When it comes to selecting the right window tint for your home or business, you likely have many questions. What are the problems you’re trying to solve? Are you looking to increase energy efficiency? Decrease the harmful rays that can damage your furniture and skin? Improve privacy and security? And even once you determine what type of window film you need, you need to find the manufacturer that will provide the high-quality product that will last for decades and the installer with the experience and skill to finish the job.
So where’s a consumer to start?
We sat down with Harry Rhaman, founder of Xpel Innovation — a pioneering coatings and window film company headquartered in Houston — to learn what sets Xpel’s window films apart from the competition and why their partnership with Fine Line Glass Tinting is so unique.
Q: How — and why — did Xpel Innovation get started?
Harry: I’ve been in the window film industry for more than 20 years, and I love it. I’ve served on the boards of organizations like the International Window Film Association (serving as vice president) and have a list of credentials far too long for this blog.
Before starting Xpel in 2018, I’d been with the same company for 20 years, and I got frustrated that there seemed to be no innovation. We were using yesterday’s technology. We weren’t using today’s tech — and we certainly weren’t using tomorrow’s. I wanted to develop the leading-edge technology that would revolutionize the industry, so I started Xpel.
Q: What should homeowners and business owners know about Xpel?
Harry: That we’re innovators in the industry — we’re turning the business model on its ear. I’m not willing to stay content with what we have. Instead, I know there are always opportunities to develop new technologies.
To do that, we partner with global innovators in research and development. The result is an ability to provide the best safety, security, decorative, energy-efficient, and environmental film products to consumers in a sustainable, cost-effective way. This is why partnering with Fine Line Glass Tinting was so appealing. Being a product innovator is one thing, but to really understand how your products perform, you also need innovative installers, and this is where Fine Line Glass Tinting comes in.
Q: How did you partner with Fine Line Glass Tinting?
Harry: We were looking for a company that has similar views to ours when it comes to innovation and technology, that can help us with product feedback, and that can help develop products that have no peer. We reviewed their rich 30-year history, engaged with their Marty (Johnston, owner) and immediately knew it was a fit. Their commitment to only install the industry’s leading films is obvious in everything they do. The emphasis they place on the film quality is second-to-none. They understand their customer, and the feedback they provide to us as a manufacturer is invaluable.
Q: What do you appreciate about your partnership with Fine Line Glass Tinting?
Harry: Fine Line is truly a breath of fresh air in the industry. I could give you a list a mile long on why you should choose them, but you really have to experience their services to believe them.
When partnering with dealers, we are very selective. We hand-pick them. We choose to do business with premium installers like Fine Line. They understand the importance of quality, and they’ve become friends as much as they are partners.
Q: What are some of the Xpel products you’re most proud of?
Harry: As I mentioned before, the company I’d been with before founding Xpel — I’d been with them for 20 years with no new technology. So when Xpel launched, I was determined to be an innovator in an industry that had been on cruise control. And that’s exactly what we’ve done.
We’ve launched three new products during the pandemic, and we’re preparing to launch another at the end of 2020 or the beginning of 2021.
Some of our top products include:
High Heat Control. This line of films can reflect heat at every wavelength possible — it boasts the highest amount of infrared light reflection on the market. And by reflecting infrared light at such a high level, the glass doesn’t absorb it — which means the glass will not get hot, it reduces radiant heat, and it will never crack. And once it’s installed, most people can’t even tell it’s there.
Optically Clear. Many window tints discolor and degrade over time — turning purple and bubbling thanks to the dyes and metals some use to block out the sun’s rays. But today’s tech doesn’t need dyes or metals. We prove that with Optically Clear Tint. This line is 100% dye- and metal-free and won’t oxidize or discolor. Even after 20 years, you won’t see any degradation of color.
Smart Window Film. This line lets us select which wavelengths to let in while also cutting out heat, glare and UV rays.
Q: With all the options you offer, how do consumers pick the right one for their needs?
Harry: We have 18 product options currently, and we have different grades and price levels for customers. The biggest difference between levels is that films get darker and shinier as the price point goes down. Fine Line has been installing our products for years. They know all of the ins and outs and can help you find the correct product for your home or office.
Q: Does window film really require professional installation?
Harry: Of course, some consumers want to do it themselves, so they purchase DIY film. At first, it seems to do the job. But you get what you pay for: The film tends to discolor, and it’s really hard to install properly. Plus, many consumers don’t realize there’s such a thing as “glass compatibility” — that you need the right film for the right glass. If you took automotive window film and put it on your home, it could actually crack the glass. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’d never install film on my own windows. There really is both an art and a skill to it, so you want to hire a professional.
Q: What’s the biggest misconception about window film you’ve heard?
Harry: Twenty to 30 years ago, there was the idea that darker window film was better and that window film will reduce the amount of light entering a window. But we’ve come a long way in dispelling that misconception, and our technology lets more light in.
Q: What do you want readers to remember about Xpel and Fine Line Glass Tinting?
Harry: That we’re always on the cutting edge of technology, and we’re innovators in our industry. It’s in our name, and it’s in our blood. Our vision is to keep forging ahead, never content to rest, and we will continue to rely on Fine Line Glass Tinting for their exceptional contributions to our success.
So when you’re in the market for window film, we encourage you to contact our experts at Xpel or the professionals at Fine Line. We’re happy to survey your project and give you our recommendations on the best product for you from safety, security, energy conservation, privacy, and fading perspectives.