Ziebart International Corporation Celebrates 55th Anniversary, Receives Accolades From City, Oakland County And State Officials For Role As One Of The Most Successful Franchise Businesses In Michigan

Ziebart International Corp., the global leader in automotive detailing, films and protection services, was honored Friday by elected officials on the occasion of its 55th anniversary in business and new product Z-Shield Paint Protection Film introduction.

"This milestone is very significant to the company and its employee-owners," said Thomas E. Wolfe, President and CEO. "Ziebart is one of very few franchise businesses to be in existence for more than a half century. Most importantly, our company continues to grow nationally and internationally with 400 stores in the 32 countries around the world."

Wolfe added that the company, founded in Detroit, moved its headquarters to Troy, and has been a corporate ambassador for Southeastern Michigan as it continues to expand its global reach. City of Troy Mayor Pro-Tem Dave Henderson and several council members were present to offer Ziebart a proclamation on its 55th Anniversary. Oakland County Deputy Executive Matt Gibb presented a plaque from Executive L. Brooks Patterson saluting the company for its growth and success. The State Senate also will honor the company with a resolution citing the company's growth in Michigan.

"Ziebart is an iconic brand and we are continuing to innovate and offer new products and services to keep vehicles looking their best and protecting them from the ravages of the roads and daily use," said Wolfe. "The company is very much as relevant today as it was since introducing rustproofing services in 1959 "" perhaps even more now since we have some 29 products and services to protect a vehicle's interior and exterior to keep them looking new and protected from stone chips and road debris."

The company is employee-owned and is launching a reintroduction of its brand along with its latest product "" a clear film that covers a vehicle's front end and other areas vulnerable to potential stone chips, road debris or scratches.

"This is simply the best paint protection film and professional installation process we have ever offered our customers," said Daniel C. Baker, President of Ziebart Corporation (U.S. subsidiary of Ziebart International). "We have spent years and an unprecedented amount of resources to develop, refine and deliver to our franchisees and our customers Z-Shield Paint Protection Film. It's an optically clear film protection for all or any part of your vehicle that is formulated to resist chips and marks from stones and road debris."

Baker likened the Z-Shield Paint Protection Film product to a plastic film smartphone protector, except this paint protection film is almost as smart as your phone given its self-healing attributes. He said the company is excited about this new product introduction coinciding with its 55th anniversary year in business in June 2014.

"We have gone to great lengths to test this product, we have field-tested this product in harsh winter conditions and in the burning heat of Middle Eastern deserts and it has exceeded expectations," said Baker. The Z-Shield film comes in gauges of .6 mil and .8 mil and carries a national warranty backed by Ziebart.

Baker said the newest .6 mil film has been engineered and manufactured to "�self-heal"� from minor scratches such as abrasions from automatic car washes and keeps paint finishes looking new. He said the new Z-Shield film is tougher, has UV protecting properties, is optically clear and won"�t fade or yellow.

"Our initial products were optically clear, superior to other products on the market but we thought we could make them even better so we delayed the Z-Shield product launch for a year to introduce a wholly new product that we are putting the Ziebart proprietary stamp on with Z-Shield," he said.

Baker said the company conducted paint protection film lab testing in Michigan but some of the important "�real world"� field-testing was done in the Middle East given extreme heat and sandstorm conditions.

"Imagine having a new high-end luxury car or exotic sports car in 120-degree heat and getting caught in a sand storm or dust-up in a desert climate," said Baker. "With Z-Shield clients had the peace of mind knowing that instead of a $20,000 new paint job, they simply had to make an appointment to have their paint protection film replaced for a fraction of the cost of a new paint job." Baker added that similar dust storms have been known to occur in western states here in the USA, adding that even miniature dust devils in the city can swirl sand, dirt and stone chips against a vehicle finish.

Z-Shield Paint Protection Film is professionally applied by a Ziebart technician. The proprietary .6 mil or .8 mil film is computer-cut by a plotter that is programmed with the part and shape design of more than 4,000 vehicles.

Customers may choose to have just the forward or front portions of their vehicle protected by Z-Shield, the entire hood, doors and many have the rear bumper top done to guard against scratch marks from hauling things in and out of the trunk. Ziebart's pricing for Z-Shield allows for customers to choose select areas, bundle or even wrap the entire vehicle if desired. Z-Shield Paint Protection Film is available at most of Ziebart's 100 U.S. locations.



About Ziebart International Corporation
Ziebart International Corporation represents a global franchise network of vehicle appearance and protection services for over 55 years. Kurt Ziebart, the corporation's late founder, rust protected his first vehicle in 1954 and established the business in Detroit, Michigan in 1959. The corporation currently operates 400 locations in 32 countries with over 800 processing centers worldwide. Ziebart is the world's leading name in automotive services that protect, preserve and enhance the appearance of cars and trucks. For location information visit Ziebart.com

Franchise Ranking History
Franchise 500: #344 (2014), #297 (2013), #153 (2012), #288 (2011), #375 (2010),
America's Top Global: #96 (2013), #122 (2012)

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