Market Focus: N1 Buying Group appoints new general manager - Professional Carwashing & Detailing

Market Focus: N1 Buying Group appoints new general manager

This week, we cover a new hire, an acquisition, a new website, trade show announcements and new carwash construction.

This week, we cover a new hire for N1 Buying Group, an acquisition, a new website, trade show announcements and new carwash construction.

Mark Clanton appointed N1 Buying Group general manager

CHICAGO — The N1 Buying Group will welcome Mark Clanton as its new general manager, effective May 12, 2019, according to a press release. 

Clanton, a 12-year carwash industry veteran, will be based out of his office in Topeka, Kansas, and will be leading the team working to support N1’s members and suppliers going forward, the release continued.

Before coming on-board with N1, Clanton spent the last five years at Zep Inc., serving as its Midwest U.S. and Western Canada distribution sales development manager, the release added. 

Prior to that, he spent seven years at Ecolab serving as its sales and service manager for Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, the release stated.

Ian Gray, executive director for N1 said, “We are very excited about having Mark join us to lead the team dedicated to the N1 Buying Group. He joins us at a very exciting time for N1 Buying Group. We have lots of new members and lots of new supplier partners that have just come on-board. Adding to the excitement, Mark’s first day on the job will be at one of N1’s supplier selection meetings where the suppliers wishing to work with N1 present to our members for their consideration.”

Clanton will be wearing his new colors at the N1 booth during The Car Wash Show 2019 in Nashville, the release concluded.

GO Car Wash announces its inaugural acquisition

GILBERT, Ariz. — GO Car Wash, a new express carwash platform, has acquired Travel Clean Express Car Wash in Overland Park, Kansas, and Lee’s Summit, Missouri, according to a press release.

Travel Clean is one of the original conveyorized express carwashes in the Kansas City market, the release continued.

The acquisition marks the inaugural acquisition for GO Car Wash, which was founded in early 2019, the release stated.

“GO Car Wash is excited to welcome Travel Clean’s carwashes into the GO Car Wash platform,” said Darren Skarecky, CEO of GO Car Wash. “Travel Clean’s owner, Spencer Gregg, is a pioneer in exterior express carwashes, and GO Car Wash will build on that strength. We intend to invest heavily in Kansas City, with plans to operate over 20 carwashes throughout the market. We are very pleased to begin that with Travel Clean and are excited about the other opportunities in the pipeline.”

“I could not have chosen a better group to partner with that will continue on with the legacy we have built,” said Spencer Gregg. “The GO Car Wash Team has been fantastic; I couldn’t be happier.”

GO Car Wash will deploy a multi-pronged growth strategy focused on acquisitions, partnerships and new site build-outs, the release concluded.

NCS announces new corporate website

GRIMES, Iowa — National Carwash Solutions (NCS) has announced the launch of the brand-new NCS website with an enhanced user experience and e-commerce capabilities at the forefront on this new site at NCSwash.com, according to a press release.

This new website showcases NCS’s full product portfolio and family of brands, including Ryko, MacNeil, CleanTouch, Vacutech, TSS, College of Clean and NCS Service, the release continued.

This new, sleek design provides a seamless user experience no matter what solution users are looking for, the release added.

According to the release, new site features include:

  • Responsive design
  • Enhanced search navigation
  • Full e-commerce capabilities
  • Find a partner
  • Brand and product solutions.

“We built this new website with our customers in mind first and foremost” David Miller, SVP Marketing for National Carwash Solutions “Our new website design is easier-to-use and will become the preferred content destination for our customers.  They will be able to access all of our brand’s products and services using a PC, tablet or mobile device with the same great user experience.”   

Check out these and other features when you visit www.NCSwash.com

ISTOBAL to premiere an extended height version of its FLEX5 at The Car Wash Show

BRISTOL, Va. — ISTOBAL will announce at The Car Wash Show 2019 an extended height version of the ISTOBAL FLEX5, its most popular rollover in the U.S. market (booth #1723), according to a press release.

Thanks to the success of this machine, ISTOBAL USA subsidiary has developed a new option of the first flexible rollover in the market to expand wash service to vans and other extended height vehicles, the release continued.

ISTOBAL FLEX5 accounts for just over 80% of all ISTOBAL carwash equipment sold in 2018, the release noted.

In April 2019, ISTOBAL USA had already surpassed the number of machines sold by the end of Q2 in 2018, and during 2019 it expects to continue to grow, especially in the industrial wash sector, the release noted.

PDQ and Belanger featuring latest vehicle-wash innovations at The Car Wash Show 2019

HAMILTON, Ohio —OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions will be showcasing new vehicle-wash innovations through its PDQ and Belanger brands at the International Carwash Association’s (ICA) upcoming The Car Wash Show, which will be held from May 13-15 at the Music City Center in Nashville, Tennessee, according to a press release.

This will be the first The Car Wash Show that PDQ and Belanger will attend as part of the newly formed OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions (VWS) business unit of OPW, the release continued.

VWS was formed in January upon the completion of the acquisition of Belanger Inc., by the Dover Corporation, OPW’s parent company, the release noted.

“It’s an exciting time to be in the carwash industry. With the increased customer demand for professional washes to the latest system innovations, this upcoming Car Wash Show should be of great interest to the industry,” said Gary Campbell, general manager for OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions. “We are very much looking forward to connecting with the industry through the newly formed OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions company as well as our industry-leading PDQ and Belanger brands. Both brands are displaying system innovations that will help our customers provide their customers with the very best washes to keep them coming back every time.”

At the show, PDQ and Belanger will exhibit some of their latest car wash technologies, highlighted by the PDQ Tandem® Surfline, which combines high-pressure touch-free and friction washing technologies, and the Belanger Cube Wash™, a friction in-bay automatic vehicle-wash system that features ShineMitt and is outfitted with patented SpinLite® LED-illuminated wash wheels, the release stated.

Attendees can find additional information about these new products and their respective manufacturers in PDQ booths #723 and #731, and Belanger booths #1901, #2008, #2100 and #2200, the release noted.

To learn more about OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions and its member companies, please visit opwvws.com.

Apex Express Car Wash to open two new locations

MIDLAND, Texas — According to www.mrt.com, Apex Express Car Wash will open two locations this year.

One location is set to open in July while the other’s construction is scheduled to begin that month with a planned opening in December, the article continued.

After both have opened, they will be the largest carwashes in a 500-mile radius, according to owner Xavier Granado who also owns two Odessa locations, the article noted.

The two tunnel washes will feature 200-foot tunnels, 33 vacuums and 30 parking spots along with free air available, the article stated.

Each wash will hire 40 employees, including the management teams, the article concluded.

Scooptown Carwash to begin construction

STURGIS, S.D. — According to www.rapidcityjournal.com, Scooptown Carwash plans to open in September on Anna St. in south Sturgis.

The wash will feature two automated bays — one soft-touch and one touch-free — as well as three indoor self-serve bays that will include an oversized space for larger trucks, the article continued.

There will also be two outside seasonal wash bays for motorcycles, a larger space for campers and RVs as well as a pet wash, the article noted.

A dump station for RVs will also be included, the article stated.

Owner Chris Bergman hopes to begin construction in late May with a planned opening for September, the article concluded.

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