WGR Reports
repair news

ASSOCIATION NEWS
NWRA Announces Plans to Develop Architectural Scratch Removal Standard
The National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA) recently announced its intention to create an ANSI standard for architectural glass repair and scratch removal. NWRA president Kerry Wanstrath of Glass Technology says several items led to the group’s decision to create such a standard.

“Just to give a few, first, [we want] to preserve the integrity of the legitimate service provider of glass restoration,” says Wanstrath. “As with many new innovative ideas or products, there are those that would degrade the service or technology by performing below the industry standard. A standard can make sure people are not taking shortcuts, or not taking proper safety precautions. An example might be not using proper safety precautions if a work area is exposed to the public. A standard can elevate the level of work quality.”

Keith Beveridge, senior vice president of NOVUS Glass in Savage, Minn., and chair of NWRA’s Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS) Committee, adds, “A standard would help define what glass repair and scratch removal really is, and more specifically what it isn’t. It would help remove the hype and general misinformation of what really happens during the process and would hopefully show how best to measure success.”

A committee will be formed to develop the standard. “A call for volunteers involved in the industry with some level of expertise will be made,” Wanstrath says. “Once a committee is formed, we will begin the development of a code of best practices considering the various technologies used within the industry. The committee will meet throughout the year, until it is ready to submit for public input. Then public input will be addressed as the standard will be sent to ANSI.”

The NWRA is a division of the Global Glass Conservation Alliance (GGCA) and is the secretariat for the Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS), which was accepted as an ANSI standard in June 2007.

EXPANSIONS
GlasWeld Adds Satellite Offices
Bend, Ore.-based GlasWeld has opened satellite offices in the Great Lakes/East Coast Region and in the Southwest.

“We have created these satellite offices to strategically service our customers where they are located,” says GlasWeld general manager Dennis Garbutt.

The Great Lakes/East Coast region will be handled by business development manager Jason Zimostrad, who is headquartered in Saginaw, Mich. Zimostrad has 16 years’ experience in aftermarket and automotive reconditioning as national sales manager for Paint Bull. He also previously served as sales manager for Stanley Alarm Systems.

The Southwest Region will be represented by GlasWeld vice president Shiloh Spoo in Tucson, Ariz. Spoo brings years of experience in glass scratch removal training and support as well as involvement in the company’s research and development team in the creation of new products and improvements for all glass scratch removal, windshield repair and headlight restoration products. He will focus on sales, training and support for customers in the Southwestern United States.

GlasWeld’s corporate headquarters in Bend, Ore., will handle sales, training and customer service for the Western states as well as handle service calls for customer needs throughout the United States.

Delta Kits Expands to East Coast
Eugene-Ore.-based Delta Kits is expanding its operations to the East Coast. The company has opened a location in Boston, which will be led by account executive Korey Gobin.

“Having spent my windshield repair career in Oregon up to this point, I’m looking forward to being closer to the major population centers,” says Gobin. “We’re excited to offer more opportunities for training to help technicians elevate the quality of repairs in an area with high demand for windshield repair.”

“The northeast is a historically underserved market so we expect a positive response to this move,” adds Brent Deines, president of Delta Kits. “Although in the near term we will continue to ship orders out of our international headquarters in Eugene, East Coast customers are very excited about the additional customer service and technical support that will be available.”

AGRR
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