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Braulio López wins the Spanish Windshield Repair Olympics by one point!

Braulio López won first place at the Spanish Windshield Repair Olympics organized by GlasWeld in Madrid. The competition was held on Saturday, July 9th among sixteen of Spain’s top windshield repair technicians where every participant displayed professionalism and precision windshield repairs.

The Spanish Windshield Repair Olympics competition was modeled after the annual Walt Gorman Windshield Repair Olympics held in the United States. The event was divided into two rounds of 45 minutes each with eight competitors per round. The contest was supervised by Mr. Simon Underwood, General Manager for GlasWeld UK in England and Mr. Bert Stevenhaagen, Operations Manager and European Trainer for GlasWeld Europe in the Netherlands. Every glass repair technician was assigned a judge who could give each competitor up to 50 points. Mr. Underwood and Mr. Stevenhaagen could then assign 22 additional points based on the final result appearance of the repair. Both men complimented the high level of the repairs executed at the event, the commitment of all participants, and the camaraderie among them despite competing against each other.

The windshield repair champion of the competition was decided by one point. The winner, Braulio López achieved 69 points out of the 72 possible. Sergio Romero followed closely with 68 points, and José Manuel Llano followed with 67 points, achieving third place.

By winning the inaugural windshield repair event, Braulio López will travel to Memphis, Tennessee to compete in the 6th Annual Walt Gorman Windshield Repair Olympics held during Auto Glass Week September 15-17 where he will prove his skills against the best technicians in the world. Proudly holding his trophy, López exclaimed, “I feel very proud of having won the Spanish Olympics. The level of competition was immense! I am looking forward to Auto Glass Week in Memphis, and will do my best to represent Spain as it deserves!”

López is a veteran of the glass repair industry, having performed over 15,000 windshield repairs for customers over the last thirteen years. The competition was very close, but his meticulous work as well as his neat and professional appearance helped López edge out the competition to take home the first place trophy. The contest was held by GlasWeld Spain as a preliminary competition to the Windshield Repair Olympics in Memphis September 15-17, 2011. López participated in the Walt Gorman Windshield Repair Olympics in 2009 in Las Vegas at NACE. He received very high marks for his repairs and demeanor during the competition from the judges.

GlasWeld general manager Dennis Garbutt comments, “Braulio is a true professional and is very proud of his craft. He did an excellent job representing Spain at the Windshield Repair Olympics in 2009 and now that he has the experience of these two competitions under his belt, we look forward to him doing very well at this year’s competition.”

We are very proud of Braulio’s accomplishment and look forward to seeing him compete with the best of the best in windshield repair in Memphis this September!

Learn how to restore headlights to nearly new OEM condition with Gclear™.

The customer hands you the check for the headlight repair, thanks you, and then pulls out into traffic with bright, shiny headlight lenses, ready to fool oncoming traffic into thinking they have accidentally left their high-beams on.

Problem is, you didn’t add a hard coat to the lens. So, in another month or so, they’ll be back wondering what happened. While getting a customer into your shop every other month might sound like a good thing, it isn’t when they come back because of failure.

This is where having a quality OEM UV hard coat will forever (or at least every 1-3 years depending on conditions) make a customer happy.

GlasWeld’s Gclear Headlight Restoration Kit utilizes an OEM UV Hard Coat in the restoration process. And, it is UV curable. This adds life to the coating since it doesn’t have to air dry and potentially become contaminated with debris.

There is a hurdle, however, that must be cleared, literally. The original OEM coating, or any other hard coat that has been added, must be cleared completely before adding the Gclear UV Hard Coat to the lens. Getting to this stage takes some know-how, practice, and even a little patience.

Ever heard of a ‘horizon line’ on your headlight lenses? This line is actually a protected portion of the lens that has not had the chance to degrade as quickly as the rest of the lens from the environmental elements it has been exposed to over time. This area must be completely removed (with sand paper or an orbital sander for even quicker results) in order for the new coating to be consistent across the entire lens.

The horizon line will not be as visible in real life as it is in this enhanced picture, so it will take some practice to look for and then deal with this line when restoring the lens.

