AP Corp has completed its second acquisition of a window tinting company.  

The Sykesville, Md.-based provider of commercial window film and graphic solutions has snatched up Miami-based window tinting company, Solar Tint Inc, one of the only 3M window film dealers in the greater Miami area. 

Robert Flores, former owner, Solar Tint Inc. (left) and Bill Valway, CEO, AP Corp (right).

AP Corp Owner Bill Valway hopes it’s the second acquisition of many and says his goal is to purchase 10 window film companies East of the Mississippi.  

“The first one was a ‘Hey, let’s test the waters.’ We didn’t want to go all crazy and buy a big company,” he says of his 2021 purchase of Carolina Solar Security in Wilmington, N.C.—a growing market but nowhere near Miami’s size. “This is a big one, so it’s been amazing to take over a team that’s very capable and being able to offer them support. The install team is really good.” 

Why this shop in particular?  

“There is a lot of competition here, but not a lot of that are operating at our level with exclusivity on a brand so we thought it’d be a great market for the prestige and the residential market here as well,” Valway says.  

Solar Tint has been in business since 1991. Former owner Robert Flores launched the company after moving to the U.S. from his native Trinidad and grew the business to bring in more than $1 million in revenue each year, per the company. Flores and his six-person team will remain with Solar Tint, with Flores transitioning into the role of consultant and sales representative.  

“After 32 years of running Solar Tint Inc., I am ready to take a step back and have more time for myself, but I am still eager to see the company grow,” says Flores. “Bill Valway and I have a lot in common, and I am confident he and his team at AP Corp are the right people to take our company to the next level.” 

When considering an acquisition, Valway says he looks for an established business with six-plus employees, exclusivity on a brand, and a good reputation in its local market .  

“Southwest has to fly direct to it and it has to be a large enough metro to support several million dollars per year per location,” he adds. “We have a way of operating that works really well and we’re still learning from the team down here.”