News Archive Search 
Monthly News Archives
CLICK HERE to sign up to be notified when the DOT number database is updated.
Safelite Autoglass is notifying employees and key customers today that it intends to end its wholesale operation, Service Auto Glass, this week. Safelite Group will officially sunset the Service Auto Glass brand and the wholesale side of its business on … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass®, provider of vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration services, has appointed Ryan Trierweiler, its executive vice president of people and leadership, as chair of the Safelite AutoGlass® Foundation. “The Foundation reflects the caring hearts of our people and … Continue reading
D’Ietern’s half yearly results, released on August 30, included all the usual financial reports and ratios you would expect from a large international company. D’Iteren owns Belron, the parent company of Safelite Autoglass. There were some interesting nuggets of information … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass partnered with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Indiana to host the annual State of the House event. This showcases all that the House does for families of children receiving medical care at Riley Hospital for Children … Continue reading
In D’Ieteren’s annual report issued February 28, Belron, parent company to Safelite AutoGlass, reported that its net financial debt increased in 2017 to $1 billion (EUR 1,271.9 million), a 54-percent increase on a year-over-year basis. Belron’s refinancing was complete in … Continue reading
D’Ieteren announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) regarding a partnership investment in Belron, parent company of Safelite AutoGlass. Under the agreement, CD&R will acquire 40-percent ownership interest in the Belron group, and D’Ieteren … Continue reading
Saturday Night Live (SNL) re-ran its controversial October 7th show, which featured a parody of Safelite AutoGlass’s television ads, over the Thanksgiving weekend. However, the Safelite spoof was removed from the airing and replaced with another skit. The original skit … Continue reading
Belgium-based D’Ieteren, parent company to Belron, which owns Safelite AutoGlass, reported that its automotive repair and replacement business, before taxes, reached $109.6 million USD (92 million EUR), up 6.2 percent over the previous year, according to the company’s half-year report. … Continue reading
Belron continues to face a declining market in a number of developed economies, says Belron CEO Gary Lubner in D’Ieteren’s 2016 annual report. This, he says, is due to a reduced number of auto glass repairs and replacement due to … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass has opened its fifth contact center. The facility, located in Rio Rancho, N.M., has seats for up to 1,000 customer service representatives—more than 500 of the people who will fill those seats have been hired. The June 2016 … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass will work with Bosch to introduce Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) recalibration tools this fall, according to a Safelite press release.
The automotive glass industry reaction to an effort by the Michigan legislature to regulate the industry in the state has been one of skepticism.
Belron’s organic sales growth of 4.6 percent was mainly driven by the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, according to D’Ieteren’s half-year update. Belgium-based D’Ieteren owns Belron, which in turn owns Safelite AutoGlass in the U.S. Belron’s sales were … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass is adding two new stores in the Boston area this summer.
Safelite AutoGlass, the nation’s largest automotive glass installation company, will close its plant in Enfield, N.C., and cease manufacturing automotive glass parts before the end of the year. Officials say the decision was based on the increased complexity—and cost—of manufacturing such parts as their complexity and number of different types are expected to increase rapidly in the future.
Safelite Group will create 900 new insurance claims processing and support jobs in Rio Rancho, N.M., over the next four years as it opens a new center, according to Gov. Susana Martinez.
With Britain slated to leave the European Union (EU) following a national referendum popularly known as Brexit, much uncertainty remains. This is particularly true for London-based companies such as Belron, which has both a European and global presence.
Safelite AutoGlass appears to be investing in paid advertorials and native advertising to ramp up its market share. The company is utilizing paid search and “significantly” investing in digital advertising, said Gary Lubner, CEO of Belron, in D’Ieteren’s annual 2015 report.
A record-setting $340,000 raised from the 7th Annual Safelite Challenge will be donated to Afrika Tikkun, a charitable organization co-founded by Bertie Lubner who also was the co-founder of Safelite AutoGlass’ parent company, Belron.
Belron faces declining market conditions in many countries, though, a second strong winter in the United States in 2015 helped to bolster business, says Gary Lubner, CEO of Belron, in D’Ieteren’s annual 2015 report.
“2015 was a much better year for Belron,” according to D’Ieteren’s 2015 financial report. Belron’s sales were up 13.2 percent, including a 4.7 percent organic increase and an 8.1 percent positive currency translation impact. Belgium-based D’Ieteren owns Belron, which in turn owns Safelite AutoGlass in the United States.
AAA Mid-Atlantic Auto Glass (AMAG) branding will quickly transition to Safelite AutoGlass as a part of the acquisition, says Melina Metzger, public relations manager for Safelite Group. Safelite Group, Safelite AutoGlass’ parent company, is acquiring substantially all the automotive glass repair and replacement assets from AMAG.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Safelite® Group, Safelite AutoGlass® parent company, has reached an agreement to acquire substantially all vehicle glass repair and replacement assets from AAA Mid-Atlantic Auto Glass LLC (AMAG). AMAG was a joint venture owned by wholly owned subsidiaries of AAA Club Alliance and Club Assist.
