Safelite Acquires Second New England Area Shop this Month
January 11, 2013

by Casey Neeley, cneeley@glass.com

Safelite® Group announced today its agreement to acquire substantially all of the auto glass-related assets of Barre, Vermont-based Windshield World. The deal was finalized December 31, 2012.

Safelite officials say in a release issued today the acquisition is the continuation of the company's planned growth in the U.S.

Windshield World is an auto glass repair and replacement company in upper New England, an area in which Safelite officials say the company has not had a strong physical presence.

Originally established in 1984, Windshield World employs 40 people and operates in 20 cities and towns in Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.

According to the release, Windshield World's owner Patrick Malone will transition his focus toward his commercial real estate business. General manager Mike Miceli will continue as a consultant during the transition, and he will play a significant role in the integration of the two businesses.

"We are happy to welcome Windshield World's employees to the Safelite team," says Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite Group. "As we continue to grow our company-both through strategic acquisitions of smaller, strong regional brands, as well as through organic growth, we know that our associates will benefit from our commitment to giving them all the resources they need to succeed and that our customers will continue to receive the best value and service in the industry."

This will mark the fourth major acquisition Safelite has completed in recent months, including Klein-Dickert Co. Inc. and Southern Glass and Plastics, both in November 2012 and the second major New England-area acquisition this month.

Last week Safelite announced its acquisition of Giant Glass Co. in North Andover, Mass. As a result of the various reactions to the Giant deal, Melina Metzger, spokesperson for Safelite, said the following in an email today to glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR™ magazine:

"In response to the article "Industry Members React to Safelite Purchase of Giant" that ran on your site on January 4, we ask that you include our response to our competitors in your coverage of this newest acquisition: 'While certain competitors attempt to paint the growth of the Safelite Group negatively, the reality is that the vehicle glass repair and replacement market remains highly competitive and offers plenty of choice for drivers. And, any company able to invest in their business has opportunities for growth,' said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite Group. 'Our success lies in our focus on delivering value to the customers and clients we serve and working hard to improve our service offering to assure ourselves a bright future.'"

What are your thoughts on the acquisition? Email the editor at cneeley@glass.com or share your comments on our message boards.

View the original story here.

This story is an original story by AGRR™ magazine/glassBYTEs.com™. Subscribe to AGRR™ Magazine.
Subscribe to receive the free e-newsletter.