Window Film News And Scuttlebutt Update
We previously noted our puzzlement at the Bekaert reversal of selling factory direct to gobble up at least three old time Sun gard Distributors to represent their Solar Gard brand. This Window Film Magazine update sheds a positive "spin" on these activities.
The former Sun Gard FTI operation seems to have been injected with new life and capital by the Indonesian Solarmatrix (the real force behind Southwall Technologies and ultimately Huper Optik and V-Kool brands here in the USA)
We hear through the small world grapevine that our respected colleague, Jeffrey Plummer, former Vice President f Sales and Marketing at Solar Gard, North America, and up until very recently, US operations Manager, (Sales Manager) of Garware (Global Window Films) has joined the revamped Sun Gard as their US leader.
Now where exactly does this new Sun Gard go from here?
This was Sun Gard a few weeks ago. Can they reconstitute themselves with new $$ and leadership?
With a seasoned Plummer the answer can only foreshadow a new force in the window film business.
This is strictly my opinion, but one person can make a huge difference in this industry, and Plummer has my respect and admiration. I have no idea what the heck happened at Solar Gard that saw him exit under unusual circumstances, but I sense a kindred spirit in Jeffrey, and we have had our limited personal interactions over the years. Further Plummer has a keen insight and appreciation for talent. This is contrary to the "good Ole' Boy Network" of blindly following their leaders, and chanting old slogans without accepting any reality of the current conditions.
If I were in a war, I'd want him on my side!
Nevertheless the current landscape in the USA has two distinct Southwall channels. The Huper Optik dealers and the V-Kool Dealers.
Sun Gard had dealers, but their loyalties have got to be questioned at this point and further confused by the distribution changes.
It would seem likely that our friends at Madico, LLumar and 3M have tried to recruit away at least the most successful of the Sun Gard dealers. How that worked out for them will play out in the coming months.
Hanita and Global seem to have been stalled at the moment and Sun Tek quietly scoops up price oriented window tint shops who are looking at lowering their film cost. Evidently, Suntek continues their "not so quiet" relationships in private labeling a growing share of another manufacturer's window film (various auto and flat glass films.)
Change has been "alien" to the window film industry these last few years. Now with that spiffy mustache, those old unchanging ways may have to be revisited?
CP Films, the 800 LB Gorilla, has the benefit of their parent company exiting the Chapter XI status of protection from medical claims developed from the Monsanto relationship. Now that CP Films is clear of that encumbrance, how will they proceed? This may be the most interesting question at the moment!
Not a bad few weeks in the typically glacial paced window film world.
Mike Feldman
The former Sun Gard FTI operation seems to have been injected with new life and capital by the Indonesian Solarmatrix (the real force behind Southwall Technologies and ultimately Huper Optik and V-Kool brands here in the USA)
We hear through the small world grapevine that our respected colleague, Jeffrey Plummer, former Vice President f Sales and Marketing at Solar Gard, North America, and up until very recently, US operations Manager, (Sales Manager) of Garware (Global Window Films) has joined the revamped Sun Gard as their US leader.
Now where exactly does this new Sun Gard go from here?
This was Sun Gard a few weeks ago. Can they reconstitute themselves with new $$ and leadership?
With a seasoned Plummer the answer can only foreshadow a new force in the window film business.
This is strictly my opinion, but one person can make a huge difference in this industry, and Plummer has my respect and admiration. I have no idea what the heck happened at Solar Gard that saw him exit under unusual circumstances, but I sense a kindred spirit in Jeffrey, and we have had our limited personal interactions over the years. Further Plummer has a keen insight and appreciation for talent. This is contrary to the "good Ole' Boy Network" of blindly following their leaders, and chanting old slogans without accepting any reality of the current conditions.
If I were in a war, I'd want him on my side!
Nevertheless the current landscape in the USA has two distinct Southwall channels. The Huper Optik dealers and the V-Kool Dealers.
Sun Gard had dealers, but their loyalties have got to be questioned at this point and further confused by the distribution changes.
It would seem likely that our friends at Madico, LLumar and 3M have tried to recruit away at least the most successful of the Sun Gard dealers. How that worked out for them will play out in the coming months.
Hanita and Global seem to have been stalled at the moment and Sun Tek quietly scoops up price oriented window tint shops who are looking at lowering their film cost. Evidently, Suntek continues their "not so quiet" relationships in private labeling a growing share of another manufacturer's window film (various auto and flat glass films.)
Change has been "alien" to the window film industry these last few years. Now with that spiffy mustache, those old unchanging ways may have to be revisited?
CP Films, the 800 LB Gorilla, has the benefit of their parent company exiting the Chapter XI status of protection from medical claims developed from the Monsanto relationship. Now that CP Films is clear of that encumbrance, how will they proceed? This may be the most interesting question at the moment!
Not a bad few weeks in the typically glacial paced window film world.
Mike Feldman
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