| Self-cleaning glass has been talked about a lot, with | | | | wonderful car they had bought, and how smart they |
| such a catchy name in his hit the headlines of not | | | | were for buying it.We have had customers was |
| only the trade journals, but also the mass media. | | | | self-cleaning glass show was the windows in the |
| Does self-cleaning glass mean that all the window | | | | home which they have remodeled and pointed to the |
| cleaners and small businesses across this country are | | | | glass that they had bought for their kitchens or living |
| doomed? No, not yet. First of all, self-cleaning glass is | | | | rooms or master bedrooms that were self-cleaning. |
| not really self-cleaning at all, so many Industry call it | | | | They still asked us to bid on the entire house and we |
| low maintenance glass, but either way the idea is | | | | still got the job and we did not have to reduce the |
| intriguing and appeals to consumers. In a recent article | | | | price but rather confirmed to the consumer that |
| in Window and Door magazine, in March of 2003 the | | | | indeed they had made an excellent choice. Because |
| industry was asked what they thought of | | | | they had self-cleaning glass is better, it is much |
| self-cleaning glass many of those interviewed were | | | | better, and we know it's true. Many customers who |
| among the building industry, interior designers, | | | | are do-it-yourselfers may clean their glass themselves |
| architects, glass manufacturers, new homebuilders, | | | | in overtime realize that their self-cleaning glass, does |
| tenant improvements retrofitters and window | | | | need occasional touchup. And therefore would |
| cleaning service companies. Having been watching the | | | | eventually call us to do the whole thing or bid on the |
| developments of self-cleaning windows for quite | | | | entire house they now that while so of cleaning glass |
| some time, we see a time when the big mirrored | | | | is absolutely awesome, it is not be end all be all.Most |
| glass buildings will no longer need the same frequency | | | | people who have self-cleaning glass are happy with |
| of services. What does this mean for companies like; | | | | their decision and see its value and are pleased with |
| the Window Genie; the Window Gang; the Window | | | | its results. The biggest problem industry sees was |
| Butler; and the Window Wash Guys.Should we be | | | | self-cleaning glass is that it can be over-sold, over |
| concerned that this new innovation will upset the | | | | hyped by a salesman and therefore can cause issues |
| market sector causing and your reversible micro | | | | between consumer watch groups, the worthless and |
| sector rotation, which will put out of business | | | | overrated self aggrandized FTC. So the name, |
| thousands of small time entrepreneurs engaged in the | | | | self-cleaning glass is really the issue not that its |
| cleaning of windows? Well, not exactly, however in | | | | performance is substandard or that current |
| the future we will see a change in the industry and | | | | innovations due to increased money flow in increase |
| that change will likely come through a combination of | | | | sales are not pushing for more research and |
| self-cleaning windows and Nano-technology. But for | | | | development to make it even better, because this |
| now PPG industries, Pilkington and at least 50 other | | | | clearly is happening and self-cleaning glass is twice as |
| large glass manufacturers are riding the wave in this | | | | good as it was in 2000.Today self-cleaning glass with |
| newest trend. However, as we watched the industry | | | | certain coatings is absolutely incredible. And it is |
| we have seen surveys that claim over 71 percent of | | | | getting better all the time, but manufacturers are still |
| consumers given the choice would be more likely to | | | | skeptical and are working to make it better, |
| choose self-cleaning windows over the regular | | | | meanwhile everyone is trying to figure out a way to |
| windows even with the increased cost.A company in | | | | bring the cost down, it did not be end up in all these |
| Pittsburgh called SunClean self-cleaning glass products | | | | new homes, which were just build during this |
| introduced their version of self-cleaning glass at the | | | | incredible run in new housing market, however you |
| end of 2001, while their sales have increased and | | | | can expect to see its amongst the specs for custom |
| have met company expectations, we have seen the | | | | homes high-rise office buildings and most commercial |
| industry as a whole lag behind the original hype of | | | | buildings due to its maintenance savings cost and |
| the innovation. So it's 71 percent of consumers given | | | | ability to stay clean. One major leader in glass |
| the choice would be more likely to choose | | | | manufacturing, Peachtree, has a product called easy |
| self-cleaning windows, within how come we have not | | | | care and the pitch is; low maintenance and not |
| seen the promised Boom? Well there are a couple | | | | self-cleaning glass. After all the glasses on to grow |
| reasons the first being that often consumers do not | | | | arms all of a sudden and grab a squeegee and clean |
| choose what can glass one other homes as the | | | | it's self and the neighboring windows. They believe |
| builders choose 70 percent of what goes into their | | | | that low maintenance makes a good statement and |
| homes. In custom homes and renovations to | | | | is much better than zero maintenance or self-cleaning. |
| numbers are quite promising. Oh what we've seen in | | | | We use a hydrophobic Coating, which works under |
| new home construction is a move to lower-cost, to | | | | different principle but works very well.SunClean |
| standardize, and to move quickly. When new home | | | | self-cleaning windows works on a different principle, |
| shoppers go to new models and discuss the purchase | | | | there is a transparent coating of titanium dioxide |
| of a new home those sales offices indicated that | | | | which is applied during the manufacturing process but |
| they had approximately 40 minutes with the clients | | | | coating helps breakdown and loosen the dirt and any |
| and at that time they either made the sale, made of | | | | other organic material such as bird droppings when |
| favorable impression for a return visit or had lost the | | | | the water hits the glass in the droplets spread out |
