High-tech behind glass

The company Carglass® specializes in the repair or replacement of damaged car windows. Matthias Wittenberg, Sales Director at Carglass Germany, explains the world behind the glass in this interview.

With precision and extensive technical expertise, damage can sometimes be repaired within a very short time. This is a service that can also benefit trades businesses.

DHB: Almost everyone knows "Carglass repairs, Carglass replaces". Could you briefly outline the company's history?
Wittenberg: Carglass® Carglass has been part of the international Belron family since 1990 and has operated as Carglass GmbH since 1993. Belron is one of the largest companies specializing in the repair of vehicle glass damage, windshield replacement, and the necessary recalibration of driver assistance systems, and originated in South Africa. In Germany, Carglass® currently employs around 2.800 people, more than 2.000 of whom work in the 430 service centers and 170 mobile units across the country. More than 200 employees work in the Customer Contact Center (call center). This allows us to handle approximately 1,4 million customer contacts per year.

DHB: What is the company's philosophy?
Wittenberg: Carglass® stands for the highest quality, safety, and best service. A chip in your windshield is always inconvenient. That's why it's so important to us to make a real difference for our customers with passion and dedication. We believe that road safety is a public good, and we want to contribute to it. Thanks to efficient processes and fast procedures, we aim to make the customer journey as pleasant and easy as possible, offering outstanding service that inspires and is based on state-of-the-art technology. To make this possible, we invest heavily in our technology, as well as in the further training of our technicians, offering them diverse tasks and development opportunities. Ultimately, we are convinced that a successful company also bears a social responsibility. That's why climate and resource protection, as well as social commitment, are high priorities for us; for example, through our support of the GIVING BACK foundation, which promotes disadvantaged children and young people.   

DHB: Are there still "blank spots" on the map for you, i.e., regions where you still want to open branches?
Wittenberg: We are consistently investing in our locations to create a nationwide branch network, thereby continuously creating new jobs throughout Germany. Carglass® branches are equipped with the latest technologies. Our goal is to ensure that our customers can reach the nearest service center as quickly as possible. 

DHB: Let's move on to the practical part. Your motto is: "Repair first". What does that mean?
Wittenberg: We always check whether a damaged windshield can be repaired before considering a replacement. This saves resources, reduces CO2 emissions, and is often more cost-effective for the customer. 

DHB: Preserving a pane of glass isn't always possible. What types of repairs do you carry out?
Wittenberg: For example, if a chip in the windshield is in the driver's field of vision or too close to the edge, we will not carry out the repair. Apart from that, we naturally handle all types of auto glass repairs, from glass roofs to rear windows. We also offer services such as windshield wiper replacement and particulate filter replacement.

DHB: How complex is the process of replacing a car windshield? What techniques do you use?
Wittenberg: The replacement process is becoming increasingly complex. Since 2024, every new car has been required to have certain driver assistance systems, such as emergency braking assistants. These systems typically use a camera behind the windshield, which must be recalibrated after a windshield replacement to guarantee proper function. Already, more than one in three vehicles requires recalibration of camera-based driver assistance systems when a windshield is replaced – and this number is rising. Carglass® can recalibrate 99 percent of all vehicles, including Teslas and Chinese brands. In recent years, we have invested heavily in the continuing education of our technicians and in technical equipment. For example, we use state-of-the-art recalibration technology from Bosch for recalibrating driver assistance systems. This ensures that both our technology and the expertise of our technicians are always up-to-date, meet the highest quality standards, and guarantee the safety of our customers.

DHB: Do you also offer a mobile service?
Wittenberg: Yes, we also offer a mobile solution for fleet customers. Our mobile auto glass service performs certain repairs exactly where our customers need them. 

DHB: What are the specific advantages for craft businesses with regard to good fleet management?
Wittenberg: Whether for small fleets like those of a small craft business, specialized vehicles, or fleets of larger corporations – we offer highly customized solutions for our fleet customers. Our core principle is to guarantee the shortest possible downtime with first-class service at fair prices. Thanks to a specially developed damage and risk assessment analysis, we can optimally tailor our services to the specific requirements of each fleet, regardless of size. 

DHB: You also specialize in caravan repairs. Is that correct? …and classic cars as well? What are the challenges with both types of vehicles?
Wittenberg: Whether campervans, classic cars, or commercial vehicles, we are the experts for repairing and replacing vehicle glass. Caravans typically require the installation of quite large windows, while with classic cars, the availability of spare parts is often the main challenge. But it's precisely these unusual vehicles that make working on them so much fun!

About Carglass® Carglass® Germany is a specialist in the repair and replacement of vehicle glass. Employs staff in Germany. Carglass® The company employs approximately 2.800 people, more than 2.000 of whom work in its 430 service centers across Germany. Over 200 employees work in the Customer Contact Center (call center). The company handles around 1,4 million customer contacts annually and assists motorists throughout Germany with on-site service and mobile assistance using more than 170 units. The company has been part of the international Belron Group since 1990 and has operated as Carglass GmbH since 1993. Belron Belron is one of the largest companies specializing in vehicle glass repair, windshield replacement, and the necessary recalibration of driver assistance systems. Operating in 40 countries across 6 continents, Belron has both company-owned and franchised locations. Employing approximately 30.000 people, Belron completed 16,6 million jobs in 2024, focusing on service quality and generating very high customer satisfaction.

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