2009 NWRA Meeting (Las Vegas)

[Frank EU]

I for one do appreciate the NWRA and the work they do for us, it is therefore that we are a long time member, we simply support the NWRA, however..... I wasn’t able to go to Las Vegas myself this year.
Are there any forum members who were present at this years’ meeting?
What can you tell us, here on the forum, about the meeting?
Did you like the meeting?
If not: what did you dislike about it and what can be done to make things better for you?
What has been discussed, promissed and decided?
What do you think, are we, as an industry, moving forward?

[ChampionCHIP,wsr]

i traveled to vegas to the show and to say the least was not impressed. did meet brent and korey which was great.
much smaller trade show than i thought it would be mostly auto body stuff. many companies not there, no third party administrators were there which i must say was suprising
seems there a many theories on repairing w/s. being i use delta kits i was amazed at the amount of companies aND TRECHS WHO CURE UNDER PRESSURE. went to some of the seminars and was not enlightened. the z26 regulation seems to be floundering with pvb companies running it.

never been to a trade where so many manufactuers were throwing others under the bus so much. it was thing to say my eguipment is the best , but not to put others down. most asked what equipment i use and if i told them with out exception to say how much more vacuum they pull. i do not have problem with that but they seem to think more is better and thiers pull the most.
met some nice tecxhs there a saw the repair olympics CONGRADS TO BRIAN. he played it right going to extremes i would never think of, but he knew the rules.
this is a great business that in my opion does everything it can to get in it's own way. way to many opinios that get to the same end.
also found out that some third party admin. pay an array of prices for repairs. harmom solution goes from what i get 45 to a high of68 to some, this will generate a call form me to trhem.
paul

[Brent Deines]

It was great meeting you as well Paul. As you know we were pretty busy with meetings and in the booth so I was unable to attend the NWRA marketing conference seminars, but from what I heard from you and others I did not miss much. That is a shame, but there are so few people willing to get involved that it is difficult to generate much excitement from the speakers or the audience. One of the speakers told me there were only about 15 people in his audience; about half of them Delta Kits customers, and the other seminars had even smaller turn outs.

You have it exactly right when you talk about manufacturers throwing each other under the bus. That really hurts our industry and confuses technicians. A number of people came by our booth specifically to tell us how disappointed they were that some of the vendors spent all their time bashing the competitors rather than explaining the features and benefits of their own products. I hope you did not hear any of that from Korey or me, and if you did please let me know. I certainly do not want Delta Kits to give that negative perception to customers or prospective customers.

I think Brian and the other competitors in the Windshield Repair Olympics have proven over and over again that there are several windshield repair systems capable of doing a great job in the hands of a skilled technician. No one windshield repair system or any one technology swept the winner's circle this year or any other year. This year there were three different systems used with three very different theories, and all three did excellent repairs, yet the negative ads continue.

I will say this however. Although I know Novus, Super Glass, and Delta Kits all feel their systems are the very best, I have never known any of these companies to engage in negative advertising, which makes the fact that these systems were used by the three top finishers in the Windshield Repair Olympics all that much better for the industry. It kind of makes you look foolish if you say a system is not capable of doing something and then the whole world sees that is not true.

I could not agree with you more when you say "this is a great business that in my opinion does everything it can to get in its own way." I constantly hear from technicians that they think the NWRA is more concerned about creating rules and regulations that make it more difficult to do business than they are in addressing the primary concerns of windshield repair technicians. True or not, that seems to be the perception of a large number of professional windshield repair technicians, and until we change that perception the NWRA will continue to struggle.

[Frank EU]

Well spoken Brent. From what I have learned when I visited the various trade shows, a number of years ago, is that many suppliers indeed brag about their ''all new'' product, it always simply is the best. That is funny because only 50 ft further away, often in the same aisle, yet another supplier claims the same.
Many of the suppliers in our trade behave like they are on a play field at the kinder garten. Too many are pushing their stuff, often with special offers.
I have never cared for any special offer, I will get the info and think it over in my hotel room or at home in the office. If one can offer a special trade show price on the spot, it can be done a week later right? I know too many people who fell for special offers; their stuff is collecting dust -what a waste.
If I may add only one thing to most of the suppliers it would be: Live and let live, don't bash your competitor.

