Injury 20 Years Ago Pushes Pro-Tint Owner into New Career

Charlie Achatz faced overwhelming odds 20 years ago. He was unemployed after a back injury forced him out of the oil field and there were no other job opportunities for the injured roughneck.

All-Pro – Charlie Achatz stands in the foreground with his Pro-Tint employees at the front desk of his business at 5605 10th Street. Pictured left to right are shop foreman Luke Van Riper, technician Ivan Lozoya, windshield repair specialist and receptionist Stacey Achatz, technician Daniel Luna and bookkeeper Chris Mead.

With the proverbial deck stacked against him, Achatz took the biggest gamble of his life. He started a window-tinting business that today has evolved into a place that sells and services rig-ups for trucks and SUVs. Achatz’ jackpot with Pro-Tint has come from the sweat of his brow and the bold steps he’s taken over time to expand and diversify his business, located at 5605 10th Street, Great Bend.

“I was born and raised around farming and that led me to believe that if you are busy every minute of every day in any business, then you should make it,” said Achatz. “You can’t be at the golf course or the coffee shop half the day. You have to work for those opportunities.”

Pro-Tint began strictly as a window tinting business, first out of Achatz’ garage in Dorrance, and later as a Great Bend business at 19th and Washington. Achatz spent nearly a year tinting friends and family vehicles before he offered his service to the public.

“Some cars I did every window three times before I got it exactly right,” said Achatz. “I was picky, and that’s how I got where I’m at. If it was dirty, or if I felt there was anything else wrong with the quality, then I took it back off and re-did it.”

Still, Achatz proceeded conservatively in building his business. Once healthy again, he worked in the oil field through two winters during Pro-Tint’s early years, doing window tinting at night and on weekends.

After three years of steady business, Achatz ventured into selling truck and SUV accessories, which led to installing and servicing those products. He continues serving as a distributor for Eclipse Sun Shades, the initial product he began selling 17 years ago. But most of Pro-Tint’s area business stems from Achatz’ venture into selling running boards for pick-ups and SUVs. That led to Pro-Tint providing full rig-ups for those vehicles. It now sells and services grill guards, bug shields, windows, car alarms, exhaust systems, bumpers, bed liners, roll tops, toppers and other accessories.

After operating for six years at its original Great Bend location, Achatz purchased the current building that houses Pro-Tint and expanded the facility. Today the business operates with 5,200 square feet of space that holds five bays, two lifts, a paint booth, a wash bay and an enclosed tinting bay. Achatz went from being the only employee 20 years ago to now operating with five other employees.

“We are a service shop,” explained Achatz. “That’s what sets us apart and keeps us busy. There are a lot of places you can go get windshields or other products, but we do it from one end of the vehicle to the other, including product and service for oil field and farming vehicles.”

To keep pace with demand, Pro-Tint is moving away from tinting car windows, but still provides that service to trucks and SUVs. It also details those larger vehicles and even cleans tractors. New products for the business included heated wiper blades and now Pro-Tint is selling storage buildings that sit curbside in front of the business.
 
“It’s just a matter of being open every day and trying stuff I guess,” said Achatz, about the continual morphing of his business. “We’ve been blessed that most things have worked for us.”

Regardless of the varied stages of products and services, Achatz keeps one business philosophy in focus for Pro-Tint.  
   
“I operate as though my door is always open because it really is,” explained Achatz. “I’m here everyday; it’s a small town; and I’m picky anyway, so I want to do the job right. There are a few times you have to say no-go, but very few times does that happen.”

Like any business, Pro-Tint has experienced ups and downs. Seven years ago, business volume dropped considerably, but it has made a steady comeback ever since, and Achatz said Pro-Tint is now busier than ever.

“I’ve been grouchy and discouraged at times,” admitted Achatz. “I’ve come out at 4 in the morning and sprayed bed liners by myself and worked till 8 at night because we were shorthanded. That’s what I had to do to keep the volume up and business moving.

“We always make it some how. “We just dig a little deeper and work a little harder.”