Color Splash

If there’s any place in this great, big world that’s fit for glass, that place has got to be Las Vegas. And last week in my Vegas hotel room window at The Palms (I was there for Glass Week) I could see some distinctive displays of glazing--the purple, red and blue Rio, the glittery gold Trump Tower and the Bronze Wynn and Encore. I’m sure many of you are with me when I say, what would Vegas be without glass?

I still get a kick out of walking the strip and looking at all the casinos. The exterior is one thing, but when you step inside some of the casinos, that’s when you can see decorative glass at it’s best.

From walls and floors and stairways, to shimmery mirrors … patterns, colors, textures … it’s all there. With all this glass, I’m sure many members of GANA (especially the decorative group) were feeling right at home last week.

The Palms was no disappointment when it came to decorative glass. From the cracked glass displays in the elevators, the colorful light fixtures, the Rojo lounge located in the nearby Palms Place, even a colorfully lit casino display, there was a lot to take in.

While I could not get pictures of every piece of glass, and some did not turn out as well as I’d hoped (those casinos are so dark, you know), I do have a couple here I’d like to share: the light fixture, the Rojo Lounge and the lit display.

And speaking of sharing, here’s something else I’d like to share—the link to our new website: www.decorativeglassmag.com. Check it out whenever you get a chance. We launched it on Monday this week and it’s gotten a really great response. You’ll want to check back often, as the site will be updated regularly with news, articles, blogs and much more. You can also sign up for an e-newsletter that we will be starting in the next few weeks.

Bundle Up

Yesterday evening there was a knock on the front door. When I opened the door (to a brisk 12 degrees), there stood a fellow, all bundled up in a heavy coat, scarf, hat, the works.

"Hello, I’m the new area rep for Time Warner. I see you use our Internet services. May I ask what you do for phone and TV?”

This fellow, we’ll just call him Frank, stood there in these below freezing temps trying to sell me on bundling phone, Internet and cable. And the funny thing is, we were just looking into doing that a week or so ago, but had yet to make a final decision. For that original package we talked to a rep, probably sitting somewhere in a heated office, who offered us a bundled price of something like $130 a month. Yet standing there in the cold, Frank was prepared to offer us the same deal for $90 a month.

“And if there is something you have with your satellite that you really want to keep let me know what it is and I will see what I can do to include that for you, too,” he told me.

And while I didn’t sign anything yesterday, I must tell you, that yes, it’s something we’re considering. What’s the hang up? I just really like the Sirius radio that comes with the satellite. Aside from that … we’ll see.

So with all this in mind, I ask you: Is this the direction we are headed? Door-to-door sales in below-freezing weather? Are you prepared to bundle up your best offers, slash prices and take your wares door to door? Architect to architect? Builder to builder?

OK, OK, I know bundling is nothing new and many glass industry companies have offered a bundled package for years. But let me ask you this: how are your selling packages changing in light of the economy and slow construction markets? Why not take a minute or two and tell me about some things your business is doing differently now compared to a few years ago.

Game Day

For many people, Super Bowl Sunday is almost as fun and exciting as Christmas morning. But for me, while I enjoy a good Super Bowl party just as much as the next person, I’ll be truthful: it’s really just a social event for me. I’m more interested in chit-chatting and mingling than I am in whose got the ball at the whatever yard line.

So, I may not have strong feelings over who wins or loses on Sunday, but if I had to pick (and just for Ren Bartoe) I’d say “Go Steelers!”

And then another reason I have to pick the Steelers is because I was lucky enough to meet Rocky Bleier two years ago at a GANA meeting. I even had the opportunity to wear all four of his Super Bowl rings at once. It’s one of those experiences that I always tell people about, because how often do most of us get the chance to wear even one Super Bowl ring?

But back to Sunday's game ... I know for some people out there this year’s Super Bowl will certainly be one to remember. That’s the case, I’m sure, for Tampa-based Rue Decatur Glassworks. This company has the license to produce a commemorative display—and it’s being made from glass.

The company is creating a sandblasted glass display in honor of the game. You can read more about it here.

This is just another example of how decorative glass is popping up everywhere—even at the Super Bowl. I wonder if this means we’ll start seeing these glass displays showing up for all the major sporting events. What a great decorative glass opportunity that could be.

The Big Apple

It seems like decorative glass projects are just showing up everywhere these days. One of the most interesting ones I’ve read about lately is the new TKTS booth in Times Square. Not only does it have a cool, red glass bleacher-style staircase (check out the aerial shot on the right), it is completely made of glass--glass beams, glass walls, glass stair treads, a cantilevered canopy and glass balustrades. As if I needed a reason to visit New York …

Probably the most significant feature of the TKTS booth is that glass staircase that encases the booth. The amphitheatre-style staircase is 27 steps high and has seating room for more than 500 people. The slip-resistant glass steps were fabricated by Austria’s ECKELT Glass, a subsidiary of Saint Gobain, and they are also lit from below with LED technology.

This is one project that has completely grabbed my attention. Contract glazier David Shuldiner did the installation, but they were not the company originally selected; the Scottish firm Harans Glass was. It was when Harans went out of business that the job went to Shuldiner.

And on another note, Shuldiner is now involved with the glazing that’s being installed within the new Yankees Stadium. Yet another cool New York project. Arch Deco Glass supplied some of the interior glass that’s being used there.

But New York is not the only city where you can find interesting decorative glass projects; they are all over—you just have to look for them. If you’ve got one you’d like to share, I’d love to hear about it so be sure and send pictures my way.

Decorative Diversification?

