Before You Buy ...

In the August issue of USGlass we will be featuring our annual Guide to Equipment & Machinery. It's a special feature that's designed to give companies planning or considering a major equipment purchase information about the types of equipment on the market.

While I myself have never purchased a tempering oven or an IG line, I have made major purchases. And I know that you don't just walk into your realtor's office or onto a car lot and buy the first thing you see. Careful consideration goes into such a purchase, and the same holds true when purchasing glass fabricating or processing machinery.

I asked a friend of mine in the tempering business what he would say are some of the biggest considerations a company should to take before making any major machinery purchase and he told he it all comes down to getting the right machine for the right markets. "Just as you wouldn't buy a Cadillac to haul hay on the farm, you wouldn't buy a 3-ton truck to take the family on vacation," he said.

I'd be interested in hearing some of the lessons you've learned in buying equipment, what advice you'd offer to others and what you think are the number one considerations. Send me an email or post your comments here.

I walked the CSI Show yesterday in Baltimore. It was much smaller than last month's AIA Convention, but exhibitors said they found the attendees in Baltimore much more focused--there for the information.

I was surprised there wasn't a greater glass presence. Only three companies, J.E. Berkowitz, McGrory Glass and PPG exhibited from the glass side. Several others were also there from the curtainwall side, as well.

There was, not surprisingly, a strong green focus. One person said it seemed that green has gotten bigger than security glazing. So plenty of attendees were on hand with products to help achieve LEED points. PPG's employees were even wearing green shirts to further emphasize the trend.

The other big announcement was that next year CSI will become Construct 2008. It will be organized by Hanley Wood and CSI will be the main sponsor. While we know it will be in Las Vegas, dates have not been announced. It will be interesting to see what happens with this new event. It will at least give everyone another reason to visit Las Vegas.

I don't think there's a business out there right now that has not been affected by the skyrocketing costs of health care. Companies everywhere in every industry have made all kinds of plan changes and cutbacks to try and offset the increases.

A major reason that health care costs are going up is because, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), more than 65 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight (a body mass index of 25-29.9) or obese (body mass index more than 30). The CDC attributes billions and billions of dollars spent every year to both overweight and obesity medical expenses.

Aside from the work I do on a full-time basis for USGlass, I have also spent the past 13 years working in the fitness industry. That's why I was so impressed with a story we ran on USGNN earlier this week about the efforts of Coastal Glass Distributors in Charleston, S.C. http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/jun/11/longtime_fitness_expert_keeps_wellness_on_worker/

The company recently began a wellness program that, as company president Jack Hoey says, was not to save on health care spending, but to help people feel better. Employees now have an on-site wellness center and a wellness coordinator on staff available to talk about the importance of proper nutrition and regular exercise.

I know that Coastal Glass Distributors is not the only industry company with an on-site wellness program; I know many others out there have similar programs, just as there are those without. I would love to hear what some other glass companies are doing to promote wellness, so please email me and let me know.

As you think about the weekend, and what you will be doing, think about this: The CDC has set a national objective to reduce the prevalence of obesity by 15 percent by 2010; the country's not there yet and 2010 is not that far off. Now, think about this--only 24 percent of U.S. adults engage in vigorous leisure time physical activity more than three times a week. Doing so can add not only years to your life, but it can also help prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart disease.

There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Is devoting 30 of those minutes to exercise really all that much?

Lean Thinking

It's that time of year when many of us all start thinking about one thing: getting fit for summer. With vacations to the beach and days by the pool, lots of people are working hard to prepare for bathing suit season. Lean thinking, if you will. They are cleaning all of the junk from their diets, and they are hitting the gym trying to become a leaner, more efficient person. You know where I'm going with this, don't you?

As you probably know by now, lean thinking applies to more than just a healthy lifestyle. It applies to our work and business live styles, too. Just take a look at your desk or work area. How much of what you see before you is really necessary? How much do you use every day? Every week? Month? I admit it, as I was sitting here writing this I looked at everything on my desk. Last week when I wasn't thinking about lean, my desk seemed perfectly straight. Today I feel like it's a cluttered mess!

