Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby and Louisville Sluggers, will be hosting the window film industry with its share of history and entertainment. Returning this year to the event is the International Window Film Tint-Off, which will include a flat glass installation competition.

Room blocks will be available at the nearby Hyatt Regency Louisville for the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off. Reservations can be made by calling 888/421-1442.

The event will once again be co-sponsored by Window Film magazine and the International Window Film Association.

Registration will be opening in 2012. Stay tuned to www.windowfilmmag.com/IWFC for the latest information as it becomes available.

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“The show has been excellent so far,” says John Austin of Novacel. “We’ve had a lot of people coming by the booth and asking questions and we have seen a lot of international visitors stopping by as well.”

“One of the most notable observations is that we have seen a dozen or so international dealers just in the first morning,” says Jeffrey Plummer of Madico Window Films. “We saw people from the Middle East and Asia and I think we will continue to see that throughout the show.”

Attendees were able to view paint protection products as well as updated versions of their favorite film products, including ceramic films.

“We have new ceramic products, both for automotive and flat glass,” says Michael Martin of American Standard Window Film (ASWF). “Our new Legend product is available in 15-50 VLT’s and give the user nice heat rejection and no interference.”
“We have our different lines of ceramic films here, just like we did last year,” says Urmi Asher of Premier Window Films. “We are trying to broaden what we can do for our customers with a lot more choices now.”

The show continues through Friday, November 4. Stay tuned to windowfilmmag.com for updates from the show floor.

The automotive window film industry will also be out in force at the 2011 SEMA Show taking place November 1-4 in Las Vegas. Attendees can expect to find a variety of new products from window film manufacturers including plenty of paint protection film. Stop by to meet the staff of Window Film magazine in booth #12729.

“We’re trying to sell energy conservation,” said Rob Heber at Solutia Performance Films.

To that end, the company is drawing attendees in its booth to see…rather, feel…for themselves how its EnergLogic Series of films can block heat. As Heber explained, the product is able to upgrade a single-pane window to the performance of a double-pane window.

Solar Gard, meanwhile, is focusing on energy retrofits. The company’s Sentinel series includes 10 films that can be applied to the exterior of a window. Lawrence Constantin, vice president of sales, explained that this product is really geared toward those areas that are difficult to apply from the inside, such as skylights. It’s an immediate solution for “greening” a building, he pointed out.

Solar Gard is one example of a company that is breaking down the barriers between film suppliers and glass suppliers; as of October 3, Saint Gobain had finalized its acquisition of the film company.

Pleotint is another such company. The supplier of the sunlight-responsive film, that when applied to glass creates a dynamic glazing product, has a booth at the show. Fred Millet is demonstrating to attendees how the product reacts to heat, but, as he pointed out, he’s not the only one. “Southwall’s  displaying our product, PPG is displaying our product, so we’re able to say it’s not just us – it’s an industry-wide thing.” Both companies have recently announced partnerships with Pleotint.

Greenbuild continues through October 6.

A Texas Glass Association golf tournament on April 11 will kick off the event. The “Greatest Little Glass Expo in Texas – Glass TEXpo” will feature a Glass TEXpo™ welcoming cocktail party on April 12 and exhibitors are currently selecting their preferred booth spaces before they are all filled.

In addition, Fenestration Day™ 2012 will be co-located with Glass TEXpo on April 12 providing fenestration specific educational sessions as well.

To request more information on exhibiting Glass TEXpo, please email Tina Czar at tczar@glass.com or call 540/720-5584 ext. 115.

For information on attending Glass TEXpo, contact 540/720-5584 or visit www.usglassmag.com/texpo.

“I feel okay about next week. I was in the 2004-2005 competition so I don’t have any butterflies or jitters this year,” says Nevarez.

“I really didn’t have any nerves until just now when you called,” says James Williams, owner of Shade Tree Glass Tinting in Metairie, La. “Overall I am feeling really good. I’ve been really paying attention to minor details that would typically pass by the average customer and I have been working to be perfect.”

Other contestants are looking forward to more than just the Tint-Off. Ron Talley, owner of Midwest Tinting Inc., is hoping to take away some education from the conference.

“I’m excited and have never been to Memphis so I’m looking forward to it,” says Talley. “I’d like to get some knowledge out of the other stuff that will be going on as well. We are planning to take a couple accreditation tests with the IWFA while we are there.”

Contestants’ expectations for the event are all the same. They want to win the grand prize. With so many tinters vying for the same title the competitive spirit is already alive.

“We’ve been spending some time figuring out what kind of materials to bring,” says Talley. “Hopefully I will win.”

Other contestants, like Williams, feel as if they have already gained a lot of helpful knowledge just by signing up.

“The Tint-Off has made me think about what I can do to be even better,” says Williams. “I will be able to take that way further than just the competition. Whether I win or not, I will still take home a lot of knowledge just from preparing.”