Vision is Safety Distributor Information Pack

Visio n is Safety

DISTRIBUTOR INFORMATION PACK

INTRODUCTION The idea behind Clearview Mirrors was inspired by the frustrations Mike Cowan felt when towing a caravan behind an 80 Series LandCruiser and having to use a set of inadequate add-on towing mirrors.

When he got behind the wheel of an American F350 which was fitted with standard slideout mirrors, it literally opened his eyes to the possibilities.

Suddenly the whole road behind the van was clearly visible.

Mike hit the drawing board, creating a set of mirrors for his own car; then while on a travel trip he was approached by a total stranger who handed him a blank cheque and asked him to make a set for his car.

The idea that other people wanted the same product, and the possible opportunity to create towing mirrors where one could simply walk into a shop and buy, switched on the metaphorical light bulb. The concept for Clearview Towing Mirrors was conceived.

CLEARVIEW TOWING MIRRORS

COMPANY Clearview Towing Mirrors is now a well-established family business owned by Mike Cowan and son-in-law Jay Praag. From humble beginnings in 2006 (as an appendix to their clothing business), Clearview Towing Mirrors grew at a rate that eventually needed Mike and Jay’s undivided attention – expanding into premises of its own and producing quality Australian-made products.

Clearview Towing Mirrors took three years of serious research, dedication and sampling, plus endless trips to China, before its products passed Mike’s indepth quality control and could even be considered worthy of attaching to a vehicle.

The company has grown from Mike and Jay’s partnership to a close-knit team of 14… including Mike’s daughter Jessica and brotherin-law Tony, as well as Jay’s brother Dion.

When Clearview started to exhibit at caravan shows the team found that they were being approached by dealers who wanted to stock and sell their products.

After eight years they now have more than 550 dealers Australia-wide, and a distributor in New Zealand.

Technology is ever-changing. As vehicles are constantly being upgraded, so too are Clearview Towing Mirrors… with a design and technical team working every day on updating the models to keep up with demand, adding extra accessories such as indicators, heating, blind spot monitoring and (soon) an electric folding feature.

The factory has a huge stock of mirrors covering all combinations of over 40 different models of vehicles – meaning it is

able to process and dispatch an order the same day it is received. Custom orders are catered for in an equally speedy fashion, with the hands-on team assembling and dispatching the products within 24 hours.

Within Australia, Clearview Towing Mirrors have become preferred partners with national 4X4 accessory companies such as ARB, TJM and Opposite Lock; as well as all the caravan companies and independent operators.

Mike and Jay pride themselves on their business’ unswerving customer service; being able to identify problems quickly; and promptly rectifying any issues that might come to hand. Many a customer arrives at the door for a fitment and will find Mike away from his desk… out on the tools fitting the mirrors to their car.

CLEARVIEW TOWING MIRRORS

DISTRIBUTION Clearview Towing Mirrors is the only company in the world that manufactures and supplies towing mirrors as a straight bolton and plug-in solution for such a diverse range of vehicles.

In a general web search for towing mirrors, Clearview Towing Mirrors is the first click-through option available. With an extremely efficient turnaround on orders, the company has started to supply the niche European market with towing mirrors (used predominantly by people with slide-on campers).

With all these orders coming in at a rapid rate from all over the world, Clearview Towing Mirrors has realised that there is now a demanding gap in a growing overseas market (that was once thought to be exclusive to Australia). The company wants to offer overseas dealers the opportunity to distribute its products to supply the rapidly-increasing demand.

Clearview Towing Mirrors already has an established distributor in New Zealand, and the European market is steadily expanding. In 2016 the company developed sets of towing mirrors specifically for the new Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon – necessitated by the fact that the USA manufacturers had no intention of producing towing mirrors for these vehicles. As a result, there are now regular orders for Colorado mirrors coming out of the USA. The time is right to hit the world stage due to the numerous requests the company is getting from all corners of the globe – from as far afield as Fiji, Manilla, Ireland, and even Iceland.

CLEARVIEW TOWING MIRRORS

PRODUCTION A Clearview Towing Mirror is a precise piece of mechanical engineering.

All the critical parts that are essential have to be correct in every way – from the pin and spring heights in the bases to the cams for the arms being cut at the correct angles and made from the right steel. This ensures the mirrors will function correctly and endure the test of time.

The production process is entrenched with some manufacturing being done on the premises; as well as utilising three local factories that specialise in the specific tasks of cutting and coating products. The die-cast bases are made from Clearview moulds overseas. The raw bases are then taken to a Melbourne factory where they are manually coated with an epoxy resin, hard baked in an oven and then powder coated by hand before being baked again to seal the base.

This hand-painted double coat is more controlled and eliminates any UV colour fading. It also protects against any corrosion problems caused by the elements. Using this manual process ensures an almost zero reject rate.

The mirror arms are manufactured in Melbourne and go through a similar process, but they are ultimately

re-coated through a wet paint process similar to most car parts.

The stainless steel cams are cut on a water-jet machine, ensuring extremely accurate results. Using a water jet means there is no heat, no waste, and minimal breakage of the delicate parts.

All the parts are assembled with stainless steel screws, on-site at the Melbourne head office. The final mirrors are UV-protected, rustprotected and quality controlled at every stage of production.

Using purely stainless steel accessories maintains the durability and strength of the towing mirrors without the worry of corrosion developing over time.

Finished products are packed with an instructional DVD and shipped off to grace the vehicles of discriminating drivers all over Australia and beyond.

CLEARVIEW TOWING MIRRORS

“I’ve used Clearview mirrors for years, on some of Australia’s roughest roads. In my eyes, they’re simply the best mirrors on the market. The vision you get – both short and long distance – is remarkable.’’

Pat Callinan

Pat Callinan’s 4X4 Adventures

TESTIMONIALS “If you’re not using Clearview Mirrors… Mate, you’re driving blind!”

Jase Andrews All 4 Adventure

WARRANTY Mike and Jay are confident to offer a three-year warranty on their Clearview Towing Mirrors. The Clearview Towing Mirrors are made in Australia and built to withstand the rigors of the Australian Outback… making them strong enough for any country.

TO BE PART OF CLEARVIEW’S EXCITING ADVENTURE:

info@clearviewaccessories.com.au www.clearviewaccessories.com.au

CLEARVIEW TOWING MIRRORS