NWRA ANNUAL CONFERENCE TO TACKLE AUTOMOTIVE GLAZING TRENDS

The National Windshield Repair Association (NWRA) will take a look at future trends in automotive glazing as it attempts to prepare its members and the automotive glass industry for possible changes in the industry at its 2008 Annual Conference. The event will be held November 6-7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas and is co-located with the International Autobody Congress and Exposition (NACE). The conference will contain two days of educational events, repair competitions, certification testing and a reception at Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

NWRA conference attendees will be presented with an in-depth 45-minute presentation on the future of automotive glazing. Mark Gold of Solutia Inc. has been invited to present attendees with an educational seminar on what trends are appearing on the automotive glazing horizon.

“Every year automotive designers find new useful ways to incorporate laminated glass into their concept vehicles,” said Patrick Smith, NWRA director of operations. “Sometimes these glass/plastic combinations are chiefly stylistic add-ons, but sometimes they are used to increase energy efficiency and safety. We want our members to understand what laminated glass may bring in the future.”

The 2008 NWRA Annual Conference is the association’s most ambitious conference ever. NWRA will present its “Green” Paper and Green Glass Initiative to attendees and the auto glass industry as a whole. The conference will contain informational sessions on Internet marketing and several industry panels designed to discuss important repair issues. The conference will also allow qualified attendees to become NWRA-certified repair technicians for no additional cost.

Also included in the conference’s registration fee is NWRA repair certification and training, admission to the NACE Expo; the Auto Glass Technician Olympics; and the Walt Gorman Memorial Windshield Repair Olympics.

NWRA members may pre-register for $150; non-members will be charged $350. Pre-registration closes October 17.

NWRA supplier members are offering 50-percent-off coupons for all conference attendees until October 17, 2008. Contact your NWRA supplier member today for more details.