Spring Auto Glass Show™ Offers Something for Everyone

The Spring Auto Glass Show™, held as part of the Independent Glass Association's (IGA) annual conference in Las Vegas last week, saw several new brand-new product and tool launches.One popular item was AEGIS Tools International's brand-new SOLO™ II Windshield Setting Tool. The updated tool features a reversible arm to allow technicians to work from either the passenger or driver side of the vehicle. The arm also extends to accommodate extreme windshield rake angles, wing windows, heavy-duty and loop arm mirrors and larger truck windshields. New pivoting cup brackets allow work on virtually any curvature also, according to the company.


AEGIS' updated SOLO™ II windshield-setting tool was a popular find at the show.	An IGA attendee considers Crystal's new "HammerHead" tool.

"We haven't come across any windshield we can't use it on," says AEGIS president Bob Birkhauser, who also mentioned it's designed to be ergonomically safe for the operator's back, neck and shoulders.Crystal Glass also launched a new tool-the "HammerHead." The tool is designed to separate the lower corners of windshields that cannot be cut with a cold knife. It utilizes standard Extractor blades and is easily adjustable in length, so it fits right inside the installer's toolbox.

Windshields.com and SRP shared a booth during the show. Both companies are owned by TCG International.

Doug Young, marketing manager for Windshields.com, which was launched by TCG International in December 2007, also was on-hand to share the latest updates to the system. (CLICK HERE for related story.)

The company has changed the fee structure for the site; now, shops can get local vendor positions for free-and they only pay for referral leads. Likewise, shops have the option of declining a lead if they choose to do so, and are only charged for leads they take.

"It gives them the ability to say, 'yes, I will take it,' or 'no, I can't," Young said.

Young adds that he has been focusing on improving the site's search engine optimization.

"We're starting to see results," he said, referring to the site as the "Orbitz" of auto glass.

As a show special, the company waived IGA members' $99 subscription fee for the next six months.

Sister company SRP shared a booth with Windshields.com, in which it displayed both the BTB North America tool line (CLICK HERE for related story), and its new Origin™ adhesive, which was launched earlier this year.

Mainstreet's Mark Haeck assists Donna Braden of Jack's Glass.

David Osland, vice president of marketing and product development, describes the adhesive as a standard adhesive at a value price with good safe-drive away times. The adhesive has a safe drive-away time of four hours at 70 degrees Fahrenheit on a vehicle with dual airbags, according to information from SRP.

"We're trying to help the glass shops save money," Osland said. He added that the adhesive is available in a sausage pack (in addition to a cartridge), which also saves the shop money in packaging, with the increasing price of aluminum used to make cartridges.

The sausage pack is not only more affordable than a cartridge, it's also more green, Osland noted.

"While adhesive isn't necessarily a green product, the packaging is a little more green," he said, noting that this also leads to less trash created, smaller dumpsters needed, etc.

"Anywhere a glass shop can save money is helpful," Osland said.

While many launched new products, SIKA Corp. sported a brand-new booth-unveiled for the first time at this show.

SIKA's Carl Tompkins assists two attendees in the company's brand-new booth.

GTS Services, whose owner Scott Orth provided one of the most raved-about sessions of the conference (CLICK HERE for related story), promoted its Internet marketing services during the show.

The company provides organic site optimization to glass shops, along with online market and competitive analysis, web analytics and even website design.

Many commented that the traffic for the show was a bit heavier than those in the auto glass industry of late.

"I thought the floor traffic on Friday was much better than previous shows, not just the IGA shows, but all shows as of late," said NAGS' Bud Oliver. "Saturday's traffic was also decent the first half of the day."

The IGA Conference and Spring Auto Glass Show™ were held last week at the Cashman Convention Center in conjunction with the Americas Glass Showcase. Stay tuned to glassBYTEs.com™ as IGA Conference and Spring Auto Glass Show™ coverage continues throughout the week.

The show moves to the South Point Resort and Casino in Las Vegas next year May 14 - 16.

Need more info and analysis about the issues?
CLICK HERE to subscribe to AGRR magazine.