Market Update from Dallas

From Sept. 30-Oct. 2, more than 9,400 glass and fenestration industry professionals descended on Dallas for the largest GlassBuild America in 16 years. I attended 10-plus hours of educational programming, toured the exhibit floor with over 500 exhibitors, and spoke to hundreds of industry leaders and stakeholders. 

Below are a few top takeaways on the state of the market based on my time in Dallas.

For more, check out the Glass Magazine recap. 

GlassBuild Takeaways

1. The nonresidential market is slowing. 

The show floor was bustling. However, a number of exhibitors and attendees I spoke with at the show are starting to see business activity soften, with some pointing to post-pandemic high inflation, still-high interest rates and political uncertainty. 

Per GlassBuild economic speaker Connor Lokar, senior forecaster, ITR Economics, the concerns of a slowdown are warranted, as nonresidential construction is heading for a slowdown in 2025. However, glass companies shouldn’t panic. “We want you to make sure that we are observing an appropriate amount of caution,” says Lokar. “This is not the Great Recession. This is just a softening.” Lokar says the market should rebound and “ramp up” in 2026-2027. 

2. Employment is strong; labor is a struggle.

One reason for general economic optimism is employment. The September U.S. jobs report saw the economy add a higher-than-expected 254,000 jobs, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. 

Per Lokar, the ratio of unemployed Americans to job openings was between six and seven during the Great Recession. “That means there were between six and seven Americans actively seeking jobs for every job opening. That ratio today is about 0.9, which means there’s less than one person per job opening,” he says. 
The tight labor market means the industry’s top challenge—recruiting and training workers—will continue into the new year. 

3. We need to meet the next generation where they are. 

To recruit young people to the glass industry, we must reach out and engage them rather than wait for them to discover opportunities in glass. As part of NGA’s effort to raise awareness of the glass and glazing trades and help the industry recruit new workers, GlassBuild welcomed over 50 high school students to the show floor as part of a field trip to learn about industry opportunities. 

Stefanie Couch, founder of Grit Blueprint and speaker at the Glazing Executives Forum, emphasized the need for companies to improve their online presence to reach young people. “You’ve got to figure out how to make the next generation care about you,” says Couch. “Gen Z has grown up with—and dearly loves—social media and technology. You must find them where they are.”