Features

When I greet an operator for the first time, I always ask two introductory questions:

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The majority of car washes operating in North America today use in-bay automatics (IBA) as their main source for generating revenue. The investment required to install an IBA can be considerable, depending on the location and... »

It’s taken roughly 10 years for Lotus-Effect paint to go from laboratory scale and proof-of-concept to future commercialization with Nissan introducing its prototype “Leaf” model with self-cleaning paint. »

The Anthony family en-tered the car wash business with dreams of wheel barrows full of quarters being lugged to the cashier’s window every week. Although the mountains of coins didn’t materialize quite as quickly as planned,... »

Providing a spot-free rinse cycle in a car wash typically involves the installation of a reverse osmosis system (RO). The RO is designed to minimize total dissolved solids (TDS) from the feed stream. Dissolved solids can come... »

Many detail businesses today are finding it difficult to maintain a reasonable profit. Costs are increasing for equipment, chemicals, and supplies, as well as environmental issues relating to collection and disposal of... »

Savannah Car Wash has been serving the city of Savannah, Georgia, for nearly two decades and is considered the city’s most popular and successful car wash operation. First opened in the mid-1990s, the primary goal of Savannah Car... »

In January, California Governor Jerry Brown, declared the state’s drought situation as an emergency. By doing so, the governor acknowledged the dire conditions as the Golden State struggles with the least amount of rainfall in... »

The NRCC’s silver anniversary will not soon be forgotten. Nearly 1,400 attendees gathered to celebrate the 25th annual event held at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, NJ and were treated to a host of educational opportunities... »

Chip cards and new wireless payment methods are coming soon. Will you be ready? »

Last month I wrote about a Midwest dealership’s detail shop for which I was asked to provide training and consultation. They were struggling in many of the areas that are typical for such an operation. »

As the years begin to mount, even the most devoted detailers begin to lose enthusiasm for their work. Not Michael Pena. Despite 30 years in the retail trenches, the detail veteran is more committed than ever and still gets joy... »

What can lead to a slow and steady, or sudden and unexpected, loss of business that is not weather-related? »

After a run of 33 years, the Western Car Wash Show comes to an end as a separate event. Beginning in 2015, the show will be folded into The Car Wash Show, which is presented annually by the International Carwash Association. »

In last month’s issue of Auto Laundry News, we discussed five security issues, each of which can contribute to the creation of a safer, more secure self-service wash: »