Industry Newsline

MOTIONS AND PROMOTIONS
Ed DiNicola, a 27-year car wash equipment sales veteran, has joined Howco as director of sales in Howco's newly acquired mid-Atlantic territory for Hanna equipment. DiNicola spent the last 10 years in a similar position in the same territory with Andretti Enterprises. Prior to that, he spent 17 years in car wash equipment sales with Sherman, predecessor of Hanna. DiNicola's duties include Hanna equipment sales in all of Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C., a section of Virginia, and eastern Pennsylvania. He will continue to live in Brookhaven, PA.

Howco also announced that Shawn Roberts, a nine-year veteran in the car wash industry, had joined the company in Charlotte, NC as a new equipment installation and service technician. Roberts was previously with Hanna Car Wash Systems in Portland, OR for six years as a service technician, service manager, order processor, and sales associate. He also worked in Hanna engineering. Prior to working with Hanna, Roberts was a multi-task employee at GEM equipment, where he was involved in manufacturing, assembling, and installation of car wash tunnel systems.

UNITEC'S 20 YEARS IN CAR WASHING
Unitec Electronics is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the car wash industry. The company was founded in 1983 by an electrical engineer and a car wash distributor who joined forces to develop the first
discreet code entry-system for the car wash market. From a basement workshop, the two partners designed, produced and marketed their "Touch 'N' Go" system, engineered to prevent the costly abuse inherent in the then current "code-of-the-day" system. Unitec was incorporated in 1985 and was in full production in their first "true" commercial manufacturing facility by 1987.

By 1992, Unitec was securely positioned at the forefront of technology in the petroleum car wash market, working closely with petroleum companies to develop the UNI-CAM(r) interface software that allows customers to purchase car washes at the gas pump, in the c-store or at the car wash entrance. By providing multiple points of sale, UNI-CAM generated greater sales and increased profits for site owners. From there, the company went on to manufacturer Enterlink(r), its first automatic car wash entry system.

Today, Unitec designs and manufacturers car wash entry systems and bill changers for all segments of the car wash market.

50 YEARS FOR JOHN JURKENS
This year, John Jurkens is celebrating his 50th year in the car washing business. During this time, he has bought, renovated, built and sold over 30 car washes. At one time, he operated the largest group of car washes in the country.

He currently spends much of his time tweaking the wash formulas, striving for that perfect mix. Many of his family members have followed him into the car wash business - two sons, one daughter and a son-in-law.

He opened his first car wash in Rock Island, IL and expanded from there to primarily the Southwest. John Jurkens currently resides in Albuquerque, NM where he and his family own and operate five Octopus Car Wash locations.

EXPANDED NOZZLE WEB SITE
AllSpray.com, a US manufacturer of industrial spray nozzles and accessories that sells its product line exclusively through its web site, has introduced an expanded product line. The site now features flat spray, solid stream and spiral full, and hollow cone nozzles in a wider range of pipe sizes and capacities for use in washing, cooling, coating and dust control applications.

In addition to featuring new products, AllSpray.com now includes an expanded technical reference section. To assist with the specification process, site visitors can access "Tips for Selecting the Right Material and Extending Nozzle Life" and "A Guide to Spray Nozzle Technology." Both publications are filled with helpful information on flow rate, drop size, impact, spray distribution, and more to help ensure excellent nozzle performance and long operating life. Also available in the Technical Reference Section is a competitive cross-reference table to help visitors determine which AllSpray nozzles offer comparable performance to nozzles they may be using now.

HOWCO ASSUMES ANDRETTI'S HANNA TERRITORY
Charlotte, NC-based Howco Inc., distributor of car wash equipment and supplies and consultant to the car wash industry, has assumed the mid-Atlantic territory for distributing and servicing Hanna Car Wash systems from Andretti Enterprises. Andretti Enterprises, owned by legendary racecar driver Mario Andretti and his son Michael, has served the mid-Atlantic territory for Hanna since 1985. The transfer of territory to Howco was effective April 21, 2003. Andretti Enterprises decided to shift its focus to other enterprises and holdings.

Howco Inc. has represented Hanna in its southeastern territory (which includes all of Virginia and the Carolinas and contiguous parts of Georgia, Tennessee, and West Virginia) since 1969. Howco's newly assumed mid-Atlantic territory includes all of Maryland, Delaware and Washington D.C., and Eastern Pennsylvania.

EPA HONORS WCA
During an April 22, 2003 Earth Day Ceremony held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 in San Francisco, the Western Carwash Association was among 44 western organizations and individuals recognized for their efforts to protect and preserve the environment in 2002. The EPA Region 9 Environmental Awards program acknowledges commitment and significant contributions to the environment in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and tribal lands. The winners were selected from over 200 nominees received this year from businesses, media, local, state and federal government officials, tribes, environmental organizations and citizen activists.

According to Sam Olivito, WCA executive director, WCA was among 14 Southern California organizations to be recognized for their environmental preservation efforts. "This is the second time WCA has been recognized for it's continual environmental efforts," said Olivito. "This time, as in 2001, when we were honored with the San Francisco East Bay Municipal Utility District Pollution Prevention Award, we are being recognized for WCA's demonstration of positive pollution prevention for our charity car wash program.

"The Western Carwash Association has helped save millions of gallons of contaminated water from flowing into storm drains every year by encouraging community groups and non-profit organizations to hold their charity car washes at a professional car wash instead of parking lots or school driveways," said Olivito. "Most charity groups don't realize that when they hold a [parking lot] fund-raising car wash, they are actually harming the environment."

DRB, MERCURY ALLY
DRB Systems recently integrated its SiteWatch Cash Register System to Mercury Payment Systems' platform, resulting in its latest offering, Instant Credit Card Clearing. Instant Card Clearing now enables car wash businesses to process credit cards in 2 to 3 seconds versus the standard 17 to 18 seconds. "In the car wash business, efficiency and productivity are critical to making a profit," says Kenneth D. Brott, vice president of marketing at DRB Systems. "Mercury Payment Systems has helped us offer SiteWatch users a time-saving solution to increase car throughput, reduce lines and costly cashier errors, and significantly improve customer satisfaction."

DILLING-HARRIS DISTRIBUTOR TRIP
A week-long trip for distributors of Dilling-Harris Inc. products was held recently at the Hotel Xcaret, Riviera Maya, Cancun, Mexico. It was the 20th such trip sponsored by the Dallas-based manufacturer of car wash equipment. Seventy-seven individuals earned participation in the trip because of their outstanding sales records in 2002. A similar incentive campaign for sales in the year 2003 is expected to be announced soon.