Ziebart Launches Gold Shield Protection Program for Car Dealerships
The nationwide vehicle protection program enables dealerships to apply select Ziebart protection services in-house…
Ziebart has launched its new Gold Shield Protection Program, a nationwide initiative designed to help car dealerships offer Ziebart’s protection products directly to customers.
Through the program, dealerships can offer services such as fabric protection, leather conditioning and paint protection using Ziebart products applied on-site by their dealership teams once trained by Ziebart. Certain services, including window tint and rust protection, remain exclusive to Ziebart locations, company officials stated in a press release.
“This program represents a natural evolution of how Ziebart has worked with dealerships for decades,” said Thomas A. Wolfe, president & chief executive officer of Ziebart. “As we look ahead in 2026, new developments and strategic partnerships are a major focus for the brand. The Gold Shield Protection Program allows us to meet dealers where they are by offering flexibility, trusted products, and a new way to deliver long-term value to both the dealerships and vehicle owners.”
The new program formalizes and expands a dealer-focused model that has been successfully operating within select Ziebart franchise locations for years, including Indianapolis and Dayton, the company said. Now, Ziebart is making the program available to its entire franchise system and opening the door for dealerships across the country to integrate Ziebart-backed protection services directly into their operations.
Scaling a Proven Model Nationwide
Historically, many car dealers have partnered with nearby Ziebart locations by sending vehicles offsite for protection services before delivery, with ongoing maintenance routed back through Ziebart retail stores, noted the release. The new program allows dealerships to apply select Ziebart protection services in-house, supported by Ziebart’s products, training and systems.
“This isn’t new to Ziebart, it’s new to the industry at scale,” said Jason Theisen, vice president of U.S. franchise operations at Ziebart. “Franchisees in markets like Indianapolis and Dayton have been successfully running in-house dealer programs for years. What we’re doing now is taking a proven, franchisee-led model and making it available nationwide, giving dealers a smarter, more flexible way to offer protection products.”
Gold Shield Protection Program to Debut at NADA 2026
Ziebart will be attending the 2026 NADA Show, taking place Feb 3–6, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, to discuss the new Gold Shield Protection Program. The brand team will be on-site to meet with dealership owners, operators and finance leaders to discuss how the program can integrate into dealership operations nationwide.
“Our long-term vision is for this to become a standard option for dealerships everywhere,” added Theisen. “Whether there’s a Ziebart down the street or not, we want dealers to have access to our products, our expertise, and a program that helps them stand out in a competitive market; that’s the goal.”
Ziebart says the Gold Shield Protection Program is part of a broader push in 2026 focused on new developments and innovation across the Ziebart system.
