I booked my trip to Düsseldorf for glasstec today. It started me thinking. The first time I went to glasstec was in 1982—30 years ago. This will be my 16th glasstec.

glasstec provides the industry with a look at much of what’s to come in architectural glass.

You can imagine how things have changed during this time. For one thing, in 1982, my mentor Bud Glassberg ran tours to glasstec because many industry people from the U.S. were not that totally comfortable traveling to Europe on their own. It was not uncommon to have from 30 to 50 people on our extension tours. Can you imagine anyone who probably has not already been to Europe or going on a tour to glasstec today?

The group would travel over to glasstec for the week and after the show was over, we would go to another city for a few days. In 1982, it was Paris. Yes, we had a very good group and a wonderful trip that still provides me with wonderful memories. If any of the other travelers who were on that trip read this, send us a comment telling us what your memories of the trip are.

The things that most impressed me about glasstec then still impress me. It’s so international and so big! In 1982, it was pretty much dominated by the Germans and the Italians. While they are still great forces to be reckoned with, the world has expanded and gotten smaller. Expanded in that exhibitors and visitors to glasstec come in larger numbers from other parts of the world, and gotten smaller in that the global industry is much more inclusive and intertwined than it was in 1982.

Yes, I’m excited thinking about my 30-year anniversary of going to glasstec. But I’m also excited about what will be new—and seeing old friends. That’s what glasstec is all about.