Fixing the cracks: South Africa’s Automotive Glass industry comes of age
01 August 2012 | Magazine Archives FAnews & FAnuus | Short Term | FAnews
The aftermarket in motor vehicle spares has always been a contentious issue. Short-term insurers have had to weigh up the perceived safety risks associated with installing non-Original Equipment (OE) parts against the significant cost savings to the insured motor pool. Nowhere is this debate more heated than in the ultra-competitive automotive glass industry. FAnews asked the major local glass suppliers why stakeholders in the motor repair industry should favour their product.
"The automotive glass industry is extremely competitive,” says Arno van der Merwe, chief executive of Glass Doctor. "Competition keeps each of us on our toes, forcing us to remain cutting edge and up to date with new developments in the industry. It also ensures that we meet the demands of our customers, including insurance companies and their policyholders.
"The issue of price is an industry "hot potato”. Cheap windscreens may seem like a win-win for all stakeholders, but might not be sustainable over the long term. If local suppliers and installers cannot make reasonable profits then service levels drop and smaller companies risk being "squeezed” out of business. Provided there is healthy competition in the industry excessive per-vehicle fitment costs will be kept in check”.
PG Glass
In 1913, Henry Ford offered a windscreen as an optional extra on the Model T. The first laminated windscreen was produced in 1927, and Shatterprufe® was born in 1929. Automotive glass has evolved extensively since then. Vehicle manufacturers are placing more stringent requirements on glass producers as the demand for more complex and technical windscreens increases.
A modern windscreen does much more than keep the wind out of your face… It offers structural support and is a critical component of the safety system of the vehicle. Design elements are also in demand. Vehicle production costs have increased by 20% over the past 15 years and motor vehicle glazing by 50%. This suggests that more glass is being used, and that this glass is technologically advanced.
PG Glass puts the safety of its customers first, and then considers the value adds it can offer insurers, brokers and customers. Important safety information includes:
Vinyl: Shatterprufe ® only uses premium virgin vinyl. Vinyl is critical in giving the windscreen its strength and integrity. It helps prevent foreign objects penetrating the interior of the vehicle.
Consistent manufacturing processes: Shatterprufe ® is manufactured according to OE manufacturing specifications and requirements whether it is a windscreen for export, for OE vehicle manufacturers or for the aftermarket. No short cuts are taken for the aftermarket glass.
Quality standards: SABS (SANS) is the minimum standard for windscreens sold to the domestic market. These tests assess windscreens based on their impact resistance, optics, light transmission and resistance to high temperature to name a few. They do not, however, check for size, thickness and curvature – all of which are stipulated by the vehicle manufacturer. Size and thickness are critical for correct fitment and safety.
The Shatterprufe ® factory fits all components in a controlled environment according to the specification from the vehicle manufacturer. It has been manufacturing quality windscreens for over 70 years. It is a South African brand, manufactured in South Africa, for South African motorists.
Environmental: All broken Shatterprufe windscreens are recycled. The black ceramic band around the windscreen contains lead free paint.
PG Glass has 130 Service Centers nationwide with over 200 mobile units. We operate under the ethos of convenience and trust. Our call centre is available 24/7. PG Glass prides itself on exceptional customer service.
Glass Doctor
Glass Doctor believes that service and price are key differentiators in the local industry. The company believes that cost savings and timely and quality service are of equal importance to the country’s short-term insurers. Insurers, brokers and their clients expect nothing less!
Glass Doctor has therefore positioned itself at the balancing point where cost, time and quality are in perfect balance. By consistently providing good service Glass Doctor will keep its existing market share and grow its share into the future. The group has seven national branches and an additional five affiliate stores to service clients countrywide.
Trust is the basis for long term relationship with brokers and insurers. And you can trust Glass Doctor to supply a quality product and great service at a good price. , giving great service for a good price. We ensure business success by repeating this process over and over again. At Glass Doctor we place our clients first by gaining their trust, being honest in our dealings and remaining true to our long term vision.
