Innovation, automation and artificial intelligence were key themes during a panel discussion at the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) Annual Conference, where industry experts examined how companies can adapt their factories and offices to remain competitive.

The session, titled “Innovation in Factories and Offices – Enhancing our Workforce with Automation and Core Product Simplification,” was moderated by Ray Garries from MITER Brands. The panel featured Dr. Kamran Abedini of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and Joe Altieri, founder of FlexScreen.

During the discussion, Garries highlighted the essential role of innovation in strengthening the industry, noting that innovation means turning ideas into practical solutions that improve how companies operate and produce.

Artificial intelligence emerged as a central theme during the conversation. Garries pointed out the rapid development of AI tools and warned that organisations not adopting them risk losing their competitive edge. However, Abedini emphasised that AI should be used as a supporting tool rather than a replacement for human thinking. He encouraged engineers and designers to consider both form and function simultaneously and to approach innovation as a problem-solving exercise, similar to solving a puzzle.

Abedini also highlighted that many innovations fail not at the design stage but when companies attempt to scale them. According to him, successful products must be designed with manufacturability and consistency in mind, ensuring they can be produced efficiently, assembled easily and maintained reliably over time.

Altieri shared the experience of FlexScreen, explaining how automation became essential for the company’s growth. Faced with rising costs and labour challenges, the company invested approximately $6 million in automation, installing three machines costing about $2 million each. As a result, FlexScreen can now produce a finished window screen every 15 seconds with a team of four operators, significantly increasing production efficiency.