Windshield Repair Industry Update

There is sure a lot going on in our industry right now. The new ROLAGS windshield repair standard was approved in June. Both the National Glass Association and the National Windshield Repair Association are working on new windshield repair certification programs. And, October 31st through November 3rd, Auto Glass Week will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas.

The recently accepted ROLAGS standard is a joint effort between the National Glass Association and the National Windshield Repair Association, designed to provide guidelines for what types of damage should be repaired, haw a repair should be conducted and performance requirements for completed repairs. Many countries have had windshield repair standards in place for years, which has helped legitimize repair internationally and bring windshield repair into the mainstream. Our hope is that ROLAGS will help do the same here in the US.

Now that ROLAGS has been accepted by ANSI as an official national standard, both the NGA and the NWRA are fast at work developing certification programs that are focused on knowledge of the new standard. We are very hopeful that the new certification programs will be much more popular and accessible for technicians, by making it available online. The current NGA Windshield Repair Certification has gone largely ignored. Many technicians complain that it is expensive and they often are forced to travel out of town to find a testing center.

Starting on Halloween, Auto Glass Week hits Las Vegas. Auto Glass Week consists of several auto glass conferences and tradeshows happening at one time at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Along with the annual National Windshield Repair Association Conference, attendees will have access to the Auto Glass Technician Olympics, Windshield Repair Olympics, and the NACE tradeshow. It should be a great showcase for our industry. I hope to see some of you there.

-Matt Larson