Damage to windscreens caused by stones and other objects has long been a problem and windscreen replacement is vastly more common than repair. It presents costs to the consumer because of the cost of the repair or replacement and unproductive time when the vehicle is off the road. When insurance covers the damage then there is also an insurance company loss, which is passed on to consumers through their premiums. Added to this, tons of un-recyclable waste is created every year.
Because of the way windscreens are manufactured and mounted in vehicles, the amount of stress around the outer 50 mm perimeter is significantly greater than inside that area and will fracture easier than the rest of the windscreen. When an object, such as a stone, hits this weakened area it causes a pinhead-sized fracture, which usually cracks and spreads almost immediately. Most replacements are from an edge crack.
Glass Protection Services Ltd relates to the means and methods for preventing and protecting automobile windscreens from damage caused from flying objects. The method for providing protection uses a roll of film to create a frame to cover the outside edges of the windscreen.
The frame is shaped to match the curvature of the windscreen. Windscreens of all shapes and sizes can be catered for as the film is measured and cut to fit. The film acts by absorbing the impact of the object.
There are now over 400 vehicles fitted with our protection on New Zealand roads. Glasspro has targeted businesses who have been experiencing windscreen damage and feedback is that the product is working very successfully. Much of our business comes from recommendations from satisfied clients and referral business. Over the last 2 years our business development has been greatly directed by clients needs and enquiries from businesses with specific problems.
We can apply our product to screens of tractors, diggers, excavators and machinery. Although our business is based in Taupo, a great plus for our customers is that we are totally mobile; we arrange our fitting to suit with their business needs and location. We now have fitting teams providing coverage throughout all of New Zealand.
NEW ZEALAND LEGISLATION
For vehicles travelling on highway, at present New Zealand legislation allows us to cover:
- 100mm from the bottom edge of the screen or up to the steering wheel height from the bottom of the screen (depending on the class of the vehicle);
- 50 mm from the outside edge;
- 100mm from the top of the screen or to the bottom of the sun-visor.
Glasspro differs from other fitters of protective film businesses in New Zealand in its innovative use of the product on the outside of screens and has spent considerable time in research and development to perfect and adapt the fitting process to suit various business needs.
The protective film is performing a variety of different roles including:
- Creating a safety barrier on the inside of tractor windows to hold the screen together following shattering due to heat
- Creating a Sacrificial layer on the inside of vehicle windows such as buses, an invisible protection against scratching and etching
- The film offers proven security and safety for people, vehicles and property. It provides a cost-effective solution to window breakage by multiplying the overall strength of the glass surface
- Providing a shock absorbing barrier - minimising the risk of breakage and replacement from flying debris on highway and off- highway vehicles
- Providing a full screen protective layer on race car windscreens to improve safety and critical efficiency during a race
- Creating a protective layer to reduce scratching on expensive screens or materials such as Marguard or Lexon - the film being used as a 'sacrificial layer' between sources of scratching and the screen. The film can be replaced on a regular basis at a cost far lower than that of replacing the screen.
PRICING
Any vehicle can be catered for as the film is measured and cut to size by our experienced team of fitters. The following gives an idea of pricing which is determined by the size and curvature of the screen:
TRUCK
Prices range from $250 to $350
BUS & MOTORHOME
From $ 275 to $400
CARS & LIGHT VEHICLES
From $250 to $300
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