In the past, attempts at providing a clear film for the front windscreen have proven problematic, and most products eventually showed cracks and peeling, especially under the wear and tear of the vehicle’s windscreen wipers and the harsh African sun.

Dealerfloor recently attended a first-to-market demonstration of the installation of WinCrest windshield film, manufactured by South Korean company Ultrafit, which took place in Sandton. Ultrafit is represented by Intamarket in South Africa.

According to Gavin Turner, managing director of Intamarket Graphics, Ultrafit’s WinCrest uses a new type of self-healing technology and a proprietary adhesive technology to solve the problems normally associated with first-generation windscreen films.

“Problems like delamination and leftover sticky residue have been resolved with the new technology that comes with the film,” he said.

Gavin explained that the new Ultrafit film has survived rigorous local testing and has been proven to last. This unique adhesive also means that the fitment is near-seamless and easy to remove.

“We have tested the product extensively over the past 12 months and can attest to the quality and the claims,” Turner said. “The revolutionary self-healing properties of the film are remarkable where the surface heals as it is being scratched, increasing the resistance, while at the same time providing unmatched clarity with no effects of hazing.”

In the past, the fitment of windscreen films was seen as a temporary solution, especially on high-end vehicles or vehicles with a very advanced front windscreen, such as the multiple-layer curved glass Panorama Windshield on the old Opel GTC or the heated front screen on some Range Rover models.

According to Turner, it is becoming increasingly necessary for car owners to protect windscreens, much like the compulsory screen protector on mobile phones. The protection also causes a much clearer view when it rains, giving it a hydrophobic advantage of decreasing the use of wipers by up to 50%.

According to Liezle Barrie, Operations Administrator at Intamarket Graphics, this protection can also prove valuable to DPs and owners to secure the protection of windscreens on their demo-models.

“There is an increasing demand for this kind of product, and we are pleased to be able to provide a product that solves all of the problems,” Barrie said.

The WinCrest comes with a 2-year, 40 000km warranty and has a thickness of 100 microns.