Seattle's Affordable Supplies, a supplier of tools for the industry, has broadened its market to include the independent glass shops. Formerly a supplier of large auto glass chains, Affordable has debuted its new website dedicated to independent businesses.

The site, www.glasstoolz.com, includes a variety of tools for the auto glass industry, from gloves to repair kits, as well as a forum for discussions that allows visitors to share information and tips with one another.

"We ourselves are a small company competing against larger companies," said Shannon Coyne, company president. "We have experienced the same financial conditions and constraints and simply came to the conclusion that the smaller company's money is just as green as the money coming in from the larger chains."