“The Enpro Group has been successfully distributing Madico products for over 30 years and we have truly enjoyed this long-standing relationship,” says David Fletcher, president of Madico Window Films.  “After the purchase is completed, Madico Window Films will leverage its broad resources to build upon Enpro’s legacy of outstanding customer service, while The Enpro Group will focus its energy on its FirstCut program, retail services, contracting and other business segments.  We are confident that this purchase will be very positive for our window film customers, for Madico Window Films, and for The Enpro Group.  We are also pleased that our relationship will remain strong since we will continue to meet Enpro’s needs for window film products.”

The states affected by the purchase include Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

“Distribution has been the foundation of our business since our first day in operation,” says David Dickey, president of The Enpro Group. “This acquisition of assets is a testament to over 30 years of outstanding sales and marketing efforts, territory development and relationship-building strategies. Madico has been an excellent partner and we look forward to continuing our long, successful history with them.”

To read the full release, which is a part of the IWFA’s campaign to highlight the advantages of window film,  follow the link below.

It’s a “Glaring” Problem – Keep Solar Glare Under Wraps with Window Film, and Save Energy Year-Round

The license was awarded to Paul Hostage, a young entrepreneur who also owns a medical supply company and was interested in diversifying his business ventures in the custom automobile industry.

“I’m sure Paul’s extensive managerial experience with his medical supply company will support his success as a Tint World business owner, and I’m very excited about his passion for motorcycle styling he will be promoting in his new store,” says Tint World president Charles Bonfiglio. “Right now our stores deal mostly with automobiles, and we are eager to have Paul lead the charge to establish Tint World as the premier national franchise for motorcycle styling as well.”

Debra Levy, president of Key Communications, presented the award to Czar on Friday, December 16, during the company’s annual Christmas party.

“Tina loves Key Communications and she always gives 110 percent,” said Levy. “She works with so many of us and helps on a multitude of projects, and she always does it with a smile.”

The award, named after Biller, is presented annually to the employee who most shows extraordinary service to the company.

Chris Howard, owner of Howard’s Custom Tinting in Millington,Tenn., has been offering a 10-percent off coupon and free film removal.

“We have seen a really good response to the free film removal,” says Howard. “If people can save $100-150 on removal they are going to come to us.”

Howard has been using different platforms to advertise the holiday deals, including taking an ad in the newspaper and promotion through Facebook.

Other companies, including Precision Films of Nashville, purchase television commercial time and use websites and shopper inserts to advertise the special deals.

“We’ve used all avenues of advertising,” says owner George Nevarez.

The company’s most popular holiday promotion has been offering a free film upgrade.

“Through our advertising we tell them to call us and we will give them an upgrade on the line of film they choose. We do a lot of those this time a year,” says Nevarez.

While the Christmas season is typically not overly busy for window film shops, the extra Christmas promotions do bring in some extra business.

“We probably sell about an extra eight to ten jobs,” says John Cusick, owner of Tint Guy in Fairfield, Ohio. “We offer a $99 tint job on a second vehicle of equal or lesser value.”

Cusick also begins running discounts on every tint job on December 1 through the end of the holiday season.

“We might only get one out of every ten customers to partake in the second vehicle discount, but that is still $100 in your pocket that you wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

The safety recommendation specifically calls for the 50 states and the District of Columbia to ban the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices (other than those designed to support driving) for all drivers.  

In addition, NTSB is calling for a targeted campaign to warn motorists about the dangers associated with the nonemergency use of portable electronic devices while driving. 

The recommendation came as the result of an NTSB board meeting yesterday that looked at a specific 2010 multi-vehicle highway accident in Gray Summit, Mo., along with data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

“According to NHTSA, more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents,” said NTSB Board chair Deborah A.P. Hersman. “It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving. No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life.” 

In the Gray Summit accident the NTSB reviewed, a pickup truck rear-ended a truck-tractor that had slowed due to an active construction zone; the pickup truck was then rear-ended by a school bus, and the school bus was hit by a second school bus that had been following; as a result of the accident two people died and 38 others were injured. 

NTSB’s investigation revealed that the pickup driver sent and received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes preceding the accident. The last text was received moments before the pickup struck the truck-tractor, according to information from NTSB. 

The safety board also referenced a Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study of commercial drivers that found that a safety-critical event is 163 times more likely if a driver is texting, e-mailing, or accessing the Internet in its recommendation. 

NTSB also references data from the National Safety Council saying that drivers using cell phones “look but fail to see up to 50 percent of the information in their driving environment.”  

“The data is clear; the time to act is now. How many more lives will be lost before we, as a society, change our attitudes about the deadliness of distractions?” Hersman said. 

While the NTSB is calling for a ban on cell phone use by all drivers, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently banned the use of handheld cellphones by interstate truck and bus drivers. This ban takes effect January 3.

How would the NTSB’s recommendation affect your business? Email Katie Hodge-O’Mara at komara@glass.com to share your thoughts.

“Tim is well suited to lead this important business,” says Alison Schell, vice president of 3M’s renewable energy division. “His significant experience in marketing and Six Sigma practices give him great insight that is a true asset to drive 3M energy conservation goals.”

Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby and Louisville Sluggers, will be hosting the window film industry with its share of history and entertainment. Returning this year to the event is the International Window Film Tint-Off, which will include a flat glass installation competition.

Room blocks will be available at the nearby Hyatt Regency Louisville for the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off. Reservations can be made by calling 888/421-1442.

The event will once again be co-sponsored by Window Film magazine and the International Window Film Association.

Registration will be opening in 2012. Stay tuned to www.windowfilmmag.com/IWFC for the latest information as it becomes available.