Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Solyndra Wasn't The Greatest Investment...Does That Mean We Stop Investing?

Sure, we got beat up pretty good on this one.  All of us.  $500 Million is more than most of us make in a month, unless we had a really good month.   Is this something to joke about?  No.  But we can't cry about it either.  Mistakes were made, but we have to go forward with investing in the future of America, our people, and yes, our glass industry.

The politicians are going to drag this one through the mud.  Blame him.  Blame her.  Blame the whole east coast.  Blame the New York Mets.  Yes, we should learn something from this--how to better screen investments and how to create more effecient controls.  But we shouldn't give up investing.

You are in the glass business, and most of us feel that we can't grow until the economy picks up.  After all, what's the use of a new truck if there is no place to send it doing work?  Right.  So the answer is to find new places to do work!

The numbers tell us the construction industry is down anywhere from 10% to 30%.  That is scary.  But that means there is 70% to 90% still out there.  Go chase it and you will need that new truck.  This is not just taking business away from your competitor down the street.  It is opening new markets for your glass shop.

Do you do board up?  Do you sell to the local school district?  Convince a large contractor to stop doing their own glazing and sub it to you.  You would even hire their glazier!  Are you calling on every interior designer?  Are you calling on aquarium shops pitching that you can build custom aquariums?  (It is just 1/2 glass and silicone!)  Do you have any boat yards in your area?  This is the time that they get dry docked and repaired.   Do you call on sign companies?  They don't use a lot of glass, but I bet you'll take a small order and be happy.

Enough...I have a proven list of 88 types of companies that use glass.  If you want a copy, drop me an email at paulbaseball@msn.com and I will send it to you. 

There is still a lot of business out there, and many reasons to invest.  Go get it.

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