Happy Halloween!

It seems true to me that a good job is as much about doing what you love as doing it with people you enjoy spending time with. Lucky for me, I work with a lot of terrific individuals (in this office but also the industry in general). Terrific individuals with good senses of humor—critical to any stressful job, I think.


















This hardly comes out any stronger than at the end of October, as our staff rushes to prepare to put on a major conference in the auto glass industry yet still finds time to let their creativity out in spooky (and sometimes just goofy) ways. The Key Communications Halloween Costumer Contest is an annual tradition, and one much anticipated here in the office. It takes the joy of “casual Friday” to a whole new level.

Not to mention, a couple of mini Snickers bars at 10 a.m. are the secret to my productivity, and Halloween provides a good excuse to bring out the sugar.

I was brainstorming with a friend in the industry yesterday about my costume idea(s) and he commented that his office doesn’t do anything quite as exciting at this time of year as we do. “Engineers just aren’t creative,” he sighed.

I could hardly suppress my grief at that thought. “Are you joking?” I asked. “Not creative? You have to be creative to come up with the wild things that we get to write about. Sure, maybe then you have to be a little rigid in your thinking to make it work—but where does that first idea come from? Or the inspiration to try this instead of that to improve a product’s performance?”

I know there is a great deal of creativity lurking out there in the glass industry. The innovative new products at glasstec, for example, had to start with an idea. Surely you engineers out there are taking that creativity and applying it to your own Halloween costumes … and you have the rigidity and follow-through to go all the way with your idea (unlike some of us artsy types—i.e., me—who spend weeks on grandiose ideas of costume genius before frantically hitting the thrift store the day before the contest to initiate the back-up plan).

So let’s see it. I’d love to post your costume photos on this blog on Monday, or any great ideas that you saw at your office party. And for anyone who manages to keep it industry-related, well, we may have to come up with a special prize for you.

Happy trick-or-treating everyone!

I Survived glasstec

Well folks, I would have loved to have blogged more before this. I had high hopes of blogging daily from the glasstec show floor, bringing the sights and sounds of glasstec to all of my friends in the States, and pointing to my fellow attendees the most trendy and exciting booths to visit. But you know what? The show is big.

No, I don’t think you understand. To tell you the truth, I don’t think there’s a word yet in existence that conveys the distances I walked over the past five days. BIG barely begins to describe it. Because the size of the halls—the nine halls, did we mention that this show covers nine big halls?—is only part of this equation. Each hall that you walk through is filled with the latest, the most exciting products you’ve seen and so for the first day you just walk around gawking at everything. And maybe for some attendees, those focused few, that’s not a problem because they have their list and they stick to it. But when your objective is to cover everything … I get dizzy just thinking about it.

(Keep in mind the above photo is just a part of just one hall.)

When speaking with another glasstec first-timer, Kearne Prendergast with Grenzebach Corp., I heard my sentiments echoed. When asked his impression of this show compared to those in the U.S., he laughed: “Bigger—and, a lot bigger.” That’s just the only way to describe it.

Knowing this, on day one I made a plan. I decided I’d start off on the furthest hall (thinking that as my feet began to hurt throughout the week I’d move closer to our booth in Hall 13) and start with a familiar face. And that provides me with an example.

As I entered Hall 17 I saw that the Lisec booth essentially was Hall 17. The booth was massive. In some ways I started to feel I’d lucked out: being responsible for covering machinery at the show, I’d hit two or three massive booths and have a hall covered. I wasn’t counting on the fact that each booth would be demonstrating a number of brand new lines—and anyone who has spoken with me at a trade show knows the machinery is my favorite part (it’s so much easier to understand when you can actually see it in action) so I could hardly resist walking every square inch of those massive booths.

But at the beginning of the show I commiserated with Bob Quast, president and chief executive officer of Lisec America Inc., who was another first-time glasstec attendee. When I asked what he thought about the show so far he mentioned that the previous night he and his colleagues had gone out to dinner and “must have had 20 of our customers from the United States come into that one restaurant.”

Yes, that’s another great thing about the BIG show. I ran into so many familiar faces that I hardly felt far from home and the number of North American accents I overheard lulled me into thinking I was ok without any knowledge of German. Which brings up what I hope is not a silly point. Throughout that first day, at least, I found myself drawn into a number of booths because I’d seen words in English over every inch of the booth, only to find that no one in the booth spoke more than a few halting words.

