Newsline

ICS DOUBLY HONORED

The International Carwash Association presented Innovative Control Systems, Inc. of Nazareth, PA with the 2004 Leadership in Innovation Award at the 2004 Car Care World Expo, held in Las Vegas April 29 through May 1. This award honors innovative products, services, or procedures within the industry.

Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, along with Lehigh University and the State of Pennsylvania, presented their Product Innovation Award to Innovative Control Systems, at the Innovation Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 11, 2004, in Bethlehem, PA. This award is presented to the company that best demonstrates the commercialization of a unique, innovative product that creatively and effectively meets a market need.

MOTIONS AND PROMOTIONS

Hanna Car Wash Systems International, LLC has announced the appointment of Jack Johnson as quality assurance manager and Ted Ceckiewics as technical writer. Johnson works with the development and documentation of Hanna's processes, procedures, and quality issues. In addition, he handles the company's warranty policies. Johnson has an AA degree in electronics and is currently working towards his BS degree in management.

Ceckiewics is responsible for updating all of Hanna's existing installation and operating manuals, as well as creating manuals for new products. He has 20 years of experience working for manufacturing, hi-tech, and service companies, and he has extensive training and technical writing experience. He has a BA degree in journalism and public relations and an AAS degree in computer network administration.

JE ADAMS COOLS IT

Along with being a pioneer in the car wash industry, JE Adams Industries also engineers and manufactures the Aqua Breeze line of cooling fans.

The pictures to the right are of fans cooling troops in an outdoor break area in the desert of Afghanistan. The fans are moved around the camp to cool various events. The Afghan climate is similar to an
Arizona summer with relatively low humidity and temperatures that can soar to between 110° F and 120° F in the shade. With the added use of evaporative cooling, the fans can reduce the ambient temperature up to 25° F, depending on the conditions. This brings some much-needed relief for troops who must dress in standard US military attire. Everyday military uniforms consist of heavy cotton pants and long shirts, flak vest (weighing 6 to 7 pounds), Kevlar helmet (weighing 3.5 pounds) and heavy-duty boots - a lot to carry around in 120° F heat!

The employees of JE Adams Industries are proud to be able to manufacture a product that can give our troops some relief from the heat while away from home. For more information on the Aqua Breeze Cooling Systems (wall mount or portable) you can visit www.jeadams.com on the web or call Jack Adams at (480) 419-7858.

WASHUSA THRIVES AT ICA SHOW

WashUSA benefited from the record-breaking Car Care World Expo held in Las Vegas April 29 through May 1, 2004. The International Carwash Association's annual event added to the momentum that WashUSA, the one-day fundraiser to benefit The Make-A-Wish Foundation(r) of America, is experiencing, according to WashUSA founder Mark Curtis.

A goal of the WashUSA committee this year is to secure participation from all 50 states, according to Curtis. "Several new car wash operators joined the 750+ who are already signed up for the September 18 event," he said. "We are extremely excited to add an operator from Alaska, Robin Chaffin of DirtBlasters in Chugiak, who signed up at the ICA show," he said. "They represent our 45th state," said Curtis.

In separate announcements, WashUSA welcomed Northville, MI-based Belanger Inc. as Gold Sponsor and the return as Gold Sponsor of Sonny's Enterprises Inc. of Tamarac, FL.

For more information about WashUSA, visit www.washesforwishes.org or contact Mark Curtis, event founder and spokesperson, at (888) WASHUSA or Suzanne Stansbury, trade media manager, at (518) 877-6779 or e-mail her at media.solutions@verizon.net.

BUTLER CAPITAL'S ALLIANCE WITH MITSUI

Hunt Valley, MD-based Butler Capital, a national equipment financing and leasing firm, has formed a strategic alliance with Mitsui & Co. (USA), Inc. (Mitsui USA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., Ltd. of Japan.

Under terms of the agreement, Mitsui USA has invested in the 27-year-old financial services company which provides financing and equipment leasing for businesses nationwide and has special expertise in the convenience store, gasoline, car care, dry cleaning, commercial laundry, and franchise markets.
According to Lawrence J. Butler, founder and president of Butler Capital, who retains sole ownership of the firm, "Our alliance with Mitsui USA enhances Butler Capital's already strong capacity and capital and opens opportunities for Butler to provide services to Mitsui USA's numerous subsidiaries, affiliates and customers." At present, Butler Capital employs nearly three dozen staff members at its Maryland headquarters and in sales offices in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Colorado, and Kentucky.

CSI WINS PATENT

Cleaning Systems Inc. of De Pere, WI has been granted a US patent for the unique technology utilized
in its Lustra(tm) low-pH presoak, TheAnswer(r). The micro-emulsion-based technology used in this product allows it to be the industry's first effective, non-corrosive low-pH product.

This technology was part of a presentation by one of CSI's senior chemists, Vladimir Chernin, at the World Surfactant Congress in Germany this past June - a first for a US car wash chemist.

VIOC NAMES OIL-LYMPICS WINNERS

Valvoline Instant Oil Change (VIOC) held its 2004 National Oil-Lympics Championships on Saturday, May 15 at the company's service center in Georgetown, KY. The team from Rochester, NY emerged as the national champs and earned the coveted distinction as "America's Best Oil Change Team."
The National Oil-Lympics Competition is the only one of its kind in the US automotive service industry. "This event epitomizes what our system is all about: a combination of precision, speed, and accuracy that has set a standard for customer service that's unrivaled in the industry," said John Q. Wesley, president of VIOC.

The national competition is comprised of the top 10 corporate and franchisee teams from the company's 750-plus centers across the country. Each team competes for the title of "America's Best Oil Change Team." Teams from all VIOC locations are eligible to compete at the local, regional and, eventually, national levels. The competition emphasizes precision with a panel of 14 judges rating the teams on 123 criteria under a 20-minute time limit.

The winning team from Rochester poses with VIOC executives: from left to right: VIOC President John Wesley, team members Tom Button, Andre Carson, and Jeff Buscemi, Valvoline president Sam Mitchell, VIOC Region 2 regional marketing manager Sandy Haynes, VIOC Region 2 area manager Kevin Gammel, VIOC organization effectiveness manager Brian Madonna, and VIOC Region 2 area manager Dave Furcolow.