Auto Glass Week™ 2024 has commenced, and the show floor is bustling with visitors and sponsors alike. Before the floor opened on the afternoon of September 19, attendees had the chance to learn more about the industry at six educational sessions.
Jacques Navant, the president of the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC), lead the opening session at the Auto Glass Week 2024 educational sessions.
Jacques Navant, the president of the Auto Glass Safety Council (AGSC), lead the opening session. He introduced himself and his hopes for the future of AGSC.
“I am probably the strangest choice for [AGSC’s] president,” Navant said. “I am not a politician, I am not a public speaker … I think I was chosen as president because I am still in the field and I understand what a technician deals with.”
AGSC’s vice president Peter Brown, AGSC’s Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS) 2 Committee chair Linda Rollinson and AGSC’s Chair Deb Levy joined Navant on stage to discuss the future of the AGSC. They talked about some of the AGSC’s upcoming initiatives, including regional auto glass events to be held next year as well as multiple certification programs in the works.
“With the AGSC, you’ll always have someone in your corner,” Navant said. “We’re really going to expand this year and get some forward momentum going.”
In the next session, “Auto Glass Now – What Are They Thinking?” Michael Macaluso sat down with Levy to answer industry questions about the national auto glass services brand. Macaluso is the executive vice president and group president of paint, collision & glass at Auto Glass Now’s (AGN) parent company, Driven Brands.
AGSC’s Chair Deb Levy sat down with Michael Macaluso, executive vice president and group president of Driven Brands, to discuss Auto Glass Now.
Macaluso responded to one common concern in the auto glass industry: AGN’s acquisitions.
“Looking back, we haven’t made an acquisition since 2022 because we want to do the absolute best job with what we have,” he said. “We have opened shops organically, so that’s an option [we also pursue].”
“When we look to acquire businesses, the big question is, can we make the business better, and can the business make us better,” he added later.
Macaluso touched on new third-party administrator (TPA) Driven Claims, saying the company has had a successful TPA in Canada for years, so it has experience in the sector.
Troy Mason’s presentation on “The Glass-Collision Interface” was well attended as he discussed the increasing prevalence of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).
Troy Mason took the stage next for “The Glass-Collision Interface.” He discussed how with the increasing prevalence of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which require calibration, the relationship between the collision repair sector and the auto glass industry is becoming more important.
“If your business isn’t calibrating these systems today, you’re really missing out on a significant opportunity [to grow] and capture that revenue,” Mason said.
“ADAS isn’t just a feature, it dictates everything from the parts we use to the procedures and techniques,” he added later.
Next, Gary Vaynerchuk, the CEO of VaynerMedia, delivered the keynote address on social media marketing to a standing-room only crowd. (See “GaryVee” Schools and Entertains AGW 2024 and WFCT Attendees for more.)
Jeff Koester, a sales director at Pilkington, later spoke about developing auto glass technology.
“Americans love big vehicles,” he said. “They love big vehicles with sunroofs. If they can get a double sunroof that is even better.”
Koester says that with the way mechanical rooflites are now, installing more or larger glass takes up too much vertical space. He says those will phase out, and instead, many vehicles will have roofs entirely made of glass.
Seth Maiman, AGSC’s director of pubic affairs, Rollinson and Brown finished the educational sessions with a panel titled “Regulation & Legislation.” Maiman recapped the recent legislation regulating the auto glass industry that passed in Kentucky. He added that legislation is currently in progress in Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York and South Carolina.
AGW 2024 continues through Sept. 21. Look to glassBYTES.com™ for more news and updates from the event.
