Service King Re-Enters Auto Glass Market

Service King Collision Repair Centers in Dallas announced recently that the company is entering the auto glass replacement and repair market. According to company spokesperson Jennifer Kirk, this is the company's second attempt at the auto glass business, having tried it once before approximately 10 years ago.

Danny McKinley, vice president of operations for the company, says the company left the business before "because [it] did not accomplish an adequate level of success to sustain the business."

Recently, though, the company received assistance from a long-time industry cohort, Gerber Collision & Glass in Skokie, Ill.

"We've known Service King and its leaders for many years and we have a great deal of respect for them," says Eddie Cheskis, chairman and chief executive officer of Gerber Glass. "They provided auto glass repair and replacement in the past and didn't accomplish what they hoped to accomplish, and, because we have been in the business for [more than] 70 years, we provided support to launch Service King Auto Glass."

Neither Cheskis nor representatives from Service could expand on what type of support was provided.

Service King currently has 13 auto glass vans and 13 technicians, with hopes of growing both numbers to 20 in the next few months.

"So far, it's been good," Kirk says. "We're busy, and that's a good sign."

Service King says it is in the process of becoming registered with the Auto Glass Replacement Safety Standard (AGRSS) Council, according to Marshall Hosel, vice president of retail glass for Gerber. Hosel is assisting the company with this process.

"Service King fully intends to be AGRSS registered," he says. "The necessary AGRSS application is currently being completed."