Topping Off
I teased it on the post last week that this time out, I would talk about something I got to do for the very first time while on a tour of Florida with NGA’s iconic #glassnerd Andrew Haring. We were invited to a “topping off” or “topping out” celebration by the great Ashley Klein of AK Glazing. I had never been to one of these and really had not known what it was about.
It turned out to be a tremendous experience on a few levels. Basically, a “topping off” is when the last beam of a structure is hoisted into place on top of the building. The beam is signed and decorated by all of the trades and a small tree is placed on the beam as well to signify everlasting life (though in looking up the meanings there are some disputes here).
Anyway, the beam lift is a part of it, but it is also a celebration of the hard work done to date by the trades on the building and opportunity to recognize those folks properly. Lunch is served and fun raffles are held. It truly was a positive experience. My ceremony was at a high rise in West Palm Beach and I sat amongst hundreds of incredible tradespeople and the amazing AK Glazing team. The vibe was unreal. People enjoying themselves and also hoping their raffle came in (when a 70-inch TV was up for it, the cheers were Super Bowl like)
I watched Ashley as she worked the room, talking to all of the trades and developing current and future collaboration angles. It was surely impressive. Ashley has built AK into a high-performance operation that really stands out and makes our industry look great. Seriously, the potential there is off the charts.
Anyway, being in the group was so energizing. Everyone happy and also gearing up for the next set of work to go on the project. The last beam was in, but the job is not done yet, so this was a time to refresh and recharge. It was an honor to be there and thank you to Ashley and her team for the hospitality!
Elsewhere…
From the Fabricator Podcast
-- The most current edition of the From the Fabricator podcast is up and if you missed it please check it out! Great guests with some education, insight, product, forecast knowledge being shared throughout. Also one note—on the interview with Shelly Farmer, the amount of Trex railing at SoFi Stadium was 73,000 feet. Incredible project!
GPAD Informational Webinar
By the way, I have commented on GPAD but the NGA has a good way to learn more; check out the webinar “What Exactly IS GPAD & Why is it Important for Your Business?” That happens later this week on Feb. 24, 1PM ET. If you are fabricator you need to be there. Hosted by a powerhouse trio of Nicole Harris, Ron Crowl and Syndi Sim makes it even more of a must. Sign up for webinar.
Congrats to Rich Porayko...
Congrats time, first to my pal Rich Porayko; he just celebrated his 15th year in business! Way back when he was 13 years old, he founded Construction Creative and now look at him! Lol. Seriously though, Rich is awesome and great part of the culture of industry! Congrats on 15, and here’s to many more. And by the way, if you need glass related gear, Rich is the guy. See the full story.
...and to IGE Technologies
Next, congrats to Michael Spellman and the team at IGE Glass Technologies on their newest line addition in Systron. Those who know me, know I love automation and big-time processing solutions and once again Michael nailed it with this addition. Michael invented/changed the game once in this space and he’ll probably do it again here. Will be a fun one to see in action in the glass fabrication space.
Super Bowl Winner!
How about the fact that I picked the Super Bowl winner again (online, yes; in the magazine, no. We’ll just forget about the magazine one, eh, that was old too). The LA Rams came through. Amazing to be right for the second year in a row! Also, this year’s commercials were actually pretty good, though if you’re not getting an electric car and buying it with crypto then you’re obviously way behind the times. I have zero clue on crypto by the way, I know those who are in it, love it, but it’s all a blur to me.
Last this week; as you may know 2022 is the International Year of Glass, and things are already rolling with more to come. The NGA has a nice home page for all things IYOG if you’d like to know more. Exciting to see so many from around the world showing the adoration and respect for the product the runs our lives (at least most of us in this industry!)
