News
Partnering glass shops

A unique partnering of companies in the Canadian autoglass industry
continues to grow and expand across Canada. Formed in 2003, the focus
of this organization is to obtain buying power and market share for
independent autoglass retailers.

Steve Sen

A unique partnering of companies in the Canadian autoglass industry continues to grow and expand across Canada. Formed in 2003, the focus of this organization is to obtain buying power and market share for independent autoglass retailers.

First reported in Glass Canada magazine in February 2007, Uniban Canada is a holding company that was created to offer an alternative solution to the automotive glass market place. In June 2007, Uniban Canada acquired the rights to Ziebart Canada and now markets its successful business models under several brands, including UniglassPlus/Ziebart and Unipro Auto Glass and Accessories in Canada; and VitroPlus/Ziebart and Ram-Ko Auto Glass in Quebec.

In addition to the Ziebart Canada acquisition, Uniban’s network has experienced continuous growth and it continues to expand in to new markets, such as its latest openings in Cornwall, Port Hope and Guelph, Ontario and Saint John, New Brunswick, under the UniglassPlus/Ziebart brand. Glass installers see the benefit of joining a company with a solid value proposition.

Through this new relationship  between glass franchisees and Ziebart, these companies achieved synergies through complementary strengths in product line-up, geographical reach, operational strength, new technology platforms, as well as marketing and personnel training. Such initiatives have resulted in greater national market penetration that has created new business opportunities to acquire national accounts which were unattainable prior to the mergers and acquisitions.

In addition, Bill Robertson, a veteran of the autoglass industry, joined the ranks of Uniban Canada in early 2007. He is responsible for Vimaxco, the call center alternative which now has two new accounts in Ontario with the
backing of the Guarantee Company of North America and Gore Mutual Insurance Company. These new accounts join the 20 existing partners and Unique Compagnie d’Assurance using the system in Quebec. These accounts now benefit from the exclusive technology that will entice others to come on-board in 2008 to ensure balance in the industry.

To-date, Uniban has 104 franchisees under the VitroPlus/Ziebart or UniglassPlus/Ziebart brands, 84 affiliate banners under Ram-Ko and Unipro Auto Glass and 95 associated partners with Le Docteur du Pare-Brise and Crystal Auto Glass across the country, making it the second largest integrated solution in Canada. Reputable independent autoglass retailers are seeing the benefits offered by these affiliations and its numbers are growing quickly. -end-

*Steve Sen is the president of Unipro Auto Glass. For more information visit: www.UniglassPlus.com, www.Uniproautoglass.com or call (905) 850-1619, ext 236.