The next major advancement in glazing will soon be coming as the result of an invention by Sir James Dewar in the early 1890’s.

Nov. 14, 2019 -  ConstructConnect Canada and the Toronto Construction Association (TCA), one of North America's largest mixed-trade associations, have announced a monumental strategic alliance.

Nov. 4, 2019 - On October 31, 2019, Bavelloni SpA finalized the acquisition of all of the shares of Glaston Mexico S.A. de C.V., a company of the Glaston Group.

Sept. 16, 2019 - Walker Glass Company Ltd. is pleased to announce the appointment of Alan Harrison as its new Sales Director. Effective October 1st 2019, Alan will begin transitioning into his responsibilities as Sales Director.

Sept. 10, 2019 -  Vitro Architectural Glass (formerly PPG Glass) has announced that GLASSBUILD America 2019 will be the first major U.S. trade show featuring its new corporate branding, and that the company’s exhibit will include several new additions to its signature “glass wall,” as well.

Aug. 30, 2019 - Walker Glass Company Ltd. has announced that Ross Christie, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing and member of the board of directors has decided to step down from his day to day sales and marketing duties effective December 31, 2019. Charles Alexander will serve as Vice-President of Sales & Marketing upon Mr. Christie’s retirement.

Aug. 28, 2019 -  Vitro Architectural Glass announced today that Solarban 72 Starphire Ultra-Clear and Solarban 70 solar control, low-emissivity (low-e) glasses were specified for Jewel Changi airport in Singapore, which features a multi-faceted glass dome covering 1.7 million square feet of terraced gardens, retail and restaurant space, lodging, terminal operations, a suspended glass-bottomed bridge and the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Aug. 26, 2019 - Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope has announced it has launched its new, user-friendly website. The company conducted several focus group sessions to gather feedback from glazing subcontractors and architects throughout the development process to ensure the new site is easy to use and meets the needs of design and construction teams.

Aug. 8, 2019 -  Madico, Inc. has announced the acquisition of its two Canadian distributors, Courage Distributing, Inc. and Window Film Systems and the formation of a new entity, Madico Canada. The company will operate both former Courage distribution locations in Oakville, Ontario, and Richmond, British Columbia, to serve the market.

Aug. 7, 2019 - Salem is excited to announce the U.S. branch of Bovone will open in 2020 close to Salem’s headquarters in NC. The expansion to the US of the Italian company will streamline exchanges between the glass fabrication machinery manufacturer, Bovone and its distributor-partner, Salem. Within the product lifecycle management process, this move will make it easier and faster to integrate data for robotics, prepare and install machinery, and service customers in the entire North American market.

Check out these new products for BIM modelling and managing your business.

July 18, 2019 -  INT Machinery Inc. was established in 2016 by Luca Tosetti and Emin Osun, who between them have over 30 years experience in the industrial equipment industry.

Dec. 12, 2019 - The National Glass Association (NGA) is pleased to announce the following three new board members: Jim Stathopoulos, Ajay Glass Co., Canandaigua, N.Y.;Mark Chapman, Chapman Windows, Doors and Siding, West Chester, Pa; and Ron Crowl, FeneTech, Inc., Aurora, Ohio.  

Dec. 11, 2019 - Kick off the new year by attending the inaugural FGIA conference in February 2020. With a strong and diverse program of content and boasting an expected unprecedented attendance allowing for extensive opportunities to connect with customers, vendors and other industry experts, this Annual Conference is sure to deliver.

Back in 1988, Central Canadian Glass had just been started up in Concord, Ont., and Pat Trainor was an account rep at Guardian Glass North America with the Central Glass account.

When IGMA revisited their strategic plan a few years ago, the IGMA board of directors started with the question, “If IGMA was formed today, what would it look like and what activities would the group be involved in?”

The FenBC Industry Conference on Oct. 23 was a great success.

The Ontario Glass and Metal Association and Construction Specifications Canada's Toronto chapter held their inaugural joint Share the Vision seminar Nov. 14 at the Richmond Hill Country Club in Richmond Hill, Ont. About 50 people attended. Steve Gusterson, president of CSC Toronto, and Frank Fulton, OGMA board member, welcomed attendees and introduced the speakers.

The Architectural Glass and Metal Certification Council held its annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, Nov. 7 and 8, welcoming about 50 glazing contractors, consultants, suppliers and union representatives to the offices of Curtainwall Design Consulting. The group held committee meetings to chart a path forward for the North American Contractor Certification and Architectural Glass and Metal Technician programs.

Oct. 16, 2019 - IGMA's IG Fabricators Workshops have revolutionized the hands-on approach to association education and training, with each session in the past selling out. Space is limited in each session to approximately 40 attendees to enhance and protect the "we are really doing this hands-on" nature of the event.

