Glass Expo Rocky Mountain™ 2006 Underway in Denver

Amidst fresh snowfall starting before dawn, Glass Expo Rocky Mountain 2006 got underway today at the Holiday Inn at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colo.

The early morning seminars were well attended, with more than 80 people dispersed between three rooms, learning everything from the essentials of glass in Glass 101, led by Carle Abernathy of Oldcastle, to the proper installation of auto glass with Steve Coyle of the Performance Achievement Group, and sales and marketing techniques for glass shops, courtesy of John Baker with the Sandler Sales Institute.

In Glass 101, Abernathy took his audience through the very basics of glass-from how it's made to a brief history (sheet glass, straight glass and plate glass) of the different forms glass takes.

Abernathy, sales/marketing manager for Oldcastle Denver, identified what he says are the two main problems with many glass shops today:

"Most of us don't know when to say 'no' and sometimes we don't want to say what we don't know," he said. Expounding upon that, he explained that often customers want something that is not possible for glass of the size or shape they think they want.

Abernathy also advised that glass companies contact suppliers with any questions about what a particular type of glass can or cannot do.

"Don't be hesitant to rely on the people who supply your glass. Ask them. If they don't want to share, nudge them. If they still don't want to share, tell them you'll go down the street. They owe it to you," he said.

Also presented to the audience was a clear and precise definition of the different treatments of glass, from pyrolytic-coated to vacuum-coated and post-temperable soft coats. Heat treatments and tempering-how they differ and what each treatment does-was detailed, as was the importance of thermal breakage and its causes and effects.

Abernathy advised that glass shops not specify a product without knowing the local codes that dictate necessity, such as logos on windows or the strength needed for a project.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 30 people, Abernathy infused his presentation with wit and charm, leaving many attendees glad they chose his seminar. "That was a great presentation," one attendee said afterwards. "He's really funny."

The trade show begins today at 3 p.m. MST and the event as a whole continues tomorrow.