Industry News

In August of 2022, the National Glass Association (NGA) announced the publication of a new international standard addressing school safety in the midst of rising instances of school shootings. The NGA School Security Task Group was formed in November 2021, and in less than a year, ASTM F356122: Standard Test Method for Forced-Entry-Resistance of Fenestration...

The Glasstec show in Dusseldorf is an industry show that is near and dear to me. Over four decades ago, it was where I first discovered a technologically advanced glass capable of resisting fire, smoke and heat. Something that wired glass, the only fire rated glass available and in use in the United States, could...

Manufacturing companies today are all experiencing difficulty in finding workers. According to a study, conducted by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute, they state that as many as 2.1 million manufacturing jobs in the USA will go unfulfilled by 2030. For over 80 years, O’Keeffe’s/SAFTI FIRST has been a manufacturer of architectural building products, fire rated...

With many years of experience, over sixty in the architectural glazing industry, we have learned that innovation is a necessity to growth and success both for our clients and ourselves. The architectural community rewards innovation and appreciates evolving architectural advancements as this innovation allows them to introduce interesting, new, and creative projects, whether an application,...

In my last blog, I expressed my optimism for the construction industry’s road to recovery. The Architectural Billings Index is strong, and we are seeing a return to in-person tradeshows, conferences, and other industry events. While we still have some challenges along the way, particularly with supply chain interruptions, and fulfilling pent-up demand for materials,...

In a press release dated March 24, 2021, the AIA was pleased to announce that the Architecture Billings Index posted a score of 53.3 in February 2021 (according to the AIA, a score of 50 and above indicates increased billings). This was the first time ABI posted a positive score since February 2020. In addition,...

Manufacturers use virtual platforms to help architects meet CEU requirements The fourth quarter of the year is usually the time when architects review how many CEU credits they have, and how many more they need to fulfill their requirements for the year. Tradeshows and conferences are typically popular avenues where architects go to get their...

The Holiday Spirit of SAFTI FIRST: Giving back to the community after a year round of successful achievements For my last blog of 2019, I’d like to highlight the extraordinary efforts of our Merced Production Team, led by our VP of Operations Ron Drew.  Even with the demands of his job, Ron still finds the...

Innovative products with low-iron glass trend Fire Rated Glass Embraces Low-Iron Glass Trend with Innovative New Products There is an increasing demand for low-iron glass as designers are being drawn by the color—or to put it more accurately—the lack of. When you look through a piece of standard glass, it is typical to notice a...

Savings Strategy When Specifying 45 Minute Fire Protective Glass New technology allows designers the freedom of large expanses of glazing at less than the cost of standard wall construction. Have you ever experienced “sticker shock” when given the budget for ceramic fire protective glass planned for use in your project? Or were you ever in...