GFAB Rewind: Fluent, Not Factual | Making AI Work in Glass Fabrication with Elton Boocock

GFAB Rewind: Fluent, Not Factual | Making AI Work in Glass Fabrication with Elton Boocock

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/

From Fragmented to Front-Footed: Mark Adamson on Leading OBE Through Change

Thank you OldCastle Building Envelope for sponsoring this episode of Glass Cast! 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/

Planning Your Exit: REAG CEO, Scott Mashuda on Why Glass Fabricators Can't Afford to Wait

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/

AI Meets the Factory Floor: Josh Rudd on A+W Software's Vision for Smarter Glass Fabrication

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/

From Yellow Notepads to Digital Threads: Cyncly's Don Busiek on the Future of Glass Ordering

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/