FCA International Initiates Plans to Launch GlassCon Global in 2014

Plans are currently in the works to bring glass information and education about new technologies and developments to the North American market. Called GlassCon 2014, the Finishing Contractors Association International (FCA) is leading the efforts to debut the event the week of July 7 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.

“The FCA’s Architectural Glass and Metal Contractors Advisory Committee led by chairman Ed Zaucha, CEO of APG International, has discussed the value of providing information to the United States for over one year in an initiative to shorten the timeline for innovative glass and glazing design in North America from inception to incorporation,” says Anthony Darkangelo, CEO of the FCA. In planning the event, he says they are proposing to do the following:

Provide a forum for the presentation of new technologies and product development;

Provide education and information to architects, engineers, specifiers, owners, developers and leaders in the glass and glazing industry; and

Encourage European and North American manufacturers to collaborate to further the glass and glazing industry.

Discussions have been in the works for some time. Earlier this year USGNN.com™ reported from the Glass Association of North America’s (GANA) Building Envelope Contractors (BEC) Conference plans for a Glass Performance Days (GPD) USA (http://www.usglassmag.com/2013/03/bec-live-debuts-in-las-vegas-with-roving-reporter-lyle-hill/#.Ul1dzYzD-M8). The plans since then, however, have changed.

“Glaston [organizers of GPD] has been very supportive in our efforts to move forward. From our latest discussions, we are hopeful that GPD wanted to support GlassCon Global by allowing [us to say] ‘in cooperation with GPD-Finland’ but we have not heard any final word,” says Darkangelo. “The idea of doing an ‘in cooperation with’ would allow the relationship to develop to see if we would like to continue moving forward,” says Darkangelo.

Recently, FCA has also begun discussions with GANA about the conference as well.

“Ed Zaucha understood that we needed to partner with GANA as soon as we decided to do this event,” says Darkangelo. “GANA has developed itself into the technical arm of the architectural glass and metal industry, and the FCA International represents the largest community of architectural glass and metal contractors in North America. It only makes sense that we should be collaborating on this and many industry initiatives.”

Ashley Charest, GANA account executive, says they are currently working with FCA on a partnership regarding GlassCon Global.

“We look forward to contributing GANA’s vast knowledge of the glass and glazing industry, and providing a high quality technical content conference for North America,” says Charest. GlassCon will be separate from events already planned and organized by GANA and will not affect any of those.

Darkangelo says there are currently nine committees working on all the different pieces that are necessary to create an industry event. He says a marketing firm has been retained, the call for paper is almost ready to go out and the website will soon launch. The conference will focus on reaching a wide audience including architects/designers; specification writers; owners; glass research and development; façade consultants; façade design and builders; university professors; members of the green community; glass manufactures and processors; as well as fabricators and installers of all fenestration products.

Be sure and look to USGNN.com™ for more updates as they are made available.