David
Chester won the Best of Belron Competition in Lisbon, Portugal – becoming the first Canadian
to earn the prestigious title
CALGARY,
AB, Aug. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Alberta's own David
Chester has just returned to Canada after claiming the title of world's
best auto glass technician1. He competed against the
best glass technicians from 30 countries at the 12th
edition of the prestigious Best of Belron competition in
Lisbon, Portugal. David claimed
the title after excelling in windshield repair, windshield
replacement, side-glass replacement and ADAS2 camera
recalibration procedures.
From Calgary to the banks of
the Tage River in Portugal
David Chester, who works as
technician and manager of a Speedy Glass service centre in
Calgary, is the first Canadian to
win the title. Throughout the four-stage competition, David
demonstrated exceptional skills in promoting windshield safety and
care, impressing the highly experienced panel of international
judges.
"Winning this title is the result of years of dedication and
passion and would never have been possible without the incredible
support from my colleagues and peers. It's an honor to bring this
recognition home and to inspire others in our extraordinary
community to strive for excellence in their respective field or
area of interest. Anything is possible when you set your eyes on a
goal and work hard towards it, surrounded by the right people."
The Best of Belron Competition
The Best of Belron competition was founded in 2002 and is held
every two years. To qualify for the global event, each technician
first faces fierce opposition domestically to win their national
country title, competing in a series of regional and national
events. David Chester, who has been
working as an auto glass technician for over 20 years, performed at
both the Alberta provincial final
last fall and at the national final events before being selected as
Canada's representative for the
2024 edition.
During the global competition, each of the four procedures the
technicians need to accomplish is scored against a grid including
up to 95 steps, additionally measuring several key criteria,
including work quality, customer service experience, the respect of
health and safety protocols, and execution speed.
Why this quest for excellence? The little-known role of
windshield and ADAS in vehicle safety
Windshields are a crucial part of vehicle structural integrity
and the advanced driver assistance systems that most cars are now
equipped with, which include adaptive cruise control and
lane-departure warning, operate with a front-facing camera that
requires recalibration as part of the windshield replacement
procedure.
"As auto drivers, we sometimes tend to take our windshields for
granted. People may tolerate chips or cracks, but one thing I have
learned throughout this journey is just how important it is, for
safety reasons, to have windshields professionally repaired or
replaced, and for ADAS front-facing cameras to be recalibrated.
ADAS recalibration must today be part of each windshield
replacement and mastering it is one of the techniques that helped
me win the competition," explained David
Chester.
About Speedy Glass
Since 1949, Speedy Glass is the standard for auto glass and
windshield needs and a leading provider of auto glass repair and
replacement services. With a commitment to excellence and customer
satisfaction, Speedy Glass ensures the highest standards in
windshield safety and care at each of its service centres.
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1 Best technician award
results from internal Belron assessment and may differ from other
industry metrics; this assessment reflects Belron's opinion
only
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2 Advanced Driver Assistance
Systems
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David Chester's achievement has
garnered significant attention, and Speedy Glass is eager to
facilitate media interviews with him to discuss his journey, the
importance of windshield safety, and the support he received from
his community.
SOURCE Speedy Glass