2023 has been a slightly more stable one for glass and metal companies, say leaders in the industry. Supply chains have calmed down, even though inflation and interest rates remain a question mark. “It feels like we finally have control of the future a little bit more. Before, it felt like we were just kind of hamstrung,” says Josh Wignall, director of commercial sales and marketing, Quaker Windows & Doors.
While most companies voiced a sense of cautious optimism and a return to the business of building, what has not changed is the difficulty of finding labor. Across the board, labor is expensive, and there’s not enough of it. “I still hear from multiple industries that companies are still struggling to find enough staffing to do the job. It’s gotten better, but it’s not back to where it was pre-COVID,” says Mary Avery, vice president of marketing, Tubelite Inc.
High labor costs may be pushing the adoption of some metal systems, says Zeke Miller, president, MillerClapperton, which fabricates and supplies metal composite material and plate aluminum panels, among other building products. Miller sees greater adoption of the company’s products in lieu of eaves, stucco or lower-density fiber cement, likely due to labor costs. “Because all those products are still very labor intensive. And labor is just out of control right now.”
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