Who’s Buying Who In The Window Film Business?
Who’s Buying Who?
Window Film Manufacturers News
Klingshield’s Public Relations Department
Johannesburg South Africa May 2011
Over the last year much change has taken place in the manufacturing sector of window film industry. Last year CP Films of America bought V Kool from the Asians. Madico USA acquired Sungard USA. Solar Gard prepares to open a new window film factory in China. Last week we also had the announcement by Hanita Coatings, the Israeli manufacturer,who have acquired Film Pacific Australia as reported by the Window Film Magazine. Film Pacific was originally a Sungard distributor and has been in operation since the late 70’s.
All window film manufacturers are looking into the future and working out various ways of capturing the ever increasing window film market worldwide. Numerous companies in Korea are also manufacturing various types of window film to compete with the Americans.
Garware window film manufacturer in India, has made large strides in technology and perfecting laminating of various types of sun control and safety window films and are major players in the industry. This company makes an excellent range of films and is competing strongly with the Americans on the worldwide market.
The Europeans are also manufacturing window film. However, at the end of the day, Klingshield still believes the American manufacturers are the best in this industry due to the longevity and experience they have in technology.
CP Films make excellent safety, high performance and sputter films and seem to dominate the world market at the present time. However, in Klingshield’s opinion and experience after forty years of installing all manufacturers window films over the years, the do not appreciate the dry adhesive films utilised by CP and other American manufacturers. These dry adhesive films tend to curl during application and have very little adhesive to hold the glass together. They also do not hide any dust specks that might be caught between film and glass during installation.
Madico USA who have been making films since the late sixties, are now owned by the Japanese and make excellent products. Most of their solar films have pressure sensitive adhesion and offer excellent installation finishes. Their “safety shield” safety film is an excellent product due to the amount of adhesive applied and the optical clarity when viewing film through windows.
Madico also offer new technology with highly efficient energy performances, utilising Ceramic in its make up.
Johnsons window film is manufactured in Los Angeles and is a family business, which has been operating since the seventies. They also make some very good quality film.
A company has also been established in Las Vegas recently, manufacturing window film with the latest and up to date laminating and manufacturing equipment.
Gila Window Film manufacturers, which is part of the CP family, manufacture mainly for the DIY market and have also been in business since the early eighties.
Sun-Tek who operate in the same vicinity in Virginia as CP Films, have an excellent manufacturing facility and are making hi tech films in all styles. Management from CP have established this business some ten years ago and are competing head-on with the Llumar brand. They offer excellent products at very keen prices and are sure to be one of the dominating manufacturers in the world market in future.
From recent reports, it has been established that the Chinese market is the fastest growing market in the world and all manufacturers are heading to China to capture more market share to ensure their fancy machines are running day and night, winter and summer, to remain cost effective.
Window film manufacturers understand how to make film. However, they all lack expertise in marketing and promoting film to the direct market. Companies like Klingshield play a very important role in the window film industry as our focus is how to get as much film onto windows as possible. Installation companies understand the various positive and negative aspects of window film and have more knowledge than manufacturers when it comes to the practical installation and experience in the application of film to glass.
Hanita, an Israeli company, has acquired a window film distributor to enable it to grab greater market share of the Australian market, which has a huge car window tinting market.
Australians are very paranoid of the dangers ultra violet light and the majority of cars in Australia have film applied to combat UV radiation as well as to reduce the temperatures inside cars.
Australia is a “dog-eat-dog” market as all manufacturers are pushing hard to gain market share from the leaders, CP Films.
Should you require to know more about “who is who” and “who makes what” good or bad, in the window film manufacturing business you are welcome to contact Leon Levy CEO of Klingshield. Leon has been dealing with window film manufacturers over the past 40 years and has his own research and development laboratory and testing farms. These facilities give Klingshield the advantage of knowing exactly which manufacturers products will offer the best long term solutions.
This is the reason why Klingshield buys its film on the open market and has intro to most manufacturers. Klingshield only buys the best of the best and that is why consumers keep coming back for more as their films last and perform as per specifications.