| customer completely. The option of self-cleaning glass | | | | and rinses away the loosen dirt is combined also falls |
| comes with it a host of questions for instance; what | | | | down. This means it works perfectly with a medium |
| is it? With no time to explain, they rarely got into the | | | | pressure, pressure washer unit. This coating is |
| subject matter. Also with new customers buying on 1 | | | | completed in the application process and makes the |
| to 3 percent down they also indicated that most | | | | coating an integral part of the manufacturing process. |
| customers and consumers barely squeaked by.The | | | | Glass Inc. uses a thin layer of silicon dioxide applied to |
| increased costs of self-cleaning windows throughout | | | | the surface and therefore it is best described as a |
| a home could be as much as $2200.00 in this increase | | | | glass on glass coating. This of course provides an |
| could cost in the sale those manufacturers that dealt | | | | enhanced resistance to dirt and other residue an the |
| with selling remodeling and replacement type glass | | | | coating lowers the glass contact angle allowing water |
| showed that steady increase in sales will probably | | | | to disburse across the service and evaporate more |
| continue into the future. Does this mean the | | | | quickly. A temporary zinc oxide overcoat, removable |
| residential market for window cleaning could be | | | | with vinegar and water protects the coating from |
| substantially hampered given these numbers. The | | | | suction cup marks, labels and rollers and here to the |
| answer is yes and no. Yes, because consumers may | | | | glass prior to installation. The neat thing about this |
| feel that there is no need to clean the glass now, | | | | process is that the glass also retains the high energy |
| because it is supposed to be cleaned itself. No, | | | | efficiency characteristics of the companies other |
| because those people who might buy self-cleaning | | | | glass and can also be used in conjunction with |
| glass are overly concerned with clean Windows, as it | | | | laminated glass and custom sizes and shapes for any |
| is a high priority in their life. A clean outlook, if you | | | | window, of any shape were even a port hole of a |
| will? The fact is that self-cleaning glass is really lower | | | | ship. These new processes would work good on |
| maintenance glass, and it is easier to clean, thus a | | | | ocean going ships and water front properties. - |
| window cleaning company; like ours for the ones | | | | Pilkington Activ self-cleaning glass uses the sun's own |
| mentioned above could actually make more money | | | | trove I would raise to gradually and continually |
| per hour worked, thus become more efficient and | | | | breakdown organic dirt by using a photocatalytic |
| have more money to market and get more business. | | | | effect. At the same time the glass reduces the |
| Also with windows easier to clean, the finished job | | | | surface tension of water causing it to she down the |
| will look better and therefore more referrals of | | | | surface and washed the dirt away rather than bead |
| people who both do and do not have self-cleaning | | | | up, this is called a hydrophilic effect. This is done with |
| glass themselves. We feel that it is a tossup as to | | | | the coating is applied during manufacturing process |
| the decreased sales due to people believing that the | | | | using a pyrolytic method. It becomes a permanent |
| glasses to clean itself completely into those who still | | | | part of the glass on its surface; the competition |
| beside the service.In the automotive industry when | | | | heats up for the best self-cleaning glass on market, |
| Cadillac came out with a car dad went 100,000 miles | | | | there may be some companies that are willing to |
| between services, many automotive aftermarket | | | | allow the over hyped in order to sell more product, |
| service companies such a Jiffy Lube, Penske | | | | this could affect the sales of services from small |
| automotive and Midas muffler believed that this could | | | | window cleaning companies, although we are |
| affect their business. It did not, there were some | | | | confident and our ability to help the consumer |
| people who it bought the Cadillacs who believed the | | | | understand exactly what they've bought and how it |
| salesman at the dealership and assumed the car did | | | | works. We do not feel this will be significant for quite |
| not need oil changes per 100,000 miles. These | | | | some time become. And even when self-cleaning |
| consumers he did not understand what they were | | | | glass actually does clean it's self which we expect |
| getting into often drove the car for 25 to 30,000 | | | | another decade or two there will still be all those |
| miles without any problems and then went a | | | | buildings which have the old glass, and a return on |
| dealership when they heard a noise, no kidding. One | | | | investment for the increased price of lead say in |
| dealership told us of five such customers. Others | | | | large office building may be more than the owners |
| who bought the Cadillac because of its incredible | | | | wish to spend to upgrade, based on the minor |
| warranty and 100,000 miles between services did so | | | | savings they might achieve in dismissing their window |
| because they felt that a car that ran extremely well | | | | washing contractor. At the wash guys it's we do not |
| played a major part in their decision to buy that | | | | pretend to be invincible, we understand that |
| automobile, so this is why they bought it in the first | | | | disruptive technology does affect low technology |
| place. And those customers who care about the | | | | businesses just as much as it affects high-tech |
| reliability and maintenance of their vehicle who bought | | | | businesses, we are therefore keeping our eyes on a |
| the cars, turned out to still be great customers to | | | | self-cleaning glass revolution. We know that every |
| the automotive service companies they normally | | | | innovation and any innovation effects something else. |
| patronized. As a matter fact they continued to go to | | | | We also realize there is opportunity in chaos and |
| the service companies at the same intervals and | | | | therefore we say "Bring it On!". |
| often used it as a way to Brag about what a | | | | |