Safelite® Group Acquires Boston-Based Giant Glass
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jan. 4, 2013 - Safelite® Group, the nation’s leading vehicle glass company, has reached an agreement to acquire Boston-based Giant Glass, effective December 31, 2012.
Owned and operated by Dennis Drinkwater and Lance Cramer since 1978, Giant Glass includes 54 employees; 30 mobile vans; and five locations in the Boston area: Lawrence, North Andover, Peabody, Weymouth, and Worcester.
“I am proud of the company that my business partner Lance and I have built,” Drinkwater said. “We have a strong customer base and excellent employees and we wanted both of them to be well taken care of in the future. We trust that Safelite® will take care of them both.”
The acquisition is the continuation of Safelite AutoGlass’s mission to profitably grow in the U.S. and to become the customer’s “natural choice” for vehicle glass repair and replacement services. Giant Glass is a well-respected company with a prominent vehicle glass replacement brand in the greater Boston area. Giant’s geographic locations and brand recognition made it highly attractive to Safelite AutoGlass®.
A leading figure in the Boston community, Drinkwater and his business partner Cramer will remain working for Safelite®. They felt finding a new home for their employees with a company like Safelite® was a strong cultural fit as both companies focus on customer care.
“While much of our growth has come organically from expanding the company’s existing sales and profit base, we’ve also had various strategic, targeted acquisitions in the last several years,” said Tom Feeney, president and CEO of Safelite® Group. “We expect that Giant Glass’s clients, customers, business partners and employees will benefit from our commitment to be the leader in the vehicle glass industry.”
Safelite® Group is a subsidiary of Belron®, the world’s largest and most successful retail vehicle glass repair and replacement company. Belron® operates in 34 countries.
About Safelite® Group
Safelite® Group, a subsidiary of Belron®, is a multi-faceted vehicle glass and claims management service organization based in Columbus, Ohio. The company, which has been in business since 1947, is comprised of four major business operations that include Safelite AutoGlass®, a vehicle glass repair and replacement services provider; Safelite® Solutions and Alliance Claims Solutions®, which offer fleet and insurance claims management services; Service AutoGlass®, a wholesale and distribution operation; and Safelite® Glass Corp., a manufacturing and distribution business unit. The company employs nearly 10,000 people throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.safelite.com.