Design and technology are crossing paths in the car wash industry…

A principal of design is – If we can use smaller real estate properties and less construction materials, than we can build new and profitable washes in today’s economy. Today’s technology allows us to formulate and manufacture effective, ultra concentrated chemical solutions, as well as small and efficient metering equipment.

Everywhere you look lately there are advertisements to “go small”. Car wash equipment manufacturers are touting shorter and shorter tunnel designs all the time. It does make sense, right? Of course it does… As the economic landscape has changed, many businesses have had to find better and more efficient ways to grow revenues with less expense. One of the first areas of expense a new or expanding company encounters is the capital investment, or the cost of “building a building”. The car wash industry is no different. It is essential that new and growing owner/operators find ways to reduce the overall cost of new projects (that means both the land and the building), and still generate revenues that will equate to profitability. The design side of the equation calls for smaller properties (lower land costs), smaller buildings (lower material costs), and faster equipment (meeting minimum volume requirements). Does that sound good?

This is not a one-way street, however, you can’t change design without consulting technology. Every good businessperson knows a new design idea isn’t good if you don’t have the technology to support it. Along with smaller facilities and faster speeds comes the need for little packages and better chemistry. Don’t worry, the technology teams in the car wash industry have stayed on top of this one.

In addition to those ever-shorter-tunnel advertisements, you have also likely noticed the ads for ultra concentrated chemicals and the types of pumping/metering systems that will best support them. Scientific advancements by the industry’s leading companies have resulted in ultra concentrated chemicals in gallon bottles that produce the car wash performance results you need to satisfy consumers and build a successful business base. No more big drums required. Suppliers now can support a wash’s chemical needs using only a small fraction of the space traditionally needed. Today you have options that allow you to build a small facility, with a small back room, and use the savings to fund other areas of your business. A few of these leading companies also have the pumping and metering systems that go hand-in-hand with these new facilities and products. Last month’s article, “What’s in a drop?”, looked at this topic in some detail so we won’t go into again. Rest assured, however, if you do a little checking you will find the solutions and systems that allow you to take your next projects “small”…

Is bigger always better? “Bigger profits” that result when design and technology cross paths…

Good Washing!

For more information go to LustraBear.com.