How can you tell when the old coating has been removed? When sanding the lens, the old coating will be removed and will appear as a yellowish residue. This is actually oxidation that is being removed. Even the horizon line area, as it is removed, will contain this oxidation. The enhanced picture below shows the yellow oxidation and is a good indicator as you work of how deep into the lens you need to sand.

As you continue to sand you will notice the yellowish residue turn to a milky white residue. This means you have reached the original lens.

All that remains is to use a finer grit sanding disk to smooth out any ridges and then to clean the lens with alcohol in preparation for the Gclear UV Hard Coat.

One quick word about using the Gclear UV Hard Coat: Don’t be stingy with it. The thicker you apply the coating the better the coating will cure. A thicker coat will contain more of the photo-initiators which provides for a completely cured coating.

Another note about the Gclear UV Hard Coat: Get close to the lens as you spray; say 1-2 inches. And spray from the top down, in a side-to-side sweeping motion. This will help let a thick coating run down the lens and self-level. This means no runs, drips or errors. In other words, the result will be a complete and smooth coating experience.

Once the lens has been coated with the UV Hard Coat, use a frequency-tuned UV Curing Light for complete curing without the risk of contaminates from the environmental elements.

These are just a few headlight restoration tips of many that we have come up with through experience and extensive testing in the development of the Gclear Headlight Restoration System. The following video offers more tips on the Gclear Headlight Restoration System and how to provide excellent results for your customers every time.

Why choose windshield repair over replacement? There are many compelling reasons.

We have all experienced it. You’re driving down the road and all of a sudden a rock hits the windshield creating a chip in the glass. What most people don’t know is that the majority of these fractures can be repaired, if caught in time, keeping repair costs to a minimum and keeping glass out of our landfills. In addition, many insurance companies waive comprehensive deductible charges when the customer decides to repair the windshield instead of replacing it. Both parties win by spending less money on a repair.

Windshield repair is a permanent solution to an age-old problem. Chips happen and they can be easily repaired at a minimal cost and with a decent profit margin that can add to your bottom line. And in today’s tough economic environment, windshield repair is being recognized by many different industries, such as detailers, carwashes, lube shops, and auto dealerships as a way to positively impact their businesses with an additional service offering. Windshield repair is a great first choice over replacement for a variety of reasons.

Windshield repair:

• Saves money: Repair is a fraction of the cost of replacement.

• Saves time: Repair is fast, usually 15-20 minutes, whereas replacement can take hours.

• Saves glass: Repair keeps the damage from spreading and provides a great looking result.
  

  Windshield repair saves time, money and the environment.

• Saves the environment: Most people don’t know that laminated windshield glass is not recycled. When they choose repair first, it keeps their glass out of the landfill.

• Retains the original factory bond: Repair brings the windshield back to factory specifications and retains the original factory bond (if it has not been previously replaced), which means safety will not be compromised for drivers and their passengers. An improperly replaced windshield may create a safety risk whereby air bags could blow out a windshield and therefore not provide the intended safety.

A successful windshield repair will arrest the cracking of the glass. With the average replacement cost hovering around $350, your customer is usually happy to live with a barely noticeable repair, while paying a small fraction of replacement cost. And they may not pay anything out of pocket when utilizing their insurance coverage.

Windshield repair is not only a cost effective option for your customers, but also the environmentally sound option. By decreasing the amount of glass that goes into landfills, and reducing the need for new glass manufacturing and transportation we can all make a positive environmental impact.

Did you know:

• In the United States, 15 million windshields – the equivalent of about 600 million pounds of material – are replaced each year with most winding up in landfills. – The Boston Globe, 2010
  

  Glass takes more than one million years to decompose in our landfills, making windshield repair the best option whenever possible.

