Guardian to Cease Operations of Auto & Truck Glass Inc.
April 8, 2011

Guardian Automotive announced today that it is ceasing operations of Auto &Truck Glass Inc. (ATG), which provides auto glass replacement and repair services primarily to rental fleets and auctions. Guardian's principal automotive operations (original equipment automotive glass, aftermarket, and retail replacement businesses) are not affected, according to a company statement.

"Guardian is all about maximizing business opportunities for the benefit of our customers as well as achieving profitable growth for our company. As is well known, customers continue to consolidate -- and excess capacity in this segment is the rule of the day," says Mike Morrison, president of Guardian Automotive. "Furthermore, competitive pressures in certain parts of the auto glass business have driven prices below a breakeven point, an untenable and unsustainable way to do business at Guardian. So we made the prudent and proactive business decision to improve our competitiveness in this segment. We will continue to serve the auto glass replacement industry through our Guardian Auto Glass facilities throughout the country."

With regard to ATG's fleet contracts, Guardian spokesperson Earnest Thompson advised "no contracts are being transferred from one entity to another."

"We'll be exploring the business case for each relationship based on its own merits," he adds.

When asked if there are further changes planned, and if new Guardian locations will be added as a result of the ATG closure, Thompson advised, "We continue to assess new regions for Guardian Auto Glass locations but such decisions will be based on, again, the business opportunity for a particular region rather than factors such as the ATG divestiture."

Thompson declined to comment on how ATG's management would be impacted.

"Employees are being evaluated for their interest in and potential fit elsewhere within the Guardian Automotive family," says Thompson. "We are not ready to discuss specific individuals at this time."

ATG has 26 locations and 48 full-time employees in the United States. The corporate office is located in Mission Viejo, Calif. The company was founded in 1990.

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