With 2009 only days away, USGNN.com has asked a number of glass industry professionals about the challenges that they predict the new year will hold.

Bill Yanek, executive vice president of the Glass Association of North America (GANA), makes a prediction that should not be new to members of the construction industry. "Based upon what we are hearing from GANA members, 2009 commercial construction will continue to slow," he says.

"We're expecting to see a continuing decline in commercial construction activity in 2009 as we have seen in 2008," agrees Ed Zaucha, chief executive officer of APG International and chairman of the Finishing Contractors Association Glazing Advisory Committee. He adds, "We also expect the decline in commercial construction activity to be more dramatic with the smaller sized projects. Many small glazing contractors are really hurting right now."

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