Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NGA Marketing
mktg@glass.org

NGA TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL MASTER FITTER COMPETITION

WASHINGTON, DC, September 14, 2005—The National Glass Association (NGA) has accepted an offer by Automotive Glazing Europe UEMV to participate in its International Master Fitter Competition, as announced today at GlassBuild America in Atlanta, GA. The competition hosts the champion master auto glass installers from participating countries, where they compete against each other to determine who performs the highest quality auto glass replacement and repair. The overall objective of the event is to promote training and excellence in the auto glass industry.

Organized by the UEMV, the competition began in 2000 and is held biennially in conjunction with Glasstec in Dusseldorf, Germany. Glasstec is the largest glass industry exposition of its kind, drawing 55,000 visitors with 60% from outside Germany.

"The UEMV invited NGA to participate after several months of discussions concerning the examination standards and criteria," remarked Pim H.K. de Ridder, Managing Director of UEMV. NGA will be the sole American representative in the competition, which draws participants from The Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Japan and Great Britain. Invitations have also been extended to organizations in Australia and New Zealand. "We are pleased to accept the UEMV's invitation and are honored to be the U.S. representative," states Philip J. James, NGA President & CEO. "I have watched the competition at past Glasstec shows and it's a remarkable program. We will hold our own installer competition at next year's GlassBuild America in Las Vegas and send our national winner to Dusseldorf to compete in the international competition."

For more information on the International Master Fitter Competition and the UEMV, visit www.uemv.com.

Founded in 1948, the National Glass Association is the largest trade association representing the entire flat glass industry. Based outside Washington, DC, NGA offers certification, education and training, and serves the industry with the leading trade publications-Glass Magazine, Window & Door, and AutoGlass. NGA currently hosts GlassBuild America: The Glass, Window & Door Expo and the National Auto Glass Conference & EXPO.

UEMV is the umbrella organization for the European flat glass industry. UEMV members are national glass and glazing organizations from twelve European countries. Thousands of European companies are represented through their national organizations. The activities of the member companies cover all facets of architectural glass and glazing as well as a significant part of the automotive glazing replacement and repair market.