Staff Reports
Continuing updates on the global car wash industry:
Pakistan continues efforts to mitigate devasting drought conditions
As drought conditions continue to threaten parts of Pakistan, the country’s government has taken proactive steps to try to limit the damage. Since September, the Punjab province has received 38 percent less rain than average.
The Environment Protection Agency issued an order limiting established car washes in Punjab to around 106 gallons of water per car. Now, the EPA has implemented a much harsher measure – a complete ban on the establishment of new car wash stations within the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Punjab.
Any violation is punishable by up to six months in jail and a potential fine.
Sudden landslide kills father, daughters at car wash in Turkey
A landslide in Samsun, northeastern Turkey, earlier this week killed a father and his two young daughters while they were washing their car at a car wash facility. The mother was severely injured.
According to The Bianet, an independent news agency based in Istanbul, the incident occurred in a service area on the Samsun-Ordu highway. Large rocks fell onto a car wash area following a sudden landslide.
A four-member family was caught under the debris while washing their car. The mother was rescued and taken to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The incident was caught on security camera here.
Loogman links EV charging with car wash rewards
Loogman Tanken & Wassen recently launched a new partnership with Travolta, a MultiTankcard subsidiary, to create a more seamless and rewarding experience for electric vehicle (EV) drivers who use its car wash services.
Through the partnership, customers who charge their EVs using the Travolta app at designated locations can automatically collect loyalty points for the Loogman Was app. These points can be redeemed for rewards such as free car washes and discounts on additional services.
The collaboration is now active in the Netherlands at locations in Amsterdam (where the service is fully integrated) and Aalsmeer (where the offer is available but without the option to combine charging and vacuuming).
ServiceMarket rolls out ‘Car Wash at Home’ service in Dubai
ServiceMarket, the UAE’s leading home services platform, has launched a new service “Car Wash at Home’ across Dubai. This latest addition to its portfolio of offerings enables residents to get their vehicles professionally cleaned right at their doorstep.
Customers can book a car wash in under a minute through the ServiceMarket website or mobile app. Once the booking is confirmed, a team of trained car cleaning professionals arrives at the chosen location and takes care of the rest.
The service offers a variety of packages for both interior and exterior cleaning as well as a subscription plan.
Wrong-way driver causes €58,000 damage to car wash in Ireland
A man borrowed his friend’s car and drove it the wrong way into a car wash, causing nearly €58,000 worth of damage.
According to a report in The Sunday World, the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court recently heard a case in which Evan Clarke drove the car in November 2019 without a license or insurance, crashed it after driving the wrong way into a Circle K car wash in Hartstown, Ireland. He eventually walked off and left the car stuck there.
Clarke pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage, one count of driving without insurance and one count of driving without a driver’s license. The judge adjourned sentencing until July 21.
New car wash facility planned for Athy, Kildare
The Kildare (Ireland) County Council recently granted planning permission for the construction of a car wash facility in Athy. The €100k facility, applied for by Washwell Forecourt Services Limited, is to be located at Mount Offaly, Carlow Road, Athy, Co Kildare.
According to Construction Information Services (CIS), a decision to grant planning permission for the project was issued April 29. The project includes the construction of a car wash facility, comprising of one automatic wash bay, two self-service bays, a covered canopy and service plant room.
The facility will also have three vacuum/valeting bays, public lighting and other ancillary site development works.
OTA orders illegal Namibia car wash to be torn down
A resident of the Ouhwaala village in the Omusati Region of Namibia, who was accused of having occupied a piece of land illegally, has demolished the car wash facilities he had erected after the Ombalantu Traditional Authority (OTA) ordered him to vacate it.
According to the Informanté news site, the car wash owner, Ambrosius Shiningayamwe, claimed that the land was legally allocated to him by the late village headman, Nestor Shapumba, but could not produce the necessary ownership papers.
Shiningayamwe was given an option to appeal the OTA’s decision but instead recruited several people to demolish the car wash structures.
Express Auto Wash president named to CCA Board of Directors
Express Auto Wash President Ayaaz Jamal has been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors for the Canadian Carwash Association (CCA), the national voice of the professional car wash industry in Canada.
