Advertise on podcast: Glass Cast

Thank you to Kömmerling for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Robert Thiroff started out as a carpenter at 16. Today he’s president and CEO of Kömmerling USA. In this episode of Glass Cast, recorded at GlassBuild America, Katy Devlin talks with Robert about his career across Europe, India and China, and about Kömmerling’s history, from its 1897 start serving the shoe industry to 30 years of manufacturing in Huntsville, Alabama. Robert explains what “German Design, American Made” means in practice, why he believes tilt-and-turn windows will gain ground in North America, and how long-lasting, recyclable windows can drive sustainability. He also shares how Kommerling supports its fabricator partners for the long haul. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast. Listen or watch on Spotify! Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCYMxtHgVu9u72MCIr?si=ec9210b008404d2f Listen on Apple Podcasts! Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753 Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you to Vitro for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! How does a chance conversation on a playground lead to a career in glass? In this episode of Glass Cast, recorded at GlassBuild America, Katy Devlin talks with Chris Fronsoe, director of innovation for the commercial segment at Vitro Architectural Glass. Chris shares how a former sommelier found his way into the industry, then takes listeners inside Vitro’s product development process. He discusses the shift away from blue-toned buildings toward warmer looks, the push for flatter glass, vacuum insulating glass, bird-friendly glazing, and his “conspiracy theory” on how data centers could drive the next leap in building performance. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast. Listen or watch on Spotify! Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCYMxtHgVu9u72MCIr?si=ec9210b008404d2f Listen on Apple Podcasts! Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753 Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you to CRL-OBE for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Today’s downturn isn’t 2008. It’s more like a frog in slowly heating water. CRL-OBE’s Eric Kowalewski joins Glass Cast to explain how the company is navigating a slow-drift market by simplifying the customer journey. He talks about bundling products into a true one-stop shop, adding rep partners, using AI to speed up quoting and estimating, and why he believes revenue follows customer experience rather than the other way around. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast.Listen or watch on Spotify! Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCYMxtHgVu9u72MCIr?si=ec9210b008404d2f Listen on Apple Podcasts! Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753 Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

GlassBuild America is almost here — and this episode has everything you need to know before you land in Vegas. Katy Devlin, NGA's Chief Content Officer, and Max Perilstein of Sole Source Consultants break down what's new this year, and there's a lot. They're talking Shark Tank's Daymond John kicking off the new Keynote Theater program, economist Connor Lokar returning for his signature blend of data and humor, and the return of Women in Glass featuring NGA's Lakisha Woods and Disney Imagineering's Barbara Bouza. This episode will take you inside the Opening Celebration at Allegiant Stadium — think Raiders locker rooms, VIP suites, and architectural glass on display under the lights. Plus, the Innovation Lounge, where more than 20 exhibitors are showing what's next in AI, robotics, and sustainability, and where you can get your AI questions answered live. Plus there's the personal side of this industry: family businesses, what brings them back to GlassBuild year after year, and the return of the always-popular Skills Challenge. Get into this episode of Glass Cast with show highlights, insider tips, and everything you need to make the most of September 23rd through 25th in Las Vegas. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast.Listen or watch on Spotify!Window Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2y7jqDM...Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCY...Listen on Apple Podcasts!Window Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/window-cast/id1692769106Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine:NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials:NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuildGlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Glass Cast host Katy Devlin, chief content officer at the National Glass Association, sits down with Daniel Feische, director of occupational safety and health and glass technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, to preview glasstec 2026 — the international flagship trade fair for the glass industry, taking place October 20-23 in Düsseldorf, Germany. In this conversation, he shares what drew him to the glass community, the three hot topics shaping the show floor (AI and digital technologies, circular economy and decarbonization) and why he considers machine retrofitting a smarter play than replacement. Feische and Devlin also dig into Glass Technology Live, the Hall 11 innovation hotspot developed in collaboration with four German universities, where visitors get a look at glass applications three to five years ahead of what's commercially available. For anyone weighing a first trip, Feische makes the case that no other event puts this much of the global industry in one place. