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...

Every spring, FGIA makes sure the industry is talking about an important issue: window safety. You might notice that our monthly newsletter, FGIA e-News, and our three monthly blogs in March all discuss Window Safety Week, recognized the first full week of April each year. That is because FGIA is a dedicated member of the Window Safety Task Force, a group that seeks to heighten the awareness of what parents and caregivers should do to help keep their homes and families safer from the risks...

We were able to announce some great breaking news at the 2023 FGIA Annual Conference about the impending release of the latest version of the North American Fenestration Standard (NAFS). As of February 23, it is now available! This is thanks to the hard work of representatives from three different industry Associations: CSA Group , FGIA and Window & Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA).The updated 2022 standard replaces the 2017 edition, representing a continued evolution of the standard to improve harmonization across North America. All three...

FGIA is pleased to offer several engaging, interactive sessions during our next conference, taking place February 13-16. The 2023 FGIA Annual Conference will feature the rare opportunity to tour a seismic shake test site in California, where building resistance research has been conducted on a full-scale 10-story mass-timber building. Also at the conference will be a roundtable discussion about innovation in the window industry as well as a multi-station demonstration of various types of fenestration hardware and related tests.Seismic Shake Test Site TourFGIA Annual Conference...

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...

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...

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...