National Glass Association

06/02/2026

From 's Advocacy & Technical Team
🐦 NEW Bird-Friendly Information

The Bird-Friendly Building Policies Database has been updated to include a new design ordinance from the City of Palo Alto, California. This ordinance was approved by the City Council on March 16, 2026, and took effect on May 7, 2026.

To learn more about this ordinance and gather more crucial technical details, visit the members-only page at glass.org.

💡 Not a member yet?
This is one of the many benefits of membership. See more at the NGA Membership Hub: https://www.glass.org/membership

06/01/2026

Clear Views and Safe Skies 🪟

According to the American Bird Conservancy, an estimated one billion birds die from glass collisions in the U.S. every year. This is because clear and reflective surfaces in the built environment can be invisible threats to birds. So, how can the glass industry help lower this number?

Interrupting reflections on architectural glass by creating visual markets or patterns at a specific spacing and geometry can significantly reduce bird collisions. Adding these patterns and coatings to glass transforms it into bird-friendly glazing.

Read more from this article on Bird-friendly Glass 👇
https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/clear-views-and-safe-skies

Read all content on Bird-friendly glass 👇
https://www.glassmagazine.com/general-topic/bird-friendly

06/01/2026

It takes a village to make a debut event a success, and we are so fortunate to have the support of so many excellent organizations for our maiden voyage of !

Thank you for your generous sponsorship and for believing in NGA’s vision to address real-time challenges for every role in the glass fabrication business, from the C-suite to the production floor.

We look forward to seeing you in Chicago, starting June 14th!
Learn more about GFAB: https://www.glass.org/GFAB

Cyncly A+W Software North America TSS Glass Machinery Sales Inc Skyline Design REAG LPKF Laser & Electronics SE Diamon-Fusion International Softsolution GmbH glasstec Dow Bovone Vitro Glass US/CA Matodi Guidewheel Lattuada North America, Inc. FGE Solutions Quanex Filtraglass Vitrum Glass Immes Grupo Crespo Vidrio Saflex and Vanceva PDS IG DeGorter GCC IGE Glass Technologies inc. Salem Fabrication Group HHH Equipment Resources Mappi International Cardinal Glass Industries Tristar Glass

05/30/2026

AI at Work

AI can be a powerful tool for refining everyday work, but organizations must protect information and keep humans in the loop

There are a lot of questions about artificial intelligence in the workplace, but not a lot of answers when it comes to when and how to use it best. Navigating carefully to protect proprietary information is critical, but there are some much lower-risk approaches that yield valuable efficiencies. While I don’t think anyone should see AI as the first and last stop on any project, it can be a good “refiner” of content you have already created yourself. Read more: https://www.windowanddoor.com/article/ai-work

05/30/2026

Fostering a Culture of Care

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. NGA doesn't have all the answers, but we will always provide opportunities for education and dialogue around mental health. Anxiety, addiction, and su***de are serious challenges affecting many of our workers, with alarming construction industry stats:

• 2nd highest rate of su***de among industries
• 2nd highest rate among industries of heavy/binge drinking which leads to substance use disorder
• 34% of construction workers have at least one musculoskeletal injury, a gateway to opioids. *as of 2025

It's time we all work to foster a culture of openness, care, and support. 🤝

Key Actions:
1. Talk to Your Workers: Open dialogues about mental health.
2. Show You Care: Implement support systems and resources.
3. Be Honest: Encourage transparency and reduce stigma.

Find valuable resources for you and your workplace:

NGA Resource page: https://www.glass.org/news/2026/nga-spotlights-jobsite-safety-and-mental-health-awareness

Window + Door Magazine Safety Resources: https://www.windowanddoor.com/general-topic/safety

NGA's allied partner ASA, shares Su***de Prevention Resources through its Foundation FASACares: https://fasacares.org/fasa-cares/fasa-cares-sp/

American Foundation for Su***de Prevention: https://supporting.afsp.org/home

Construction Industry Alliance for Su***de Prevention: https://www.preventconstructionsu***de.com/

SAFE Project | SAFE Workplaces: https://www.safeproject.us/workplaces/

Watch the full Window Cast episode, where Miter Foundation Program Manager, Amanda Klinger, discusses its partnership with the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention (AFSP), other community programs and work the foundation is doing, and how integral volunteering is to that work: https://youtu.be/RycOo_aJh1Y?si=WqS7aTRwaYfzrMUO

05/29/2026

Sponsored Content: The Complete Solution for Your Window and Door Business

Today’s competitive industry depends on efficiency and transparency. A+W Cantor delivers both—integrating administration, production, sales, and service into one seamless platform. From the first customer inquiry to final installation, every step is mapped for total visibility and control. Read more: https://www.windowanddoor.com/article/complete-solution-your-window-and-door-business

05/29/2026

Should you integrate automation into your existing facility — or build new? 🏭

Most fabricators today face this question as Smart Factory Automation is becoming a top-of-mind topic — and at GFAB, we're bringing together the people who can answer it.