As for the NWRA; I have been talking with many vendors, and unfortunately too many small vendors (and hey, that is how our trade is shaped -small local vendors, repair or replacement). They not only feel but also claim that the NWRA is not doing anything for them and/or their small operations. I don't want to support that in full, it is too easy to be negative, but things can perhaps be done differently and may be better. Especially for the small and hard working local guy. If the NWRA wants to expand (and why not?), their future lies with the smaller vendors, not just with some nationwide organizations (...).

However: as with many other associations, clubs and groups: it is easy to not join, to be not supportive and make claims -true or not. It is usually only a very small group of people who are active in the board and/or commitees. It often is 'hard labour' in your own time and your expenses are not being paid for by the association you work for as a volunteer. Yet, it can be rewarding -but unfortunately: it needs a lot of time and energy to make things happen. I don't want to join a too large negative movement, but it would be so much better for all if the NWRA could find ways to represent the small vendors and supporting and representing smal vendors is very different from introducing regulations. Because most regulations make matters worse. That way you only create a large distance with your target member group.....not good.

What has been done about the new CA regulation re Heat - UV reflective windshields? This silly all new regulation will be in force from the year 2014.
As a trade we are 'lucky' because we're 'only' talking about California, where they tend to come with many other silly rules and tests. As a member to the NWRA I have seen nothing, zero, re this upcoming thing. Not on the web site, not in the newsletters. The time is ticking and it will be 2014 shortly. The coating that is being used causes problems: because the windshields are not repairable. This in itself wouldn't be a big problem, if the manufacturers would only apply the coating in layer #2 (the inner layer of the laminated windshield). But if they decide to apply the stuff on the outer layer, we are looking at a lot of trouble. It will sure will boost the number of replacements, and that may please the manufacturers and replacers, but it goes directly against the all CA green ideal. The gap between a wonderful green ideal and the harsh daily truth has never been bigger.
Has something relevant like this been discussed at the LV meeting?

Brent has been given the details, he may want to bring some more news.

[Frank EU]

This silly all new regulation will be in force from the year 2014..........
Please add:
This 'new type' windshield will be installed in all new vehicles (for the CA market) from the year 2014.

(It is not completely 'new' because we have those windshields here in Europe -on a rather large scale, but it is 'new' for the US market)
Again: Brent has more details.

[Brent Deines]

Hey Frank, I'm glad you brought that up. My understanding is that issue was addressed at the NWRA marketing conference last week, and that is the one seminar that I really wanted to attend, but was unable to do so. Hopefully Paul or one of the other windshield repair forum members who attended can fill us in on what was said.

I did talk to the Saint-Gobain Sekurit rep at the NACE show. They had one of their infrared reflecting windshields on display to show how much heat it blocked, and I must say it did block a significant amount of heat. The rep told me that in some cases the reflective coating is applied to the number 3 surface of the glass which is not a problem for windshield repair technicians, but in other cases the reflective material is incorporated into the PVB, which I believe "may" cause a problem. He indicated that they do not coat the number 2 surface, which may also cause a problem in my opinion. Hopefully the majority of the reflective windshields will have a coating to the number 3 surface, but I would feel a lot better about it if we had some clarification from the glass manufacturers as to how these infrared reflective windshields will be made.

I have mentioned this issue to the NWRA and to the NWRC but surprisingly I have seen no information released from either organization about it. I would encourage windshield repair techncians to write to both of these organizations to voice your concerns, because like you, I believe this could be a very real concern for windshield repair technicians.

For anyone not familiar with the problem that we are referring to, coatings applied to the number 2 surface or incorporated into the PVB layer may be affected (color change) by air and moisture when the windshield is damage. While a repair will strengthen the glass and keep it from cracking out, the cosmetic improvement is limited due to the color change prior to filling the break with resin. This has not been a huge problem in the USA so far as we have a limited number of vehicles that utilize this technology, but the concern is that with regulation poised to go into effect in California in the next few years, we could see a lot more of them.

