• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer

[email protected] | 01256 769611

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

  • Home
  • Services
    • Paint Protection Film
    • New Car Paint Protection
    • Gloss Enhancement Detail
    • Correction Detail
    • Signature Clean
    • Wheel Refurbishment
    • Leather Renovation
    • Bodyshop Services
  • Portfolio
Autocurators

Autocurators

Professional Vehicle Detailing & Paint Protection Services

  • About
  • Articles & News
  • Contact

GLASSTEC Automotive – Glazing Specialist

December 10, 2019

At Auto Curators we offer the finest indulgence in car care and vehicle detailing. We have an established reputation for outstanding quality and results. It’s for that reason that when we partner with other businesses, we select our third-party service providers very carefully. When it comes to a glazing specialist there’s only one person we go to — Paul Ralhan from GLASSTEC Automotive.

As an automotive glazing specialist, Paul works differently to many of the mainstream service providers in the market. GLASSTEC Automotive works on tailoring a service suited to the client’s needs. Services include anything that requires attention to detail. From the white-glove handling of a classic or vintage car to full photo documentation of a car with provenance.

So, we caught up with Paul to bring you a little more detail about his background and how he helps his clients.

An interview with an Automotive Glazing Specialist:

How long have you been in the business, and how did you get there?

I feel like I have been involved with cars for as long as I can remember. My earliest memory of anything windscreen-related is spending hours as a seven-year-old pretending to drive my dad’s Austin A40 which was ‘VOR-ed’ after its (zone toughened windscreen) caved in when a drunken yob threw a brick at it — eventually nailing down a job with a car builder 20 years later just made it official.

In a nutshell, what services do you offer?

As an automotive glazing specialist, I offer windscreen and vehicle glass repair and replacement services.

Where are you based?

Essentially, I work from home. That said, it’s not as WFHing as others might see it. I’m always in work mode, and there is no on/off switch. I’m always conversing with car enthusiasts and networking to keep abreast with what is happening in and around the industry. Clients book jobs via email or through my mobile phone, and I organise my day, week or month according to area, urgency or complexity of the job. I have no real defined areas, but most of my work is within Greater London and the Home Counties. The more specialist work (such as Porsche, TVR and Ferrari) take me up and down the country. I’ve even ‘almost’ gone international after a recent commission to glaze a Porsche 993 in La Corbière, Jersey!

In recent years what innovations have most affected your industry and how you work?

The Automotive Glass Replacement industry is ever-evolving. Car manufacturer development and end-user demand (such as quicker Safe Drive-Away times after installation) drive this evolution. In the main, the processes are not much different, but we’ve seen tools refined as technicians gain a better understanding of how cars are built.

What do consumers need to be aware of when it comes to insurance and replacement or repair of windscreens?

This question is a tricky one to answer concisely as the insured-loss sector if the industry is very competitive. An estimated 75% of cars on the road have insurance for glass damage under Comprehensive Insurance. The problem is that much of the policies bought are price-driven by a legal requirement to be insured; it’s a panic purchase for many.

Tap in ‘car insurance’ into your preferred search engine and within a fraction of a second, you will be bombarded with countless offers of ‘cheap’ insurance by all-singing and all-dancing advertisers and comparison websites. They are all pitching for the same business.

Some details – in this case windscreen cover – go undiscussed and will remain so until there is a call to use that cover and this is when the consumer is usually faced with the terms and conditions about restrictions (on how much is paid towards the claim and who can be used to carry out the work). The issue with this is that the FCA issue strict guidelines for a proposing agent to disclose such salient points before policy inception (the idea being that the consumer can, therefore, make an informed decision about that proposal). The consumer is not always made aware of this until a claim is triggered, sometime after agreeing to the terms.

This is *the* most covered subject in my blog and without doubt, the one I bang my drum the loudest about on car forums all over the internet.

Which vehicles do you love working with, and which do you dread?

Without a second thought, German cars are usually well-engineered and thought out in terms of their construction. With rare exception, any German cars float my boat when it comes to job satisfaction.

