AUSTRALIAN windscreen supplier and fitting service National Windscreens has made its third acquisition of glass companies within six months after buying Melbourne-based Alpha Bus Glass.

It comes one month after National Windscreens bought Top End Windscreens and Tinting in Darwin and within six months of buying Phoenix Glass in Brisbane.

It is also the second acquisition for the company since its business structure changed after linking with private investment group Nash Capital. Nash invests in SMEs with a current portfolio that includes AutoGrab and iVet Group.

National Windscreens CEO Campbell Jones

National Windscreens CEO Campbell Jones said it “was only the beginning.”

“We said back in March that with Nash Capital becoming a majority shareholder it will bring a significant investment in our people, facilities, equipment and the expansion of our network through company owned branches,” he said.

“The announcement of these two acquisitions is testament to the investments we are making and the speed that we want to move.” 

Mr Campbell told GoAutoNews Premium that more acquisitions were on the cards on a planned expansion that will broaden the business’ customer base and accelerate development of its tech-focused ADAS skills.

“The clear growth for us is into a more diverse market and also into ADAS services which is highly specialised,” he said.

“We have concentrated on a highly-skilled team of technicians with ADAS expertise and see a huge market in working with dealers and private customers as the ADAS systems become increasingly common and increasingly complex.”

He added that a national expansion program was planned and hinted that with the additional capital coming into the company from investors, a public listing for National Windscreens could become a reality.

Alpha Bus Glass is Melbourne’s leading independent glass replacement and repairer for the bus, coach and truck industry.  The business was established over 21 years ago and was owned by Darrell Clark.

Mr Jones said the purchase of Alpha Glass complemented its Phoenix Glass acquisition.

“Phoenix Glass in Sumner, Brisbane is the largest bus and coach glass supplier in Queensland and is also the exclusive glass supplier to one of the largest bus fleet operators in the country, Brisbane City Council,” he said.

“In Alpha Bus Glass, we are now showing our intentions to capture a far bigger slice of the on-highway market which is a space we have not been in previously. 

“It is our intention at National Windscreens to grow our business in this vertical significantly, especially on the eastern seaboard.

“With operations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin already we feel that a significant market share in this important market segment is achievable.”

National Windscreens’ ownership of Alpha Glass is effective immediately. Mr Jones said it would be ‘business as usual’ at Alpha Bus Glass and he has some short-term enhancements planned.

“We are genuinely excited about this acquisition. Alpha Bus Glass will be led by John and Craig Perrie who have more than 50 years’ experience in bus and coach glass collectively; originally with their father who started Phoenix Glass in Brisbane,” Mr Jones said.

“Previous owner, Darrell and team, have built a great business and we’re ecstatic they are supportive of our vision.

“The Alpha Bus Glass name will also remain and we will be adding a range of new vehicle technology capabilities in Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) and diagnostic services in the near future. We are excited to welcome the Alpha team to our quickly-growing family.” 

National Windscreens has been providing Australia with windscreen replacements and repairs since 1987. It now has more than 100 fitting centres and hundreds of technicians strategically located throughout Australia. 

Mr Jones said this made National Windscreens Australia’s largest and most successful independent windscreen company.

It has also partnered with other successful independent automotive glaziers to operate as National Windscreens Approved Repairers. 

“This enables us to have the largest fleet of Automotive glaziers and we guarantee to respond quicker than our competitors,” he said.