My German is limited to no more than a few words, so I greatly appreciated those individuals who took the time to find a way to translate (in one case, the word translate). But I was surprised at how English seems to be the language of product marketing even for those companies without English-speaking representatives at the show. Nearly every booth had a sign proclaiming in clear English their product’s capabilities, signs that lulled me into thinking I could launch into my rapid-fire spiel and be easily understood. Ha!

But as the days went on I learned to adapt, and to slow down not just my spiel but my whole way of covering the show. I marveled when at Vitrum last fall how many booths had full-blown meals in their booths and while at glasstec I think I finally understood that it’s because each visit is a drawn-out business deal. It’s not just that things move slower overseas; it’s that if you pop in for a booth visit, there’s the real possibility that you’ll be leaving an hour later with a purchase made. With that understood, I began to accept more offers of cappuccino (which I’m sure didn’t help me to slow down my spiel) and prepared to sit and wait at each booth until it was my turn for the focused attention of the booth representative.

So somehow, I made it through my first glasstec. The food was delicious, the people friendly, the fall weather just perfect … the examples of solar glass mind-blowing to someone learning as much as possible about the topic before the launch of a solar section … the machinery demonstrations fascinating … all in all, everything I’d hoped for and more.

Now, one last note; those of you who checked out our video coverage may be amused to hear some of our harebrained plans for a show video wrap-up. My personal favorite ended the report with my colleague Ellen Rogers clicking the heels of her red shoes on the gold carpet that wound through the solar exhibit, chanting “there’s no place like home.” But to tell you the truth, we have so much footage left to share that for us the show is far from over. Stay tuned to USGNN.com for more video from the trade show floor—and keep an eye out for the December USGlass for a peek at products and a full glasstec review.

Greetings and Guten Tag

What a fantastic day to be in Düsseldorf, Germany! The air was crisp but not too cool; large yellow leaves cover the sidewalks, lending a seasonal beauty to the city; and already I’ve seen familiar faces and made new friends.

Following an uneventful, if sleepless, flight, I arrived in Germany this morning, collected a stamp in my passport and was off to the hotel for a very few z’s. After a mere two hours of sleep I was ready to throw open the curtains and take a look at my view—and what else should I see but a crane atop a nearby building waiting to lift the last lites into place? It’s as if the city itself is preparing for glasstec, a feeling strengthened after passing numerous signs advertising the show on the short tram-ride to the halls. (At this point, let me extend my thanks to the guardian angel on the tram who appeared over my shoulder as my co-worker and I studied our city map and explained which stop was the best for us to take—every shortcut is needed, I’ve learned.)

Upon arriving at the hall, and eventually locating the booth (Hall 13, Stand C73 for those interested in visiting), our crew took part in the flurry of activity consuming the fairgrounds today—purchasing assorted odds and ends, making adjustments to the booth and getting the “lay of the land.” In some ways I’m less overwhelmed by the show than I’d imagined simply because I’ve already walked from the far-off hall 13 to the north entrance at hall 9 several times today, delivering copies of USGlass to the international press stand, among other things. But the mind-boggling displays I’ve already seen have left me eagerly anticipating tomorrow. And not just the fascinating new products and technologies at which I’ve had an early peek—the massive and creative booths themselves top anything I’ve seen before.

If you’re here in Germany this week, let me invite you to stop by the USGlass magazine booth, as I’d love to hear your varied perspectives on the show. And if you’re reading this from the comfort of home, wherever that might be, feel free to make suggestions of interviews or product news you’d like to know read about—or see—on USGNN.com.

glasstec ’08 Awaits

It’s almost here! I feel like a kid at Christmas-time as I wait impatiently for Sunday to come. My first glasstec trip is rapidly approaching and while my excitement has been somewhat dimmed by an extremely busy week of following up on information from last week’s GlassBuild show and putting the finishing touches on a jam-packed November issue of USGlass to boot, I am eager for next week nonetheless (and not just for the much-needed nap I anticipate on the flight over).

It’s been some time since Ellen Rogers wrote about her first time at glasstec and after re-reading it yet again I consider myself even more lucky in knowing that Ellen will be there to lend a hand as she covers it for our new Decorative Glass magazine, as will Charles Cumpston for the Architects’ Guide to Glass. (You better believe Deb will be there too, and you’ll be able to recognize our video producer Drew Vass by the equipment he’ll be carrying.)