These days, there are very few vehicles I dislike. That said, I will never forget how horrible some cars were to work on in the past (during my employment with one of the larger firms). The Volvo 440 and Austin Montego make me shudder even to this day.

As a rule of thumb, there are two types of job that could potentially test the skill set of even the most-experienced automotive glazing specialist. Hand-built cars or any piece of glass that a previous installer has fitted badly.

When it comes to windscreens, what special care needs to be given in the dark, gloomy days of winter?

Where possible, cover the windscreen with some card or a car cover to prevent ice forming on the glass.

There are water repellent products which can help prevent ice from forming on the glass, but in the event of having to remove ice, scraping can leave scratches on the surface if you’re not careful.

De-icing products or even pouring tepid water over the glass can be very effective.

Don’t be worried about cracked windscreens either; it’s usually keeping the (heater) blowers directed onto the windscreen in demist mode that creates the juxtaposition of temperatures (freezing outside and warm inside) which usually does the most damage to laminated windscreens. The same principle (in reverse) also applies to the hotter weather when the air conditioning is on inside the vehicle, and it’s hot outside.


At Auto Curators, we use Paul’s expertise whenever we need the services of an automotive glazing specialist. If your car is in for full paint correction or paint protection treatment, with your permission, we will sometimes ask Paul to remove the glass from the car to get to every square centimetre of the paint.

Even if we just need to repair a stone chip in the windscreen, we will call upon Paul\’s services. We do this because he is the best in the business!

Want to hear more from Paul? Visit his blog HERE.

Want to know more about how we work with Paul or other third-party automotive industry experts, to ensure your car looks a million dollars? Contact us HERE.

Category: Articles, Third-Party Experts
Previous Post: « Christmas Gifts for Car Lovers
Next Post: Must-do Motoring Events for 2020 »

Ready for your car to look a million dollars?

Talk to us about how we can help.

GET IN TOUCH

Find us on the ‘gram

autocurators

autocurators

autocurators

View

Jul 6

Open
If you’re at the end of a Lease or PCP contract, you might want to read our latest blog article! Follow the link from our bio to the Auto Curators website to take a look.

autocurators

View

Jun 27

Open
One of the great things about PPF is that you can find a cost-effective solution to cover the most vulnerable parts of your vehicle. Read our latest blog article to discover some options that might suit you if you want excellent vehicle protection but don’t have a four-figure budget. Head to the PPF On My Car website from the link in our bio.

autocurators

View

Jun 21

Open
On the off chance you’ve ever wondered what it would take to make a Tesla Model X look small, we now have an answer. It’s a BMW X7. But that’s not surprising, because everything looks small next to a BMW X7, they’re massive!
#autocurators #bmw #x7 #tesla #modelx #detailing #hook #basingstoke #newcar #paintprotection #ev

autocurators

View

May 20

Open
Seizing the opportunity whilst our friend, and @petrolheadtours Tour Manager, Dan Hale found himself local to us (he lives far, far away, in the frozen North), he asked us to carry out a New Car Detail on his new family car. Well, bus might be more accurate. There’s no getting away from it, the BMW X7 is a beast, it’s absolutely massive. However, with an early start, and a day of exceptional graft, we got it done! 
And not a moment too soon, as this car will now be pride of place for wedding duties tomorrow, delivering a bride to the church for her wedding. 
#autocurators #detailing #pvdapproved #hampshiredetailing #basingstoke #hook #bmw #x7 #newcarpaintprotection #ceramiccoating
LOAD MORE... FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM
Find Us

Unit 2 Optrex Business Park
Strouds Green Lane
Rotherwick, Nr. Hook
Hampshire, RG27 9AY

GET DIRECTIONS
Contact Us

01256 769611
[email protected]

Information
  • FAQs
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About the Products We Use

Sign Up for News

We promise not to spam you, we’ll just send you articles and news to spin your wheels! PLUS every three months we give away a £50 Auto Curators voucher to one lucky subscriber.











  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2022 · All Rights Reserved · Website by Kate Coote Ltd

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT