Vitro Glass-commissioned survey first to gauge general contractors’ demands, expectations of glazing contractors, glass fabricators and glass manufacturers
PITTSBURGH, November 12, 2018 – General contractors want glass suppliers to deliver products faster, on time and at the right price, according to a first-of-its-kind survey commissioned by Vitro Architectural Glass.
The survey, which was conducted by a leading construction industry research firm, encompassed 146 decision-makers from general contractor, construction management and design/builder firms. All participants have been involved in projects from the initial bid through procurement, including glazing subcontractor selection, and the firms they represent reported annual revenues ranging from $50 million to more than $500 million.
Key findings include:
- Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed said contract price was the most critical factor in selecting a glazing contractor, followed by the quality of the finished work, which was cited by 53 percent of participants.
- Nearly 80 percent of respondents viewed fabricated glass as a “critical-path” material for project planning and scheduling.
Source: Vitro Architectural Glass
- When asked about glass fabricators, nearly 60 percent of survey participants said lead times were either “extremely important” or “very important” for job scheduling. Acceptable and preferred fabricated glass lead times also were identified as part of the research.
- Using glass supplied by a fabricator that is certified by a glass manufacturer is considered “extremely important” or “very important” by a sizable percentage of respondents.
Source: Vitro Architectural Glass
“The results of this comprehensive survey are very enlightening,” said Patrick Kenny, director of marketing, Vitro Architectural Glass. “Learning what drives purchasing decisions at the general contractor level for the façade/glass industry was critical to identifying what’s working and where improvements can be made. This information is vital to the ongoing success of Vitro Glass as well as our direct customers in architectural glass fabrication and their glazing contractor customers,” he explained. “The research also provides actionable insights into the operations and processes that we can leverage with our customers to better meet the needs of the commercial building market.”
To learn more about Vitro Glass and its entire family of advanced architectural glasses, visit www.vitroglazings.com or call 1-855-VTRO-GLS (887-6457).
About Vitro Architectural Glass
Vitro Architectural Glass, part of Vitro, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV:VITROA), is a new organization created from Vitro’s acquisition of PPG’s flat glass business unit. Now the largest company of its kind in the Americas, Vitro Architectural Glass manufactures industry-leading brands such as Solarban®, Sungate® and Starphire Ultra-Clear® glasses at U.S. plants in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Fresno, California; Salem, Oregon; and Wichita Falls, Texas. The company also operates one of the world’s largest glass research and development facilities in Pittsburgh and four residential glass fabrication plants in Canada. For more information, please visit www.vitroglazings.com.
Solarban, Starphire Ultra-Clear and Sungate are registered trademarks owned by Vitro.
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