Safelite

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Safelite Group
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive, Insurance
Founded1947 (1947) in Wichita, Kansas, United States
Founders
  • Bud Glassman
  • Art Lankin
Headquarters
Columbus, Ohio
,
United States
Number of locations
832[1]
Area served
North America
Key peopleRenee Cacchillo (President & CEO)
Number of employees
~16,000
ParentBelron
Websitewww.safelite.com Edit this at Wikidata

Safelite Group, Inc. is an American vehicle glass repair, replacement and recalibration company and a subsidiary of Belron. The company employs approximately 16,000 associates and operates in all 50 states of the United States under the Safelite brand.[2]

Company history

Safelite was founded in 1947 by Bud Glassman and Art Lankin in a small junkyard in Wichita, Kansas.[3] Over the decades, the company expanded its presence and capabilities in vehicle glass repair and replacement services.[4]

In 1968, Safelite was acquired by Royal Industries, which in turn was taken over by manufacturing conglomerate Lear Siegler in 1976.[5]

Safelite acquired AFG Auto Glass, the fourth-largest auto glass installation company in the US, in 1988.[6] The company relocated its headquarters to Columbus, Ohio in 1990 and established the Safelite Group, which consisted of three separate divisions: Safelite Solutions, Safelite AutoGlass and Service AutoGlass.[7]

In 2007, Safelite was acquired by UK-based Belron, the world’s largest vehicle glass company.[8][9] Belron operates in 42 countries and is owned by the D'Ieteren group.

Thomas Feeney became the president and CEO in 2008.[10][11] In late 2021, Renee Cachillo became the president and CEO as Thomas Feeney moved into a leadership role for Belron North America.[12][13]

Philantropy

In 2024, the company relaunched the Safelite Foundation, originally established in 2005, to support nonprofit organizations that align with its mission of providing safety, stability and a sense of belonging to enrich the lives of families and underserved children, with a national focus on foster care.[14][15]

See also

References

  1. "Safelite Shop Near You | Our Auto Glass Locations | Safelite". www.safelite.com.
  2. "Our Brands | Belron ®". www.belron.com. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  3. "About Safelite | Safelite Reviews | Safelite AutoGlass". www.safelite.com. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  4. "History of Safelite Glass Corp". FundingUniverse. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  5. "Get the job you really want - Zippia". www.zippia.com. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  6. Archives, L. A. Times (June 29, 1988). "Safelite Glass Corp., the largest installer of..." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  7. "Columbus 2020: Safelite's success solidifies Columbus as headquarters and fuels expansion". Columbus Business First. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  8. "D'Ieteren's Belron buys U.S. market leader". Reuters. August 9, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  9. admin (March 4, 2007). "Two Giant Glass Repair Firms Become One as Belron Acquires Safelite". Insurance Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  10. wires, RP news; Corporation, Noria. "Largest auto glass companies to merge operations". www.reliableplant.com. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  11. "Safelite AutoGlass Leaders | Safelite AutoGlass". www.safelite.com. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  12. "Safelite names Renee Cacchillo CEO - Bizwomen". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  13. Williams, Mark. "Cacchillo succeeds Feeney as CEO of auto glass company Safelite Group". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  14. "Resource Center". www.safelite.com. Retrieved October 27, 2026.
  15. "Press releases article". www.safelite.com. Retrieved October 27, 2026.