But making just the smallest of changes can help. I am pledging right now to work on re-organizing my office. If I can make finding a certain file or back issue of USGlass a little simpler it will help me be more efficient. Little by little. Are you with me on this? Tell me about some of your lean strategies and I'll keep you posted on how my re-organization is going.

Above Average ...

Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dean, Erin, Felix, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Noel, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy. This is not a list of my best friends (I've yet to meet a Humberto), but rather a list of the 2007 named storms. Fitting, being that today is the first day of the official 2007 hurricane season.

After an extremely mild 2006 season, experts with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration are calling for "an above normal" season for 2007. And what does "above normal" mean? According to those experts: 13-17 named storms with 7-10 becoming hurricanes, of which 3-5 will become major storms--category 3 or higher. An average season, on the other hand, brings 11 named storms, with 6 becoming hurricanes, including 2 that become major storms.

Last year, though, was pretty good--great, actually a relief--after 2005 destroyed so much of the Gulf Coast I think we were all glad to see no major storms come through in 2006. I heard on the news this morning that the Outer Banks of North Carolina may be the first area hit this year. As a Carolina girl, born and raised in North Carolina, I take this to heart.

I asked someone a few years ago about hurricane windows and why, at the time, more Carolina Coastal residents (and there are some top-dollar homes along the Outer Banks) weren't investing in hurricane glazing products. After all, it seemed, so many Florida homes certainly had. He told me then that the Carolinas were where Florida was pre-Andrew. Interesting. I've heard more and more about homes being built there now with laminated windows and others that are retrofitting. For the safety this will bring to those behind that glass, I am glad. Hurricane glazing products are no joke--they do what they are made to do--they help ensure safety and security. And there is testing to prove it.

So with that said about our expected "above average" hurricane season, I wonder: What have been the biggest lessons you've learned from your own hurricane experiences? Please email me and let me know.

Picture Time

Today is Friday--but not just any Friday. It's the Friday before Memorial Day, which means summer is just around the corner. After a long, cold winter, I think we're all happy about that.

As promised, I've posted a few pictures from my Chicago trip a couple of weeks ago. The big, shiny, silver ball picture is the Cloud Gate sculpture in Millennium Park. It's been nicknamed "the Bean," but from what I hear some Chicago residents really don't like this very much. As you may know, Chicago-based MTH Industries did the metal installation.

The image next to the Bean, I mean Cloud Gate, is a shot of a downtown high-rise condo project going up. This was fun for me to see considering an article I wrote for USGlass a couple of months ago about some of the common condo concerns for contract glaziers.

And below that is another project going up in downtown Chicago featuring unitized curtainwall. I actually heard a presentation last week about unitized systems given by Henry Taylor with Kawneer. It was during GANA's Contract Glazing Educational Conference in Atlanta. In the July USGlass you'll be able to read more about the conference, as well.

I have to admit, I do like to take pictures of interesting glass projects that catch my eye--and I know I'm not the only one out there who does this. If you've got some glass shots you've taken during your travels email them to me. I would love to see them.

Enjoy your weekend and the holiday!

You know you're REALLY in the glass industry when ...

It's inevitable. After a certain number of years in this industry there's a lot of little things we all end up doing: you look to see whose glass is in your hotel windows, check out the new storefront/entrance installation at the new mall, point out the IG failure of a restaurant window to a friend who has no idea of which you speak. Everywhere you go roll wave distortion just jumps right out you. One thing in particular I like to point out is the acoustical qualities of laminated glass. When people say "Oh, there's no way glass can block sound," I respond, "Really? When you're in the airport, how often can you hear the jets starting up outside?" After that they usually give in.

Now that summer is almost upon us, many are starting to think of vacations. Where will you go and what will you do? Whenever I go someplace I am always looking at the glass & metal architecture and structures, ans when I have my camera you can bet I'm snapping some pictures. This weekend, in fact, I'm heading to Chicago for the weekend, and I've got some time scheduled in to head over to Millennium Park to check out the Cloud Gate sculpture (featured in the most recent Architects' Guide to Glass. It's a cool structure; I will take pictures and post the here next week.

Speaking of pictures, I've posted here one of my favorites. It's from the Butterfly Exhibit at the Bellagio in Las Vegas a couple years ago.

Enjoy the weekend and some great weather.