The future of the glazing industry and current industry trends took center stage at BEC Conference 2025. This year, BEC welcomed nearly 800 attendees to Las Vegas, March 2-4.
Here are some of the major conference takeaways:
Industry trends
In the presentation titled "What Lean Construction Means for Your Glazing Firm," David MacNeel, a seasoned Lean Construction Coach with 37 years of experience in the construction field, outlined the concept, necessity and implementation of lean construction strategies tailored for glazing firms. He defined lean construction as the practice of maximizing efficiency by doing what is needed, when it is needed, while minimizing time, materials, labor, equipment and space.
“What’s driving lean?” MacNeel asks. Client demand, competition, technology and waste are all factors. “Clients are starting to demand it in the industry. Before, it was just kind of a nice thing; now they’re specifically hunting down contractors that know how to do this. … If your competition is doing it, you need to catch up. … And technology, typically 25 years behind in construction than any other industry, is enabling this to be done much quicker, better, faster and safer.”
Case studies demonstrate the tangible benefits of lean practices, showing that they can lead to faster project durations, lower costs, and increased efficiency. MacNeel also discussed the driving forces behind the adoption of lean methods, including client demand, competition and technology, and offered immediate and long-term strategies for implementing lean principles within organizations. He concluded with recommendations for continuous learning and collaboration, urging firms to start small and seek assistance as they embark on their lean journey.
In a presentation titled “Trends That Are Changing the Flat Glass Industry,” Suresh Devisetti and Alan Kinder from Guardian Glass North America discussed the accelerating changes in the North American architectural glass market. They highlighted the importance of companies adapting to these trends to remain competitive, with key takeaways including being aware of emerging needs, new regulations and the importance of stewardship; the impact of cost and efficiency pressures due to post-COVID inflation and supply chain disruptions; and geopolitical factors shaping market dynamics.
The presentation identified three transformative trends driving change in the industry: advanced glazing performance, digital transformation and supply-chain adaptation. Advanced glazing performance focuses on improving thermal and solar performance while addressing sustainability through lower embodied carbon and bird-friendly glass. The demand for laminated glass is also rising due to its safety, aesthetic and structural benefits.
“Glazing laminated glass is the answer,” says Devisetti. “We’re seeing a rising demand for laminated glass in the industry, mainly driven by three things. One is more safety regulations, the second is a lot of concern about security and the climate, and the third is a significant advancements in the laminating technology.”
Digital transformation is reshaping business processes, enhancing customer engagement and leveraging technologies like AI for better decision-making. The presentation also emphasized the need for efficient supply chains and adaptability in responding to global market dynamics.
In another presentation, Jay Bowman, Partner at FMI, emphasized the vital importance of understanding economic trends that will shape the market landscape over the upcoming years. He categorizes these trends into near-term, mid-term, and long-term considerations, and advocates for businesses to proactively prepare for future challenges by analyzing key economic indicators, tariffs, and market dynamics.
“Thinking about how you want to position the company, given market conditions, I think, it’s a critical aspect of success,” says Bowman. “The best firms who always make the good decisions make it look easy. They never put themselves in a position where they’re determined by consequences or circumstances.”
“It’s not about the ability to change, it’s your ability to change faster than anybody else,” says Bowman in closing. “Be cognizant of what’s going on and when you see a change, recognize it for what it is and be ready to make that change. … Build your network. Forecasts get old and the world is dynamic and constantly changing. Your best information comes from your relationship and conversations with suppliers, contractors, subcontractors, owners… all those people. Lean into those networks as best you can.”
Future of the industry
In response to the uncertainty and slowdown in construction, Jeff Haber of W&W Glass, encourages glazing firms to "get back to basics." If we “focus ourselves and our staff on basic concepts, we’ll be in a better position,” he says.
Those basic concepts Haber is referencing are core business tasks that he says industry leaders should focus on. These include: Estimating, engineering, project management, recruitment and retention, financial management and intangibles. Intangibles include things like checking in if your corporate leadership is involved in all phases of business and seeing if your customers are happy with your work and service.
Things you should ask yourself when getting “back to basics;” Do we have the right people in the right places? Have we invested in the development of our people? Are we embracing the technology that’s available in the marketplace? Are we prioritizing safety and compliance, not just physical safety but compliance with contract documents?
Jenni Chase, NGA’s VP of workforce development, sat down with Marcus Singleton and Courtney Little of ACE Glass to discuss the “second chance workforce.” The second chance workforce is employees and prospective employees who have been previously incarcerated, are in the process of reacclimating to society and looking for gainful employment.
ACE Glass has been employing people who have been previously incarcerated for about 20 years now and provided insights on where to get connections and the benefits of doing so. Little says that secular organizations and halfway houses in your area are great resources for making connections within your community. Jodi Martinez added during the Q&A session that job fairs can be another resource.
A success story at ACE Glass on this topic is two of their employees who have now been with the company for 20 years currently hold management positions. One of ACE Glass’ most recent second-chance hires is also the second female glazier in the company’s 40-year history. This employee has taken many classes on MyGlassClass.com to further her knowledge of the trade and hone her skills. When second chance employees begin work at ACE Glass, Little and Singleton say they start working in the fabrication shop with a mentor to help them learn their way around, and have the opportunity to move up from there over time.
Little and Singleton add that it’s great to know they are giving back to their community in a positive way while helping people get back on their feet.
Troy DeGroot, Director of Bluebeam Professional Services at UChapter2, closed the conference on day three with his presentation, "The Other 85%—What You’re Not Getting Out of Bluebeam." He emphasized that many users of Bluebeam software are largely self-taught and unaware that they are only utilizing about 15% of the software's comprehensive capabilities. The session aimed to showcase how Bluebeam Revu can enhance value across all phases of a project by revealing its full potential.
Attendees learned practical tips for optimizing their workflows, uncovering features that enhance efficiency beyond simple PDF manipulation. DeGroot shared insights on various tools and functions within Bluebeam, including design review (redlines), detailing and sketching, managing sets, overlays, RFIs, capturing field data, and conducting quantity takeoffs and estimates. The presentation equipped participants with valuable skills and knowledge to transform their use of Bluebeam into an essential part of their project management processes.
Other conference happenings
Rick Locke presented NGA's first Business Leadership Award to Nicole Harris during the conference.
Read more about these presentations at Rachel Vitello's LinkedIn and Tara Lukasik's LinkedIn.