Join the moderated Smart Factory Roundtable, featuring experts from Guidewheel, Lattuada North America, Inc., Bovone North America, and Salem Fabrication Technologies Group, Inc. as they share real-world automation case studies and tackle the challenges fabricators face every day — system compatibility, space constraints, workforce readiness and more.

Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, expect to explore solutions, and leave with practical takeaways on ROI, common pitfalls and next steps.

🎙️ Facilitated by Elton Boocock, AI Strategist, thinkivityAI
👤 Alexa Johnson, Senior Account Executive · Guidewheel
👤 Nicola Lattuada, President · Lattuada North America Inc.
👤 Johnathan Paredes, General Manager · Bovone North America
👤 Ed Robles, VP of Sales/Owner · Salem Fabrication Technologies Group, HHH Equipment Resources

📍 GFAB | June 15 | Chicago
Register now 👉 https://www.glass.org/GFAB

05/28/2026

Identifying and Measuring Roller Wave Distortion ⬇️

Every glass lite you fabricate has a price tag — and if it's not right, that price comes in the form of rework and customer returns. For glass fabricators, quality issues in tempering aren't just a production headache. They're a direct hit to your company’s bottom line.

One of those quality issues is roller wave distortion. After glass goes through the heat-treatment process and comes out of the quench, it immediately moves onto the conveyor where one of the tempering furnace operator’s most important jobs begins: Inspecting it for quality issues. This step combines hands-on visual checks with offline inspection using special tools. Roller wave distortion is a quality issue that can lead to costly remakes. That’s why it’s important to learn how to spot it and measure it.

Read more from this step-by-step guide: https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/identifying-and-measuring-roller-wave-distortion

Want hands-on learning? Register for the GFAB Workshop Track: Quality Control in Glass Tempering — June 16th in Chicago at Skyline Design. Covering quality control, glass tempering essentials, ROI considerations, and more.

Space is limited. Secure your spot: https://www.glass.org/GFAB

05/27/2026

Meet the Experts heading to this June💡

Behind every precision-cut panel and every automated fabrication line is someone who has spent years mastering their craft. Glass Magazine's Meet the Expert program puts those people front and center — and six of them will be on the floor in Chicago.

🔹 Sebastian Dick | A+W Software North America — 24 years helping fabricators optimize shop floor operations and push smart factory innovation forward.

🔹 Dave Miller | Cyncly — 25+ years connecting workflow automation and system integration to turn disconnected software islands into seamless production ecosystems.

🔹 Jeff Spicer | IGE Glass Technologies, Inc. — 21+ years bringing financially structured automation planning and long-term service partnerships to fabricators across North America.

🔹 Nate Huffman | (Softsolution GmbH) LiteSentry - Softsolution - Strainoptics- — 20 years advancing quality inspection technology and pushing the industry toward objective, data-driven standards.

🔹 Scott Mashuda | REAG— 25+ years guiding lower-middle market M&A for founder-led glass and fabrication companies, with 100+ closed transactions and deep industry relationships.

🔹 Clifton Green | TSS Glass Machinery Sales Inc — 42+ years on the fabrication floor, delivering technical support, spare parts, and the kind of hands-on expertise that keeps operations running.

If you're a fabricator looking to build a stronger, more profitable operation — Chicago this June is the place to be. GFAB is built around exactly this: getting the right knowledge in front of the right people.

📍The NGA Glass Fabricator Conference (GFAB) | June 14–17 | Chicago, IL.

🔗 Learn more and register: https://www.glass.org/GFAB
🔗 Read more on the experts heading to GFAB (sponsored content): https://www.glassmagazine.com/article/meet-experts-gfab

GlassMagazine.com

05/26/2026

What We Do Matters | Our industry is integral to shaping the homes and buildings people live, work and play in 🏡✨

There’s a moment we all have after working on a project—whether it be as simple as a new dinner recipe or as complex as building a custom home—where we stand back, look and say, “Wow, I did that. I was part of that.”

As fenestration professionals, what we do matters deeply. Windows, doors and skylights are a critical element of the home that affects the home’s performance and influences its style. There undoubtedly is also an emotional dimension to what we do.

Tell us: What projects have you worked on that make you breathe a proud, “We were part of that” moment? Share them with NGA at [email protected].

Read more from this blog, including shifting trends & expectations in the Window and Door Industry: https://www.windowanddoor.com/blog/what-we-do-matters