I read in a glassBYTEs.com™ e-newsletter article called “Sika Recalls Small Batch of Sika Titan P2G”  that Sika recently recalled a batch of Titan P2G because of a contaminant problem. In their words ‘… the product may not sufficiently cure or harden, thereby creating a risk that the glass may not be fully secured to the vehicle.’ As I read the article I was reassured that our AGRSS Standard works and our industry’s vendors are professional and responsible corporate citizens.

I was proud that the AGRSS Standard gave our industry a motivation to record batch numbers and document installations. This guideline will allow us to now recall the installations performed with contaminated urethane and make them right. What a great feeling to know that our customers will now be protected thanks to a responsible safety standard.

I would also like to give a big thank you to Sika/Titan. These officials have shown themselves to be leaders who go beyond just the act of selling product. The cost to reimburse the retail glass shops for this recall will undoubtedly be substantial, but Sika/Titan officials understood their responsibility to the glass shops and to consumer safety and they did the right thing.

Now, for those of you out there that do not follow the AGRSS Standard or to those that follow it but fall short on keeping good records, let me explain to you what the ramifications are if you do not have the records to execute this recall.

You can’t determine who had their windshields replaced with a defective product. This means that if someone is injured in an accident because of a windshield failure, you have no protection from liability. You will absorb the entire cost of restitution and lost reputation.

If a customer returns with a problem of urethane adhesion or improper cure, the cost of fixing the problem is yours and yours alone. If you had records of the batch numbers, then Sika, according to its recall, will reimburse you for the cost of repair.

I was once told by a lawyer that, “if it is not in writing, it doesn’t exist.” Any protection you can give yourself will pay you back later. Develop the good habit of recording your batch and DOT numbers on every installation. It will pay off in the future.