A perhaps underrated benefit FGIA offers is access to a robust glossary of terms used in the industry, a document that can be helpful to both those new to fenestration and glazing as well as more seasoned employees who may appreciate a refresher. Now, for the first time since AAMA and IGMA unified, the official FGIA Glossary is available as a free download in the FGIA Online Store.This document is an all-encompassing guide meant to be used from this point forward when referencing definitions in...

This blog is often about ways to use social media to your company’s advantage, such as how to best showcase your products and services for various platforms. However, this month’s post is going to offer a certain degree of caution about doing so in some cases. Social media has changed a lot in recent years, and perhaps no more than it did in 2022. Let’s look back on why we started using social media for our businesses, what’s happened since and what to expect moving...

Things are winding down for the holidays as we close the books on 2022. It was a busy year for FGIA, with the Association hosting three conferences and, for the first time ever, three Regional events thanks to the creation of the new FGIA FENBC Region. We also saw several documents updated this year, along with new ones like IGMA TM-5000, Do’s and Don'ts of Glass Safety. But aside from what FGIA did, the industry at large saw changes in the economy, the labor market...

As you may know, the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS) takes into consideration the unique properties of today’s different framing profile materials. The FGIA documents referenced in NAFS have minimum performance requirements, which are the result of years of research and testing as well as field experience. To this end, many important component FGIA standards were updated in 2022 to keep up with the latest technologies and performance demands. Let’s take a look at a few of them.AAMA 305AAMA 305-22, Voluntary Specification for Fiber Reinforced...

This time last year, I wrote a Socially Speaking blog post about my three social media New Year’s Resolutions for FGIA. In the spirit of holding myself accountable, I wanted to give an update on how they went. My resolutions were to plan ahead better by scheduling social media content, expand my network by sharing industry updates weekly and use the existing inventory of images and video for posts. I think I did well with two out of three, and there is always room for...

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...