• The amount of energy needed to produce one windshield is equal to 10,000 repairs. – Sadechaf Technology, 2007

• By recycling vehicle windshields, the amount of automotive waste in landfills could be reduced by 3 percent; however, due to plastic laminates, windshields are one of the most difficult auto parts to recycle. – Earth911.com, 2011

• Glass takes more than 1 million years to decompose in our landfills. – California Department of Conservation

• Windshield glass is difficult to recycle because much of the glass is 2-ply laminated and contains a PVB layer that must be separated. Integrated heating elements or radio antenna are often embedded within the windshields and cannot be returned to the glass furnace for reworking. – British Glass, Glass Manufacture: A Mass Balance Study, 2005

• The transportation of glass, which is a relatively heavy product, throughout the supply chain results in high levels of transport-related CO2 emissions. – Advances in Glasses and Glass-Ceramics, Frost & Sullivan, 2006

• Glass manufacturing is a high-temperature, energy-intensive activity, resulting in the emission of combustion by-products (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides) and the high-temperature oxidation of atmospheric nitrogen. – Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for Glass Manufacturing, World Bank Group, 2007

• It takes 15.2 million BTUs of energy to produce one ton of glass. The manufacturing of one ton of glass can generate as much as 385 pounds of mining waste and 28 pounds of air pollutants. Like the production of other materials, glass manufacturing and usage has negative impacts on the environment. – The Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation

The more that we all participate in reducing the use of raw materials and the energy needed to produce glass, the better off our environment will be, making glass repair the best option.

Windshield repair has been around for more than three decades and continues to grow and develop into a viable and profitable service. If you do your research, choose the right equipment and participate in comprehensive training, windshield repair can become a lasting addition to your revenue stream and your profits.

How to Survive the Cold Winter Weather in Your Windshield Repair Business

With winter on its way, colder weather is a fact of life for many of us. You may find yourself having difficulty with your windshield repair business. There seems to be less work available, your resin won’t flow as well, you’re noticing bubbles showing up in the Pit Filler, and your feet are cold. Here are some suggestions that might make this part of the year more bearable.

If most of your work is done outdoors, keep your windshield repair resin in a warm place (that includes Pit Filler). Air bubbles that have formed in the bottle can be eliminated easier if the resin is warmer. It is also a good idea to keep your windshield repair kit (including the ProVac) warm, as extreme cold can cause the seals to malfunction. Whenever possible, pre-warm the windshield to get the glass over 60° F. The vehicle’s heater is the best way to warm the glass but other types of heaters can be used as well. Just be careful not to heat the glass too quickly, too hot, or on too small an area as windshield damage is much more likely to spread under these circumstances.

Being miserable on the job will do more to ruin your day than anything else. You lose more body heat through your head than any other body part, so keeping your head covered and dry is most important in staying warm. And cold feet are just bad news. Wool socks in waterproof boots are best. Cotton socks hold perspiration and that means wet feet. Wool is also a good idea for trousers and shirts. Layering your clothes so you can peel some off in case it warms up can be helpful in maintaining your comfort, and it’s always a good idea to pack rain gear.

With dark, overcast skies, it may be more difficult to see the damage you’re working on. Sometimes a white piece of paper held against the inside of the windshield will give you a better view than the mirror. A flashlight is also helpful. Don’t forget to look at the break from all angles to make sure all areas are filled.

Why do we say business is slower in the winter? Is it really slower, or is it because we reduce our prospecting efforts? Sure, the day is shorter, leaving just enough time for our regular windshield repairs and leaving little or no time to search for new accounts, so why not try to get more business from your existing accounts. Maybe you can offer other services while you’re there. Stop to think about how many services can be performed on a vehicle and you might be surprised. Have you looked into glass scratch removal? How about glass treatment with Gshield glass coating? There are many things you can do while the ProVac is working. It’s conceivable that you could give yourself a big raise by doing just a little bit more for your customer. Contact GlasWeld for ideas on add-on services. If you add just a few dollars to each invoice, at the end of the day your extra earnings could be substantial. Business may be slower in the winter, so why not take advantage of it. Consider becoming a Certified Windshield Repair Technician or attend a business course at your local college. You’ll learn how to sharpen your selling techniques as well as your repair techniques.

Professions like windshield repair demand self discipline. Take charge of your time and turn that time into more money.

GlasWeld cheers on as first-time competitor Randy Olson wins Gold at the Windshield Repair Olympics!

The GlasWeld team just got home from a busy week exhibiting at the NACE (International Autobody Congress and Expo) Show in Las Vegas where we cheered on our very own local windshield repair technician Randy Olson of Chip Medic in Bend, Oregon. He competed in the 5th Annual Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics being held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center October 11-12. It was Randy’s first windshield repair event and the competition was intense with the 2009 Silver and Bronze medalists back at it again vying for this year’s Gold medal.

