Lancashire man proves his mettle in automotive glazing to reach UK final

June 15, 2010 - PRLog -- Matthew Cassells, who works for Motorglass (formerly Mobile Solutions), was among a group of the region’s most skilled professionals who competed in the third regional heat of the UK Master Fitter competition, held at major independent training company, Training 2000, in Blackburn.

Contestants had to demonstrate outstanding technical expertise in repairing and replacing a windscreen, as well as replacing a side and heated rear window, all against the clock.

Coming out on top of a hard fought contest, Matthew will join the winners of four other events to battle it out for the title of UK Master Fitter at the grand final being held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 16 September.

The overall champion will then represent the UK on a global stage in September at the 2010 International Master Fitter Championships, as part of the Glasstec International Trade Fair in Dusseldorf. It is expected that champions from up to fifteen nations will be participating.

Co-ordinated by Proskills, the Sector Skills Council for the glass and related industries, the UK Master Fitter competition aims to showcase the need for highly skilled people in response to the rapid advances in vehicle technology with glass becoming an increasingly important part of car construction.

UK Master Fitter is being supported by a number of organisations, including: the Independent Windscreen Academy (IWA); Master Auto Glass; Laddaw; Dow Automotive; Sika; and the Glass Qualifications Authority (GQA). The competition is being sponsored by Trico Products, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of wiper blades and associated systems.

After winning the event, Matthew said:

“It was a tough day, even though I’ve been doing the job for over 20 years. After all the tests, I thought I had done okay but had no idea if I had done enough to win so when I was told I had come first I was delighted. I’m now really looking forward to the final in Cardiff.”

Lead Assessor for the UK Master Fitter competition, Sean Hayes, from the Glass Qualifications Authority, commented:

“Matt was a worthy winner and he has a great chance in the final. He is a technician who obviously takes pride in his work and knows how to deliver great customer service.”