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A Tale of Two Shows

By Debra Levy on September 18th, 2017

Mother Nature showed everyone last week, including the glass industry, that we are not the boss of her. In the form of a tempest named Irma, Mother Nature managed to extinguish life on at least one island, kill and injure scores, cause property damage in the billions of dollars and split a major glass industry show into two. This is a tale of those two shows. Before I go there, I want to tell those in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and the Caribbean who were affected that you are heavy in our hearts, on our mind and in our prayers. Though our hearts break for you, we know that your… Read More »

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From Stalking to Smiling: Just Another Day at GBA

By Debra Levy on October 24th, 2016

Well the show in Vegas is in the history books now and will fade into memory in direct proportion to how large Atlanta ’17 looms in the distance. Friday is always the lightest day at the show and this year proved no exception, but that gave me some time to reflect on the trends I saw as news. So here are my top five take-aways from the show: 1. The Regional/Independent Fabricator Finally Get R-E-S-P-E-C-T. For years, suppliers have sought the largest glazing contractors and uber-glass fabricators as the market in which they peddle their wares and for which to develop new products. Not so this year. Many machinery and… Read More »

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Taking Care of Business

By Debra Levy on October 21st, 2016

This Barkow truck, decked out with the company

Thursday was quite the day at the glass show here in Vegas. I swear I saw tears of happiness in the eyes of a few exhibitors, and I know I saw blisters of pain on the foot of at least one attendee—because he showed me. Hard to get those images out of my mind at what is the busiest national glass show in nearly a decade. As predicted, the slow start Wednesday had ramped up by the end of the day and continued to build through Thursday. “We have not seen this level of activity since before the recession,” said John Weise of Barkow, who was promoting a truck with its new… Read More »

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Five Take-Aways from GBA

By Debra Levy on September 21st, 2015

The GlassBuild (GBA) show has existed, in some form or another, since the mid-’70s. Its name, focus and venues have changed and continue to evolve, but one thing is for sure: it’s a great place to see your industry colleagues and take a look at some of the newest products. In addition to catching up with friends and compatriots, it’s also a good “looking glass” into the future. Here are my top five trends from GBA: Automation Nation: The robotics seen in Europe for the past 10 years are finally making their way to the United States, particularly in the area of glass handling. Automated efficiencies will reduce the number of workers needed… Read More »

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Happy Harbingers

By Debra Levy on September 15th, 2014

Everyone has his or her own indicators of the future. Whether it’s of good things to come or bad things to watch out for, we have a unique set of harbingers that we swear by. Some are solid economic indicators, and others are not—but they always prove true. Well, mine relates directly to GlassBuild America 2014, which came to a close last Thursday, and it is this: The residential growth (or contraction) of our business always preceeds the commercial. In short, if you know what’s going on with the door and window end of the business, fast forward 16-18 months, and you’ll see the same on the commercial side. Oh, the… Read More »

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The 33rd

By Debra Levy on September 8th, 2014

I woke up this morning at 3:33 a.m. Eastern time. For reasons I’ll explain, I’d already been thinking about the number 33. Then, true story, it was the first thing that loomed in front of my very sleepy eyes—in a weird sort of prophetic double vision. So I decided to see if little old 33 had any additional significance. Now, 7, 13, 100, those are numbers that have history and get respect. But what about 33? Does it have any claims to fame? Turns out it does. It’s rather infamous in mathematics being that 33 is a number and all. It’s the smallest sum of two positive numbers, each of which… Read More »

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The Stories You Don’t Write

By Debra Levy on September 9th, 2013

I just settled into my seat on Delta 1483 headed to Atlanta … for the 32nd time. Yes, that’s right, this is my 32nd year of consecutive attendance at this show. If there is someone out there who has attended more consecutive shows, I have yet to find them—though I think Dan DeGorter has been to more overall shows, just not consecutively. As one of my co-workers said “I don’t know whether to envy you or pity you.” They have a point. You decide. This year’s event is back at the site of the first one in which I participated in 1981, though in those days the whole event, including… Read More »

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Music to My Ears

By Debra Levy on September 14th, 2012

Wait, what’s that I hear? Can you hear it, too? It’s been so long since my ears have been pinged by it, I barely recognized it. But I hear it loud and clear, and now that I do, I want it to play on and on. What’s that sound? It is the sound of major business being done. And it’s music to my ears. If I had to sum up the Glassbuild America trade show going on right now in Las Vegas in one word, I’d say “solid.” It’s a solid, strong show and, given the economy we’ve all lived through these past few years, that is a better-than-expected event…. Read More »

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Twofer the Road

By Debra Levy on September 26th, 2011

Two things happened earlier this month that reminded me why I have faith—make that why I have an unending faith—in the glass industry. The first was a visit to the GlassBuild show (GBA) in Atlanta last week. It reminded me that even though we are in some very volatile economic times, people in the architectural glass business continue to move forward. “Glass is very lucky,” said an architect to whom I was speaking. “Very few buildings are built without it. It is a material everyone wants to use.” He was emphatic that, even in tough times, glass will always be a material of choice. “No other building product is as… Read More »

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GlassBuild 2010

By Debra Levy on September 15th, 2010

If there’s a fast lead emerging from the Glassbuild America show in Vegas it’s the new alternatives to low-E. By this I mean new products that mimic the performance of low-E but do so by using a technology different from the traditional hard or soft coatings. The technology displayed by Bridgestone under the Evasafe product name, for example, involves a molecular bond to glass as a substrate. “The resulting glass is non metallic,” said Koji Kuwano, assistant manager of performance films for Bridgestone. This means that wireless rays can get through easily. Every one is worried about their wireless reception. This product helps that too.” No one displays glass that’s… Read More »

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