A year that we will not forget: A look back at the top stories of 2020 | USGlass Magazine & USGNN Headline News
HIDE
Before we leave 2020 to welcome the New Year, let’s take a look back at some of the most haunted stories of the year from USGNN ™.
- The COVID-19 pandemic: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted everyone’s lives this year as states shut down businesses and imposed collection restrictions and social distancing protocols. Many of the top USGNN ™ stories of 2020 centered on the crisis.
-
- Former employee claims Arconic fired him because of COVID-19 illness – In May, a former employee of Arconic Corp., Kawneer’s parent company, filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in western Pennsylvania alleging the company had violated the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by fired him for lack of work while recovering from COVID-19. Arconic has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit for failure to state a claim. However, the most recent application has not yet been approved or rejected.
- Is glazing work essential? For many locations, yes – When shutdowns began in the US in March, glass and glazing companies wondered if their work was considered essential and could remain operational. In many states the construction was considered essential work and was allowed to continue. However, this was not the case everywhere as some designs were not considered essential and were temporarily suspended.
- Dodge is making downward revisions to construction start forecast due to COVID-19 – – The economic recession due to responses to the pandemic prompted Dodge Data & Analytics to revise housing starts forecast for the year. In January, Richard Branch, the company’s chief economist, forecast the US economy to grow 1.7% in 2020, a slowdown from its 2.3% growth in 2019. However, that forecast was revised to a decline of 2% in April , 2% updated in 2020 with a 2.5% decrease in the first quarter, an 18.3% decrease in the second quarter, and an increase in the second half, assuming the peak of COVID-19 is in May . Branch updated its forecast for 2020 and 2021 during the Dodge Construction Outlook 2021 virtual conference in November.
- Glass companies are preventing the spread of COVID-19 with the help of checkout signs and sneeze protection – – Many glass companies have stepped up to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from their local retailers. Using pre-existing materials, they have adapted to install retail cash register signs that protect both employees and customers in key locations.
- Permasteelisa sale: News of large company mergers and acquisitions also caught the industry’s attention this year. The article most viewed was “Lixil Agrees to Sell Permasteelisa to Atlas Holdings”. The Lixil Group Corp. announced in May that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Permasteelisa SpA to Atlas Holdings LLC of Greenwich, Connecticut. Atlas and its affiliates own and operate a group of global manufacturing, sales and construction companies focused on safety and operational improvement. The acquisition was completed in September.
- Start the migration suit: The article “Complaint by the Comcast Center for breach of contract, negligence in PIB migration” was the top legal story of 2020 that had nothing to do with COVID-19. Four glass and glazing companies have been sued for design by the owners of the Comcast Center in Philadelphia. Manufactured and installed what Liberty / Comcast 1701 JFK Boulevard LP called the “Broken Exterior Glass Façade System” that allegedly uses the “inherently defective sealant” polyisobutylene (PIB). The complaint filed with the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas on January 23, 2020 found that deficiencies in the system could result in more than $ 1 million in damages for the owner. The construction of the Comcast Center was completed in 2008.
- JFK assassination: One of the top USGNN ™ stories was reporting on a webinar by glass consultant Chris Barry. The article “Glass Evidence: Was a Second Gunner Involved in the Assassination of President Kennedy?” provides an overview of Barry’s encounter at the Smithsonian, which led him to analyze glass evidence to determine whether a second gunman might have been involved in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
- New glazier tool: A new measuring tape from Gambit Tools called Laser Lens is supposed to make it easier for glaziers and other craftsmen to measure with lasers. The article “New tape measure solves problem for glaziers”, one of our top stories for the year, explains how the tool works. Normally, a glazier has to position his tape upside down and physically move deeper than the tape measure to look up and see where a spot laser placed on the floor registers on his tape. With the laser lens, the transparent section in the tape made of a polymer material allows the laser beam to continue through the tape itself and the user can view the laser point from any position.
- Viracon news: Two articles about Viracon round off the ten most important news of the year.
-
- Viracon focuses on innovation on its 50th anniversary – – Viracon celebrated its 50th anniversary in April. In 1969, a windshield salesman named James Martineau approached Apogee’s board of directors with a proposal to create a regional glass manufacturer. The board approved the proposal and in April 1970 Viracon became one of the first regional glass manufacturers in the country. The Martineau-run company began with a 45,000 square foot glass factory and 20 employees. It served a radius of a few hundred miles. Now, 50 years later, Viracon is no longer a regional supplier, but an international powerhouse whose glass products have been installed all over the world.
- Viracon is preparing for the golden production run – – Managing a series of 24-carat gold plating requires increased security, accelerated production and special freight logistics. While it sounds like something out of an action movie, Viracon does it about every two years. The company explained this process to USGNN ™ in February as it prepared for the next run of coatings production.
This entry was posted in Featured News, News, Today’s News and tagged Atlas Holdings, Chris Barry, COVID-19, Dodge Data & Analytics, Gambit Tools, Laser Lens, Lixil, Permasteelisa, PIB Migration, Viracon, Year In Review. Bookmark the permalink.
X.
This website uses cookies, with which we can offer you the best possible surfing experience. Cookies are files that are stored in your browser and are used by most websites to personalize your web experience. If you continue to use our website, you agree to the use of cookies. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.
Comments are closed.