National Glass Association

08/29/2026

Glass Nomenclature: Standardizing descriptive language for common glass industry terms

Written descriptions of glass can often lead to misunderstandings due to vague or varied interpretations of the terms used. Different regions of the country and the world use different terminology, measurement systems and structure when defining a glass makeup; terms can even change over time.

This excerpt from NGA Glass Technical Paper Glass Nomenclature aims to standardize descriptive language for glass, providing clear and concise definitions of glass compositions that can be universally understood, and ensuring glass descriptions are precise and accessible to facilitate communication and improve efficiency in the industry.

Read the NGA Glass Technical Paper Glass Nomenclature, available for free download: https://members.glass.org/cvweb/cgi-bin/msascartdll.dll/ProductInfo?productcd=GLASSNOMENCLATURES1

Read the full article: https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/glass-nomenclature

08/29/2026

New chapter, same community. 🤝

This September in Las Vegas, Gus Trupiano & Stephen Trupiano are attending together for the first time, bringing a new business (All Things Glass) and a shared belief in what this industry's community can do for you when you invest in it.

New beginnings have a way of feeling more possible when you're surrounded by the right people. (And apparently the right sock game, Chris Fronsoe, Vitro Glass US/CA 🧦)

Register today: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/

We'll see you soon in Vegas, September 23–25.

08/28/2026

Last year, we partied hard. 🎉
This year, is taking it to a whole new level.

Following Day 1 of the show, 1,500+ glass and glazing professionals will come together at the iconic home of the Las Vegas Raiders for an exclusive evening of gourmet catering, live entertainment, and the kind of networking that lasts long after the show floor closes.

This is the party you'll be talking about for years. 🥂

🔗 Learn more & register for this unforgettable celebration: https://glassbuild2026.mapyourshow.com/8_0/sessions/session-details.cfm?scheduleid=11

🌟 Want VIP access to the Opening Celebration, Keynotes, and more? Upgrade your registration to include the VIP Experience.

🤝 Or, support industry education AND get exclusive access, with a $500+ donation to the NGA Foundation. Donors receive five tickets to the Opening Celebration and access to the new NGA Foundation Donor Lounge. 🔗 Learn more and donate: https://www.glass.org/nga-foundation

Thank you to our Premier Opening Celebration Sponsor, CRL, for making this event possible!

08/27/2026

Growth means gearing up — and for glaziers, that starts on the road.

Trucks remain the #1 capital investment for Top 50 Glaziers in 2025, followed closely by software, as firms keep pace with an expanding project pipeline.

Investment didn't stop at fleets: fabrication equipment and facility expansion held steady too, with a slight majority of respondents now fabricating curtain wall in-house.

🔗 Read the full 2026 Top 50 Glaziers report at https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/2026-top-50-glaziers

08/25/2026

The 2026 Window + Door Award Winners are LIVE! 🏆

Every year, the Window + Door Awards showcase the innovation and ingenuity of the projects, people and products shaping fenestration — and this year's program got a renewed sense of life, with winners recognized at GlassBuild America for the first time since 2019.

This year's program featured two new and exciting categories.

🏆 The Best Residential Case Study Award: Highlighting the role windows, doors, glass and other building components play in creating beautiful homes.

🏆 The Legacy Leadership Award: Spotlighting the individuals who show up every day, mentor their peers, and have dedicated years to bettering this industry.

📖 Also in the July/August issue of Window + Door:

Joseph Machine Cracks the Code on Flexible Machining
▶️ An OEM draws on 40 years of experience to create the jFlex SFMC for window and door profile manufacturing.

A Selective Market
▶️ Amid cost pressure and volume constraints, the M&A market remains open for premium assets.

Beyond White: Expanding Color in PVC Window and Door Design
▶️ Color is playing a bigger role in curb appeal as designers and homeowners look beyond standard white PVC systems.

Plus ceramic printing on glass, AI-informed customer complaints, EPR, FGIA's 2026 housing outlook and more!

Congratulations to this year's winners! — read the full issue: https://www.windowanddoor.com/current-issue

More Award Winner Content Coming Soon...

08/24/2026

'A Guide to Build Plant Safety' by Amy Becker

Best practices for factory housekeeping, PPE and glass handling

While a significant portion of FGIA’s documents deal with performance testing, safety is always the top priority. In the fabrication of insulating glass units, detailed and written procedures are critical to provide safety process uniformity between individual operators and work shifts.

The fabrication of IGUs needs to be assessed for safety hazards, but we all know creating in-plant safety control measures is easier said than done. To that end, FGIA produced IGMA TM-5000, Do's and Don'ts of Glass Safety, a technical manual that can act as a template in creating such a plan. The following includes just some of the “do’s and don’ts” tips. Read more: https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/guide-build-plant-safety

08/23/2026

Sponsored content: Product Solution | Solarban Champane™ Low-e Glass

Vitro Architectural Glass introduces Solarban Champane™ low-emissivity glass, a breakthrough innovation that brings a crisp, aesthetic to high-performance glazing. Subtly reflecting champagne hues, this advanced glass is a natural fit for soft, contemporary palettes. Unlike conventional tinted glass, Solarban Champane™ low-e glass achieves its distinctive color through a first of its kind low-e coating, delivering a refined, consistent aesthetic while maintaining the trusted energy efficiency of Solarban® solar control, low-e glass.

Read more:

GlassMagazine.com

08/23/2026

'AI is Your New Power Tool' by Norah Dick, Glass Magazine Editor

Industry leaders provide actionable strategies to amplify your business with AI tools.

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, remains a hot topic as businesses begin to adopt AI-powered tools and technologies. According to results from Glass Magazine’s annual Top 50 Glaziers survey, installers are slowly exploring how AI can aid their processes and bottom line.

“Physical Security is embracing AI thoughtfully and strategically, with a phased approach focused on the areas where it can deliver the most immediate impact,” says a rep from Top 50 Glazier Physical Security.

Read more on AI in the glass industry: https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/ai-your-new-power-tool

08/22/2026

Selling Your Business to Private Equity

Private equity has been a major player in the glass and glazing industry since at least the early 2010s. At that time, large consolidated funds made aggressive moves into the industrial flat glass arena and those moves have continued until today. But now, the more fragmented nature of the local glazing contractor marketplace has become attractive to these same players because these glazing shops tend to be founder-led and without effective succession planning.

At base a private equity transaction should be viewed with the risk attendant to most sales of a business. A key difference is, however, that the players in these markets are professionals in this process who may, or may not, have any experience in the glass industry business arena itself. As professional dealmakers, the terms and teams they bring to these transactions must be reviewed and addressed both carefully and creatively to ensure a fair and reasonable end for both sides.

So, what are a few considerations if private equity comes knocking, whether invited or not?

Read the Glass Magazine article to learn more: https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/selling-your-business-private-equity