Commonwealth Laminating & Coating Inc. to be Acquired by Eastman C

vquestfilms.com · March 13, 2014

Rather big news...

Commonwealth Laminating & Coating Inc. (CLC) has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Eastman Chemical Co. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the second half of 2014 and will include CLC’s manufacturing facility and master distribution center in Martinsville, Va., and nine sales distribution centers that serve the global market. Following the completion of the transaction, CLC will become part of Eastman’s Advanced Materials segment.

TomTint · March 13, 2014

This will clearly expand their current market share and hopefully the generals will reign in the non discretionary selling they ST is famous for. This can only be a positive for the trade.

March 14, 2014

Look a like big Corporations taking over small company's, monopolizing the market, which will make a lot of problems for a independent dealers.

Now they will control prices and other aspects of this market.

Glass Tinting Supplies · March 15, 2014

This will clearly expand their current market share and hopefully the generals will reign in the non discretionary selling they ST is famous for. This can only be a positive for the trade.

Hey tom,

I really fail to see how 1 company supplying product to 60% of the industry will result in a positive outcome. I am just sick to my teeth of companies buying their opposition the minute that they have a better business structure. Please could you enlighten me as to the positives that will result in this merger?

Thanks Tom,

Mick

Tintguy1980 · March 15, 2014

I believe at the moment fear is driving many into a dark room, crystal ball scenario when in the end things may in fact turn out to be as they exist today; business as usual. :cool

MikeMN · March 15, 2014

Less Employees and More dealers.

TomTint · March 15, 2014

This will clearly expand their current market share and hopefully the generals will reign in the non discretionary selling they ST is famous for. This can only be a positive for the trade.
Hey tom,
I really fail to see how 1 company supplying product to 60% of the industry will result in a positive outcome. I am just sick to my teeth of companies buying their opposition the minute that they have a better business structure. Please could you enlighten me as to the positives that will result in this merger?

Thanks Tom,

Mick

One of the biggest problems in this industry, is the ease of getting a roll of film and slapping it up on a window, then calling themselves a professional tint shop. This practice is allowed to continue because companies like ST allow anyone with a credit card to do it. This practice leads to bad bad bad things down line. I don't know the long term plans for ST but the group at Eastman are a bright bunch, they are squarely focused on becoming the known name in the industry, instead of the biggest name know body knows about. If EC decided to validate real shops before a roll of film is shipped ( which they do with the Lulu/ Vista brand among others in the stable ) this will be a huge positive. They will also have 1st hand knowledge of other films leaving the ST facility and the what it's real capabilities are and it's limitations. Which will benefit the lulu brand tremendously. If I were not a Lulu dealer, I would be scared. I am so I'm not. In this business and any other for that matter,you want to align yourself with the smartest guys in the room......I believe the smartest are in the board room at EC.

Glass Tinting Supplies · March 15, 2014

Good call Tom. It would be the worlds greatest thing if we could stop weekend worriors from slapping up tint and asking for money, but the only thing that it would result in is if you stop selling to people trying to learn how to tint, they will just buy it elsewhere for less. Creating a "No tint for you" mentallity will harbour resentment in tinters as they are up and coming and they won't want to deal with you in the future. I hate that anyone can buy film at trade prices, it bugs me big time, but instead of saying "that guy/girl is not very good, I don't want them using our product" It would pay more to guide them in the right direction and show them the way forward. Breed professionalism, not try and target people once they have eventually found their way on top. Lift them up there with your own hands.

SunTek haven't taken huge chunks of Lulu's market share because they were selective, they did it because they just wanted to sell film. They made themselves efficient and sold film to people who wanted to buy film. EC don't want Commonwealths technology... Lets be honest, Lulu is a better product.

I am glad to hear that it will have a positive affect on your biz Tom. You are a great installer, and seem like a great guy.

Cheers.

tintcarolina · March 17, 2014

Wow now the same company that makes LULU will be now Making mmm's films

March 18, 2014

Good call Tom. It would be the worlds greatest thing if we could stop weekend worriors from slapping up tint and asking for money, but the only thing that it would result in is if you stop selling to people trying to learn how to tint, they will just buy it elsewhere for less. Creating a "No tint for you" mentallity will harbour resentment in tinters as they are up and coming and they won't want to deal with you in the future. I hate that anyone can buy film at trade prices, it bugs me big time, but instead of saying "that guy/girl is not very good, I don't want them using our product" It would pay more to guide them in the right direction and show them the way forward. Breed professionalism, not try and target people once they have eventually found their way on top. Lift them up there with your own hands.

SunTek haven't taken huge chunks of Lulu's market share because they were selective, they did it because they just wanted to sell film. They made themselves efficient and sold film to people who wanted to buy film. EC don't want Commonwealths technology... Lets be honest, Lulu is a better product.

I am glad to hear that it will have a positive affect on your biz Tom. You are a great installer, and seem like a great guy.

Cheers.

Lulu is a better product? You're joking right? Or maybe you haven't been in business long enough to see their failures over the last 35 years.

No manufacturer is immune from poor decision making and manufacturing screw ups and that goes for Lulu, Huper, 3M, Suntek, Solar gard, and Madico. We have sold them all "professionally" and replaced them all from time to time for stupid defects. Well made window film really does not last more than 15 years. Face it, it's just consolidation of an industry in decline as glazing technology surpasses film.