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Company background

From little things, big things grow

Belron® began life in 1897 as glass merchants Jacobs & Dandor in Cape Town, South Africa. The family business was bought and renamed Plate Glass, before going on to carve a name for itself as a specialist in mirrored and decorative glass for cabinet makers. The rest, as they say, is history.

glass fitter

The original family business

From our humble beginnings as a family venture over a century ago, to the successful global business we've become today, Belron® is proud of its long and fruitful history

Ladybugs

  • Beginning of the 20th Century

    • Morrie Lubner joins the Plate Glass Company in 1921.
    • In 1927 a specialised vehicle glass section is created serving both Ford and General Motors, selling windscreens and other vehicle windows.
    • In 1931 they sell their first safety glass product for vehicles.
    • By the 1940's Plate Glass has diversified into plywood and timber production and timber yards as well as the safety and plate glass businesses.
    • The group is organised into five subsidiaries of a new corporation Plate Glass & Shatterprufe Industries and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in 1947.

  • 1950's

    • Ronnie Lubner joins the group's glass business.
    • Plate Glass buys a small vehicle glass concern and begins the expansion into the vehicle glass business.
    • The company secures business rights to curved windscreen production technology in 1953.
    • Through continuing innovation Plate Glass unveils a brand new product - laminated rear windows in 1958.

  • 1960's

    • Expansion of the vehicle glass business begins with the acquisition of a national network of vehicle glass shops in South Africa in 1962.

  • 1970's

    • Plate Glass begins its international expansion starting with an acquisition in Australia in 1971.

  • 1980's

    • In 1982 Plate Glass re-organise into two divisions one focusing on wood, the other on glass. The non-South African businesses in the glass side are brought together under the brand Solaglas®.
    • International expansion continues with the acquisition in 1983 of two vehicle glass replacement companies in the UK Autoglass® and Windshields®.
    • Gary Lubner joins the Group in South Africa.
    • In 1987 the business acquires Carglass® in Benelux.

  • 1990's

    • International expansion continues with expansion into France and Germany in 1990.
    • 1992 Belron® is bought by South African Breweries.
    • Solaglas® is renamed Belron® and by 1994 it has more than 350 service centres operating in nine countries.
    • Gary Lubner joins Autoglass® in the UK as Managing Director, moving to Belron® as Chief Operating Officer in 1998.

  • Early 21st Century

    • D'Ieteren, Belgium's biggest car distributor and major shareholder in Avis Europe, acquires the majority stake in Belron®.
    • At the beginning of the 21st Century Belron makes further acquisitions in both Canada and New Zealand
    • Further expansion with a particular focus on mainland Europe.
    • Franchising of the Belron® business model begins, the first operation opens in Greece in December 2000.
    • In 2001 Belron® further develops the franchisee network and enters Slovenia.
    • In 2002 Belron® enters Italy and Sweden and further develops the franchisee network, adding the Czech Republic and Israel to the Group.
    • In 2003 Belron® enters Norway and Poland.
    • In 2004 Serbia-Montenegro adds to the growing list of Belron® franchisee operations.
    • In January 2005 Belron® acquires Elite Auto Glass™ and Auto Glass Specialists™ in the US
    • In 2006 Belron® operates in 29 countries across Europe, North and South America and Australasia. Romania also joins the Belron® franchise network, creating a total of nine partners.
    • In 2007 Belron® acquires US market leader Safelite®.
    • Belron® acquires Diamond Glass in 2008, one of the oldest and most respected automotive glass businesses in the US.
    • In 2010 Belron® is now operating in 32 countries, across Europe, North and South America and Australasia having opened its first branch in China and adding Chile, Finland and Lithuania to the growing list of franchisee operations.

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