Under his direction, Express Auto Wash has grown into one of British Columbia’s leading car wash brands, known for its advanced technology, customer-first service model, and sustainable operations.
“This is a tremendous honor and an exciting opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders across Canada,” Jamal said. “I’m looking forward to contributing to the continued growth, innovation, and professional excellence of Canada’s car wash sector.”
Istobal reports €175 million revenue and strong profit margins
Istobal, a global supplier of car wash and vehicle care technology based in Spain, closed the year with €175 million in revenue and stronger margins across key markets.
Net profit reached €9 million, while operating cash flow (EBITDA) topped €17 million – nearly 10 percent of total sales and almost double last year’s level. The company, which is marking its 75th anniversary this year, said international growth and rising demand for services and consumables have been key performance drivers.
Istobal has recently added new subsidiaries in Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands and now has 16 international branches and 70 percent of its production exported.
CarBax unveils redesigned wash center in Krškany, Slovakia
CarBax, a Slovakian company that mainly specializes in stainless steel car wash equipment, has opened a modernized car wash facility in Krškany. The site features a new 3D fascia, illuminated signage, and user-friendly bay navigation. The upgrades aim to improve the overall customer experience, both day and night.
Among the new features: an elegant new design with illuminated CarBax logo; highly visible, modern open-air bays; improved intuitive navigation with lighted bay indicators; and enhanced user-friendly control panels for every wash program.
CarBax, based in Nitra, is made up of three divisions folded into one. There is CarBax Car Wash Technology, CarBax Chemical and CarBax Car Wash.
Elite Car Spa secures HQ for United Kingdom expansion
A Cheltenham-based car detailing company, Elite Car Spa, is moving forward its franchising growth plans after securing a £455,000 funding deal to purchase its business headquarters in the town.
Elite, with capital from Reward Funding, nationwide provider which helps fund entrepreneurs, property investors and businesses, acquired the purpose-designed property on Tewkesbury Road and laid the foundation to franchise its business model across the U.K.
Elite Car Spa was launched in 2023 and provides meticulous car detailing services for high-performance, luxury supercars ranging from Aston Martin and Bentley to Lamborghini and Bugatti, via exclusive partnerships with local dealerships.
Car wash raids in Coventry, England, lead to one person detained
Police and immigration checks were recently made at car washes across Coventry, a city in West Midlands, England. They were staged at number of premises in Lockhurst Lane, Stoney Stanton Road and Foleshill Road.
Most of the checks led to no issues. However, one man was detained for not having a work permit. In a separate incident, the Hillfields neighborhood team arrested a man after he was found in possession of suspected Class A drugs.
Trading Standards teams also visited second-hand shops in the city – to ensure appropriate checks are in place to avoid buying and selling stolen goods.
Willy Wash in Boutersem (Belgium) becomes Niagara Carwash
Niagara Carwash has taken over the Willy Wash location in Boutersem, a municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant.
While the site remains open, Niagara Carwash is investing in a complete renovation of the site with state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facilities that will also provide faster and more efficient service.
There will be a completely new car wash, four new wash bays, additional wash program options and covered vacuum areas. The site will also invest in an updated water recovery system to ensure the best water quality.
Mildenhall car wash owner fined £180,000 for illegal workers
A hand car wash owner has been fined £180,000 and banned as a company director for seven years after employing four illegal workers.
Vittorio Dragoti, 28, of Mildenhall, a town in Suffolk, England, hired workers from Romania at the Fiveways Car Wash. The workers were discovered when immigration enforcement officials visited the car wash last year, according to the Insolvency Service. Officials found the Romanian men, aged between 18 and 49, with no right to work in the United Kingdom.
Dragoti is prevented from becoming involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of a court.
The car wash service market in India expected to see significant growth
The India car wash service market is growing fast and expanding its reach, according to a recent study by the IMARC Group.
This growth comes from people having more money to spend, a bigger middle class, and better understanding of how to take care of cars. Another trend is toward green car wash methods which a growing care for the environment and issues about a lack of water in some areas.
According to the study, the India car wash service market reached $1.11 billion in 2024 and is expected to increase to $1.87 billion in 2033 with a compound annual growth rate of 5.95 percent between 2025 and 2033.
