The Auto Glass Safety Council™ (AGSC) and the National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA) have consolidated into one organization, effective January 1, 2019. Though technically not a merger, NWRA has dissolved its association membership. Its standards and work products are being welcomed into the newly formed division of the AGSC; this division will be known as the National Windshield Repair Division (NWRD).
AGSC will honor NWRA memberships for a period of two years until December 31, 2020.
Repair-only companies will be permitted to join the division. Companies that do both repair and replacement will be transitioned into the AGSC Registered Member Company program if they are not already a member and included in the audit cycles beginning on January 1, 2021.
Following are a few frequently asked questions we have heard about the consolidation.
Q. What about ROLAGS™?
A. The Repair of Laminated Auto Glass Standard (ROLAGS™) has been the NWRA’s largest and most prized endeavor. After many years of development, the NWRA turned ROLAGS into a recognized American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard in June 2007. The ROLAGS Standard represents the windshield repair industry’s statement of best practices as compiled under ANSI guidelines by a “balanced” committee of windshield repair system manufacturers, glass manufacturers, windshield repair and replacement retail practitioners, trade associations and other interested parties.
The Standard will move to AGSC, and will be reintroduced and re-developed under the auspices of the AGSC, so that the AGSC can serve as the secretariat of the Standard and oversee the continuous maintenance that ANSI requires.
Q. What about NWRA certification?
A. The NWRA certification program requires individuals to show that they understand the steps necessary to be in compliance with ANSI/NWRA/ROLAGS 001-2014. The repair certification program will remain in place (though the program name and logos likely will undergo changes). The good news is that it will be even easier for those seeking dual certifications in both repair and replacement to do so, as the AGSC already offers a certification program for auto glass replacement.
Q. What will former NWRA (now NWRD) members gain?
A. The AGSC already offers many programs that will be of value to our new repair industry members, such as the Insurers’ CEU Forums it holds all over the United States; its annual member meeting at Auto Glass Week™; its monthly newsletter; consumer-oriented press releases developed for members to send out to local press; a quarterly insurance newsletter to educate your insurance contacts about the industry; an array of marketing tools; and more. Now members of the new Windshield Repair Division will have access to these programs and more as they are developed.
Q. What about repair-only companies?
A. The new, consolidated group includes a Windshield Repair Division for companies that solely repair, and do not replace, auto glass. The Windshield Repair Division will be made up of those who solely repair glass as well as Registered Members that also repair. The Division will have a Steering Committee of at least seven people, and of those, at least one will also serve on the AGSC board of directors.
The Windshield Repair division will appoint the chairpersons of all repair-related Standards as well as develop programs and services for repair.
If you have more questions about the consolidation, please contact us at info@agsc.org.