But first thing’s first. As I pulled out the big suitcase from my closet last night, laid my passport on top and began to fret about how I’d squeeze my latest knitting project into my tiny carry-on, I felt the first stress about my upcoming trip. Now don’t get me wrong—the idea of spending five days walking across 725,000 square feet to talk with some of the 1,000 exhibitors at the show isn’t the least bit daunting to me (stop that laughing!), especially coming fresh off of covering the recent GlassBuild show (ok, I know it doesn’t compare). Nope, this early in the game, my biggest worry is just making my way to the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf: you know, trying to find the right mode of transportation to a destination I can’t pronounce, fighting jet lag while functioning in a fog of foreign conversation, yawning my way through a meal of food I’m just not used to … So I called in an expert in these matters to reassure me: my sister, Robyn, world traveler extraordinaire—and recent German major.

Me: What advice can you give to someone traveling around Düsseldorf for the first time?

Robyn: Take the U-bahn. Everybody takes the U-bahn. It’s just like in D.C. The thing is they’re absolutely punctual. If it says it’s leaving at 10:04, it’s leaving at 10:04.

Me: What are a few words you suggest travelers in Germany know?

Robyn:

How much? ......... Wie Viel?
Please.................... Bitte
Thank you ............ Danke
Train station ........ Bahnhof
Subway ................. U-bahn
Exit ........................ Ausgang
Glass ...................... Glas

Me: What's your favorite German food to order?

Robyn: The best food ever is stollen. The thing about this is you have to be there around Christmas time (it may be out this early). It’s amazing over there, fluffy, with powdered sugar on top. You can buy it at marketplaces and especially at the Christmas fairs. You have to try the original thing. The stollen is amazing.

If you’re looking for fast food, Döner. Basically it’s like McDonald’s in the sense that it just costs a couple Euros, it’s quick, but it’s so good. They serve pitas with lamb, kind of like a gyro.

Also, the salad over there isn’t just lettuce, but it is different than salad over here; it’s compartmentalized. It’s not everything thrown together—it has lettuce but everything else they put on is sectioned off.

Oh, and they don’t have fluffy bread like we have over here. It’s very hard, and that’s normal.

And the water—they’re going to give you carbonated. If you want tap water, you have to ask.

The other thing I wanted to add is they eat a lot of beets (Me: yuuuck). Yeah, beets and potatoes, stuff like that. They're really good.

Me: What’s the name of that chocolate bar Mom has insisted I have to bring her as a souvenir?

Robyn: Milka bar. It’s got a picture of a cow on it. Cappuccino, remember.

Me: Thanks for your time (or something to that effect …).

P.S. For anybody who is curious (I was), the glasstec catalog is an inch and a half thick. But I’m not worried about the show. Much.

Another Season, A Lot More Trade Shows

It’s officially fall, and not just because the leaves have begun changing here in Virginia or, as my mom recently pointed out, candy corn is being sold at every grocery store, but because around every corner is another trade show.

This week I suspect some of you may be heading out to Metalcon, the annual conference and exhibition for the metal construction industry. I’m sure many of you reading this are getting ready for next week’s show out in Las Vegas and then many more are turning around to head to glasstec in Germany.

For both of these shows we’ll be looking to take our usual show coverage to the next level by adding to our daily USGNN.com reports and the reviews in the December USGlass with video interviews from the show floor. Exhibitors, let us know if you’re ready to let your product be the star on camera—and attendees, be sure to stop by booth 310 to let us—and our viewers—know what trends you’re seeing at the show. I can tell you from experience, it’s not quite as intimidating as it first may seem!

And for those of you heading out to glasstec for the first time—like me!—let me know as I’d love to talk to you in advance about your plans for getting the most out of this massive show.

Just beyond glasstec is the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo in Boston. This show is a bit further off, but I’ve already been planning for it as I’m working on an article for the November USGlass about, what else, green products. I’ve been asking a number of people in our industry (and I’d love to get your input) the seemingly simple question: What does green mean to you? While we all may have a general idea of what a green product is, contributing editor Tara Taffera will be showing in the November issue that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is examining green claims in the building industry to see which can be supported and which are just claims being made to take advantage of this widespread green trend.

Not too far beyond Greenbuild is the annual Glass Expo Midwest, which you can read about in detail in the September USGlass.

Are there any other trade shows on your radar? Let me know by posting your comment here!

Hot, Hot, HOT!

If you’ve ever toured a float glass facility then perhaps you already know to what I’m referring. A few weeks ago I had just such an opportunity, when Rob Struble, marketing communications manager of Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries, was kind enough to invite members of our editorial staff to tour PPG’s float facility in Carlisle, Pa. What made the tour particularly tempting was the fact that the facility, which houses two side-by-side float lines, was undergoing repairs to one of its lines. The once-in-12-years opportunity, as Rob pointed out, allowed our small group to view a line in action—as well as an up-close view of the inside of a typical line.

