Stepping up to the plate Edgetech employees, along with friends and relatives, shipped over 800 pounds of baseball gear in 45 boxes on four skids to Luperon in the Dominican Republic. A relative of an Edgetech employee who recently visited the region was inspired by the hardworking children and vowed to help them. Responding to this worthy call for help, Edgetech collected donations of equipment that totaled more than 100 baseball bats, 150 helmets, 68 catchers’ outfits, 100 baseballs and 25 baseball gloves, which were given to children on three different baseball leagues in the Luperon area. “These children don’t have video games, television and iPods – they live, eat and breathe baseball,” says Erin Johnson, marketing director for Edgetech. “Playing baseball is their way to relax and, potentially, their ticket to a better life. We are very proud of our employees and friends who made this donation possible. It truly has made a difference to the children who had no means of getting the gear they needed to play.” Because school supplies are also scarce in the area, pens, pencils and other necessities were included with the shipment. “It just makes you proud to be part of an organization like this – one that really cares for people,” Johnson says. “Being good members of the community – and of the world – is definitely a part of our Edgetech 360 value promise. It’s part of who we are as an organization.” Glass alliance promotes conservation The board of directors of the newly-created Global Glass Conservation Alliance (GGCA) has announced that it is now accepting memberships. The GGCA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing the energy impact of glass upon the earth by promoting the repair, restoration, reuse and recycling of all types of architectural and automotive glass. The Alliance’s goal is to reduce the amount of float glass that is thrown out each year and to espouse the benefits of being an environmentally- conscious glass consumer. In a world where cities are banning plastic bags and bottled water, most consumers do not know that most glass used in vehicles cannot be readily recycled. There is great potential for flat glass to be reused, recycled or restored. The repair industry, led by the GGCA, is committed to doing its part to preserve our planet.The board of directors of the newly-created Global Glass Conservation Alliance (GGCA) has announced that it is now accepting memberships. The GGCA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reducing the energy impact of glass upon the earth by promoting the repair, restoration, reuse and recycling of all types of architectural and automotive glass. The Alliance’s goal is to reduce the amount of float glass that is thrown out each year and to espouse the benefits of being an environmentally- conscious glass consumer. In a world where cities are banning plastic bags and bottled water, most consumers do not know that most glass used in vehicles cannot be readily recycled. There is great potential for flat glass to be reused, recycled or restored. The repair industry, led by the GGCA, is committed to doing its part to preserve our planet. Lisec founder remembered as role model The founder and owner of Lisec group of companies, Kommerzialrat Peter Lisec, died on August 17, at the age of 73. A press release issues by the company states that, “throughout his 48-year career, Kommerzialrat Lisec created a life’s work without parallel and built the company from a one-man operation to an international group with more than 2000 employees and more than 50 foreign branches. He chaired his company as the chairman up to the very last day. Under his leadership and with the entrepreneurial spirit of an excellent technician he succeeded in continually surprising and convincing the professional world with innovations later defined as state-of-the-art in the world of flat glass. His work in the company related to his business partners and employees and he always found the time to take care of every concern. We will always remember Peter Lisec for his personality and as a role model.” Azon promotes two Azon USA, Inc. has promoted two of its staff members. Patrick Muessig was promoted to vicepresident of global technical operations. A 12-year veteran with the company, Muessig recently served as director of global technical services and he will continue to oversee the AZO/Tec design and thermal simulation services for Azon. Additional responsibilities include the direct co-ordination and communications between Azon USA and Azon U.K. Nancy Peterson was promoted to director of market communications and will join the Azon Board of Directors effective August 2009. Peterson has been with Azon for more than 13 years serving as the market communications manager with the company. Peterson’s responsibilities include branding and corporate communications for the global company. She also will serve as a member of the Azon Management Committee, which oversees the day-to-day activities of the company. Expanded co-operation Truseal Technologies, Inc., a Quanex Building Products Corporation company, reinforces its commitment to innovative insulating glass (IG) equipment development and support by announcing an expanded co-operation agreement between Besten Equipment Company and Billco Manufacturing, for sourcing Besten spacer processing equipment and other glass handling machinery needs. Gus Coppola, president of Truseal and Besten, states that “this