Oct. 10, 2019 - Glass was a large focus among the topics addressed during the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) Fall Conference, which incorporated speakers from the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA). During the summer, the memberships of AAMA and IGMA both voted to proceed with combining into one organization with a new name, Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA), beginning Jan. 1, 2020. The IGMA speakers took center stage to inform those at the conference about the effect hurricanes have on insulating glass unit performance, as well as how to wash and cut glass and how to conduct a frost point test.

Oct. 10, 2019 - In a session hosted by Intertek, participants of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2019 National Fall Conference in Austin, Texas, learned techniques for managing risk. A focus was placed on effective pre-construction laboratory mock-ups (PMUs), as well as quality control field testing in a presentation by Intertek Regional Sales Director, Jose Colon.

Oct. 3, 2019 - IGMA is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday afternoon next week to discuss safety in the industry. The webinar will be led by Mike Burk of Sparklike, the leader of IGMA's Glass Safety Council. “The Breakout Gang” presentation will discuss:

Sept. 25, 2019 - The glass and fenestration industries convened in Atlanta last week for the largest GlassBuild America in Atlanta in recent years. The essential industry trade show drew 8,200 enthusiastic attendees to a 187,000-net-square-foot exhibit floor with more than 420 exhibitors demonstrating the latest in industry innovations.

Last summer, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal had to decide whether to keep Canadian tariffs in place on unitized curtainwall modules imported from China, or to let them expire as scheduled in November.

Oct. 30, 2019 - The University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning and Guardian Industries announce a new collaborative research partnership in advanced glass materials.

If you were to ask the leaders within the fabricating and manufacturing sectors how important artificial intelligence is for the future success of their companies, most of them will tell you it’s a critical component. That said, just how far along are we in the evolution of A.I. in these sectors?

When the mayor of New York City commemorated Earth Day in April stating that he would “introduce legislation to ban the glass and steel skyscrapers that have contributed so much to global warming,” many in our industry took note.

July 11, 2019 - Despite dire predictions, history and demographics suggest that burgeoning technologies (including automation, artificial intelligence and robotization) will not lead to substantial job losses, finds a new essay series released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

In the last edition we took an overview look at the business ethics of adding service fees and the energy surcharge (ESC) on glass products. We questioned why there is such a wide ranging discrepancy between the fees added by the glass producers and the fabricators and why the amount of the charges don’t appear to align with the input costs.

Thanks to our sister publication, Plant magazine, for sharing its Outlook 2019 study of confidence levels among Canadian manufacturers (see page 22). The overall picture is one of cooling activity in the short term demanding a renewed focus on productivity and innovation to control costs. In general, I’d say the overall results match closely what a similar study restricted to glass fabricators would find.

The California Department of General Services announced California will be requesting Environmental Product Declarations from contractors on public works products starting Jan. 1 of this year. Flat glass is one of the building materials listed as a product eligible for an EPD. EPDs are third-party-verified documents quantifying the environmental impact of a product's materials and manufacturing process, including raw material extraction, energy use, chemical emissions and waste. The announcement constitutes the first inclusion of EPDs in official state procurement policy in North America, and will likely be watched closely by environmental regulators in other jurisdictions, including Canada.

In its fall economic statement, the federal government has announced its intention to allow businesses to write off the entire cost of machinery used for manufacturing and processing the same year it is put into use. This is up from the 25-per cent writeoff allowed in the first year presently.

Igloos made with electrically heated glass prevent condensation, ice, snow build-up and convection, offering an unobstructed view of nature and a unique opportunity to enjoy the starry sky and northern lights in comfort and peace.

Recent advances in fibreglass reinforced plastics (also known as FRP, fibreglass composite or simply fibreglass) and the pultrusion process that manufacture them have only recently opened the door to exciting new uses for this material in a variety of applications.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Patrick Flannery of Glass Canada and Peter Saunders of Canadian Consulting Engineer to record a podcast on the topic of commissioning.

I have to get a few things off my chest.

Nov. 8, 2019 - The total value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities decreased 6.5% to $8.3 billion in September, largely due to declines in the residential sector. Gains were reported in four provinces, with the largest increase in Alberta (+7.2% to $1.0 billion). The largest decline was in Quebec (-20.5% to $1.5 billion), mostly due to a drop in the value of permits for multi-family dwellings.

Oct. 18, 2019 - When partners Keith Ferguson and Peter Neudorf, Sr., founded Ferguson Neudorf Glass in 1986, they leveraged over 50 years of glazing experience. Today the company is one of Canada’s largest commercial glazing contractors, and the first to become NACC certified. Ferguson Neudorf has completed prestigious and high performing building envelope projects across Canada and the U.S. Ferguson Neudorf attained NACC certification in July 2015 and was recertified in March 2019.

Oct. 10, 2019 - The value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities rose 6.1% to $9.0 billion in August, largely because of increases in multi-family and industrial permits. Gains were reported in seven provinces, with over one-third of the national increase in Quebec.

Three quick facts: one, Baby boomers are getting older; two, the average age of a construction worker in Canada is 42; three, 69 per cent of contractors in Ontario expect to have difficulty finding skilled workers this year.

