My final blog each year examines how far we’ve come in 12 months, and though 2020 might be one many don’t want to look back at, there is a lot to reflect on. Yes, Covid numbers around the globe are rising again. However, it is incredible how far we’ve come in 12 months; more than incredible, it is a stunning example of how resilient people are. The best part is that a miniscule light is shining through the tunnel of uncertainty.
We start this week some tough news. A few days ago, word came that Cliff Monroe passed away. Cliff was a leading technical mind in our industry for many years, and held important roles at Arch Aluminum, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and eventually his own consulting company. Cliff was also a main voice in the world of GANA and the technical committees there.
Pilkington UK, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope and Laurier Architectural Services are some of the businesses that have released online tools in recent months to make information more accessible to online traffic and potential customers.
The pandemic has shifted our personal and professional lives in ways we could have never predicted. And yet as I think about the tremendous challenges we have faced, I also take heart in how our industry has pivoted to adapt and create more opportunities during such an unprecedented time.
The first of two major construction forecasts were released this previous week, and leading off was the annual Dodge Data & Analytics Conference. This forecast says the commercial sector for starts will finish down 23 percent this year and only gain back 5 percent of that in 2021.
It may have been forgotten, or at least minimized, in light of all else going on in our world, but our industry is still “battling” for the wall. There continues to be movements out there for less glass and it is one that the NGA and its dream team of leaders and advocates are fighting at every front.
The 2021 Top Glass Fabricators report, to be featured in the magazine's March issue, will provide data and analysis for this market segment, clarifying the market and labor challenges that have affected, and will continue to affect, the manufacturing industry during the pandemic.
Most flexible automation solutions/strategies are aimed at medium or large companies allowing them to do more with less. These solutions have overlooked a significant part of the North American glass fabrication industry, small fabricators. Smaller fabricators are focused on a city or region. It is time smaller fabricators were able to employ an integrated software solution.
I have written a few times on the book "Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm" by Patrick MacLeamy former CEO of HOK. I was lucky enough to get an email interview with Patrick and here is Part 1. You’ll see how his passion comes through here and the book was the same way.
The latest Architectural Billings Index was released this week and it was an absolute stunner. The scoring was way beyond what I expected or what conventional wisdom was pointing to. After a few months being stuck at 40―remember a score of 50 is break-even―the index shot up to 47 this month. Absolute jaw dropper.