3M Versus LLumar, VISTA & Other Products
I couldn't help but read this blog entry by our 3M friend in Cleveland.
On your comparisons however we should point out some glaring (pardon the pun) difficulties in your "argument."
No one will deny the illustrious history of one of America's greatest corporations, 3M.
As you know, I spent 33 years at 3M and some of that hype about 3M could have easily been copied right from one of my old PowerPoint presentations. Was it??
Accepting that 3M is a large corporation does not automatically imply that they are the industry leader in window film.
In fact it is this dichotomy between the brand identity and halo effect versus their product solutions that is the focus of many of my blog
The argument that 3M invented window film in the 1960's is also perhaps unintentionally misleading?
They patented a metalizing process for polyester films. Window Films were already in use for a decade earlier by Martin Processing, later to become LLumar and VISTA.
The argument that LLumar or VISTA "misleads" by offering specifications on 1/8" glass while 3M stands somehow alone in measuring 1/4" glass is spurious at best. This technique of offering up undocumented statistical data as a selling point is one key reason that the window film industry has been driving relentlessly to accurate performance standards as evidenced by the National Fenestration Ratings Council.
VISTA and LLumar (and recently Huper Optik) have followed these industry guidelines and that of the NFRC to objectively quantify the performance of their window film.
3M along with any other window film manufacturer has the very same opportunity to follow this process and submit their lab tested data. No individual corporation is "above" this obligation.
In truth, when the rest of the window film industry follows CP Films leadership, we will all be able to use the Energy Star Ratings properly! The DOE is simply waiting for a larger population of window film manufacturers to submit their documentation and credentials!
You wrote:
They (3M) do not need the (NFRC) to certify that their products excel better. What customer is going to care if the window film they are purchasing has a NFRC certification? 3M just come out with MANY products that make lower end companies look foolish! By way of lower end companies, I mean Llumar, Vista, Madico, and other companies who failed TRYING to dulicate 3M’s ingenuity and innovation."
Your argument that somehow 3M is in and of itself above all of these processes and ergo can supersede these established standards is clearly off base. Seriously!
This is the same logic 3M offers when they claim that their prestige film works better at different times during the day based on the angle of incidence of the Sun! Clearly that isn't accurate since all window films perform in that same manner, as does glass itself! How about that 97% IR rejection??
TSER White Paper
Your statements that somehow 3M dealers meet or exceed some higher level or standard that the balance of the industry can not attain is equally unsupportable by fact.
We won't take issue with you concerning the marketing policies or the tactical plans of the various window film manufacturer's or their distribution representation.
This entire industry should consider some deep introspection concerning this topic. However, to imply that 3M dealers are somehow more qualified, knowledgeable or better trained is disingenuous at best.
You need only ask your fellow 3M dealers around the nation how much effort, if any, 3M has undertaken to provide territory protection to their sales and marketing areas and what, if any standards were used by them to recruit new dealers?
On the issue of clear adhesives versus PSA and your direct implication that 3M's adhesive systems are superior since they come off the glass easier; you will surely have to do better than that!
The distortion free adhesives by CP Films provides optical clarity that compares very favorably against the films that 3M continues to manufacture. You will obviously concede that the "re-boxed films" you promote are not made with these adhesives, and this includes many of the very films you currently promote as produced by 3M.
We hope this helps clarify some aspects of these issues for you and your readers.
Remember:
The battle is won every day here in the field. Comparison shopping based on the depth and variety of choices available to our consumers. It's OK to be proud of your accomplishments and we sincerely hope for your continued success in Cleveland.
As a VISTA Dealer we will continue to do our part!
Mike Feldman
877-575-3456
On your comparisons however we should point out some glaring (pardon the pun) difficulties in your "argument."
No one will deny the illustrious history of one of America's greatest corporations, 3M.
As you know, I spent 33 years at 3M and some of that hype about 3M could have easily been copied right from one of my old PowerPoint presentations. Was it??
Accepting that 3M is a large corporation does not automatically imply that they are the industry leader in window film.
In fact it is this dichotomy between the brand identity and halo effect versus their product solutions that is the focus of many of my blog
The argument that 3M invented window film in the 1960's is also perhaps unintentionally misleading?
They patented a metalizing process for polyester films. Window Films were already in use for a decade earlier by Martin Processing, later to become LLumar and VISTA.
The argument that LLumar or VISTA "misleads" by offering specifications on 1/8" glass while 3M stands somehow alone in measuring 1/4" glass is spurious at best. This technique of offering up undocumented statistical data as a selling point is one key reason that the window film industry has been driving relentlessly to accurate performance standards as evidenced by the National Fenestration Ratings Council.
VISTA and LLumar (and recently Huper Optik) have followed these industry guidelines and that of the NFRC to objectively quantify the performance of their window film.
3M along with any other window film manufacturer has the very same opportunity to follow this process and submit their lab tested data. No individual corporation is "above" this obligation.
In truth, when the rest of the window film industry follows CP Films leadership, we will all be able to use the Energy Star Ratings properly! The DOE is simply waiting for a larger population of window film manufacturers to submit their documentation and credentials!
You wrote:
They (3M) do not need the (NFRC) to certify that their products excel better. What customer is going to care if the window film they are purchasing has a NFRC certification? 3M just come out with MANY products that make lower end companies look foolish! By way of lower end companies, I mean Llumar, Vista, Madico, and other companies who failed TRYING to dulicate 3M’s ingenuity and innovation."
Your argument that somehow 3M is in and of itself above all of these processes and ergo can supersede these established standards is clearly off base. Seriously!
This is the same logic 3M offers when they claim that their prestige film works better at different times during the day based on the angle of incidence of the Sun! Clearly that isn't accurate since all window films perform in that same manner, as does glass itself! How about that 97% IR rejection??
TSER White Paper
Your statements that somehow 3M dealers meet or exceed some higher level or standard that the balance of the industry can not attain is equally unsupportable by fact.
We won't take issue with you concerning the marketing policies or the tactical plans of the various window film manufacturer's or their distribution representation.
This entire industry should consider some deep introspection concerning this topic. However, to imply that 3M dealers are somehow more qualified, knowledgeable or better trained is disingenuous at best.
You need only ask your fellow 3M dealers around the nation how much effort, if any, 3M has undertaken to provide territory protection to their sales and marketing areas and what, if any standards were used by them to recruit new dealers?
On the issue of clear adhesives versus PSA and your direct implication that 3M's adhesive systems are superior since they come off the glass easier; you will surely have to do better than that!
The distortion free adhesives by CP Films provides optical clarity that compares very favorably against the films that 3M continues to manufacture. You will obviously concede that the "re-boxed films" you promote are not made with these adhesives, and this includes many of the very films you currently promote as produced by 3M.
We hope this helps clarify some aspects of these issues for you and your readers.
Remember:
The battle is won every day here in the field. Comparison shopping based on the depth and variety of choices available to our consumers. It's OK to be proud of your accomplishments and we sincerely hope for your continued success in Cleveland.
As a VISTA Dealer we will continue to do our part!
Mike Feldman
877-575-3456
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