Here is a link to a site with a brief summary of the upcoming California regulation. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/06 ... 90626.html

Here is a graphic of a laminated windshield showing PPG's Sungate Coating applied to the number 3 surface. The number 2 surface would be the inside of the outer glass ply.

[ChampionCHIP,wsr]

brent i did attend that seminar. they talked about the bmw's in california that have these w/s, and after chipped they turn white, from oxydation which dosen't help our business. they talk about side 2 versus side 3. thats is on top or under pvb. i think most interesting is they said the PVB companies are on this commitee. one a retired dupont guy, and no one from the repair side of the story.

i apolozie the the gentleman who spoke on this subject i forgot his name,(it is not THEY i know that)

P[AUL

[Brent Deines]

What committee are you talking about? According to the NWRA brochure the speaker was supposed to be Dave Casey of Super Glass, but I did not see him at the show so I'm not sure if he spoke or not. I'm sure the PVB and glass makers don't care about this issue, but for consumers, insurance companies, and the environment, this is a big deal. I don't ever expect anyone to make the livelihood of a windshield repair technician a priority, but we should all be thinking about what is best for the consumers and our environment.

[the big welshman]

Hi there, I am just wondering if the NWRA, only had repair shops as members of the association, would there be more members??? and more people attending the meetings?? Why should the NWRA have Safelite Glass(Belron) as a member ?? re steering ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Frank EU]

Hi Big Welshman: Yes, I have thought that myself a long time. Companies like Belron are just there to create a distance between our repair interests and their own interest (namely: having grip on us, the ideas, processes and steering). They are (in my opinion) joining to keep and maintain that distance and if possible: to widen the distance even further. Or in other words: to create smoke screens and delay relevant processes for us (repair guys). With them in the same group: I would never share any idea to make things better for us -the repair industry. Why would I share any ideas, they may just walk away with it, implement it and use it in their advantage -no thank you, I'd rather share ideas and tips with others. I may be all wrong, but I don't think that they joined the NWRA to open doors for us, nor to create more repair options. Instead they raise high and solid walls, close the few doors that are still open and leave those doors closed for as long as possible. They are very good in political games. We all survived the Iron Curtain, Hadrians Wall and the Chinese Wall, but today we have the infamous Belron Wall and this ugly wall spans the world.

On the other hand, one should also admit that they do have/had their place in the NWRA, since they simply have tons of money and many people in their pool to make available for the work that needs to be done. In that respect they come in handy. But I'd still prefer to see them leaving, the sooner the better.

The NWRA should not even bother to keep them on board when the finally leave (...).
It can't be a matter of revenues (yes, the NWRA does need income), because I am confident that if Belron leaves, many others will join.
That will replace and secure the incoming revenues for the NWRA and at the same time bring an end to the Belron politics in ''our'' NWRA.

I know that many suppliers like GW and DK used to promote the NWRA, I am not sure as to how many new members joined just because of that.
Superglass WSR and Novus have been supporting the NWRA to bring in new members, that is all very good, it really helps.
Yet we need more members to make things happen, the Repair Only guys should be the largest group in the member-mix to make things really happen.
I therefore call on the various suppliers to leave their small individual problems at home, to get together once again and work something out for the betterment of our industry. Forget about who's the best, that will only be decided by us, the customers who use the stuff on a daily basis, not by a YouTube movie or report. Just help the NWRA growing and make the NWRA a great place for guys and galls who share their passion for this wonderful trade.
It is not all that difficult and it really should help not alone your customers, but it would also benefit the entire repair industry (your income!).

Big Welshman: to anser you're question real quick: I'd rather see them leaving the NWRA.....today please.
It would be more likely that the NWRA will see expansion because repair only guys than will join and participate and it will also allow the NWRA to become real serious and focus on more Repairs -and if possible: Repair Only.