the ghostbar, located on the 55th story of the Palms, regarding whether that was in fact glass or a polycarbonate “window” set into the bar’s patio floor. Anyone want to claim this particular project and settle this question once and for all ..?
As I’m sure the 500+ attendees of last week’s conference will agree, great as the conference was, after a week out of the office the inbox was looking pretty scary upon my return. As I told someone this morning, it’s been very encouraging the tremendous response we received to this year’s Book of Lists, but after a week out of the office there was quite a lot of your forms to wade through. It’s a great problem to have, though, and my thanks to everyone who showed such interest in being a part of this annual feature.
With this massive project just about coming to a close, I’m starting to turn my attention to our April issue, with its focus on architects. For those of you who responded to our contract glazing survey last fall, I get the impression that just this mention of the architectural industry already has gotten a reaction from you. No offense meant to architects—we love ’em to death and wouldn’t have work without them—but admit it. Your life would be a lot easier if they knew a thing or two about glass, right?
Well here’s your chance to help. You can either post here or email me, as I'd like to hear the top three things you wish architects knew about glass or the glass industry. We’ll run your kind suggestions (or desperate pleas) in the April issue of USGlass, which also will feature a preview of the AIA Convention in San Francisco.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Video Highlights
I’m sure by now you’ve clicked onto the first of our new monthly online newscasts (and if you haven’t, be sure to check it out here). Thanks to those of you who offered your kind suggestions and comments. As I mentioned in my last post, everyone’s trying to stand out, and this regular video broadcast is just one more service we at USGNN/USGlass are offering to bring news to the industry. Of course, I can’t help but remark that it’s a service I’ve noticed a number of glass industry companies offering of late.
As I’m preparing for our March issue and its annual Big Book of Lists—which includes rankings of the industry’s top glazing contractors and suppliers in a number of categories—I’ve been drawn to a couple of websites to learn more about the companies that have been submitting forms for this issue. On a number of those sites I’ve stumbled upon video offerings that I thought worth sharing:
As I’m preparing for our March issue and its annual Big Book of Lists—which includes rankings of the industry’s top glazing contractors and suppliers in a number of categories—I’ve been drawn to a couple of websites to learn more about the companies that have been submitting forms for this issue. On a number of those sites I’ve stumbled upon video offerings that I thought worth sharing:
- Egan Co. provides an overview to its services, including curtainwall installation;
- Arizona Shower Door welcomes visitors to its website with a personable video about the company;
- DORMA Group North America goes a step further by providing video product introductions and installation tips; and
- Applied Materials may be a bit further afield, but the company offers an interesting video on processing glass for solar modules.
Obviously there’s a range of offerings here—from the technical to the overview—but it’s exciting to me to see how many companies are embracing this “different” way of making their company stand out. These are just a couple I’ve stumbled upon in the past couple of weeks—I’d love to hear about the decision that led to your video offerings and the learning curve you’ve faced in making that transition.
And as for the Big Book of Lists—if you haven’t received a form yet and you’re interested in being included, send me an email at mheadley@glass.com and I’ll get that over to you pronto.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Standing Out
You can chalk it up to the economy or you can chalk it up to the cyclical nature of the commercial construction industry, but either way you look at it, things are getting tough out there. Savvy contractors are paying attention to areas forecasted to stay comparatively strong, such as in healthcare and institutional building (for more on this, look for the January USGlass). The thing is, so are all their competitors.
Yes, as construction slows there’s no doubt that there are areas where competition will fierce for the jobs that do exist.
Back in November when I attended the Finishing Contractors Association’s Glazing Advisory Committee meeting, a number of glaziers there were talking about competition coming in from other trades. At the time, a number of glaziers had commented that they’d seen instances of ironworkers and metal panel installers are doing more railing installations because they may have a metal trim, or shower doors that perhaps have a shoe on the top and bottom, and that even unitized glazing was being installed by carpenters.
From another perspective, we had some activity on the message forum some time back about suppliers selling glass products direct to general contractors, who then contracted the glaziers simply for labor. Whether it’s rumor or not (and feel free to add your two cents to the forum or this post), glaziers now have the concern that they’ll be competing with their own suppliers to make a buck!
While talking to Steve Bouchard, president of Glass Distributors Inc. (GDI) in Bladensburg, Md., this morning, I asked him if this is something he’s run across.
