A new National Windscreens fitting and calibration centre has opened its doors in Bangor as the UK’s largest independently owned windscreen repair and replacement company continues expansion of its business in North Wales.
Bangor is part of a £2 million investment that has helped establish National Windscreens as a global leader in meeting the rising demand for calibration of windscreen mounted cameras that form part of the advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) increasingly fitted in vehicles.
The opening of Bangor on the Llandygai Industrial Estate has created four new jobs so far with David Jones taking the helm as centre manager, Stuart Clowes and Gareth Hughes as mobile automotive glazing technicians and Mathew Jones as trainee technician.
John Smallman, regional director at National Windscreens, said: “We have very much wanted to open a new fitting centre in Bangor for a while but getting the right staff and the right unit in the right location was vital.
“As a company we have always serviced our customers in North Wales from our Oswestry fitting centre but due to the large area we cover and the rural setting it makes much more sense to have a dedicated fitting centre at the heart of North Wales,” he added.
Pete Marsden, managing director at National Windscreens, adds: “I am delighted that we now have a local presence in North Wales as the rural nature of Gwynedd will make this fitting and calibration centre much more convenient for motorists living in the area and the many that enjoy holidays there, as well as creating new jobs in the area.
“With predictions that 40% of all vehicles will have ADAS fitted as standard by 2020 and with the majority of manufacturers stating calibration work is best carried out in workshop conditions, this opening further confirms our commitment to retaining a UK-wide network of 108 fitting and calibration centres supported by 800 mobile technicians.
“This means that windscreen replacement and calibration can be undertaken during the same visit and means that, on average, a UK motorist will be only 11 miles or 20 minutes away from a technician,” he added.
Pictured are National Windscreens regional director John Smallman (left) and co-owner James Morgan.