relationship will take advantage of the combined strengths of two of North America’s largest and most innovative suppliers to the window and door industry. Billco, established in 1948, has been making Besten washers for the past three years, and that relationship has proven beneficial to our mutual customers and both companies. This announcement expands upon that relationship and leverages the respective strengths of Truseal, Besten and Billco.” Coppola adds that Billco is one of a list of worldwide equipment partners that works closely with Truseal. CAN-BEST opens in British Columbia CAN-BEST (Canadian Building Envelope Science and Technology) has opened a new office “CAN-BEST West” in Maple Ridge, B.C. Elie Alkhoury, president and CEO of CAN-BEST says that the facility will provide state-of-art testing services to the building and construction industries in Western Canada and the U.S. Established in 1985, CAN-BEST is a progressive full-service building envelope research and testing firm, which is fully accredited to ISO 17025 standard by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). The head office is located in Brampton Ont. Jeff Cooke, PhD, will serve as general manager of the CAN-BEST West office and will continue the firm’s on-going efforts to better serve its large client base in the area. In addition to accreditation by the SCC, CAN-BEST is recognized by AAMA, NFRC, CSA, IGMA, IGMAC, CCMC, CWDMA, and WDMA as a certified testing facility for windows, doors, insulating glass, curtainwalls and EIFS systems. Global growth for CRL Los Angeles-based, C.R. Laurence Co., Inc. (CRL), has announced that the company has begun construction of a new, high cube, 60,000 sq. ft. Facility at the company’s headquarters’ complex in Los Angeles, Calif. The facility is being built on recently purchased acreage across the street from CRL headquarters on Vernon Ave. “This construction allows us to increase our warehouse space and stock even more inventory for our customers,” says Donald E. Friese, CRL’s Chairman and CEO. “With this new addition, CRL’s distribution and manufacturing operations in Los Angeles will total more than 660,000 square feet. This kind of expansion could not take place without the continued and growing support of our customers, and we are most appreciative of the help and encouragement they provide. In return, we continue to put our gains back into the company, bringing our customers the finest and most comprehensive line of products in the industry.” This past year has been marked with tremendous growth for CRL. The company is currently building two new 50,000 sq. ft. Branch distribution centres - in Manchester, England and Melbourne, Australia and it has just moved its German operation into a new 30,000 sq. ft. Facility near Stuttgart, Germany, and its new 55,000 sq. ft. Branch facility near Miami opened this September. “In the spring of 2008, we took a major step forward with the acquisition of Sommer & Maca (Somaca), a glazing supply distributor and machinery manufacturer headquartered in Cicero, Illinois. Because of this strategic decision, the combined products and services of both organizations provide our customers with even larger inventories available from all branch locations. We have since expanded the Cicero manufacturing facility, and added additional state-of-the-art machinery and engineering expertise,” says Friese. Advancing energy efficiency Energy efficiency tops the bill at the Truseal Technologies, Inc. booth at Win- Door North America, November 17-19. The company will highlight a number of products and programs focused on providing higher thermal efficiency and promoting better energy-saving solutions. Specific initiatives will enable a greener future while helping window producers meet and exceed ENERGY STAR criteria for 2010 and beyond. Duralite – This third-generation warm edge spacer system from Truseal offers the industry’s lowest U-value rating. The no-metal, high-performance spacer enables window manufacturers to meet and exceed energy efficiency requirements. Manufacturers using Duralite are able to produce window systems offering unsurpassed energy savings. Envirosealed Windows – New developments in the award-winning Envirosealed Windows program will be revealed at Win- Door North America. This campaign from Truseal simplifies environmental and energy savings messaging for window manufacturers and dealers by highlighting the thermal efficiency benefits of top performing spacer systems. Program participants can address the growing demand for green products through consumer-ready educational tools such as literature, point-of-sale pieces and a dedicated website. Marketing pieces tout benefits like lower energy consumption and reduced CO2 emissions that are made possible by using Truseal’s Dura Platform spacers. “With initiatives like the new ENERGY STAR requirements and tax credits driving up demand for better windows, it’s clear that the future of the window industry is all about energy efficiency,” says Ric Jackson, director of marketing and business development for Truseal Technologies. Truseal’s environmental responsibility goes beyond its products and programs. The company’s Win-Door booth is constructed of environmentally friendly materials, such as carpet made from post-consumer products, bamboo display panels and Plyboo countertops. Bamboo is a grass product with a short growth cycle that regenerates faster than timber. Plyboo is cured bamboo.