YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
Window tinting can act as an energy-saver, in addition to protecting against ultraviolet light
by Steven Nix-Ennen
SBJ Contributing Writer
We all have been told that there is more to life than meets the eye. In the case of Glass Tint USA, the first glance may miss the protective film used to coat windows, but invariably the eye reaps the benefits.
Glass Tint USA, owned by Steve and Ren? Jager, offers precision glass tinting for commercial buildings, homes and cars. The protective film coating provides colored hue to the windows. This consistent shading offers uniformity to building appearance and mystique to automobiles. But the benefits of this product go far beyond appearance and are not always visible.
"The real benefit factor is the protection against ultraviolet light," Steve Jager said. "It balances the heating and cooling in a house or building and protects against fading. It also has a safety factor (in that) it holds windows together. It acts as a theft deterrent it protects against smash-and-grabs."
Jager added that the ultraviolet filter action of the film also acts as an energy saver and protects against everything from UV damage to human eyes and skin, to the fading of carpets, furniture and curtains.
Steve and Ren? are both former air-traffic controllers who met on the job in Albuquerque, New Mexico. During the nationwide air-traffic controller strike of 1981, the pair searched for an alternative occupation.
In America's Sunbelt, the concept of UV-light protection was a needed cool oasis in the desert sun. When the Jagers decided to move to the Midwest in a return to Ren?'s roots, they were hoping the need for sun protection was recognized here as well. After all, the sun shines in the Ozarks, too.
"We originally started with another air- traffic controller (in Albuquerque) and found out quickly this was kind of a big deal. In the Sunbelt, there are a lot of people who wouldn't even think about driving a vehicle without window film. And it is gaining acceptance here.
"Our fear was that it would be a far more seasonal business here," Ren? Jager said. "But we have found that it is less seasonal here than it was in Albuquerque."
The Jagers found that Ozarkers are seldom deterred or surprised by inclement weather, and business here continues year-round.
One Glass Tint USA customer attempted to bring his car in for glass tinting on three consecutive Mondays. Icy roads sent him back home
twice.
The Jagers see this region catching up to the learning curve on the benefits of glass tinting. When they first opened shop in 1991, the business caught on quickly and grew at a rapid pace.
Steve Jager said things have slowed to a 10 percent to 20 percent increase each subsequent year, pointing out a continuing awareness by Ozark area residents.
"It is mostly by word of mouth," Steve Jager said. "People are being educated about its benefits for cars, homes and buildings."
Customers who bring in their autos realize the benefits of the film for a home or office and vice versa.
The Jagers work with designers and building owners to devise the best front appearance for the buildings.
The protective nature of the film is also catching on in high-tech industry. There is often a need to protect components from the UV effects of outdoor and indoor lighting.
The film, applied to the interior of the windows, can also offer aesthetic advantages.
"It can make buildings look a look nicer," Ren? Jager said. "It is a lot easier to take care of than blinds and curtains, and it also protects them (blinds and curtains) from sun damage."
"A lot of building owners like to use it to keep continuity in their building appearance," Steve Jager added. "Often you will see buildings with a plant in one window and a desk in another. This way, building owners can choose a film that keeps windows looking the same."
All of the film varieties, which are constructed from polyester and manufactured by 3M, protect against UV rays. Hues range from clear to bronze, gold, silver and a myriad of shades and densities.
"It doesn't have to be dark to get the benefits," Ren? Jager said. "But usually the only thing people see is the real dark film on cars."
"It's a lightweight film," Steve Jager added. "It doesn't change the windows at all. It bonds to the window. The technology of putting it together is pretty amazing, but the technology of apply-
ing the film to a surface is pretty low-tech."
The Jagers have two technicians who work with them from their 1825 W. Sunset location. The application process, though straightforward, demands a careful hand and attention to detail. The Jagers also insist on quality.
"It makes it very difficult to hire people," Steve Jager said.
"You have to find someone who has an aptitude and then train them. I have been doing this for 17 to 18 years, and there is not a day that goes by that I don't learn a new technique that will help me to do something better."
GLASS TINT USA
1825 W. Sunset
Founded in Springfield in 1991
by Steve and Ren? Jager
Open 8-5 Monday through Friday (with other appointments available)
INSET CAPTION:
'A lot of building owners like to use
it to keep continuity
in their building appearance.'
Steve Jager
Glass Tint USA
PHOTO CAPTION:
Steve and Ren? Jager brought their window-tinting business to the Ozarks from Albuquerque.
PHOTO CAPTION:
Keith Morrison, of Glass Tint USA, finishes a window on a customer's car. The company is featured in this week's business spotlight, which appears on page 10.[[In-content Ad]]
A new and improved Reed Academy is being constructed on the middle school’s original site to preserve a neighborhood connection that goes back a century.
Coolest Things Made in the Ozarks
Sweeping cuts hit recent federal hires as Trump administration slashes workforce
Igloo recalls over a million coolers after handle hazard causes fingertip amputations
MSU announces over $9M in private donations