Ever Evolving
Blagburn Glass and Panel’s CEO keeps pace with industry changes
With more than three decades of experience in the glass and panel business, Charles “Charlie” Blagburn might be forgiven for wanting to rest on his laurels. However, the CEO of Indianapolis-based Blagburn Glass and Panel continues to work hard at keeping up with innovations in his industry.
Blagburn Glass and Panel provides services related to glass and glazing, glass and plastic structures and enclosures, and metal panels for such commercial customers as gas stations, hotels, auto dealerships, medical offices and restaurants.
Although he now heads his own company, Blagburn started out in the field as a young man and worked his way up the ranks. This experience provided Blagburn with the hands-on knowledge that helps him remain competitive in an innovative industry. Just as he evolved over time from an entry-level employee to become a manager and business owner, Blagburn stays on top of the continually evolving trends in the glass and panel sector, ensuring that his small company remains committed to meeting the changing needs of its clients.
Keeping Pace with Change
Particularly on the panel side of the business, the pace of technological innovation continues to increase. “Our craft is constantly changing with the new types of materials that we’re installing,” Blagburn says.
Many such changes have resulted from the energy code for new commercial buildings that Indiana adopted in 2010. For example, the code requires the use of additional external insulation to reduce the energy demands associated with heating and cooling commercial structures. As a result, the air vapor barrier—the system used to prevent air and water that passes through the panels from entering the building—has had to be moved so that it is on the exterior side of the insulation.
This change has required new approaches to the installation of the outer panels and the underlying air vapor barrier. “The air vapor barrier is thought about a lot more than it ever was,” Blagburn says. In particular, recent years have seen significant growth in the use of a wide range of products that support the insulation in a manner that does not enable external heat or cold to pass through the system components into the building interior. “That area right now is literally changing month by month,” Blagburn says. “Some of this stuff is so new that I’m reading about it on the internet so that we can get ready to install it. It’s that new.”
To stay current, Blagburn frequently attends seminars organized by panel manufacturers to learn about their new products and how best to install them. “There are so many new products, and they are integral only with certain systems,” he notes. “It’s an ever-changing scope of work.”
In other industry trends, Blagburn is seeing growing interest among clients in the use of “green,” or environmentally friendly, exterior panels made of renewable materials, typically recycled aluminum or plastic. A key benefit of such panels is that they require little to no maintenance and will last for decades. “This stuff will stay in place until you tear the building down,” Blagburn says.
Another recent customer favorite is installing ornamental metal work on building exteriors, such as canopies above doorways. Sunshades also have become more in demand. “Those are both really popular items right now,” Blagburn says.
Field Tested
Blagburn entered the glass and panel business at a relatively young age. “I worked for a large glazing contractor out of high school,” he says. Over the course of many years, Blagburn gained experience in the field, where he learned valuable lessons about his craft. “I benefited from working with older, more experienced workers who were meticulous in their expectations,” he says. Such knowledge can only come from long hours spent in the field. “You can’t get it anywhere else,” Blagburn says.
Over time, Blagburn advanced into leadership positions with increasing levels of responsibility. In addition to the hands-on skills that come with long experience in an industry, Blagburn developed a keen understanding for how to organize field crews effectively. “I learned the proper techniques for managing small crews and enabling them to complete large jobs,” he says. A key part of this process involves thoroughly understanding the varying skills of each employee. “You have to assess each worker who works underneath you for his strengths and weaknesses,” Blagburn says. Only then can a manager ensure that the proper staff members are included on particular projects so that the work is completed as efficiently as possible.
Blagburn eventually became a foreman, handling $2 million worth of work annually, before leaving the field and assuming a sales position. In this role, Blagburn developed a better understanding of the financial aspects of the glazing business. “It helped give me knowledge that I hadn’t had before,” he says. Ultimately, the experience would motivate him to start his own business.
Small Company, Big Projects
Founded nine years ago, Blagburn Glass and Panel currently has 15 employees, including Blagburn’s 21-year-old son, CJ. “He’s the future,” Blagburn says. The company also benefits from the experience of many longtime staff, including Field Superintendent Keith Powers. With his extensive industry knowledge, Powers is “integral in running the field for us,” Blagburn says. “He’s a real strong field employee who combines excellent mechanical skills with a proficiency for reading the drawings and getting things done.”
In addition to services related to glass and glazing, Blagburn Glass and Panel installs storefronts, metal panel systems, sunshade systems, architectural windows, glass and plastic structures and enclosures, aluminum composite panels and architectural metal systems.
Blagburn Glass and Panel focuses exclusively on commercial projects. “Our projects range from small jobs to some that cost up to half a million dollars,” Blagburn says. “We’re not the biggest company around, but we’ve been involved with some fairly big projects.”
Recent projects by Blagburn Glass and Panel include the installation of the metal exterior on a new Marriott Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, and the installation of the subframing and exterior panels on a new health care facility in Van Wert, Ohio.
Giving Back
Despite its small size, Blagburn Glass and Panel supports local charitable causes. In some cases, the inspiration for such causes has come from the company’s own employees.
For example, the company’s office manager, Lisa Tackett, who has worked for Blagburn Glass and Panel for about a year, is the mother of a 15-year-old daughter with autism. After learning about her situation, Blagburn decided to make a “conscious effort to start working with Answers for Autism,” he says. Based in Indianapolis, Answers for Autism is an all-volunteer organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and understanding of autism.
For her part, Tackett appreciates the willingness of her employer to contribute to an issue that is important to her. “I am grateful that Charlie is a caring person and is willing to take time to understand autism and make donations to a great cause,” Tackett says.
As for other charitable endeavors, Blagburn Glass and Panel is a longtime supporter of local chapters of the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts, and Little League® Baseball and Softball. Blagburn himself coached Little League for about 10 years. “Almost all of the causes we sponsor are related in some way to one or more of our employees,” Blagburn says. The company also sponsors the choir at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis and Greenfield–Central High School in Greenfield, Indiana, as well as bowling clubs at a couple of area high schools.
Through such efforts, Blagburn aims to unite his team members and inspire them to continue their efforts to keep up with the rapid pace of change in their industry.