We started our tour from the end of the float line, which provided an interesting perspective. We walked quickly past the cutting and sorting lines and into the last chamber of the float line.

“You think that’s hot?” our guide, Mike Henry, asked as he led us into the long room. There wasn’t much to see at that end of the line where the lengthy lehr enclosed the glass being annealed. We learned later that at this point the glass is cooled to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet sweat beaded on our collective brows and one cardigan was shrugged off as we nodded.

Mike smiled and replied, “That’s not hot.”

We followed our guides further down the line and crossed into the area where the glass actually begins to take its shape atop the molten tin bath. We could see purple licks of flame at the point where the glass was pulled into the lehr. Adjustable wheels on either side of the ribbon essentially pulled the glass out into the desired thickness, one point of the process that determines whether the glass will be a 1/8- or 1/4-inch lite, for example.

“You think that’s hot, don’t you?” Mike joked again.

I personally felt like I’d been vacuum-sealed and stuck in an unvented attic like a pile of discarded winter clothes in July. It became difficult to stop thinking, no, fantasizing about the pack of water bottles sitting in the van. We nodded.

Mike laughed. “That’s not hot.”

Finally we passed the 36-foot-tall regenerators, chambers on either side of the furnace that alternately force hot air into the furnace and take the excess heat back for reuse. We’d reached the end of the line, where batch ingredients were fed into the furnace. As the raw materials were deposited into the open end of the furnace, what was a moment before solid silica, limestone, soda ash, dolomite and cullet now bobbed in a liquid state. Now that was hot—but it was all we could do to stay away at that point.

And of course it’s hot. The peak temperature inside the actual furnace is 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature at which silica melts. With the green focus of the upcoming November issue of USGlass on my mind, I couldn’t help but consider how much energy must be required to maintain such high temperatures 24 hours a day.

After a moment’s breath of fresh air outside, where we gazed upon mountains of glistening glass shards, divided by tint and type to be recycled as cullet, our group went back in better prepared for the heat. Our guides then dove into explaining each step of the process and helping us to find the best view of the molten batch as it proceeded through the furnace, into the refiner, along the tin bath, inside of the lehr and finally out into the open where it was cut to size.

On the walk back past the furnace we had more opportunities to peek inside the inner workings of the furnace—and into the interior of the non-working furnace, which is in the process of being rebuilt. We were given a glance inside the refiner, and were able to make out examples of the bubbles removed during the process. At that point Mike also pointed out the “tweel,” a gate that that is adjusted to control the amount of glass that enters the next chamber, the first step in controlling the size of the glass.

We were also given a few moments’ reprieve in two different examples of the air-conditioned control consoles, from which the line’s attendants view the glass via video monitors as it progresses along the line.

While it may differ for my coworkers (pictured here from left: assistant editor Katie Hodge, DWM editor Tara Taffera, yours truly, AGRR editor Penny Stacey and Window Film editor Drew Vass), one of the most interesting parts for me was when we returned to the cutting line where we had first began our tour, but now with the consideration that until the lites were scored and cut, we’d been following the path of one tremendously long piece of glass. As many times as I’d read it, it was mind-boggling to think that the ribbon of glass keeps moving nonstop for years.

CLICK HERE to read Tara's perspective on the trip and HERE to read Penny's recollections of our adventure.

And if you’re interested in seeing this process for yourself—let your glass supplier know you’re interested—or you can take a look at this video from the Glass Association of North America’s Flat Glass Manufacturing Division.

Last Day of Fall Conference

No offense to the fine folks at the Glass Association of North America (GANA), but I’m pretty happy to be leaving Dallas today. The Fall Conference itself has been terrific, with lots of progress made during the meetings, as well as some interesting presentations (check out www.usgnn.com for more on that). But for the second morning in a row, I woke up, turned on the news and was immediately greeted with the warning that 88 counties in Texas have already declared a disaster in preparation of Ike. This morning I learned in addition that the Dallas Convention Center is being prepared by the local Red Cross to house evacuees as the hurricane approaches.

For those of you who read my recent post on our storm-related reports, let me just say that while I’m happy to assist in getting information out there, I have no interest in offering a first-person perspective on the need for glass replacement following a hurricane …

Maybe Dallas and GANA are just a bad combination. Back in 2005, Hurricane Rita kept GANA members from attending that year’s Fall Conference, as several people commented during last night's reception. But on the other hand, I’m just glad that this go around everyone had the opportunity to come together and progress on the number of items that have been under discussion this week.