2016 Off to Strong Start for Glazier Contractor Certification

NACC added three more contractors, bringing the total to ten that have gained certification in less than a year.  In addition several more organizations are working through the process and certification with their approvals are imminent.“We are quite pleased with the way 2016 has started for us,” commented Jeff Dalaba, Program Manager, NACC. 

“This is a program that is being embraced by the architectural community and savvy glazing contractors are seeing the massive benefit of our process.”Among the latest to be certified is Architectural Glass & Aluminum (AGA) of Livermore, California. “We found the process valuable for AGA and look forward to the coming years and continuing to raise the bar,” said John Buckley, President of AGA.

For those unfamiliar with the process the program evaluates the entire organization of the contractor including Company Business Practices, Safety, Quality Management Systems, Contract Administrative Processes, and Glazing Processes.  The program includes annual onsite assessments of the participating contractors providing end user assurance of compliance with program requirements.  This approach impressed another one of the new additions, A&A Window Products of Madden, Massachusetts.

“The certification process was both informative and enjoyable.Having an outside set of eyes looking critically at our internal systems was a great exercise. It helped us improve and tweak some of our procedures for the better,” Lee Sullivan, President A&A Window Products commented. 

“It is also comforting to know when a team of people who have reviewed other similar Aluminum and Glass Contractors as well as your company, the management gains a better understanding on what industry best practices are and how to implement if we are not fully utilizing them. I know of no other industry specific program that does this.”

Another one of the new additions to the program experienced the benefits of improved performance and efficiency.

 “Achieving the NACC certification is a huge step in the growth of our company. Throughout this process we learned ways to better improve our day-to-day systems. We saw areas in both office and field procedures that needed attention and we made these changes.  I would truly recommend this to any contractor, you will be happy you did it,” said Patrick McIntyre, President Synergy Glass and Door Service.

Hundreds of glazing contractors had a first hand look at the program during a presentation at the Glass Association of North America BEC event in February.  Featuring a panel that included Jim Stathopoulos, CEO of Ajay Glass and David Stutzman, President of Conspectus (The largest independent Construction Specification firm in the United States) attendees got first hand insight from both sides of the process- the glazing contractor and the design professional. 

“The NACC program was set up to help level the playing field for projects and to give Specifiers and Owners some assurances that the people being invited to bid on their projects are qualified firms with systems in place that would give them some assurance of their ability to perform the contract,” Stathopoulos said during the event.

The NACC program requirements were carefully developed by a balanced certification board of architectural glass industry experts including 5 Glazing Contractors and 5 “End User” community board members.  Future development for the program is an open process that allows input to the board from participants and industry stakeholders through annual meetings.

The NACC effort is operated by AMS, Inc. an industry recognized Independent Third Party Administrator for association sponsored certification programs including IGCC, IGMA, SGCC, and WDMA Hallmark.  NACC is accredited by ANSI under requirements of ISO/IEC 17065.

For a full list of certified contractors and more information about the program visit www.naccprogram.com