ATTENTION: The glassBYTEs.com forum is being retooled and will return with a new look and functionality that will hopefully help our readers even more. Watch for an announcement when it will be ready, it will be a few months.
You can still stay up on daily news and comment on stories by signing up for the glassBYTEs daily e-newsletter at glass.com/subcenter. There is no charge. Hope to see you there!
Anyone remember the gas wars of the 70's? Metro 500's popped up everywhere, girls in short skirts pumped gas!.19 cents per gallon! WOW, now those where the days my friends! But,, what followed that glut on gas,,,, a huge shortage, or so we were dupped into thinking. It was just going through my head with rising fuel costs that maybe the only way the manufactures are going to survive is to "create" a shortage. hmmm. But with all the chinese, mexican, whatever glass out there maybe it can't happen. But I wonder also, where do they get most of thier RAW materials from. Do they have enough or do they have to import some of what they need to keep up with enough glass. Noone can see into the future but,,, whats your thoughts on this.
On the other hand, a shortage sure worked for wire glass a while back.....and the prices are still holding years later.
Autoglass, not likely.
However, what is interesting is the 'energy surharges' and the next round of them that's just come down the pike for flat glass. Up to 19% in some places, most doubled after the first of the year. And it seems they are all adopting a "that's the charge and we're stickin' to it" attitude; no hints of any of the flat suppliers backing down this time.
Think about that....19% added to each invoice you pay for materials for 'energy'.
Now, back to auto glass: What exactly is autoglass made from? Last time I checked, it was made out of flat glass.
So it would seem to me they dont get to pass on increased cost either which seems to show a overabundance of supply, BANKRUBCY for our best friend? I can only hope.