Richard Rawlings, the host of the wildly popular Fast N’ Loud on the Discovery Channel and owner of Gas Monkey Garage in Dallas, will serve as a keynote speaker at the International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off™ (WFCT) to be held September 27-29, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas.
Richard Rawlings set to keynote 2018 WFCT.
A true entrepreneur, Rawlings started with nothing but a vision based on his passion for cars and has since grown his Gas Monkey Garage, which includes its full service car restoration business and serves as the homes base for his flagship show on Fast N’ Loud on Discovery Channel. On his show, Rawlings searches the far flung corners of Texas and surrounding states for forgotten and derelict classic cars to buy and restore at his famous Dallas garage. His other shows on Discovery include Misfit Garage, Garage Rehab and Demolition Theater. Additionally, his Gas Monkey Garage brand includes restaurants, a live music venue, Gas Monkey Garage apparel, its own brand of tequila and an energy drink. Rawlings also has a number of corporate partnerships including Dickies, Havoline and Advanced Auto Parts.
Rawlings is a veteran of transcontinental road rallies, winning the Gumball 3000 and the Bullrun—twice. He is the current world record holder in the Cannonball Run and was even recognized by Jay Leno for this achievement. He broke the record that stood since 1979, covering 2,811 miles from New York to Los Angeles in 31 hours and 59 minutes, with an average speed of 87.6 miles per hour.
Prior to his success with his TV shows and car restoration business, Rawlings held down several jobs which allowed him to pursue his passion for cars. He was a firefighter, police officer and paramedic, all before he was 21-years old. He eventually left those jobs to start his own business, building a printing and advertising company from the ground up. He later sold this business to establish Gas Monkey Garage.
WFCT is the only annual event that shines the spotlight on architectural, automotive, paint protection, security and decorative films as well as wraps. It will be held September 27-29, 2018, at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The event features front row seats to the International Window Film Tint-Offs™, the first-ever Window Film Customer Service Representative (CSR) Finals, a variety of demonstrations and educational programming.
Plan your WFCT trip by registering online today for the early bird discounted price of $249 and save $100 per person versus registering onsite. The early bird discount ends June 1, 2018.
WFCT is the one event all year that includes thought-provoking seminars, offers the opportunity to visit with industry peers and mingle with top manufacturers and industry suppliers.
The International Window Film Conference and Tint-Off™ is sponsored, organized, and managed exclusively by Window Film magazine and Paint Protection Film (PPFMag) magazine. Window Film magazine is the only publication dedicated solely to the entire window film industry, designed to access all those who work in the film industry—bringing buyers and sellers in this special market together from all over the world. Window Film magazine is distributed worldwide to the film and tint community. Visit Window Film magazine at www.windowfilmmag.com. PPFMag, a supplement publication to Window Film magazine, is designed to cater to those in the film industry who currently install PPF and those looking to add it with the goal of increasing their company’s bottom line. Visit PPFMag at ppfmag.com.

Fortunately, the "window film" revolution is gaining momentum. It began with automobiles in the 1990's. Research showed that drivers with left-hand drive developed more skin damage on the left side of their bodies, while those with right-hand drive developed more damage on the right. The reason? UVR streaming through the driver-side windows. "Long-time drivers are found to have rougher, more pigmented skin with greater solar damage on their driver's side," noted Albert Kligman, MD, PhD, emeritus professor of dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia.
All of a car's windows filter out the sun's short-wave, UVB rays -all glass will filter UVB, in fact - but only the windshield in cars comes partially treated against the sun's UVA rays. However, for several years in all 50 states, transparent UVA-filtering film has been available for vehicles' side and back window glass. It screens out almost 100 percent of UVB and UVA, without reducing visibility.
And now, UVA-protective film has moved indoors big-time. Residential and commercial films come in flat sheets, in varied tints, cutting down glare by more than half while allowing 30-80 percent of visible light to get through, depending on the customer's wants. Like automobile film, they block out up to 99.9 percent of UVR. This helps prevent not only sunburn, but also the brief daily UV exposures that cumulatively accelerate skin aging and multiply the risk of skin cancer. In addition, the film can be lifesavers for people with diseases involving dangerous photosensitivity, such as xeroderma pigmentosum and lupus.
Along with clear health benefits, window film offers other advantages:

• In hot weather, it cuts down heat within the home, which can reduce air conditioning expenses.
• In cold weather, it reflects interior heat back into the house, reducing heating costs.
• It helps keep sunshine from fading car upholstery and home furnishings.
• Some new types of "safety" film help hold residential and commercial glass in place if shattered. Several times thicker than the standard sun-protective film, it can greatly reduce the chances of break-ins, property damage, and even personal injury that can result from broken glass.

“To see the damage that untreated glass can do, take a close look at the furnishings in your home that are hit by direct sunlight,” says Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. “If the sun has faded the color of your sofa, it can just as easily damage your skin when you sit there.” 
Available in varied tints, residential and commercial window films can also cut down glare by more than half while allowing 30-80 percent of visible light to get through, depending on the customer's needs. The benefits of installing window film go beyond protecting one’s skin and household items, as it also can reduce energy costs. In hot weather, window film cuts down heat within the home and in cold weather it reflects interior heat back into the home. Additionally, some new types of "safety" film help hold residential and commercial glass in place if shattered. Several times thicker than the standard sun-protective film, it can greatly reduce the chances of break-ins, property damage, and even personal injury that can result from broken glass.
About 85 percent of melanomas and 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to UV radiation. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that everyone adopt a complete year-round sun protection regimen that includes seeking shade, covering up with clothing, wearing a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, and using broad spectrum sunscreen every day.
The Skin Cancer Foundation has awarded its Seal of Recommendation to window films manufactured by several different brands, including 3M, Nexfil, Solar Gard and Panorama, and Solutia Performance Films. Products granted the Seal of Recommendation have been proven to provide safe and effective UV radiation protection. Use the Seal of Recommendation Product Finder to view products that have earned the Seal.

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That’s good advice but there still remains a problem. Those ultraviolet rays that have the greatest potential of causing cataracts are known as UVA rays. The Environmental Protection Agency reports a UV Index every day to warn people of high levels of ultraviolet rays. Naturally, people wear sunglasses to minimize the exposure of their eyes to the sun but a challenge occurs when normal living behavior puts a person at risk indoors. Modern technologies are making it increasingly more convenient for people to spend even longer periods of time in their house. Ultraviolet lights rays can pass through unprotected glass and the glare can have a serious impact on a person’s eyes. This means that it’s very possible for a person to be exposed to UVA rays and the potential formation of cataracts even inside of the home. The consequence is that senior citizens are possibly exposed to damaging ultraviolet rays even though they feel they are perfectly safe.
Window film can be a very effective deterrent to ultraviolet rays. It is estimated that good window film will block as much as   99 % of ultraviolet rays, which is the same degree of protection recommended for sunglasses, without significantly decreasing the light coming in. The protection that this gives to senior citizens cannot be understated. The window film acts like the protective shielding of sunglasses. With window film on the glass, senior citizens can spend more of their time in the comfort of their home without running major risks with their sight.
Protection is extremely important after a person has undergone cataract surgery, even to the point of always wearing sunglasses outdoors during the period of recovery. Window film allows this vision protection to continue when the recuperating patient is inside. It serves to reduce glare and also protects the surface of the eyes that are still adjusting to better vision. Perhaps the best way to imagine window film is if windows were large sunglasses. The same kind of protection afforded by those totally fashionable shades is given by the film. Yes, it’s sad to say window film is probably not going to make anybody look like a fashionista. Yet what it will do is allow a person to look out at the beautiful world without having that vision obstructed by cataracts.