Grandmark Glass
Grandmark Glass was introduced to the South African market some 15 years ago to offer consumers a quality and cost effective automotive glass alternative. The growing endorsement of our product has resulted in Grandmark Glass entering the insurance industry with a keen focus on delivering market sustainability and addressing the needs of the consumer.
Less than 35% of South Africa’s vehicle owners can currently afford car insurance.Grandmark Glass’ initiative in partnership with the short-term insurance industry is to ensure sustainable motor insurance and to ultimately lower the cost of premiums for policy holders.
Up to 60% of the average cost per automotive claim paid relates to the cost of replacement parts, so managing the cost of parts becomes integral to ensuring affordable insurance. In this regard, Grandmark has been successful in assisting its insurance partners without compromising on quality and service.
Fair and ethical competition is healthy and indeed essential in the current financial environment, as more and more people are shopping around and comparing service providers on the basis of value, service and quality. How does the Grandmark product measure up?
Xinyi Glass Holdings – the manufacturer of Grandmark Glass – is one of the largest suppliers of automotive glass in the world. In 2011, Xinyi produced and distributed in excess of 10 million windscreens globally, meaning that roughly one in every five aftermarket windscreens replaced globally last year was a Xinyi-manufactured product.
The company carries ISO/TS 16949 and ISO 14001 process certification a. And each Grandmark Glass windscreen conforms to stringent international certification standards, including Europe’s E Mark, America’s DOT and China’s CCC requirements. Grandmark Glass is also locally approved by SABS/SANS.
The benefits of our product and model are apparent: certified quality, improved industry sustainability, our convenient "we-come-to-you” Mega Mobile service and great value.
Glasfit
Glasfit has 125 franchised fitment centres across South Africa and boasts a 20-plus year proven track record. The group prides itself in its successful franchising formula and continuous monitoring of service levels and standards across its national footprint.
The company distinguishes itself from the competition through its owner-managed business model and a commercially viable B-BBEE strategy. (Glasfit is a Level 5 Contributor). And – for the environmentalists among you – the group actively participates in windscreen recycling.We can summarise Glasfit’s commitment to efficient and safe windscreen repair under four headings:
1. Quality of Replacement Windscreens
Your vehicle’s windscreen is a safety component, providing structural support to help prevent the roof collapsing in a roll over. It also acts as a barrier against airborne objects and debris; a backboard for a deployed airbag; and plays a vital role in keeping vehicle occupants safe in the event of an accident. Glasfit only sources replacement windscreens and motor glass from local supplier Shatterprufe®, or directly from the vehicle manufacturer.
Shatterprufe® is South Africa’s leading manufacturer of safety glass and is used by OE vehicle manufacturers and in the aftermarket replacement glass market. All glass is manufactured on the same production line, using the same standards, processes and controls required by vehicle manufacturers.
The manufacturer has made considerable investments in equipment and facilities to ensure that their products conform to local and international quality and safety standards (SABS, American DOT and the European E Mark). Regular quality checks and tests are done during the manufacturing process to ensure product compliance, and as a consequence, Shatterprufe® offers a Lifetime Quality guarantee on its products.
2. Quality of Bonding Adhesive
The windscreens in most modern vehicles are fitted using a bonding method which "glues” the windscreen to the body of the vehicle. Sika Switzerland is a world leader in adhesive products and Glasfit exclusively uses Sika OE approved bonding adhesives for its windscreen fitments.
3. Quality of Fitment
All Glasfit technicians are trained in the correct procedures to remove and refit motor glass. The group only uses technicians who have been certified technically competent by Shatterprufe ® and Glasfit to work on vehicles on its shop floors.
4. Windscreen recycling
It is estimated that every 1.25 million windscreens replaced in South Africa result in 12 000 tons of motor glass in landfills! Glasfit is taking responsibility for its impact on the environment in that whenever a Glasfit fitment centre replaces a windscreen, the broken glass is transported to a recycling facility in Springs, Gauteng.
The cullet produced from crushing and recycling reduces the energy needed to produce a new windscreen by approximately 25%.
