This week, we cover a new hire for GO Car Wash, a website redesign, an agreement and new carwash construction.

GO Car Wash hires Heath Pomerantz as vice president of field operations

PHOENIX — GO Car Wash, an express carwash platform, has hired Heath Pomerantz as vice president of field operations, strengthening its executive team with another leader with decades of carwash experience, according to a press release.

“Heath brings a tremendous depth of knowledge from his 26 years in the carwash business,” said Darren Skarecky, CEO of GO Car Wash. “He is the perfect leader to manage the performance of all our locations and teammates across the country.”

The Florida native began learning the business from his earliest years, the release stated.

“When I was about six years old, my dad and his business partner built a carwash in Ft. Lauderdale,” said Pomerantz. “I literally grew up in the carwash business, which prepared me for the many roles I have had in the industry, most recently as a director at Sonny’s Diamond Shine.”

“We continue to add to our executive team with carwash operators and industry executives, and we’re planning to build on that quickly as we rapidly expand,” said Skarecky. “Having this deep industry expertise gives us a foundation centered around great people to build a world- class carwash company.”

Belanger launches new website to serve as brand’s digital hub under OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions

NORTHVILLE, Mich. — Belanger has introduced a completely redesigned and improved website that’s located at belangerinc.com, according to a press release.

The new mobile-responsive site was developed to provide customers with a more user-friendly design that allows easy access to critical technical resources as well as helpful educational materials, the release continued.

The new site also aligns the Belanger brand with the image standards of the newly formed OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions business unit, the release noted.

“Creating one effective eco-system for carwash solutions is a contributing factor to the success of our new vehicle wash brand,” said Gary Campbell, general manager for OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions, which includes Belanger and PDQ. “A new Belanger site that provides the same intuitive experience as our other OPW business unit pages is a major step in improving purchasing, service and education for our vehicle wash customers.”

Aside from new branding and an updated design, the Belanger website houses an expansive resource library of technical guides, product literature and helpful videos for distributors to deepen their knowledge of the products and enhance customer support, the release added.

To expedite and simplify the user journey, the release stated, the site also features these user experience improvements:

• Improved navigation featuring a more intuitive menu system
• Improved search functionality to make narrowing down and finding relevant results easier
• Cleaner layout that puts key content first and guides users to their desired destination in fewer clicks.

Experience the new Belanger website at belangerinc.com, and learn more about OPW VWS at opwvws.com.

UNITI expo and Onexpo sign cooperation agreement

BERLIN — UNITI expo and Onexpo Nacional, A. C., Mexico’s largest association of fuel retailers, have signed a cooperation agreement to strengthen ties between both entities, according to a press release.

The agreement seeks to bring the fueling industry in Mexico and Europe closer together, benefiting companies at either side of the Atlantic, the release continued.

The recent opening of Mexico’s fuel retail market provides a wide range of opportunities for international retailers and equipment suppliers, while the dynamics of the European market continuously provide business opportunities for new and foreign players, the release stated.

Part of the agreement looks to build a platform for companies from both areas of the world to explore synergies, discover new technologies and encourage future partnerships, the release noted.

The first steps of the cooperation will see representatives from UNITI expovisit Onexpo 2019 Convention & Expo, June 5-7 in Veracruz, the most important trade fair for the fueling industry in Mexico, the release added.

A delegation of Mexican professionals will be invited to UNITI expo 2020, taking place May 26-28, 2020, in Stuttgart, Germany, to explore the latest solutions and services the industry has to offer, the release stated.

“We are very happy to announce this new cooperation agreement with Onexpo,” said Bruno Boroewitsch, co-organizer of UNITI expo. “Our industry has become truly global, and this agreement will benefit suppliers and retailers in Mexico and Europe. The Mexican market is currently going through a fascinating stage with national and international players competing for the recently opened market.”

“At Onexpo, we now conjugate the verb ‘innovate’ at petrol stations in more languages,” said Roberto Díaz de León, president of Onexpo. “With our participation in the most important trade fair in Europe, UNITI expo, in May of next year, we accelerate the process of improving value propositions by Mexican fuel retail companies, [who] are going through a historic moment in our industry. So, learning and capitalizing on experiences will be very important for our market.

Rainstorm Car Wash breaking ground on new location

WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio — According to www.journal-news.com, Rainstorm Car Wash is planning to construct a new location at 7876 Tylersville Rd.

Jeff Justice, part of the Rainstorm development team, said they expect to have the business constructed and open by mid to late September, and at the grand opening, those who sign up for the Fast Pass monthly program will get a free wash, the article continued.

Plans range from $18 to $36 per month per vehicle, the article noted.

“At every site we have at least one person who is generally a retired gentleman who will run their car every day, rain or shine, to take advantage of our Fast Pass,” Justice said.

The location will also offer free vacuums with a free detail cart stocked with microfiber towels, all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner and bug cleaner, the article noted.

Rainstorm will also recycle 90% of its water and maintain the “highest standards when it comes to disposing waste,” the article added.

The West Chester location will be the company’s first location in Ohio, as Rainstorm has locations in Illinois and Kentucky, the article stated.

Additional locations in Cincinnati are under development, the article concluded.

Aqua Cville Hand Car Wash collaborating with local companies to open

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — According to www.dailyprogress.com, Jeff Kamrath, owner of Aqua Cville Hand Car Wash, will partner with local equipment distributor Washtech and local architectural and engineering firms to build a tunnel carwash in a 6,000-square-foot-building on Seminole Ln. and U.S. 29.

“It’s a perfect location for an express tunnel car wash because you can start on one side and go right through and out the other side,” Kamrath said. “The property has enough size to bring a lot of cars through. It has good traffic and we’re on the going-home side of the road. People like to be able to pull off to the right, wash the car on their way home and get back on the road as easy as possible, so if you can be on the going-home side of the road, it’s an advantage.”

Kamrath will install a belt conveyor in the tunnel as well as free self-serve vacuum stations, the article continued.

The carwash will be in the former Floors R Us building, the article noted.

“The location is unique in that it’s an existing building that was not previously a carwash,” said Washtech’s Jonathan Braun, who is working with Kamrath on the facility. “The biggest issue will be putting in the trench to hold the conveyor that will bring the cars through the wash tunnel.”

Braun said only about half the building will house the carwash, while the rest of it will be office space, the article noted.

“It gives us lots of challenges in some ways, but that’s good,” Braun said. “It’s going to be great for the community and it will look good.”

This location will be the direct opposite of its sister site, the hand wash Aqua Cville on Emmet St., the article added.

“Our hand-wash location has to close when it rains and the hours of business are restricted because it’s very detail-oriented and if the lighting isn’t good, you really can’t see the details,” Kamrath said. “It won’t be as labor intensive at the new location, either. We have probably a dozen employees at the hand-wash, because when you’re washing by hand, you need more people,” he said. “With the tunnel wash, we’ll need three people on site all of the time, so we’re looking at maybe six full-time jobs and three part-time.”