World Fence News

16 • JANUARY 2020 • WORLD FENCE NEWS ALUMINUM FENCE Hi, my name is Tom Luby. Most of you know me from the business and management columns I have been contributing to World Fence News for about 17 years now. WFN contributing editor Jim Lucci has been compiling the month- ly column "Fencer's Field Report" for many years, in addition to his Human Link column. However, due to health reasons, Jim is temporarily unable to continue. In the meantime, I will try to fill his very big shoes and present a few pearls of wisdom from some great fence folks across the country. Jim has done a wonderful job and we all thank him for the stimulating conversations of the past. We all wish him the best and hope for a speedy re- covery so he can return to the column he began so many years ago. "That is the most profitable thing we do and I really see where you could spend your winters in Florida and your summers up north in cooler weather, at least in the barricade side of the business. The truth is you don't need a storefront, just a great web site. "You really could hire profession- al salesman that work on commission and really don't need to know any- thing about the fence. You don't really need to own any trucks; you can hire them. It may not be as profitable but it could be done, and you could make a great living. "The real problem with this in- dustry and all blue collar businesses is labor. Until this country realizes that everyone is not cut out for college and that trade school would be the best op- tion for many, we are screwed. "We, as a society, need to stop looking down on the guy that is chang- ing your toilet or fixing your A/C or repairing your fence. When that starts happening, kids will start looking into that option rather than looking at just college, because for some reason you are more respected because you went to college other than a trade school. "Mark my words, in 5 to 7 years the blue collar workforce will start being paid more money with better benefits than the majority of college kids with $100K in student loans. The high schools need to start push- ing trade schools and bring back shop classes. "As far as changes, the fence in- dustry has been very, very slow to ac- cept technology to help improve pro- duction from getting it in the ground to selling your customer, or should I say, we have. The problem is that tech- nology is moving too fast for anyone to ignore it. Technology is going to change the industry very, very fast and if you're not on board you will be left behind. Be faster, quicker and more efficient. "One other thing I can't believe has happened more is consolidation in the industry. I know it is happening more out West and not so much in the East, but I see that starting to happen at a faster pace in the future." Thanks Shannon, you make some great points. I especially agree with your assessment of our labor situation and the need for more talent to enter fencing as a career ASAP. I have written about the challeng- es of an oversaturation of bachelors degree toting youth in the workforce with no clear direction for their future and having massive debt for their high priced education on their shoulders, to boot. It is my opinion as well that many of these youth would have been better My first contributor is Shannon Glasgow, president of USA Fence Company of west central Florida. USA Fence covers a dozen or so coun- ties and has four offices in the greater Tampa area. Shannon and his dad, Loyd (Butch) Glasgow, who started USA Fence Company over 40 years ago, have fencing in their blood and Shan- non provided some interesting insight. I thank his dad and him for their help with my first Fencer's Field Report. I had asked Shannon a few ques- tions about the fence industry, like what attracted you to fencing in the first place, what has changed and what has remained the same, trends in the industry and where to you see fencing in the future. Here are some interesting answers to my inquiries; "What attracts me to the fence industry is a really hard question for me to answer because I really didn't have a choice, I think – I grew up in a family fence business. And to be real- ly honest, I'm not sure I like the fence industry overall, but what I do like is the rental fence. FENCER'S FIELD REPORT A monthly column of industry bits & pieces COMPILED BY WORLD FENCE NEWS CONTRIBUTOR TOM LUBY, PROFIT BUILDERS INTERNATIONAL continued on page 74

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