This week, we cover a company milestone for DRB Systems, a new hire, new openings and construction.

DRB Systems announces shipment of 10 millionth FastPass® Tag

AKRON, Ohio — DRB Systems has announced the shipment of its 10 millionth FastPass Tag to Zips Car Wash, according to a press release.

To celebrate this milestone, Zips awarded customer Myra Cuthbertsen a free, unlimited wash pass for a year, the release continued.

The event took place during the grand opening weekend at Zips Car Wash in Clemmons, North Carolina, the release concluded.

ITW Evercoat announces James Cooley as US sales director

CINCINNATI — ITW Evercoat has announced James Cooley will join the company as director of U.S. sales, according to a press release.

In this role, Cooley will be responsible for strategically leading the U.S. sales organization for the Evercoat® brand of collision repair products and the Auto Magic® brand of professional car care products, the release continued.

“We are very pleased that James has joined ITW Evercoat,” said Steve Levine, vice president and general manager of ITW Evercoat. “During his career, James has demonstrated sales excellence through his collaborative approach with customers. He will be an asset to us as he leads our U.S. team of sales professionals who are focused on being strategic partners with our customers.”

New visitor information kiosk opens at The CAR WASH on Hamlin Hwy.

HAMLIN, Pa. — The Chamber of the Northern Poconos announced the official opening of its new outdoor visitor information kiosk on May 25th, according to a press release.

The Chamber partnered with Dave Edwards of The Car, Dog & Boat Wash at 1126 Hamlin Hwy., Route 590, to create an area outdoors for visitors and residents to take brochures, maps and guides of the Northern Pocono Mountains, the release continued.

A mural of the lake region was created by local artists Melissa DeChellis and Lori Ryan, the release noted, and the brochures are displayed under a beautiful canvas awning.

New carwashes coming to Springfield, Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — According to www.sj-r.com, brothers Jeremy and Jeffrey Schoenherr, who previously operated chain and roller washes at the Jiffi Stop convenience store until 2016, are set to open On-Track Car Wash, a high-end tunnel carwash, later this month.

“The tunnel carwash industry is really taking off,” Jeremy Schoenherr said. “I think that it’s a thing a lot of people enjoy, being able to wash their car in a nice, clean building rather than a rollover unit where it takes a long time.”

On-Track is one of three carwashes that applied for a building permit in Springfield since January, the article continued, the other two being Rainstorm Car Wash and Aquamarine Car Wash; they will join the nearly two dozen carwashes already in operation around Springfield.

“We knew the market, we knew the area, we had a lot of employees in the area and kind of knew the customer base,” Schoenherr said. “We felt like this was a good pocket of Springfield that was kind of underserved with an express-type model of carwash.”

On-Track is using a design model from Tommy Car Wash Systems, and not including land costs, it has taken between an estimated $2 to $3.5 million to build, the article added.

Rainstorm Car Wash has taken aggressive action in its expansion and is currently in the process of opening its third Springfield location after recently expanding to its first non-Illinois market in Lexington, Kentucky, the article noted.

“It just not a national thing yet, but I think in the next five years, that will change,” said Tim Hooker, regional manager for Rainstorm. “That’s what we’re trying to push for. We want to be like the Starbucks of carwashes. We want to be everywhere.”

Instead of building washes one or two at a time, Rainstorm is now building them three at a time, the article noted.

In addition, Rainstorm notes that about 70 percent of its customers purchase one of the company’s monthly subscription plans, the article stated.

“People like having the Fast Pass, RFID tag experience,” Hooker said. “Right now, if you’re going to open a tunnel like this, you almost have to have that. The customers are used to that and that’s kind of the bar.”

Schoenherr stated that On-Track will offer two monthly plans at $19.99 and $29.99, the article noted.

Both new carwashes will also offer free vacuums, the article added.

Schoenherr said that the design and features of On-Track are meant to enhance the customer experience, the article noted, and one example he gave is having the opportunity to personalize the payment experience.

“We will have a pay window here,” Schoenherr said. “Any other carwash you go through just has maybe the terminals out there that you can drive up to and put your credit card in. Here, you can actually have a face-to-face interaction with an employee.”

On-Track is expected to open in the next few weeks, and the new Rainstorm location will open in the next two months, the article concluded.

Shine Factory Express Car Wash due to open

GREENVILLE, N.C. — According to www.reflector.com, the Shine Factory Express Car Wash is under construction and is due to open in September.

“This 4,000-square-foot building will have a 120-foot tunnel that cars will pass through to get their wash and wax done,” Construction Superintendent Emery DeLong said. “Customers will drive in and select the wash they want; everything from the bare basic to the cat’s meow. It will offer every kind of package a car owner could choose, including different levels of cleaning, a tire shine, extra wax, rain repellent and other options.”

The carwash will also offer free vacuums and other do-it-yourself detailing options, the article stated.

In addition, the carwash will offer an unlimited monthly wash pass, the article noted.

DeLong said they had hoped to complete the carwash in August but heavy rains in May pushed back the timeline to September, the article noted.

“When completed, this will be one of the premium express car washes in the area,” DeLong said.