Last year, the United Nations General Assembly formally approved a resolution designating 2022 as the International Year of Glass. And for FGIA, what an international year of glass (and fenestration) it has been! The Association expanded services in parts of Canada, updated FGIA education offerings, released a new glass safety standard and boasted high turnout at FGIA events all year. There was a lot to be thankful for in 2022, but here are a few highlights.Expanded Canadian FocusIn a follow-up to FGIA’s collaboration agreement with...

Now that the dust has settled following the largest annual industry trade show in North America, I wanted to share some notes from the floor at GlassBuild America. I had been to the big show before, but not for several years! This year, GlassBuild featured 386 exhibiting companies and drew more than 8,200 participants. The show drew participants from all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as attendees from Canada and 53 other countries. Since this was my first...

Happy November! It has been a busy season for the industry, as you can tell from social media. In the last month alone, the FGIA Fall Conference took place, followed by ASTM meetings, GlassBuild and the NFRC conference. On top of those, the FGIA IG Fabricators Workshop happened this week at the Intertek facility in Plano, TX. It has been a busy time, but things are about to wind down for the holidays!With all this busyness, we’d like to pause to ask what FGIA members...

Involvement in industry associations can be helpful to individuals and companies in a lot of ways, whether it means having a strong handle on news and updates, gaining knowledge from those closest to the work being done or doing the work yourself to shape an industry’s future. Trade associations like FGIA can gain you and your company access to things like the latest market study information, economic updates, opportunities for professional development and resources that can help your company plan for the future and succeed.Here...

A version of this blog post ran in October 2020. It has been updated with new information.If you are already an FGIA member, you know the Association offers a wealth of information to its membership. From our publications and popular conferences to our task groups and committees, those new to the industry and even fenestration and glazing veterans can learn a lot. FGIA encourages you to take advantage of all that we have to offer, but don’t miss out on one of the most important...

GlassBuild is next week! If you are thinking about how to promote your company’s presence at the popular tradeshow, I have some ideas for how you can do so on social media before, during and after the fact. Use the next few days to plan ahead, schedule some content and pack everything you need before you leave town for Las Vegas. And don’t forget to make sure your phone is logged into your company’s social media accounts in advance, so you don’t have to scramble...

FGIA is busy gearing up for GlassBuild America 2022, taking place October 18-20 in Las Vegas, NV. GlassBuild presents a unique opportunity for the industry to take advantage of learning opportunities to help advance their careers as well as to promote the availability of educational content to employees, encouraging their continued professional development.Our staff will be hosting three different educational sessions at the trade show, and we are looking forward to sharing our expertise – and visiting our many members at their booths on the...

What comes to mind when you think of where wildfires may strike? Think they are limited to only Western regions of the United States or rural areas? Think again. Wildfires can and increasingly do occur virtually anywhere. And contrary to what some may believe, wildfires can spread far beyond rural areas. They can also devastate urban communities, too. That’s why there’s increasing interest in the International Code Council’s (ICC) International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) and state or local Wildland-Urban Interface Codes. Educate yourself and your...

If you are going to the FGIA Hybrid Fall Conference in Chicago, don’t forget to pack a Chicago-themed item of clothing to wear on the Chicago Spirit sunset dinner cruise! FGIA will be rocking its allegiance to the Windy City on Monday night of the conference aboard the dinner cruise out on Lake Michigan, complete with souvenir photos of all participants.If you don’t have anything yet but want to play along, there is still time to shop your closet or to buy something Chicago-centric. I...

After a long summer, I am looking forward to getting back into the swing of things at in-person industry events this fall, including GlassBuild America in Las Vegas, NV and FGIA’s own 2022 Fall Conference this September in Chicago, IL. While we have managed to make the most of getting work done over conference calls and online meetings, I know nothing beats getting to see FGIA members in person. Both GlassBuild and the Fall Conference will offer a ton of much needed networking opportunities, adding...