Glass & Glass Product Manufacturers NAICS 3272

Nov 30, 2025 - NGA Wants to Let In The Light

• In a win for the glass industry, two building code proposals promoting natural daylighting in schools, dormitories, and apartments were approved at the 2025 ICC Committee Action Hearings, the National Glass Association reports. The initiative by the NGA, American Institute of Architects, and others to promote natural daylighting in schools aims to influence school design standards by encouraging greater use of high-performance architectural glass to improve student health, comfort, and energy efficiency. If added to the 2027 International Building Code, the provisions would expand long-term demand for advanced glazing products such as low-emissivity glass, laminated safety glass, insulated glass units (IGUs), and dynamic glazing in the education construction market. As states and districts update building guidelines to incorporate daylighting and energy-performance requirements, manufacturers may see increased specification rates for higher-value products and glass would be viewed more favorably relative to competing materials.
• Amazon Trends data indicates that glass packaging products, particularly in the food and beverage and home goods categories, have seen steady growth in sales volume and average price, according to AI sourcing engine Accio. The average price for glass jars and bottles has increased by approximately 12% year-over-year, reflecting the premiumization trend and higher demand for durable, reusable containers. Sales volume for glass packaging products peaked in Q4 2024, coinciding with the holiday season, and saw a secondary peak in Q2 2025. The dual sales peaks in Q4 and Q2 suggest that glass packaging products are in high demand during both holiday gifting and seasonal home organization. Meanwhile, Google Trends data reveals fluctuating consumer interest in glass packaging over the past five years, with notable peaks corresponding to specific events and seasonal trends, particularly around major retail seasons such as the holiday period (November–December) and the summer months.

• Manufacturers of glass and glass products are facing an acute labor shortage, which only looks to get worse, Glass Magazine reported recently. “Labor is the number one challenge for fabricators, glaziers, and full-service glass companies," says Jenni Chase, VP of Workforce Development for the National Glass Association, adding, "It is the biggest pain point for the glass industry,” Moreover, the construction and manufacturing industries are also facing a chronic labor shortage. Construction will need half a million workers on top of the normal hiring rate to keep up with labor demand in 2024 and again in 2025, per the Associated Builders and Contractors. A study by Deloitte and the National Association of Manufacturing reports that the ongoing shortage of skilled labor could lead to 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030. Recognizing the severity of the labor shortage, the NGA has added Workforce Development to its organizational goals.
• Producer prices for glass and glass product manufacturers climbed to a new high in August, up 3.6% compared to a year ago, after rising 2.8% in the previous August-versus-August annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Rising costs, tariffs, and other factors have contributed to companies increasing prices on products. Employment by the industry was flat year over year in July, while average wages at nonmetallic mineral product manufacturers, which includes makers of glass and glass products, rose 6.6% YoY in August to a new high of $28.87 per hour, BLS data show. New residential construction activity – a driver of demand for windows and glass doors – slowed in August, with housing starts and building permits falling both month over month and year over year, according to the Census Bureau.