The theme of the upcoming 2024 FGIA Annual Conference, to be held February 19-22 in Amelia Island, is a special one. Throughout the event, we will be paying tribute to the one and only Rich Walker, the former President and CEO of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and an industry figure of momentous proportions who passed away earlier this year. That’s why, throughout the conference, you will see signs of the theme, “Celebrating Rich Walker: A Legacy of Leadership and Laughter.”The tables at the...

Registration is now open for the 2024 FGIA Annual Conference, to be held February 19-22 in Amelia Island, FL! This event will feature a very special theme: a tribute to Rich Walker, the former President and CEO of the American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) and an industry figure of momentous proportions. The preliminary schedule is now available and is packed with a variety of presentations, panel discussions and hands-on workshops. Numerous committees, councils and task groups will also have an opportunity to meet.After hosting several...

As 2023 comes to an end, it’s a good time to look back at the performance of both the U.S. and Canadian economies this year. Much has happened in both countries, and we might be able to glean some insight into the coming year based on what we’ve seen in the last 12 months. Let’s take a look at the state of the economy in both countries and look forward to 2024.The U.S. Economy TodayDespite strong forecasts early in the year that the U.S. was...

As of September 1, it has officially been one year since the newest FGIA region was created by the Association, a milestone that was celebrated during the recent FGIA FENBC Region Technical Summit held on October 18. It has been a big year for the FENBC Region, full of British Columbia-centric events with speakers and presentations most of interest to those in BC. The region’s leaders have been committed to both residential and commercial knowledge sharing. Let’s take a look back at the previous year...

The 20th GlassBuild America is getting closer. Not only is this a must-see event for the industry, it also serves as a great training ground for all levels of knowledge when it comes to glass and fenestration. FGIA is an association sponsor of the show and we are thrilled to be hosting two new education sessions at the show this year. Learn about performance of fenestration and glass when it comes to seismic movement and sit in on a session delivering insights on successfully managing...

I can’t stress enough how much I am looking forward to being in Denver, CO for the FGIA Fall Conference September 18-21. September is beautiful in the Centennial State, with ideal weather and scenery. Don’t miss this gorgeous location – register now for the Fall Conference and enjoy event attractions like the annual FGIA Product Showcase, an array of networking opportunities, dozens of working meetings and a slate of industry-focused speakers.FGIA Product ShowcaseThe FGIA Product Showcase Tuesday night, September 19 provides conference participants with the...

It’s that time of the year again: it is time to schedule your travel for the popular FGIA IG Fabricators Workshop, held in-person each November at the Intertek facility in Plano, TX! This year’s workshop will be November 7-9 and registration for this three-day, hands-on training opens in August. There is always a waitlist, so be sure to claim your spot early.The IG Fabricators Workshop addresses best practices for the most important aspects of fabricating and testing IG units. Since its launch in 2016, the...

Thanks to a recent webinar, FGIA members had the opportunity to have their specific questions answered about the market study research FGIA commissions each year, offering historic and current market information as well as forecasts into the coming years. The most recent report, the FGIA 2022/2023 U.S. Industry Review and Forecast, was released in May. It is a compilation of statistical data from government and industry sources useful in forecasting industry outlook. This report, coming in at 18 pages, contains unit or square footage data...

What an amazing experience it was to attend Top Glass in Mississauga, Ontario last month! Along with Amy Roberts, FGIA Director of Canadian and Technical Glass Operations, we had the opportunity to connect with literally hundreds of professionals in the Canadian fenestration and glass industry in the FGIA booth. We met so many people that day and I look forward to going back to Top Glass! Thanks to Patrick Flannery and his team at Annex Media, the organizer of the event, for putting on such...

Our first in-person conference in Canada since AAMA and IGMA unified to form FGIA is almost here. In June, FGIA members will be traveling to Vancouver, BC to get a new take on several facets of the fenestration and glazing industries and to meet many of our FGIA FENBC Region members where they live and work. This conference has a jam-packed schedule that ranges from big topics like bird-friendly glass and safety culture in the workplace to off-site activities like whale watching, a tour of...