The Arizona Senate’s Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee voted no against Bill 2500, “Unlawful Practices: Auto Glass Repair” on Thursday. The bill would have meant criminal penalties for violations of the legislation. It was approved by the state House of Representatives. The bill will not move forward from the Senate and effectively dies.
Former Safelite AutoGlass manager Shelby Klein filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey against the company alleging her termination was a violation of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Safelite was successful in moving the case to … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass will serve as the primary sponsor for rookie driver Rico Abreu’s No. 98 Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing. The driver competes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Safelite Group plans to hire 300 new phone representatives for its two Columbus, Ohio-area call centers, to support the company’s “all-time high of $1.5 billion” in sales for 2015.
Safelite AutoGlass Foundation has awarded $500,000 in impact grants to 20 separate Columbus, Ohio-based area non-profit groups, each receiving $25,000.
Former Safelite AutoGlass technician, Anthony “Tony” Jackson of Enid, Okla., has been charged with cruelty to an animal as well as reckless conduct with a firearm for allegedly shooting out windows on 42 vehicles, says Captain Jack Morris of the local police department.
Safelite Group, parent company to Safelite AutoGlass, is acquiring substantially all of the automotive glass assets of Turner’s Custom Auto Glass based in Florence, S.C. The company will operate under a co-branding strategy “until further plans are made,” according to Safelite.
Three years after purchasing North Andover, Mass.-based Giant Glass Co., Safelite AutoGlass is moving to co-brand its name with the company. Prior to this, Giant Glass’ five locations continued to operate under the existing name, and Safelite rebranded its Falmouth, Mass., store into the Boston brand. Down the road could Safelite phase out the Giant Glass name and market the stores solely under the Safelite AutoGlass moniker? It wouldn’t be the first time, according to those in the industry.
Safelite AutoGlass has recycled 4 million windshields in partnership with Shark Glass Recycling North America since 2012.
D’Ieteren, which owns Belron (parent of Safelite AutoGlass), has launched a website devoted to Volkswagen emissions questions for its auto distribution division in Belgium.
D’Ieteren’s management is keeping a close eye on the development of Volkswagen’s emissions scandal. D’Ieteren, which owns Belron (parent of Safelite AutoGlass), also owns an auto division which distributes Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda vehicles throughout Belgium.
Belron, parent company to United States-based Safelite AutoGlass, has expanded into Latvia, the Balkans, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia through franchise arrangements.
Safelite AutoGlass has entered the National Football League with a new sponsorship deal with the Buffalo Bills.
Rich Glover, Safelite AutoGlass’ vice president of manufacturing and distribution, has received two company awards: a Wall of Fame award and the 5th annual “People Powered Leadership” award.
A recent call by Safelite for more automotive glass technicians gives a clue as to where the company feels their growth will be located in the next year or so.
Safelite Group, which owns Safelite AutoGlass and Safelite Solutions, has promoted Renee Cacchillo, formerly vice president of customer and brand strategy, to the senior leadership team as senior vice president of customer, brand and technology. She will add the strategic … Continue reading
Belron, parent company to United States-based Safelite AutoGlass, has acquired the Autotaalglas franchise business in the Netherlands. Autotaalglas was founded in 1986 by Pieter van Spaendonck and has since grown into a nationwide franchise organization. Its corporate office is in … Continue reading
D’Ieteren today reported the company’s first quarter 2015 results. The publicly traded Belguim-based owner of Belron, (the parent of Safelite AutoGlass in the United States) reported that the number of automotive glass repair or replacement jobs it completed worldwide were down 4 percent to 2.6 million. Organic growth for the first quarter this year was flat with only a .9 percent increase over the same period in 2014. Total first quarter 2015 sales for Belron are 10.2 percent higher than the prior year, mostly due to currency exchange rates. The 10.2 percent growth included the 0.9 percent of organic growth, 0.2 percent from acquisitions and 10.1 percent from positive currency translation effect. This was partially offset by a 1.0 percent decline due to one less trading day in the first quarter of 2015 than in 2014.
D’Ieteren, parent company to Belron and Safelite, has released its 2014 annual report with a Belron chapter titled “Responding to Market Challenges.” A portion of the 166-page report, including a Q&A section with Gary Lubner, Belron’s CEO, is devoted to the business trends for the company’s automotive glass repair and replacement business, which includes Safelite AutoGlass.
A former Safelite AutoGlass technician who sued the company alleging he had been denied overtime wages has asked both the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. District Court of Central California to dismiss his case. He was seeking class action status; however, no other named plaintiffs appeared.
