Glass and Glazing Contractors
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 6,500 glass and glazing contractors in the US install glass panes in prepared openings and perform other types of glass work for buildings. Projects include new installations, additions, alterations, maintenance, and repairs. Smaller operators generally specialize in residential projects and emergency glass repair. Commercial projects include interior projects, such as the installation of decorative room dividers, and exterior projects, such as the replacement of storefront windows.
Dependence On The Construction Industry
Demand for glass and glazing services is highly dependent on the health of the construction industry, which is cyclical and influenced by economic conditions.
Specialized Labor Shortage
Glass and glazing contractors struggle to find qualified glaziers, who are workers that cut glass and perform the physical installation process.
Industry size & Structure
The average glass and glazing contractor operates out of a single location, employs 12 workers, and generates about $2 million in annual revenue.
- The glass and glazing contracting industry consists of about 6,500 firms that employ about 75,500 workers and generate $14 billion annually.
- Small, independent companies operate within a limited geographical market.
- Large firms that manufacture, design and install building exteriors, such as aluminum curtain walls, stone, and composite panels, often also work with glass products.
- Large firms include Harmon, Karas and Karas Glass, and Giroux Glass.
Industry Forecast
Glass and Glazing Contractors Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Jul 8, 2024 - Social Media Influencers Boost Interest in Skilled Trades
- Some young workers in the skilled trades are finding a wide following for their social media posts that chronicle their day-to-day activities on the job site, according to The Wall Street Journal. Interest in the skilled trades among Gen Z is growing as many younger workers look for employment that doesn’t involve taking on large amounts of debt and offers competitive wages. In 2023, enrollment in vocation-focused community colleges increased by 16%, marking the highest level since the National Student Clearinghouse began tracking the metric. For many younger job seekers, skilled tradespeople posting about their work on social media sites is their first exposure to the trades, and construction insiders report that such posts can help in recruitment.
- The total value of nonresidential building construction starts decreased 2% in May from April, according to Dodge Construction Network. The drop was primarily due to a 14% decline in manufacturing starts after robust activity in April. May’s institutional starts were down 6%, but commercial construction starts grew 10% amid a rise in warehouse, office, and parking structure starts. Residential building starts fell 7% in May as a 2% increase in single-family starts was not enough to offset a 25% decline in multifamily. Dodge Construction Network chief economist Richard Branch said, “Even though May’s gain in construction starts was mainly due to a handful of large projects, the data highlights that there is some grassroots demand building in the market. Single-family starts, in particular, have risen in 8 of the last 12 months despite high mortgage rates. Growth in single-family will incentivize further demand for retail, health, and education starts, among others, and the stability in the Dodge Momentum Index, which tracks projects in planning, underscores this optimism.”
- New single-family home sales fell 11.3% month-over-month and 16.5% year-over-year in May 2024, according to the US Department of Commerce. May new home sales saw the sharpest monthly decline since September 2022 as elevated interest rates and high home prices depressed demand. The median US home price in May was $417,400, up 3.2% from April and 4.9% higher than May 2023.
- Since Q4 2022, weekly US in-person office occupancy has remained a stubbornly low 50%, according to a June 2024 report by The Conference Board. In the wake of the pandemic, employers have found that offering hybrid work schedules is an effective way to attract and retain workers constrained by long commutes and higher costs of living. Nearly 70% of US firms offer their employees hybrid or remote flexibility, up from about 51% in Q1 2023. According to data firm CoStar, when companies sign new leases they are reducing their office footprints by about 19%. Chronic low office occupancy could have a negative long-term impact on office construction.
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