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast. Listen or watch on Spotify! Window Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2y7jqDM... Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCY... Listen on Apple Podcasts! Window Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/window-cast/id1692769106 Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753 Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you glasstec (Messe Dusseldorf North America) for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Learn about glasstec: https://www.glasstec-online.com/ Recorded live at GFAB, REAG founding partner and CEO Scott Mashuda gives glass and fenestration owners — and their leadership teams — a candid primer on selling a business. His premise is blunt: an exit isn't a maybe, it's a certainty, so the only question is whether you plan it or it happens to you. Mashuda walks through how lower-middle-market companies are actually valued, the buyer types in the market, and the "walking backwards" mindset of starting from your own definition of success and reverse-engineering the strategy to get there. Equal parts market intelligence and gut check, it's a practical listen for any owner who wants to build the company for the exit they want, not the one they end up with. Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast. Listen or watch on Spotify! Window Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2y7jqDM... Glass Cast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3W7kyCY... Listen on Apple Podcasts! Window Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/window-cast/id1692769106 Glass Cast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/glass-cast/id1692376753 Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you glasstec (Messe Dusseldorf North America) for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Learn about glasstec: https://www.glasstec-online.com/ Recorded live at GFAB, NGA President and CEO Lakisha A. Woods sits down with IIDA CEO Cheryl Durst for a conversation on the untapped potential of glass in the commercial interior. Durst makes the case that glass is "the material of our lives" — often overlooked, but essential to how people feel in a space — and unpacks the neuroaesthetics behind why a clear sightline calms us. She is candid about the gap, too: glass barely registers in design education, which is exactly where fabricators have an opening. If you want a practical read on how to speak the designer's language and get glass into the conversation earlier, start here.

Thank you glasstec (Messe Dusseldorf North America) for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Learn about glasstec: https://www.glasstec-online.com/AI strategist Elton Boocock of thinkivity AI cuts through the hype for glass fabricators, starting with a hard truth: AI is fluent, but it isn't always factual. Recorded live at GFAB, this session breaks down how to get reliable results by controlling what you feed the tools, why data security is a handling problem and not an AI problem, and where the industry is heading as agentic systems move onto the factory floor. He then chairs a panel of fabricators sharing real world case studies. If you want a practical, no-jargon way to think about where AI actually helps and where humans still need to decide, start here. Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Two years ago, Mark Adamson was five weeks into the CEO role at Oldcastle Building Envelope. Now, he's back on Glass Cast to take stock of a transformation still in motion — one that's involved integrating a fragmented organization, navigating a challenging ERP conversion, expanding CRL's distribution footprint, and steering through a market that one industry veteran told him is "worse than the financial crisis." In this conversation with host Katie Devlin, Mark reflects on what it takes to shift a $2 billion manufacturer toward a service-led model, why he's betting on the one-stop shop, and what his 531 years of collective management experience has taught him about leading through uncertainty. Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you REAG for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Scott Mashuda, founder and CEO of REAG, joins NGA Chief Content Officer Katy Devlin to talk about the state of mergers and acquisitions in the glass fabrication industry. With more than two decades of experience helping lower middle market business owners navigate ownership transitions, Scott breaks down the market forces shaping M&A right now, why unsolicited offers deserve more than an emotional reaction, and what owners get wrong when they wait too long to plan their exit. He also explains why value isn't always about the dollar amount and shares one of the most important things a fabricator can do in the next 30 days to set themselves up for a successful transition. Recorded as part of the NGA Glass Fabricator (GFAB) Conference in Chicago, June 14–17. Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you A+W Software for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast!Josh Rudd, sales and marketing manager for A+W Software North America, joins NGA Chief Content Officer Katy Devlin and NGA Director of Membership Sarah Neiswanger to break down what AI actually means for a glass fabrication business. Josh walks through how A+W's new AI order entry agent, Mira, reads inbound emails and purchase orders to eliminate manual data entry errors, explains what a true pull-system smart factory looks like in practice, and shares how A+W is using AI internally to accelerate coding and testing. He also looks further ahead at dynamic capacity planning, the potential for humanoid robots on the shop floor, and why GFAB is the right place for fabricators to connect and learn. Recorded as part of the NGA Glass Fabricator (GFAB) Conference in Chicago, June 14–17. Learn more about GFAB & Register: https://www.glass.org/GFAB Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast: https://www.youtube.com/@NationalGlassAssociation Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine:NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials:NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuildGlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you Cyncly for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Don Busiek, strategic business and technology leader for Cyncly, joins NGA Chief Content Officer Katy Devlin and NGA Director of Membership Sarah Neiswanger to break down Cyncly's recent acquisition of Smart Glazer and what it means for glass fabricators, installers and homeowners. Don explains the concept of a digital thread connecting every step from order entry to delivery, why manual data reentry is one of the most expensive hidden costs in glass fabrication, and how companies that embrace digital transformation will leapfrog the competition. He also shares early beta feedback from fabricators and makes the case for why GFAB is a must-attend event. Recorded as part of the NGA Glass Fabricator (GFAB) Conference in Chicago, June 14–17. Learn more about GFAB & Register: https://www.glass.org/GFAB Subscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast. https://www.youtube.com/@NationalGlassAssociation Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you LiteSentry-Softsolution-Strainoptics for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Nate Huffman of LiteSentry, Softsolution and Strainoptics joins NGA Chief Content Officer Katy Devlin and NGA Director of Membership Sarah Neiswanger, to trace the evolution of glass inspection from manual zebra boards and handheld gauges to fully automated, real-time measurement systems. Nate explains what millidiopters are and why they matter, why the absence of customer complaints doesn't mean the absence of quality issues, and how inspection data is becoming both a process control tool and a competitive differentiator for fabricators. He also looks ahead to the future of smart furnaces and real-time feedback loops between inspection systems and tempering equipment. Recorded as part of the NGA Glass Fabricator (GFAB) Conference in Chicago, June 14–17. Learn more about GFAB & Register: https://www.glass.org/ GFABSubscribe to NGA's YouTube Channel for more podcast episodes of Glass Cast and Window Cast: https://www.youtube.com/@NationalGlassAssociation Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, Glass Magazine, and Window + Door Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Window + Door Website: https://www.windowanddoor.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Thank you IGE Glass Technologies for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! Learn more about GFAB & Register: https://www.glass.org/GFAB Michael Spellman, founder and CEO of IGE Glass, joins NGA Chief Content Officer Katy Devlin and NGA Director of Membership Sarah Neiswanger to discuss what the modern glass fabrication plant looks like and where it's headed. Drawing on more than 40 years of hands-on industry experience, Michael explains why he's shifted from chasing individual bottlenecks to thinking in systems, how smart automation naturally improves safety and flow, and why return on investment has to drive every equipment decision on the factory floor. He also shares IGE's legacy of bringing new technology to the industry and makes the case for why every fabricator should be at GFAB this June. Recorded as part of the NGA Glass Fabricator (GFAB) Conference in Chicago, June 14–17. Explore more episodes of Glass Cast & NGA video content: https://www.youtube.com/@NationalGlassAssociation Explore more from NGA, GlassBuild America, and Glass Magazine: NGA Website: https://www.glass.org/ GlassBuild America Website: https://www.glassbuildamerica.com/ Glass Magazine Website: https://www.glassmagazine.com/ Explore NGA & GlassBuild Socials: NGA LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-glass-association/ NGA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalGlassAssociation/ NGA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalglassassociation/ GlassBuild Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glassbuild GlassBuild Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassbuildamerica/

Listen in on a candid conversation about the forces reshaping architectural design—and what they mean for glazing contractors. From embodied carbon and thermal bridging to smart glass and supply chain resilience, architects are navigating intense performance pressures while clients demand transparency in every material decision. This standout session from the BEC Conference 2026 left attendees with an opportunity to ponder: the glazing contractors who step up as design partners early—not just executors—are the ones winning more complex, higher-value projects.