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Safelite Group acquires Auto Glass Pros

Safelite® Group, the nation’s leading vehicle glass services company and owner of Safelite AutoGlass®, has reached an agreement to acquire substantially all vehicle glass repair and replacement assets from Auto Glass Pros, which provides service in eastern Nebraska. The transaction was completed at the close of business April 28, 2017.

Auto Glass Pros is a family-owned operation that has been in business since 2007. The company was started and led by Adam Hunt. He felt selling the business to Safelite AutoGlass was in the best interest of their employees and customers. Safelite AutoGlass offers a caring and stable work environment that will afford employees growth opportunities.

“We are very eager to join forces with the Auto Glass Pros team,” said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite Group. “Together, we can offer the best vehicle glass repair and replacement service to eastern Nebraska customers while growing a successful, caring business.”

This acquisition positions Safelite AutoGlass to be the clear leader in the region. Leveraging the strengths of the combined companies puts it in an optimal position to better serve customers in insurance, fleet, commercial, consumer and wholesale. Auto Glass Pros offers a well-established history of quality work, store locations and a commitment to the customer experience. Safelite AutoGlass provides excellent operational systems, a world-class distribution network, global purchasing power, and strong insurance relationships.

“I believe selling Auto Glass Pros to Safelite Group is a great opportunity to continue to serve the tri-city area customers, while providing our employees the additional support and benefits that come with being a Safelite AutoGlass technician.” stated Auto Glass Pros owner Adam Hunt.

With Safelite AutoGlass, the Auto Glass Pros team will find a home with a four-generation, family-operated parent company, Belron®, who is passionate about, and has the resources to further invest in its vehicle glass businesses.

Of the three Auto Glass Pros locations, Safelite AutoGlass will continue to operate the Hastings facility while relocating the Grand Island employees to the nearby Safelite AutoGlass store. Safelite AutoGlass and Auto Glass Pros will operate co-branded for the near future.


”Being able to introduce Brazil to the infinite opportunities of a solar industry is a privilege for J.v.G. Thoma GmbH, and one that we are extremely grateful for. At the same time, this placed the ball squarely in our court, and the pressure to get the ball rolling quickly was high. Now that the lengthy initial formalities are out of the way, we can focus on making this project a success.“

The first DESERT solar module production in BRAZIL! Lets go ....
J.v.G. Thoma GmbH is delivering a DESERT turnkey production line to Brazil, the first of its kind and hopefully the first in many breakthroughs to leave the factory floor on their way to the largest country in South America. With a capacity of 30 MW, this is a small semi-automatic DESERT production line, but still a flagship in terms of DESERT solar module production and electricity generation in the country, now fully functional and ready to start with operation.

The machinery consists of DESERT production machines for high-efficiency DESERT solar modules built specifically for extreme hot climate, such as can be seen in deserts or in tropical areas. Made solely in Germany and built using the latest in DESERT and TROPIC module production, the systems inlcudes all cutting-edge technology.

Certified DESERT solar modules, DESERT containers, DESERT power plants and DESERT manufacturing machinery built using pioneering DESERT and TROPICS technology are now fully set up, and ready to perform. But powering on the machinery has been a long time coming. Up until recently, this advanced piece of equipment had been waiting for clearance at a port in Brazil. Now that the formalities have been dealt with, both J.v.G. Thoma and its customer in Brazil can get production under way.

J.v.G. Thoma GmbH is a company whose vision has always been to harness the infinite power of the sun and convert it into an inexhaustible supply of energy. But a vision such as this requires global reach, and this project has opened new doors. Brazil is not only a gateway to South American cooperation, but also the launchpad to international reach and expansion.

Following the delivery of this initial order, J.v.G. Thoma GmbH will be looking forward to an ongoing collaboration with the Brazilian company. From setup and initial training to setting the scene for a ramp up, J.v.G. Thoma will be there to provide expertise and assistance. Moreover, the company will be jointly responsible, along with the client, for the successful integration of the DESERT solar module factory.

In the future, bigger DESERT power plants will be set up on Brazilian soil, and together with existing turnkey production systems, they intend to take up a large share of the products and assets this sector will possess locally. J.v.G. Thoma plans to build up a local network of sales agents that can extend a premium offering to neighbouring countries in South America. Eventually, the company hopes to be able to expand its customer base to clients in North America.

Hans Thoma, general manager from the Thoma-group, is eager to acquire a substantial market share in Brazil, a growing country with tremendous potential for solar energy output. Having complied with local official procedures (Inmetro, TÜV, Fraunhofer CSP) and cleared the way for future business collaboration, he expresses his hope that the solar industry will henceforth expand quickly.

”Being able to introduce Brazil to the infinite opportunities of a solar industry is a privilege for J.v.G. Thoma GmbH, and one that we are extremely grateful for. At the same time, this placed the ball squarely in our court, and the pressure to get the ball rolling quickly was high. Now that the lengthy initial formalities are out of the way, we can focus on making this project a success.“

The first DESERT solar module production in BRAZIL! Let
Source: Safelite Group, Inc. Corporate
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