Getting a car wash at convenience stores is part of many consumers’ regular routine. Consumers want to fill up their tanks, grab a snack and then get their vehicles clean and shiny.
More than 72% of drivers in the U.S. use professional car wash services regularly, according to a recent Grand View Research report. The global car wash services market size was valued at USD $29.3 billion in 2021, and the report also indicated that the market size is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.1% from 2022 to 2030.
According to Technomic’s 2022 C-Store Market Annual Report, 36% of consumers said that they go through a car wash at least once a week. With so many people washing their vehicles, car wash services need to be quick, convenient, able to handle large volumes of customers and provide drivers with clean, dry, shiny transportation.
Mark VII equipment washes over 2.75 million vehicles a day around the globe, and the brand’s configurable SoftLine 1 tunnel car wash—which can be accommodated for short-bays as well as fully loaded express tunnels—is designed to withstand high volumes without sacrificing wash quality.
Short-bay tunnel car washes are trendy in the c-store market, as they are easy to operate, user friendly, designed to be un-manned and can be customized to fit small bays that are typical at c-stores, resulting in higher throughput.
Mark VII’s SoftLine 1 tunnel car wash system offers a combination of wash quality, speed, ease of use and design—what Mark VII calls the 4DIMENSIONS of a modern car wash. Brushes are made with SofTecs® foam material, and this equipment is compatible with multiple types of conveyors, chemical dosing systems and entry systems.
The SoftLine 1 brush station is a 5,500-pound stainless steel frame. This solid and sturdy equipment is designed to eliminate shakes for a better brush regulation and a perfect contact on the car. All the controls and motor functions are electric and VFD driven.
The tunnel car wash systems can be customized to fit retailers’ business needs. Available options include self-serve vacuum add-ons, as well as chemical customizations like presoak, rust inhibitors, wheel and tire wash, hot wax and Mark VII’s latest chemical innovation GraphiteGUARD®. Tunnel accessories such as equipment-mounted LED lights can be added, and retailers can also customize their entrance gantry to their brand.
Short-bay tunnel car washes can add more profit potential for convenience stores, with customers making wash purchases in addition to buying other items at the store. Furthermore, the electric system minimizes costs by using half the power of a hydraulic pump system, eliminating the risk of harmful and expensive hydraulic leaks. And, with its “set it and forget it” functionality, the system is designed to be easy to operate and maintain without extra labor from employees.
Mark VII offers support from prospecting, equipment selection, installation, to chemicals, service, marketing and more. For more information about Mark VII’s SoftLine 1 tunnel car wash system, visit www.markvii.net.
This post is sponsored by Mark VII Equipment