The latest edition of the NGA Glass Conference wrapped up this past week in South Carolina and I am always amazed at how much gets done at those things. Not being close to a technical stalwart, I tend to review these events from afar, leaving the technical superstars from our industry to do their thing. This outing covered the gambit of items including codes and guidelines, but deeper dives into school security, which hopefully takes another step forward here soon. This moving into the code realm has to be done right!
The newest episode of the From the Fabricator podcast is now up! This time out we’ve got two making their return to the airwaves with great insight and info. Kicking it off for the third year in a row, a forecast session with Nick St. Denis of KMR.
As the single-family market is poised to return in 2024, glass fabricators will find themselves at the forefront of meeting the growing demand for high-quality, innovative solutions in the shower door market. From glass cutting and edge polishing to glass tempering and protective glass coatings, the significance of machine automation cannot be overstated. Labor issues continue to be felt around the industry, effects of inflation are still being seen, and faster lead times are becoming more and more imperative.
Glass Expo Southeast gave me the opportunity to catch up with so many folks across the industry. Plus, I'm looking forward to NGA Glass Conference, and then double-header BEC and GPAD!
NGA code experts Urmilla Sowell and Tom Culp gave a comprehensive rundown of developing codes and standards in North America. The session, originally presented at the 2023 GlassBuild Main Stage, gave updates and insights on Energy Star 7.0, bird-friendly glass, energy efficiency and EPD production, heat treatment and edge grinding, and much more.
As we move into 2024, I'm reflecting on 2023 and the conversations I had with customers. Roadblocks remain in the adoption of software and technology in the industry, but I try to counter this by understanding the customer's resistance.
The newly-formed California Glass Association, an NGA-affiliated chapter, met on Jan. 1 at the facilities of PRL Glass and Aluminum. The evening included a presentation by NGA's Tara Lukasik, managing editor, regarding the major reports, and findings, of the Association's magazines.
It's funny I have been writing this blog since 2005 and for the first time ever, I wrote it all and then deleted it, and cleared the trash too, hurriedly because I am a putz, by accident. So hopefully this version will work, but as I sit down to rewrite, I swear my mind is blank. Yikes. Ok, so here goes.
Color palettes for coatings and finishes are trending towards “cozy” vibes in 2024, with warmer, less saturated colors. Get a forecast of the most popular colors, and their palette collections.