In recent years commercial developers have been extensively adding self-serve and automated car washes to their real estate holdings, and many people are scratching their heads wondering about the recent obsession with such a seemingly unglamorous industry. Below are four reasons why car washes are a profit center for commercial developers.
$24 billion industry
According to the International Carwash Association, car washing is a $24 billion a year industry. The average hand carwash owner earned approximately 30,000 dollars in 2013.
Huge service volume
This year alone over two billion cars will be washed in North America. No other industry has this volume of customers, and repeat business is almost guaranteed, depending on the quality of the wash.
Potential employees
Although hand carwash workers are not covered in the predictions of the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, hand laborers are, and they are expected to increase by 14% within the next decade. This is a large potential employee base, and most positions are minimum wage, which keeps potential profits high.
Increasing urbanisation
Today, there are 1.3 people for every car in the United States. In 2011, we hit 1 billion cars worldwide. These numbers are only going up, with levels of urbanisation rising across the world. More people need cars. More cars will need cleaning. It’s a self-perpetuating system. In Europe alone, there are more than 1 billion cars washed annually, and in the States, more than double that will visit the wash.
Consumer Trends
For the mature markets across North America and Europe, consumers increasingly choose to have their cars washed for them rather than doing it themselves. In the United States, the percentage of drivers that most commonly wash their vehicle at a professional car wash rather than do it themselves has increased from approximately 47% in 1994 to 72% in 2014, a 25% increase over 20 years. Very few businesses see such a growth in short period of time.
Matching Your Car Wash Location With Your Car Wash System?
Of course, you want to make sure your lot can accommodate the best in car wash systems. You may not be sure what’s possible. This is where you can rely on Ryko to help you succeed.
Over the years, we have installed and upgraded car wash systems for hundreds of clients, and we can help you bring more profit to your business. We will find the right solutions to fit your business. Contact us today for more information.