Solar Gard rolled out the red carpet for customers, families, and vendors at its open house on Wednesday, May 14, at the company’s Largo, Florida, facility. The San Diego-based manufacturer of paint protection film (PPF) and window film products brought together the community for a day of hands-on product demos, friendly competition, and good old-fashioned BBQ.
And when we say friendly competition, we mean it.
Attendees jumped into quirky contests like the tandem tinting challenge, where pairs squeezed into a single oversized shirt and could only use one hand each to tint a car window. For others, the race was on to see who could apply Solar Gard’s Clearshield windshield protection film the fastest.
Above: Windshield protection film competition. Below: Tandem tinting competition.“Our Clearshield windshield protection film has been one of our best sellers,” says Miguel Detres, Solar Gard’s technical service manager.
The day wasn’t just about laughs and lap times. It was a chance for Solar Gard to connect directly with those who use their products daily—and hear how they’re making an impact.
“The open house is an opportunity to showcase products and come together to share an experience,” says Sally Yadollahi, Solar Gard’s products management lead. “It’s also an opportunity to learn where we can improve our products. And it’s a great way for families to have fun.”
Speaking of families, Brisket & Beyond, a Tampa-based food truck, served up smoky BBQ that kept guests full and fueled throughout the event.
Among the vendors in attendance was Tint Wiz, the software company known for helping window tinters streamline their operations. CEO Erik Devash said the face-to-face interactions were a highlight.
“Helping dealers uncover features they hadn’t yet explored was especially rewarding,” Devash says. “It was also great catching up with dealers who began using Tint Wiz after last year’s Panorama Pro dealer meeting and hearing firsthand how it has positively impacted their businesses. Meeting familiar faces from Facebook for the first time in person was a real highlight, adding a wonderful sense of community to the event.”
BBQ was provided by Tampa’s Brisket & Beyond.Tint Wiz’s Kado Serri-Charette agrees: “The interactive product demos and competitions brought fantastic energy to the event.”
And it wasn’t just demos that had vendors buzzing—there was real business happening too.
“It’s been a good open house,” says Mark Imbrock of EDTM, a vendor of tool supplies. “I’ve already filled out a few purchase orders.”
For longtime Solar Gard customer Rick Ballenger of Performance Window Tinting in Naples, Florida, the day was a celebration of loyalty. “I’ve been using Solar Gard film since 1996,” he says. “Never going back.”
With fun, food, and film all in one place, Solar Gard’s open house proved that even a day at the office can turn into something memorable.