National Auto Glass
National Auto Glass is proud that its windscreens are 100% South African – made in South Africa, by South Africans, for South Africans. All our windscreens are manufactured in Johannesburg and conform to local and international standards… They are fitted and installed by trained technicians.
With 160 accredited fitment centres nationwide – and with mobile fitment capability to boot – we are chosen by most insurance companies and their clients. The company prides itself in its technical excellence and quality assurance.
National Auto Glass holds the E Mark certification, which is the premium quality assurance mark in the international automotive glass world today. This certification undergoes rigorous annual audits by the Finnish accreditation agency, VTT. Unique to the E Mark accreditation is the added inspection of the optical quality and clarity of the windscreen together with its mechanical integrity.
The National Auto Glass manufacturing facility is also accredited to the DOT (USA Department of Transport) certification from the American Standards Institute (ASI) as a manufacturer of Approved Laminated Safety Auto Glass, a mark that is internationally recognized.
All of our windscreens are manufactured to the SABS safety standard. National Auto Glass holds the SABS 1191:2005 permit for the manufacturing of High Penetration-Resistance Laminated Safety Glass for Vehicles as well as being accredited to TUV ISO 9001:2008 Certification. We undergo an annual audit to maintain this accreditation.
The group’s National Auto Glass Dealers are well positioned throughout South Africa to service insurance industry clients professionally and efficiently. Our dealer network installs National Auto Glass windscreens as well as other National Auto Glass approved products.
Dealers are selected according to strict parameters including quality of management, facilities, staff training, skill, equipment, location and business acumen. Each of our dealers subscribes to the National Auto Glass Code of Conduct and is accountable to the brand at all times.
At National Auto Glass we adopt a zero tolerance position regarding performance relating to our trusted role as a service provider to the insurance industry. Our dealers are inspected regularly to ensure that our high standards are maintained. National Auto Glass Dealers are well known to the major insurance companies in their individual capacity, accepted as respectable members of the business community and have been giving sterling service for up to 30 years.
24Fix Auto Glass
24Fix identified an urgent need to provide contact centre incident management and a reliable and effective supply and fitment service for alternative glass. Few foreign manufacturers have access to a local reputable incident management solutions and/or fitment centres in South Africa.
Through our existing network and extensive experience in mobile services to the insurance industry we have expanded into the automotive glass industry. We now provide top quality service at a fitment or mobile centre near to the consumer.
"We are very excited about the strides we have made,” says Schalk Burger, CEO of 24Fix Auto Glass. We now have operational fitment centres in Edenvale, Florida, Gezina, Centurion, Durban and Cape Town. Additional centres in Port Elizabeth and East London will enable the company to extend its mobile services throughout the Eastern Cape. During the latter stages of 2012 we will have opened centres in Polokwane, Bloemfontein, Middelburg and Rustenburg – as well as an additional fitment centre in Cape Town.
24Fix Auto Glass also owns and subcontracts a number of mobile units from its fitment centres, providing consumers with the option of having their windscreens repaired or replaced at work or at home. Thanks to a 24-hour contact centre, consumers can lodge a claim, obtain authorisation and make arrangement for repairs with a single telephone call.
The company has selected Benson Auto Glass and Fu Yao Auto Glass as primary suppliers for its fast-moving items. All products from these suppliers are SABS, ECE and DOT approved. Side and rear screens are sourced from local SABS-approved manufacturers, while dealer supplied products are fitted for "slow moving” windscreens and in the unlikely event of stock shortages.
In order to further enhance quality and therefore minimise risk, regular testing of all the products utilised by 24Fix Auto Glass are conducted at the group’s facilities. We regularly conduct 227-gram ball tests, 2 260-gram ball tests and optical distortion tests as prescribed by SANS 1191 (using randomly selected windscreens ex-stock).
Fragmentation and optical distortion tests as prescribed by SANS 1193 are conducted on side and rear screens in the same fashion. Every delivery of glass is accompanied by the test results of each batch received from the manufacturer.
