My Favorite Things

As quickly as glasstec 2008 arrived, it’s now over. Last Monday I stood there in Hall 13 at the Messe helping our team prepare for the event and now, a week later, I’ve returned. Where did the week go? Time sure does fly.

If you’ve never been to glasstec it might be difficult to fully grasp all that the event entails. And, if you’ve only been to U.S. trade shows, the comparison is very, very different. Think about this:

At glasstec an exhibitor’s booth is not just a booth; it’s a café, a bar, a lounge … a place to sit, relax and talk to customers, peers and friends from the show.

At glasstec, the show floor is not just a show floor; it’s your exercise program for the week. Attendees often trudge from hall to hall (785, 700 square feet) lugging around bags filled with brochures and company literature. No time to exercise? No problem. Just walk from Hall 9 to Hall 17 a time or two.

At glasstec, you don’t have to ask people where they will be going out that evening because you know most everyone typically ends up in the Altstadt (the Old Town)—an area where, if everyone doesn’t already know your name, they most likely will before the night … err… morning is done.

So those are just a few general points about glasstec. I also thought I’d share with you a few of my very own favorite things about glasstec 2008. So to start (and in no particular order) …

Hall 9. Here is where the beauty of art glass can be found. Craftspeople are creating and sculpting beautifully, delicate creations. There is even an artist’s gallery showcasing sculptures, vases, and many other pieces—even glass shoes and purses!

Glass Technology Live. There really is nothing else like this display as it’s a section where you can see glass in ways you’ve never seen it before. This year the highlight was a glass bridge that people could actually walk across.

Familiar Faces. Don’t get me wrong. I love to meet new people, but there is just something about being thousands of miles away from home and running into someone you have not seen or talked to in months, maybe even years. For those of us in the glass industry, that happens a lot at glasstec. Such a small world …

Coffee. Don’t laugh, but without a good dose of caffeine each morning it’s near impossible to get through the long day to follow. This year I found some really good coffee over in the Vesuvius booth. In fact, it was the second to last day of the show and after two cups, it was like the week was just beginning.

Skechers. If you’re wondering what Skechers are, they are comfortably stylish shoes that have been my saving grace when it comes to walking the show floor. I really do not know how I ever survived before.

OK, so like I said, that was my personal list and I’m sure everyone else who was there has a list of favorite things, too. Let’s hear yours, too and share your favorite glasstec things by posting a comment.

Where Glass is Avant Garde

I had to laugh earlier this week when I read Megan Headley’s blog in which she referenced that very first glasstec article I wrote. That was such a fun one to write and though it was six years ago I still see people every time I’m at glasstec who remember it and mention it. glasstec, like that article, is a truly unique experience and everyone always leaves looking forward to the next one.

This glasstec will be my fourth one and I know that I’ve learned a lot every time I’ve been there. For starters, while the show is primarily a machinery and equipment event, I know that halls 9, 10 and 11 will have the biggest display of glass itself. Everything from sculptures to artwork to architectural panels and flooring will be there. And yes, I know, there is also a stand or two tucked into the mix with a great display of beautiful glass jewelry and anyone who knows me knows that’s one of my weaknesses. However, I promise to not let it distract me from the real reason I’m at the show.

It’s pretty much a given that architectural trends start in Europe and make their way here. Europe is far ahead of North America when it comes to energy efficiency and solar, for instance (which, by the way, is the theme of this year’s event and I know that Megan will have lot s to report back to you all on that). It's the same with decorative glass, which has European roots and is now making a strong emergence in North America.

Take acid-etched glass. It was first used in Europe and has only in the past few years started to make a strong emergence here. So that’s a product that’s definitely tops on my list of “must sees” while I’m there.

Another product that always amazes me—another we’re starting to see more of here—is bent and curved glass. Some of the stands of bent and curved glass manufacturers are so … avant garde. Companies are doing some really, really exciting stuff and I’m eager to see what’s going to surface this year.

Yes, glasstec is a long, exhausting show. It runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for five days and spans nine halls. But I gotta tell you, it’s totally, completely worth it … but don’t even think about it walking it in uncomfortable shoes.

A City for Decorative Glass

Las Vegas is a city like no other, and right now, with the City Center project (http://www.citycenter.com/) being constructed and set to open late 2009, there’s a lot of glass going up around the world-famous Strip. But even before City Center, all the glitz and glam of Las Vegas has always made it a great place for glass. And now more and more eye-catching decorative glass products are showing up everywhere.

I, like a lot of other glass-industry people, spent much of this past week in Las Vegas for the recent GlassBuild trade show. If you’ve been reading http://www.usgnn.com/ this week you know the show was a bit smaller than last year’s, however the decorative glass presence was strong.

So what were the biggest trends? Not surprisingly, color is big on the list. Everyone, from designers to homeowners, is looking for ways to make their surroundings one-of-a-kind, and a colorful glass counter top, for example, isn’t something every homeowner in Anytown USA is going to do.

Patterns and textures are also popular. From shower doors to conference room walls, these products allow for the use of glass, but still create obscurity and privacy. Using these glass products in interior applications, such as walls and room dividers, also allows in natural light, which would not be possible with concrete and wood.

Another hot look in glass is digital printing. A number of technologies were on display this past week that showed how companies can print either directly onto the glass or interlayer materials. Digital printing really makes it possible to put ... well ... anything on glass.

Check out some of these pictures from the show that highlight just some of the innovative technologies that are available.

From top left to bottom right,

Dependable GlassWorks laminated marbles into glass to create this counter top. If you look closely at the circles on the side panel, you can see the glass is designed so the circles appear almost 3-D; like they are jumping off the glass.

How would you like to have a cast glass door like this for your shower? This was displayed by Cardinal Shower Enclosures, which does its own glass fabrication.

Interlayer Solutions Inc. offers a technology that allows users to print images onto EVA to be laminated into glass.

The newest launch from Goldray was magnetic marker board. It's just another example of how the possibilities for glass are endless.