Steve Abrahams takes ‘bronze’ at international Auto Glass Week competition

Auto Windscreens’ technician Steve Abrahams demonstrated that Auto Windscreens is among the ‘world’s best’ when it comes to vehicle glass repairs.

Auto Windscreens’ technician Steve Abrahams demonstrated that Auto Windscreens is among the ‘world’s best’ when it comes to vehicle glass repairs by clinching the bronze Pilkington Clear Advantage Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTO) medal at Auto Glass Week™ in Texas, USA.

Steve competed in the ‘large-size company’ category at the international event, which was held from 5 to 7 October, alongside colleague Paul Gilbert. He made the final after impressing judges in the heats with his expertise and technical skills.

Both Steve and Paul were selected to represent Auto Windscreens, a leading UK automotive glass repair and replacement provider, at a global level after being named champions of the company’s internal ‘Clearly the Best’ 2016 competition. Steve is also the reigning WorldSkills UK Master Fitter gold medallist.

Of his podium position, Steve commented: “As the only UK competitors, we were welcomed with open arms and I am so pleased to have been named one of the top three. We knew there would be some strong competitors and the heat was tough, especially as we had to align our work to US standards, which are different to the UK’s. It proved good preparation for the final where concentration and focus were needed at all times.” 

Auto Glass Week™ also gave attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest products and practices through a series of seminars, one of which was presented by Auto Windscreens’ Technical and Innovation Manager, Tony Green. Tony gave the predominantly American audience an insight into Auto Windscreens’ strategies and how the business has grown to become one of the largest players in the UK vehicle glass repair market. Addressing visitors during his talk entitled ‘Beating Goliath – Focus on your strategy’, he put an emphasis on customer service, staff engagement and new ideas as key drivers behind the company’s success.

Rupert Armitage, Auto Windscreens’ Managing Director, commented on the team’s overseas accomplishments: “We are all incredibly proud of Steve and Paul’s achievements at Auto Glass Week 2016. Both performed amazingly under immense pressure. Tony’s presentation also proved a popular session. While Auto Windscreens operates largely in the UK, we have demonstrated that our innovations, standards and business are world class.”