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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.
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