Safelite AutoGlass reports it has recycled more than 1.3 million windshields in 2014. In 2012, Safelite AutoGlass partnered with Shark Glass Recycling North America to launch the recycling program.
A website that bills itself as “topclassactions.com” has published a report that hints of a potential legal action against Safelite AutoGlass. The website appears to be connected with the legal industry, although glassBYTEs.com™ editors were unable to confirm its actual ownership.
Safelite AutoGlass Foundation has awarded $400,000 in impact grants to 14 separate Columbus, Ohio-area non-profit groups, each receiving $25,000 or more. This is the fourth year the foundation has awarded the grants and donations have grown $100,000 over last year.
In October, Tom Feeney, Safelite AutoGlass’ president and CEO, earned two special recognitions from the central Ohio business community.
Safelite Group, parent company to Safelite AutoGlass, is acquiring substantially all of the automotive glass assets of Kansas City’s Santa Fe Glass, not including its glazing-related business. The AGRR business “will operate under a Safelite and Santa Fe co-branding strategy until further plans are made,” according to a Safelite statement.
Robocom Systems International says that Safelite AutoGlass has launched the company’s labor management system in its Braselton, Ga., distribution center.
Columbus, Ohio-based Safelite AutoGlass has reached a five-year partnership agreement with the Ohio State Athletics for a sponsored logo on the Buckeye’s field goal net along with signage and co-branded advertisements.
Safelite AutoGlass has launched the latest version of Safelite.com, which includes the ability to schedule an appointment via a smartphone. The new site was fully rolled out on August 1.
Safelite AutoGlass has partnered with Procter & Gamble to provide customers with Febreze car vent clips (Linen & Sky Scented), as well as a $.50 off coupon for their next Febreze car vent clip purchase upon completing an automotive glass repair or replacement service.
Safelite AutoGlass has opened a new shop located at 210 S. Cain Street, Suite P, in Visalia, Calif. The company already had three shops in the San Joaquin Valley and has plans to add two more in the next year.
Safelite AutoGlass has teamed up with SkillsUSA, a leading national career and technical education association. Originally known as the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America, SkillsUSA serves more than 300,000 students enrolled in technical, skilled and service occupation training programs each year.
Safelite AutoGlass has earned a 2014 CX Innovation Award from the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA) for its mobile technician application.
Safelite AutoGlass has opened a new shop at 57 Norman Street, West Springfield, Mass.
Safelite AutoGlass will donate $300,000 this year to Afrika Tikkun, a charitable organization based in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa, that develops new generations of productive citizens in South African communities devastated by AIDS and HIV. Employees helped raise a large part of the money, about $225,000, during the 5th Annual Safelite Challenge. An additional $75,000 from the Safelite AutoGlass Foundation will be donated.
Safelite AutoGlass recently relocated its east side Tucson, Ariz., shop from 7381 E Broadway to 1402 S. Kolb.
Mathew Howcroft, a former technician trainee with Safelite AutoGlass in Charlotte, N.C. has filed a complaint against the company in the U.S. District Court of North Carolina, Statesville division, claiming, “the termination of plaintiff from his position was in violation of the public policy in the State of North Carolina, specifically, the North Carolina Equal Employment Practices Act … which makes discrimination on account of disability of an otherwise qualified individual an unlawful employment practice.” The plaintiff has had the three middle fingers on his left hand amputated.
Safelite AutoGlass is now providing its technicians with a video message for deaf and hard of hearing customers that explains the work they will perform. The videos, which are shown on the technicians’ smartphones, were developed after one of its technicians— Portland, Ore.-based Kanyon Hillaire—delivered service to a deaf customer.
Robocom Systems International announced that Safelite AutoGlass has launched its Voice Module (R-Voice) at its distribution center picking operations.
Safelite AutoGlass has opened a new store located at 2408 Ring Road, Suite 100, in Elizabethtown, Ky.
The Connecticut public act designed help prevent steering by third-party insurance claims administrators to affiliated auto glass companies should remain intact to “protect consumer choice,” attorneys representing the state Attorney General and insurance commissioner claim in court documents filed with the U.S. District Court of Connecticut Monday in opposition to Safelite’s motion for a preliminary injunction to half enforcement of Public Act 13-67.
Safelite AutoGlass has opened a new store located at 299 Main Street, #3 in Gorham, N.H.
Safelite AutoGlass announced that Samsung Galaxy Note II smartphones will replace the older generation devices currently in use for its mobile technicians. Moreover, the third upgrade to Safelite’s proprietary Mobile Resource Management software (MRM3) will be loaded onto each smartphone, … Continue reading
Safelite AutoGlass recently opened a new store located at 2080 N. MacArthur Drive, in Alexandria, La. The company first entered the market with mobile service in 2001.