About half of Campfield’s local retail auto glass repair income for decades has come from windshield cracks. “Even though it is about onethird of our business, it is half the income because the amount charged for a crack is higher than that of a chip,” he said. Through his extensive experience repairing and replacing windshields over the years, Campfield has found the efficacy of fixing cracks is there. “Structurally, it’s the most superior repair you can do,” he said. The resin for chips is limited to thin, low viscosity resin, whereas the resin used in cracks with the proper tools can be 10 to 100 times thicker. “When a consumer comes in with a chip, they say, ‘I don’t want it to crack.’ When they have a crack, they say, “I don’t want to replace it,’” he said. In either case, Campfield said always be up front with customers. “Your customers deserve respect, to be told the truth and to be given their options on whether the
windshield is repairable or not,” he said. In 2007, Campfield helped create the American National Standard Institute (ANSI)―Repair of Laminated Automotive Glass Standard (ROLAGS). This standard has been updated in 2014 and is currently being updated again. It can be used to evaluate damages on laminated auto glass, aid in the decision to repair or replace the glass and codify the current best practices of laminated auto glass repair. Campfield said the importance of having a National (ANSI) Standard is two-fold. “First and foremost, it is to prevent consumers from being misled into unnecessary replacements,” he said. Campfield gave the example of being told a crack cannot be repaired if it is longer than a dollar bill or 6 inches. “This is not true,” he said. “The ROLAGS is 14 inches, not 6 inches.” Second, he said it requires windshield repair manufacturers and sellers to lab test their products to ensure repairs meet visual,
durability and mechanical strength restoration. This helps makes sure businesses buying windshield repair kits, tools and resins would know they were safe to use on their customers’ windshields. Some cameras have built-in windshields that must be calibrated after a replacement so they operate properly. Currently, Campfield said there is no evidence any type of repair under the ROLAGS has caused problems with ADAS. “However, to be on the safe side, the Auto Glass Safety Council is developing the ROLAGS II to address if any of the break types at certain distances from the camera[s] will cause any alteration to any ADAS functions,” he said. Campfield shared the results of surveys he has conducted over the years that demonstrate the size of this untouched market. Parking lot surveys of windshield damage from 12 states showed out of 5,523 vehicle windshields surveyed, there were 767 cracks and 2,202 stone breaks/chips. Campfield said windshields are the most frequent auto insurance
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claim in the U.S. and the recalibration of ADAS has increased both the number of claims and claim costs. “Insurers favor repairs over replacements and so do consumers,” he said. For auto body shops looking to make more money, Campfield highly recommends adding windshield repair to their businesses. Gobin agreed. “It’s best to educate your customer on what windshield repair is and the benefits of it,” he said. “Windshield repair restores the structural integrity of the windshield, retains the original factory seal [which avoids leaks], enhances the cosmetic appearance of the windshield and protects the environment by keeping laminated glass out of the landfills.” For more information, email Rich Campfield at rich@ultrabond. com or visit www.ultrabond.com, or email Korey Gobin at kgobin@ deltakits.com or visit www.deltakits. com.
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