A Newcomer’s Journey through the Glass Industry
Greetings, glass aficionados! I’m thrilled to share with you the highlights of my inaugural sales trip to California. It was a fascinating exploration of new connections, industry insights, and, naturally, an abundance of glass.
Luxury and longevity: Pulp Studio
My journey commenced with a tour at luxury glass fabricator, Pulp Studio, a fabricator that’s all about artistically and technically challenging decorative glass projects. The sight of the automated plant floors was a testament to innovation, addressing labor challenges head-on. Pulp Studio, with its humble beginnings, has grown into a $30 million company over 28 years. Quite the success story. I loved learning about the formation of the company from entrepreneur Lynda Lax and the operational scope from CEO Kirk Johnson.
If you are a designer or architect looking for inspiration, the sampling operation at Pulp Studio is a designer’s dream with every sample meticulously tagged and archived with rows and rows of glass prototypes.
The changing landscape: Aria Vetri, FHC and Future Glass
During my visit with Mazdak Vaezpour, COO at Aria Vetri Glazing Hardware Supply, I learned about the emerging players in the ever-changing hardware industry. The scene is ripe for consolidation, with acquisitions on the horizon.
I also visited Frameless Hardware Co., or FHC, where I was welcomed by President and CEO Chris Hanstad and Vice President of Marketing Andrew Haring. They were excited to share the debut of the new customer service center in Texas and the massive expansion plans in California.
During my visit with Future Glass’ National Sales Manager Dale Giddings, I learned about innovative hardware gaskets and how imported glass doors may be impacting the pricing model for the industry.
Showrooms: Panda and Aluflam
My showroom tour at Panda Windows & Doors by Vice President Troy Baker was nothing short of enlightening. I was introduced to large-scale pivot doors coated in metal by Axolotl at the company’s impressive showroom in Vegas. It felt like stepping into the future.
At Aluflam, President Peter Lindgren and Jerry Cucchi in sales treated me to a sneak peek of a showroom mock-up that shows how fire-rated insulating glass components fit into the aluminum framing to make a complete door unit.
The American dream: PRL Glass Systems
I had the honor of meeting the executives at PRL Glass Systems, CEO David Landeros and Marketing Manager Ruben Gallegos. Their story, along with many other glaziers and fabricators I met, is a testament to the American dream. Starting with just five employees, PRL Glass is a MNSDC-Certified Minority-Owned Business, which now boasts a workforce of around 500. Their capacity and capabilities are impressive and expand far beyond the California state lines with a significant portion of their business occurring across the United States.
Fabricator insights: Liberty Glass and Western States Glass
Mario Landeros, CEO at Liberty Glass Fabricators, was kind enough to take me, Syndi Sim, vice president of marketing and business development at Diamon-Fusion International Inc. and National Glass Association board member, and Glass Magazine managing editor Tara Lukasik on a tour of the facility. This was my first exposure to robotics technology and how they improve productivity in the plant.
At Western States Glass, I met with COO Kristin Aldea, who demonstrated how new leadership, equipment and process efficiencies are preparing Western States Glass for expanded growth.
Navigating SoCal traffic
Let’s not forget the infamous Southern California traffic. My schedule was at the mercy of congestion, but it did offer ample time to admire the local architecture and, of course, more glass.
A Glass Geek’s First Adventure
This trip marked my first deep dive into the world of glass. The warmth and eagerness of the people I met to share their craft was heartening. It felt like being welcomed into a close-knit, glass-loving community.
