Coffee Briefs

Created in the 1970s, the ACH Network, or Automated Clearing House, is an important part of the U.S. banking system. In fact, just about every U.S. bank allows customers to transfer and receive funds via ACH. The ACH Network helps banks save money by not having to process and store paper checks – and because […] Read more

While having water available to employees is good, water alone may not be enough to ward off dehydration – especially if some employees have high risk factors due to age, diabetes, high blood pressure, pregnancy, or obesity. According to Kerry Schimelfenig, Business Development Manager, Protective Industrial Products (PIP), “A three percent increase in dehydration can […] Read more

A serious condition if not properly managed, heat stress is the heat load to which workers are exposed in a work environment. We generally think of construction, utility, or road workers – people who work outdoors in the middle of summer – as those who need protection from high heat and humidity. Heat stress, however, […] Read more

“New home builds have become complicated,” says David Belman, President of Belman Homes. By “complicated,” Belman is referring to how people are using social media for design inspiration: buyers want to replicate everything they see. “The level of detail people are now concerned about is crazy,” he says, “Having to choose all the elements for […] Read more

One trend that’s disrupted the home building industry: electrification of everything. Stringent energy requirements put pressure on builders to eliminate natural gas for heating and instead create homes that rely on electric water heaters, stoves, and heating / cooling systems – including the pre-wiring for charging stations in the garage for electric vehicles. “With the […] Read more

The global smart glass market reached an estimated USD 6.59 billion in 2023 – and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.9% from now until 2030. The U.S. market is expected to see a 9.0% CAGR. (Source: Grand View Research) North America accounted for the largest share of revenue […] Read more

Smart Glass: The Ordinary Window Poised to Play a Key Role in the Smart Home To help meet green building initiatives, architects and building owners are turning to smart glass products. Also referred to as switchable glass or dynamic glass because it can be changed from opaque to transparent and back, smart glass is used […] Read more

1. Iron and steel, also known as ferrous metals, are the most recycled materials in the United States and worldwide. Vehicles, consumer appliances, and industrial scrap from buildings, railroads, farm equipment, and ships make up this recycled material. (Source: Recycled Materials Association, formerly ISRI) 2. Recycled iron and steel scrap is a vital raw material […] Read more

When asked how many fenestration profiles FlexiForce offers, GM Chris Acker replied, “Lots!” His reply is right on the money as FlexiForce carries over 500 profile families in-house. If your existing profile needs to be 10 thousandths of an inch longer on one leg in order to work in a window or patio door system, […] Read more

Promoted to the Executive Leadership Team in April 2024, Phillip Cooke has been with AmesburyTruth since 2015. His roles have included Channel Management, where he was instrumental in setting up the company’s distribution network, and Director of Product Management, Seals & Extrusions where he focused on improving quality, domestic capacity, and innovative solutions. According to […] Read more

Such was the case with AmesburyTruth and their multi-year plan for consistently meeting a 95% on-time delivery (OTD) rate — with orders shipped in full. The challenge was real: the OTD rate for its Owatonna, MN plant in 2023, for example, was 62%. “Our first steps,” says CEO Bob Burns, “were to simply improve Owatonna’s […] Read more

In operation for 30 years, Australian company Axolotl has developed a unique application technique for applying 100% recycled metal, concrete and terra cotta on a variety of substrates, including wood, compact laminate, and aluminum, to name a few. The company, which has won numerous awards for its work, chose ColorCoat as its North American partner. […] Read more

It used to be custom color vinyl windows were difficult – and expensive – to come by. You could have any color you wanted, as long as it was white, tan, or black. “The cost justification doesn’t make sense,” says David Whisenhunt, President of ColorCoat, a company based in West Sacramento, CA. “Creating a limited […] Read more

One question ISC reps are often asked: “Where did the Frank Lowe name originate? Did a Frank Lowe really exist?” Yes, yes he did! Frank Lowe founded the Frank Lowe Rubber & Gasket Company in 1955 and ran it as one-man operation until he sold it to Ira Warren in 1975. According to Warren, he […] Read more

A premier supplier of products used for window, door, and glass fabrication, Frank Lowe is also known for going above and beyond helping customers. In fact, they’ll help a customer with just about any aspect of their business, whether it’s making a process more efficient or someone’s job easier. “We go beyond the sale,” says […] Read more

With interest rates currently down from a high of 8% in 2023, and the real estate market still experiencing a shortage of existing homes inventory, new home construction accounted for nearly one-third of housing inventory in 2023, up from an average of 10%. New construction captured about 15% of all single-family detached homes, the highest […] Read more

With over 13,000 SKUs and growing, Merchants Fasteners Corp. supplies the vast majority of the domestic fenestration industry. Any hiccup in the supply chain can have disastrous results – to Merchants and its customers. Planning for the unexpected isn’t new a new concept for Merchants, a third-generation, family-owned and operated business founded in 1946. Years […] Read more

Hunters Point in Cortez, Florida, is one of a growing number of developments “that combine the energy efficiency of green building design with the resilience of hurricane-resistant construction.” (Greener – and Tougher – Homes Gain Favor, WSJ, Dec. 4, 2023) The developers have billed Hunters Point as the first net-zero single-family home development in the […] Read more

For years, the industry standard in glass cutting fluids was ACECUT, a premium product used by window fabricators to influence the fissure during the scoring process and lubricate the high-speed cutting wheel on CNC cutting machines. “ACECUT is a good product, which we offered,” says Dana Barberet, Director of Automatic Glass Cutting and Chemicals for […] Read more

In his book, The Pumpkin Plan, Mike Michalowicz describes the seven-step process for creating one of those huge pumpkins you see at the state fair: Plant promising seeds Water, water, water Remove diseased or damaged pumpkins Weed like a mad dog Identify the stronger, faster-growing pumpkins; remove the others Focus all your attention on the […] Read more

Buildings consume 41% of U.S. energy and new technologies are necessary to improve window efficiencies. In the U.S. insulating glass industry, H.B. Fuller’s Ködispace 4SG is having a big impact in meeting tough new goals. “We sell in over 40 countries,” says Paul McHale, Director, Americas Glass for H.B. Fuller, “and Ködispace 4SG leads the […] Read more

Fast, innovative, low-cost tooling. Excellent customer-focused business practices. Good product fit. Wonderful team. For these reasons and more, AmesburyTruth purchased composite window lock maker Lawrence Industries in July 2023. However, this isn’t your standard story of big company purchases little company – and then little company gets swallowed into the whole. Instead, it’s about how […] Read more

At the start of 2021, costs of construction and projects were on the rise. Today, prices are still rising or maintaining high amounts.

Since the end of 2020, steel and lumber prices in the US have increased 20-25% across the industry. This is after several price surges throughout 2020, as access to raw goods and transportation decreased due to the pandemic.