It’s no secret that getting young people into any of the skilled trades can present a significant challenge. From disinterested students to parents pushing only university and guidance counsellors that don’t recommend the career path, the skilled trades have their share of roadblocks. The glazier industry is no exception.

There are productivity impacts from distraction.

Sept. 12, 2019 - The value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities rose 3.0% to $8.3 billion in July, largely due to increases in multi-family and commercial permits. Gains were reported in five provinces, with over one-third of the national increase in British Columbia. Quebec reported the largest decrease, down 4.0% to $1.6 billion due to lower construction intentions in all components of the non-residential sector.

Sept. 5, 2019 - The Climate Action Incentive Fund (CAIF) is to available to businesses in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Ontario and Saskatchewan. It provides support to small and medium-sized enterprises with between 1 and 499 employees for retrofit projects.

Sept. 4, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association’s (AAMA) Aluminum Material Council has developed a new web page and infographic, providing information about the strength, recyclability and versatility of aluminum, as well as its costs.

Oct. 22, 2019 - The North American Contractor Certification (NACC) Program for glazing contractors is now referenced in MasterSpec’s updated Section 8 specifications. MasterSpec, the architectural industry’s leading specification system, includes NACC Certification of a glazing contractor as a requirement for “Installer Qualifications” within the sub-section entitled “Quality Assurance.”

The Canadian Standards Asspciation is updating A440.6 Installation of High Exposure Fenestration Products and has released a draft of the standard for public review. The section is mostly directed at Part 5 commercial construction, but low-rise Part 9 buildings could be affected as well when they have windows and doors exposed to high levels of wind and rain, especially on hills and cliffs. A440.6 sets forth characteristics of effective and durable installation methods, in both new and existing buildings, of fenestration products within the scope of AAMA/WDMA/CSA 101/I.S.2/A440 that are intended for installation in high exterior exposure conditions.

Aug. 2, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has developed a new manual providing guidelines for the design of curtain walls. Publication of AAMA CWM-19, the "Curtain Wall Manual," marks the culmination of efforts by volunteers from AAMA Curtain Wall/Storefront Council member companies to update and enhance the former AAMA MCWM1-89, the "Metal Curtain Wall Manual." It also incorporates content from several other related AAMA publications for ease of access.

July 31, 2019 - On July 31, 2019, the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician Certification Program (AGMT) certified 177 professional glaziers. These glaziers range from all over North America and are the first group to become officially recognized as AGMT Certified.

June 25, 2019 - Principal engineer Robert Jutras (UL/CLEB) hosted a seminar called, "The Canadian CSA A500 Building Guards Standard, Explained" during the 2019 Joint American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and Insulating Glass Manufacturers Association (IGMA) Summer Conferences in Victoria, British Columbia, (June 17-20).

June 13, 2019 - The Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC) recently completed their 2019 annual meeting in Tampa Florida. In recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the organization, Public Interest Board member Mr. Dennis Johnson of Raths, Raths & Johnson, Inc. Willowbrook, IL was elected President of the organization.

June 12, 2019 - The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) has released an updated specification establishing minimum performance requirements for liquid-applied flashing used to provide water-resistive seals around exterior wall openings in buildings that includes fenestration products, such as windows and doors, as well as other through-wall penetrations. AAMA 714-19, "Voluntary Specification for Liquid Applied Flashing Used to Create a Water-Resistive Seal around Exterior Wall Openings in Buildings," was last updated in 2015.

New York City mayor Bill de Blasio made quite a stir in late April when he seemed to announce New York would “ban” glass and steel skyscapers. Here’s his actual quote: “We’re going to introduce legislation to ban the glass and steel skyscrapers that have contributed so much to global warming. They have no place in our city or on our earth any more.”

May 1, 2019 - As of April 2019, the NRC is offering free access to the downloadable and electronic formats of the National Building Code, the National Fire Code, the National Plumbing Code, and the National Energy Code for Buildings, as well as the provincial codes published by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). Paper copies of the Codes, along with other supporting documents including the Guides, are available at a reduced cost.

April 26, 2019 - The National Glass Association (NGA), with the Insulating Glass Manufacturer’s Alliance (IGMA), have announced the publication of a new jointly-produced resource for the glazing and glass products industry. The guidelines, developed by members representing both organizations, discuss the function of Polyisobutylene (PIB) Primary Sealant in insulating glass units (IGUs) with specific focus on the performance and aesthetic attributes of PIB.

Mar. 22, 2019 - The Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC) has launched its newly revamped website at www.igcc.com. This online home for IGCC provides in-depth information and resources to the fenestration industry.

Mar. 11, 2019 - After finishing a very productive meeting in 2018 with participation from certified licensee fabricators, suppliers, laboratories, and public interest individuals, the Insulating Glass Certification Council (IGCC) will be introducing several certification and guideline changes in 2019. These changes will include: