James Cuffe is a dreamer, and a rather impatient one at that. An entrepreneur and former body man, he started Dream Shield Auto in 2015 to offer ultra lightweight vehicle armoring kit installation services to civilians. That’s right, civilians, specifically people with ultra high net worth. And the fact he is targeting civilians and not the military is what makes his company unique.
However, he one day wants to market his services to the middle class. And he believes it’s possible, and the demand will be there.
“The armoring product is absolutely desired, there is no doubt,” says Cuffe. “There are random shooters. There is a serial random shooter in Phoenix currently. There is a market for the prevention of unintended circumstances.”
But how is a middle-class joe going to be able to afford the Dream Shield product?
“There are many ways to make the product available to the middle class,” Cuffe says. “One is through repairing insurance totals. The car value is lower, and the cost of installation is lower because it’s already in a state of dismantle. We can also create a system that allows the customer to finance and do creative menu merging between the two classes.”
The goal of Dream Shield Auto is to protect its clients, no matter what circumstances they may find themselves in. In Cuffe’s mind, civil unrest, an act of terrorism or even an everyday accident are a possibility every time a driver gets behind the wheel or in the passenger seat of a vehicle. Dream Shield says its armor kit can lessen the effects of these unexpected events for those involved. Cuffe believes the way to make his product accessible to the masses is through body shops all across the country.
“The goal is to franchise in and near every affluent city in the country,” Cuffe says. “I would specifically like to hear from independent shops that are selling. I could buy their shop at a higher price if they work with me to implement the product into their current service plan and re-brand their shop.”
The ideal shop would be located in cities such as Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Newark, New York City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. These shops should also have at least 8,000 productive square feet and have a yearly revenue of at least $750,000.
Cuffe, who holds an associate degree in automotive service technology and a BS in auto body technology and advanced auto body from the United Auto Workers, says Dream Shield is a natural fit for body shops.
“Body shops already have the necessary tools and the skilled craftsmen in place,” he says. “They routinely disassemble and reassemble car parts. Having the armoring product available offers the auto body shop a strategy to separate itself from the competition.”
According to Cuffe, these kits are available to be installed on any make or model automobile with minimal alterations being made to the vehicle while installing the armor. Once installed, the armor weighs less than 500 pounds, including the protective glass. For more information, visit https://dreamshieldauto.com/investors/acquisition/ or email [email protected].
Dream Shield Kits
- Available for any make or model automobile
- Minimal alterations to vehicle with armor installation
- Weight of less than 500 pounds, including the protective glass
- No welding needed or used at any point in the installation process
- 70 percent less joints than a classic steel-based armor
- Safer and easier to install than traditional steel coverings
