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 Industry Structure, How Firms Opertate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Quarterly Insight, Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 5,800 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 $2-3 million in annual revenue.
- The glass and glazing contracting industry consists of about 5,800 firms that employ about 70,700 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
Coronavirus Update
May 11, 2022 - Architectural Billings Rise
- Demand for building design services is strong, according to an April report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The AIA’s Architecture Billing Index (ABI), an indicator of future building construction demand, was 58 in March, up from 51.3 in February. Any reading above 50 indicates growth in architectural billings. The rise in billings is likely due to an effort to lock in interest rates ahead of continued rate hikes in the coming months. The ABI reading for commercial/industrial projects was 55.3 in March. On a regional basis, the South registered the strongest March ABI score with 57.2, followed by the Midwest (56.2), the West (54), and the Northeast (46.3).
- Total construction spending increased 0.1% in value month over month on an adjusted basis and 11.8% in value year over year on an unadjusted basis in March 2022, according to the US Census Bureau. Residential construction spending increased 1% month over month and 17.8% year over year in March. Nonresidential construction spending declined 0.8% month over month and increased 5.8% year over year in March.
- Homebuilder sentiment, as measured by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, decreased to 77 in April 2022 from 79 in March, marking the fourth consecutive monthly decline. Higher materials costs and rapidly rising interest rates are making housing less affordable, which is weighing on builder confidence. Builders report that sales traffic and current sales conditions are at their lowest levels since summer 2021. Higher mortgage rates and supply chain disruptions have unsettled the US housing market, especially for potential first-time homebuyers.
- The number of building permits issued for privately-owned housing units increased 0.4% month over month and rose 6.7% year over year in March 2022. Housing starts increased 0.3% month over month and 3.9% year over year in March. Housing completions decreased 4.5% month over month and fell 13% year over year in March.
- The Dodge Momentum Index increased 6% in April 2022 to 164.8 (2000=100), up from the revised March reading of 155. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which has been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. The commercial planning component increased by 9%, and institutional planning rose by 2%. The commercial planning pipeline was robust due to data center, warehouse, and hotel projects. While the backlog of nonresidential building projects is strong and should remain solid in the coming months, rising interest rates and higher materials costs could moderate construction activity through the end of 2022.
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