During the last few years of the pandemic, we saw numerous plant workers walk off the job never to return. We also saw the government paying workers to stay home if they felt unsafe on the job. Many of these workers never returned to their jobs, either. The investment made in their on-the-job knowledge and […]

PPG recently announced a $44 million investment to upgrade five powder-coating manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and Latin America. The projects are part of the company’s strategic efforts to expand its powder coating offerings and increase global production, officials said. Collectively, the company expects the investment – $30 million for U.S. plants and $14 million […]

More and more, high-speed processing lines for insulating glass (IG) are being installed around the country every month. And that’s not likely to stop any time soon. In fact, your shop floor may be next. I’ve written plenty in this space about how getting the most from an investment in automated production equipment requires more […]

I’ve never been one to sit around waiting for just the right time and circumstances—not once I’ve made my mind up about something, at least. These past few years have been no exception, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that it has been difficult to do anything with a high level of certainty. […]

Take advantage of Section 179. The 2022 Section 179 deduction is $1,080,000 (that’s one million, eighty thousand dollars). That’s a full 30k increase from last year. This means your company can buy/lease/finance new or used equipment and write off the full cumulative purchase price on your 2022 taxes. This can result in big tax savings, […]

Masonite International Corp., designer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of interior and exterior doors, has announced a $4.8M investment in the Circular Innovation Fund L.P. (CIF), a venture capital fund dedicated to advancing the circular economy by investing in growth-stage companies across North America, Europe and Asia. Investors in CIF believe it has the potential to […]

Who’s the most knowledgeable person on your plant floor? Who’s the person you turn to when a problem arises? Is that person the same one it might have been two years ago? The fenestration industry’s ongoing struggle with labor is well established. A lot of focus is commonly put on simply being short on manpower. […]

Vitro announced that its board of directors has approved the construction of a third float furnace at the company’s García plant near Monterrey, Mexico. The approximately $120 million investment will allow the company to meet growing market demand in Latin America, officials said, with greater product availability and improved logistics. “Board approval of the construction […]

Jeld-Wen Holding Inc. has announced it is making an approximately $8 million investment to expand its footprint in North Carolina. The company will be opening a new manufacturing facility in Statesville to grow its VPI Quality Windows brand. VPI is a provider of high-quality custom windows for multi-family, and commercial applications. The new facility will […]

The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) recently announced new low capital intensity, high return investments in its upstream and downstream silicones franchise to accelerate innovation and support global customers’ demand in high growth markets. These include high performance building, home and personal care, electrical and industrial, consumer goods and components assembly. Their investment plan includes: A […]