“I have not noticed that part,” Steve told me, but then quickly added that it was another competitor entirely that his customers, typically smaller glaziers, were facing: the larger glazing firms bidding for their work.
Man, that is tough, I thought. But then a few hours later I spoke with Bill Rhodes, vice president of sales for GDI and while he wasn’t about to argue with Steve’s observation, he made the comment that sometimes, on the smaller jobs, “the company that has less overhead is able to maneuver more easily, more so than the large companies.”
Well that seemed reasonable, but Bill wasn’t about to let me off the phone without throwing out another challenge. Where before “there might have been five companies bidding [a project], there might be 12-14 now,” he said.
I heard the same sentiment echoed when I spoke with one of those “large glazing contractors” this afternoon. Michele Juba King with Juba Aluminum Products Co. Inc. in Concord, N.C., spared a few minutes to chat with me on this topic. As she pointed out, they’ve built a niche in custom, commercial work and with the frequency of spec changes the general contractor is hardly likely to go straight to the glass shop; they’re relying on the glazier’s expertise. But she did agree with Bill, “Instead of there being one or two contractors now you’re going to see three, four or five.”
Michele also told me that she’s found that a lot of building owners are looking to use local vendors or suppliers, which can be stifling for a glazing contractor used to covering an entire region.
In the end, everyone’s got competitors, and maybe there are more of them now, but being aware of where these new challenges are coming from can help you prepare to make your services stand out. So I’d like to hear what “new” competitors you’re preparing to face, in the hope that by sharing this information you’re not giving those competitors a leg up but instead learning what you can do to differentiate yourself. Or if you’ve seen instances of any of the above, please let me know.
Can’t wait to hear from you—drop me a line at mheadley@glass.com.
Yes, as construction slows there’s no doubt that there are areas where competition will fierce for the jobs that do exist.
Back in November when I attended the Finishing Contractors Association’s Glazing Advisory Committee meeting, a number of glaziers there were talking about competition coming in from other trades. At the time, a number of glaziers had commented that they’d seen instances of ironworkers and metal panel installers are doing more railing installations because they may have a metal trim, or shower doors that perhaps have a shoe on the top and bottom, and that even unitized glazing was being installed by carpenters.
From another perspective, we had some activity on the message forum some time back about suppliers selling glass products direct to general contractors, who then contracted the glaziers simply for labor. Whether it’s rumor or not (and feel free to add your two cents to the forum or this post), glaziers now have the concern that they’ll be competing with their own suppliers to make a buck!
While talking to Steve Bouchard, president of Glass Distributors Inc. (GDI) in Bladensburg, Md., this morning, I asked him if this is something he’s run across.
“I have not noticed that part,” Steve told me, but then quickly added that it was another competitor entirely that his customers, typically smaller glaziers, were facing: the larger glazing firms bidding for their work.
Man, that is tough, I thought. But then a few hours later I spoke with Bill Rhodes, vice president of sales for GDI and while he wasn’t about to argue with Steve’s observation, he made the comment that sometimes, on the smaller jobs, “the company that has less overhead is able to maneuver more easily, more so than the large companies.”
Well that seemed reasonable, but Bill wasn’t about to let me off the phone without throwing out another challenge. Where before “there might have been five companies bidding [a project], there might be 12-14 now,” he said.
I heard the same sentiment echoed when I spoke with one of those “large glazing contractors” this afternoon. Michele Juba King with Juba Aluminum Products Co. Inc. in Concord, N.C., spared a few minutes to chat with me on this topic. As she pointed out, they’ve built a niche in custom, commercial work and with the frequency of spec changes the general contractor is hardly likely to go straight to the glass shop; they’re relying on the glazier’s expertise. But she did agree with Bill, “Instead of there being one or two contractors now you’re going to see three, four or five.”
Michele also told me that she’s found that a lot of building owners are looking to use local vendors or suppliers, which can be stifling for a glazing contractor used to covering an entire region.
In the end, everyone’s got competitors, and maybe there are more of them now, but being aware of where these new challenges are coming from can help you prepare to make your services stand out. So I’d like to hear what “new” competitors you’re preparing to face, in the hope that by sharing this information you’re not giving those competitors a leg up but instead learning what you can do to differentiate yourself. Or if you’ve seen instances of any of the above, please let me know.
Can’t wait to hear from you—drop me a line at mheadley@glass.com.
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