Dennis Garbutt and I have known Randy for several years and had all the confidence in the world that he would represent us well. He is a retired captain with the Bend Fire Department, so we knew he could perform under pressure and keep his head in the game for all the details necessary to win such a competition. Randy said he was nervous before the event, but he seemed cool as a cucumber to the rest of us, the consummate professional.

The first day of competition entailed two heats of repairing a bulls-eye on the windshield of a car in less than 45 minutes. Randy was set to compete in the second heat, so we watched Heat 1 intently to see how the other competitors would perform. We watched the techniques of each of the windshield repair technicians and the interactions with their “customers.” Some used seat covers and floor mats to protect the vehicle, others even checked the air pressure in the tires and cleaned every window while the repairs were being done. The competitors placed a sign on the windshield when they had completed their repair. And after the judges and proctors had reviewed each performance and disappeared to tally up their scores, we had a chance to review each repair. They were all very impressive! I thought quietly to myself that Randy might have a chance at making the top three, but it was going to be difficult, especially since this was his first competition.

After the judges had returned, it was time for Heat 2 and Randy’s turn to shine. Randy grabbed his windshield repair kit and set up for his rock chip repair. When the clock started, he greeted the customer politely and carefully explained the process of windshield repair and what the customer can expect. He then began examining not only the chip in the windshield, but the entire vehicle with the customer to make sure that they were aware of any other damage to the vehicle before beginning the actual repair process. He then began repairing the windshield carefully evacuating all the air and moisture out of the break with his G3 ProVac Injector and then injected resin into the break while still under vacuum. Then he pulled out his ProCur UV curing lamp to cure the resin. I love how it looks like a UFO or a halo as it lights up and cures the resin in just 60 seconds. So cool! Randy finished off the repair and then presented it to his customer for final approval. Then began the long wait for the scores in the second heat.

At the end of the day, three finalists were announced for the final competition to be held on Day Two. We waited as each competitor was announced… Gregory Hamilton of Glasspro in Charleston, South Carolina (second place in last year’s Pilkington Classic Auto Glass Technician Olympics), Brandon Long of Novus Glass in Eaton Rapids, Michigan (Bronze medalist in the 2009 WRO), and first-time competitor Randy Olson of Chip Medic in Bend, Oregon was in first place. We were so excited! That night we took Randy out and had a great dinner at the House of Blues and watched the Vikings get beat by the Jets on Monday Night Football. It was a good time, with some great stories.

Day Two of the Windshield Repair Olympics competition began at 10:30am where each competitor was faced with a difficult star break with moisture in it and an unruly customer as well. Each competitor had to work with a skeptical customer who did not have a lot of time or even believe in the practice of glass repair. They each had one hour to complete this more difficult chip repair and customer experience. When each competitor had completed their windshield repairs, they were still visible from 10 feet away. They were all complete repairs, but the original damage must have been pretty substantial. Randy felt a little rattled after this heat. In his head, he reviewed his approach on the repair and with his customer and did not feel as solid as he did on the first day. Worst case, he would go home with the Bronze medal. Pretty darn good for his first national competition!

After the judges deliberated, the AGRR Magazine staff came back and made final preparations on the Powerpoint presentation to announce the final results and the awards. As they presented the Bronze medal to Gregory Hamilton of Glasspro, we knew Randy had at least a Silver medal finish. Then as they announced that the Silver medal would go to Brandon Long of Novus Glass, Randy bowed his head in disbelief and humility. The crowd cheered in support of Randy as the 2010 Gold medal winner of the Windshield Repair Olympics. The entire field of competitors was very skilled and professional in their craft. The auto glass repair industry would be proud to call any one of them a champion, but knowing Randy personally and professionally, it couldn’t have happened to a better man.

Congratulations to Randy and Chip Medic in little old Bend, Oregon! You are the “World’s Best Repair Technician.”

 

GlassBYTEs and AGRR Magazine’s Coverage of the 5th Annual Walt Gorman Windshield Repair Olympics