Press Releases

Windshield Plant Increases Output by 20,000 Units

COLUMBUS, Ohio - September 5, 2008 - Safelite Glass Corp., the manufacturing division of Safelite AutoGlass, has expanded windshield production by 20,000 units annually at its Enfield, N.C., manufacturing facility with the addition of new cutting-edge grinding equipment that has enabled the nation?s leading vehicle glass repair and replacement company to add exposed edge windshields to its product offering.

The plant, which employs 400 and now has an annual capacity of 1.4 million windshields, will continue to make upgrades throughout 2008, with a focus on environmental initiatives. Additionally, the facility received a $30,000 grant from the State of North Carolina through the Incumbent Workforce Project for Lean Manufacturing training, which will include two core classes for 55 employees provided by North Carolina State and will further increase production efficiency.

Lean manufacturing is a philosophy that assists in the identification and steady elimination of waste while improving quality, process flow and productivity. The training is designed to expand from a micro-system to a macro-system - exploring how it all fits together to assist in making good business decisions.

"Capacity and product line enhancements allow us to serve our retail and wholesale customers much faster and efficiently," said Rich Glover, assistant vice president of manufacturing and distribution for Safelite. "New equipment and ongoing training are key in continuing to increase our capacity to serve customers throughout our expanding nationwide operations."

Safelite Glass Corp. manufactures and distributes vehicle glass to Belron US, parent company of Safelite AutoGlass, which operates 3,500 mobile service vehicles and 302 retail locations in all 50 states.

Capacity updates at the plant include installing a fourth line where glass is cut and painted prior to going into the furnace to be shaped and the addition of the new grinding machine to afford the facility the technology to produce exposed edge parts. The plant also added the capability to produce acoustic windshields, which are intended to reduce road noise and are typically premium add-ons for new cars.

The first project underway with the environmental initiative is to incorporate environmentally friendly lighting improvements throughout the plant and to replace Styrofoam used in packing with cardboard. The wood pallets used in the shipping area also will be changed to increase the pack density, allowing for more products to be included in each truck reducing the total number of trucks on the road.

"We anticipate significant energy and cost savings with these new programs," Glover said. "We will be evaluating them throughout 2008 and looking for additional ways we can continue to improve."

Employees at Enfield's Safelite plant also recorded 2.55 million consecutive hours of production without a loss-time accident, putting this facility in the top one percent in North Carolina.

"Continual training, diligent focus, improved communication and teamwork have aided in the outstanding safety levels that have been accomplished by associates," Glover said.

About Safelite Glass Corp.
The nation's largest exclusively domestic producer of original equipment equivalent windshields for aftermarket, Safelite Glass Corp. has a manufacturing and distribution facility in Enfield, N.C. The manufacturing facility serves all of the Belron US retail units and the customers of Belron US's wholesale operations, Service AutoGlass. Safelite's manufacturing and distribution facility is ISO-9001 certified.

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