Belt conveyors are the future for the car wash industry. You are either one of the people who is excited about that or you want to fight it. There seems to be no middle ground in this argument.  

For the past decade or so as the express tunnel gained footing and then began to dominate the car wash world many of my self-service customers complained to me about these changes. At first, I heard "The customer is getting Lazy"; then "Those machines will never wash as good as doing it yourself at a self-service"; followed by "Those things are so expensive – they'll never make money"; and finally, "Have you seen how much damage those things do to cars!?"Now 10 years later I'm hearing "How can I compete with free vacuums?", "Those damn things are everywhere – how do I compete!?"  

The emergence of conveyors in the car washing industry has evolved over the past five years. The days of chains and pulleys are over due to technology advances and better customer experience expectations.

The next five years will be even more of a convergence of conveyors. Lawrence Stovall, President, AutoBrite™ was recently interviewed by Rich DiPalo, author and Associate Publisher at Car Wash & Detail Magazine regarding the history and future trends in car wash conveying. 

Professional Car Wash & Detail Magazine released today their April 2022 issue to include an article written by Lawrence Stovall, President AutoBrite™ Company. The story is titled, "Adapting To Price Increases" talks about the causes, concerns and customer service during these times of supply chain issues and rising costs caused by the pandemic and world affairs. The story reflects the necessity to work together by enhancing existing relationships or developing strategic partnerships during these unusual times. 

The full story can be read on the publication's website:

For any questions about the article, contact AutoBrite™.

Professional Car Wash & Detailing Magazine minced no words in their published article, "Making The Belt Conveyor Change." Modern technologically advanced belt conveyors are not anything like their old school predecessors. Today's belt conveyors are allow for faster load times thereby increasing revenue, have wider belts to accommodate more vehicle types and less moving parts that minimize downtime and maintenance as well as increase safety. 

I'm getting the calls again…………………"How in the hell can you raise the price of your soap!?""Your prices have become ridiculous; I'm going somewhere else!?""You ^&*(%$#>!, you're &*^%$ing me!"

Yes, we are in inflationary times again, …. Hello! … anyone remember 2008!It's been a long, long time but now we're here again.

I always ask the customers when I get these calls to name one thing that hasn't gone up in the last six months? ……. Crickets………, The last 12 months? …… Cicadas………. How about the last two years?Deafening silence.

I remind them that the last 12 years have been stable for most car wash products in the market. In fact, the only two major things that went up substantially in the last dozen or so years has been the price of water and electricity.

"Well, I don't know what I can do about it." Most of them say to me. My response – "Raise your prices too."

That's the dilemma, the conundrum, the proverbial Gordian Knot of the self-service owner but let's take a good look at this "self-imposed" dilemma. 

In the self-service car wash world, the "Old Guard" is changing to the next generation of self-service owner/operators. The next generation, while eager to enter the business, sometimes find themselves frustrated and angry because it's just not as easy and profitable as they thought. They look at cash flows and CAP rates, but don't really realize the labor and dedication the previous owner put in to achieve those goals. If you are thinking about getting into the self-service car wash business, this blog is written to give you The Good, The Bad and The Ugly surrounding this industry. But let's do it in reverse order. 

The country is slowly opening up and while it is not quite a post-pandemic world, we are starting to make important decisions for our families and businesses. Getting back to a new normal is necessary in the healing process and as our world finds ways to cope with the transition, it is of paramount importance that we evolve with our future business models. Needless to say, automation and minimal contact transactions are more appealing and provide customer peace of mind. 

When people go through a modern-day car wash, they want two things, one - a clean, dry car and two - a safe experience without scratching or damaging their vehicle in any way. All of the other bells and whistles are nice, but not as important as the safety features. Quality products and excellent customer service is also expected with every wash package. Car wash systems have come a long way and the technology and materials continue to evolve to provide the ultimate wash experience.

To understand why car washes, use different metals and materials and their importance, this blog will explore the different characteristics of steel and stainless steel and its relevance to the car wash industry, as well as the newest and greatest technology in car wash systems. 

Right In Your Backyard

Deep in the heart of Texas, you will find bluebonnets, good BBQ and some favorite breweries, but did you know that right in your backyard is a local manufacturer for car washing products and equipment? Perfecting their car wash solutions for more than 55 years, AutoBrite has been your local cleaning solutions expert. Focused research and development, coupled with superior customer service and quality products, has given AutoBrite the edge to be an industry leader, proudly serving Texas and the surrounding United States.

• Manufactured in Texas
• Quickly Shipped Out Products Across the U.S.
• Formulated for All Professional Car Washes
• Non-Corrosive and Non-Abrasive
• Backed by Our Service and Support