With such a huge interest and demand for decorative glass products in the architectural and design communities, it would not be surprising to see more and more players start to emerge within the supplier realm. I can see this being somewhat of a double-edged sword. It’s good because we’re likely to see the demand increase and we’ll need more companies that can meet those needs. But on the other hand, it might not be so good if these start-ups don’t completely plan out their decorative glass strategy.

Like with any new business, there’s got to be a plan in place. How are you going to get your new product into the hands of your target customers? What do you need to know about this business? I asked Scott Surma from DecoTherm what advice he would give a company thinking about venturing into the decorative market. He shared some key points to think about.

For starters, the route you follow to get the product to market. You must understand who the customers/stake holders are and how they can best be reached.

Next, is strategic fit. “Diversifying just for the ‘sake of diversifying’ is dangerous and can quickly make the entire business sick if not properly planned and rolled-out,” Scott told me.

Next up, is it a tactical fit? In other words, do you have the customer service capabilities for the new business? “Decorative glass requires more hand-holding, custom sampling, etc. compared to standard/commodity products,” Scott said.

And don’t forget the importance of the right production environment and mindset. “Decorative glass is more of a ‘job shop’ mindset rather than a high-volume commodity production line operation,” Scott added.

Don’t get me wrong. Decorative glass products are exciting … they are vibrant, colorful and energetic. I can see why companies would want to get involved. But like with anything else, it’s good to make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into. I’m sure we’ve all found some hobby or two we just knew we’d love—be it rollerblading, snowboarding or tap dancing. We go out and spend tons of money on equipment and supplies and then we end up using the rollerblades, snowboard or tap shoes once or twice. We lose interest, realize maybe it really wasn’t what we wanted to do, or just get too busy with everything else. And then what? The rollerblades, snowboard and tap shoes are all gathering dust in the garage.

OK, maybe that comparison is not to the same extreme as starting up a decorative business, but you get my drift. What do you think of all this? As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the decorative glass business and where you see it going.

And you know, I’m actually starting to feel a bit inspired … and it’s snowing … wonder if that old snowboard is still out in the garage …

What If?

You don’t have to look too far to see what this miserable economy is doing to the construction market, both residential and commercial. Just this week alone USGNN.com™ ran a story about how Traco is selling off its vinyl window division; how PPG is exiting the IG sealants business; and today Republic Windows & Doors shut its doors costing about 300 employees their jobs. These times are rough, my friends.

As I write this “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from Monty Python’s Life of Brian is ringing in my ears. But that silver lining I’m always trying to find is just looking a little tarnished.
I have talked to a few people of late who say that while yes things are bleak, it can also be a good time to focus on the direction they want the company to go. For some, right now is turning out to be a good time to focus on differentiating. Every company out there these days is fighting for the same little bits of business that are available. And one of the best ways to ensure those buyers are going to pick you and your business over the competition is if you can offer up something nobody else can—and that’s most likely going to be different for every company.

A down market can also be a good time to think about starting a new business. Here’s an interesting story I read online that lists the top 5 businesses to start in a down economy. I think the key is to take what you already know—what you already do well—and apply it to something different.

Some of you may be familiar with Jeff Tobe. He’s been a presenter at a number of industry association meetings and he’s sometimes called the “Coloring Outside the Lines” guy as he wrote a book by that name that shares thoughts on being creative when its comes to certain business tactics.

At any rate, he often talks about the power of two little words: What if? If you get a bunch of people together and start asking, “what if we did this?” or “what if we did that?” You’re eventually going to come up with a lot of really good ideas. And some of those good ideas what be just what you need.

What Doesn't Kill You ...

With all that’s happening right now with the world’s economy, without a doubt, these are tough times for everyone, everywhere. The construction industry has certainly seen its share of better days, but for some businesses out there, the pinch hasn’t been quite as bad as it has been for others. Take the high-end, luxury market; it seems like the rich folks out there are still spending, buying what they want. These are some of the people most likely to add those high-end features and details to their homes … high-end features, such as decorative and art glass products. These typically come at a premium compared to the traditional, mainstream building materials. So, do decorative glass manufacturers feel the economic effects as much as others?

Not quite as much, they say, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t scared.

I talked to Ken Von Roenn, head designer and president of Architectural Glass Art Inc. in Louisville, Ky., earlier today and he shared this quote from Daniel Webster, an American statesman during the nation’s Antebellum period: “There’s always room at the top.” In other words, if the wealthy (those at the top) have money to spend then they certainly will spend it.

“We’ve built our business to focus on the higher-end market and the advantage of that [is the high end] is less susceptible to the downturn. However, that does not mean we’re not immune to the economic effects … it’s just not to the same degree [as traditional building materials]," Von Roenn told me. He said they are still getting calls everyday “but six months from now, who knows what will happen.”

BJ Katz, art designer and principal of Meltdown Glass in Chandler, Ariz., had a similar opinion, agreeing that decorative and art glass product sales will be affected but to a lesser extent than other glass products. She told me that everyone to whom she talks is feeling the pinch.

“There is a psychological component to the current situation and people are uncertain and fearful of the future. Projects are being put on hold or being value engineered and there is a lag time in building. We find our business is brisk but we’re uncertain about how business will be next year,” she told me.

Construction industry or not, it’s a difficult time for all businesses. We each just have to do what we can to get through it. I for, one, will try and focus on the good, on the positive …. I’m looking at the glass (of wine) as half full, not half empty. Go ahead and call me an optimist. I’ll take it as a compliment.

It’s been said that what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. I like to think that we will all come out of this much stronger and much wiser.

Happy Thanksgiving!