How Strong is That Repair Bond? Safelite Raises
Question with Latest Commercial
July 12, 2011
Safelite supplied the above photo of the resin
testing. The company has identified its own resin as being used
in the repair marked number-one, but has declined to identify
any of the other resins tested.
Safelite's newest television commercial focuses on windshield repair
and the company's new resin, and depicts a company technician describing
the company's repair resin to a customer by saying "it bonds
stronger, and lasts longer than other resins."
Company spokesperson Melina Metzger says the claims made in the
commercial are based on recent testing by an independent laboratory,
which the company has declined to identify (click on the video below
to view the commercial in full).
"An independent and renowned testing laboratory that has conducted
automotive testing for more than 100 years put Safelite's exclusive
windshield repair resin through rigorous laboratory testing along
with resins used by other vehicle glass companies," says Metzger.
"Using an Accelerated Weathering Tester, the experts analyzed
the performance of 18 of the world's leading repair resins and the
six most common resins used in the United States. Safelite AutoGlass'
new windshield repair resin outperformed every other widely used
resin on the market."
Metzger declined to name the other resins included in the test,
and says the products were tested for adhesion, aging, shrinkage,
and color stability. She also declined to comment on the specific
methodology used.
In conjunction with the ad campaign, which Metzger says is running
both this week and next, the company also has issued a press
release announcing its launch of a new repair resin. Safelite
parent company Belron had made a similar announcement in April about
its launch of a "newly enhanced windscreen repair solution."
Belron social media manager Naz Latif advised glassBYTEs.com/AGRR
magazine at the time of the Belron launch that in addition to the
resin, the company also introduced "a new primer step which
not only assists in the cleaning and drying of the damage but also
promotes resin flow and adhesion."
When asked what is different about the new resin from past products,
Latif said it has "improved mechanical properties and has very
impressive long-term adhesion strength."
The company plans to roll the resin out globally throughout the
year, according to Latif.
Metzger says within the United States Safelite has rolled the resin
out gradually and it is now being used nationwide.