ISTOBAL, a designer, manufacturer and marketer of car wash and car care solutions, is optimistic about 2021 and anticipates growth of more than 10% this year.

Over the course of this year, the Spanish company is prioritizing its strategic growth plan to achieve this goal.

• It will increase its RD&I investment by 11% compared to 2020 to boost its robotics laboratory and build on chemical product applications and new materials.

• It is committed to big data, IoT and machine learning to implement Industry 4.0 solutions, as well as optimizing the profitability and user experience of wash equipment.

• It expects to increase its presence in the Chinese market by 50% with the recent opening of its new subsidiary, as well as to grow in other countries such as the USA, Italy and Poland.

• Today, 76% of its machinery production is exported, with France, the UK, Italy, the USA and Denmark being its main export markets.

  ISTOBAL exports its products to more than 75 countries thanks to a worldwide network of distributors. It has 10 subsidiaries and four manufacturing facilities in Europe, the Americas and Asia. It recently acquired a distributor in California (Pacific Pride Carwash) and opened a new assembly plant subsidiary in China. International sales currently account for 76% of its production.

  ISTOBAL will increase its investment in RD&I by 11% this year compared to 2020 to boost its robotics lab and build on chemical product applications and new materials. It will also continue to develop its open innovation model, driving innovation from within and collaborating with universities, companies, technology centers and start-ups to develop projects in the areas of vision and artificial intelligence, security systems and robotics. Over the past five years, ISTOBAL has increased its investment in RD&I by 56%.

  In addition, the group is committed to digital transformation as another strategic focus in the development of its business. It promotes big data, IoT and machine learning to implement Industry 4.0 solutions, as well as to optimize sector profitability and the experience of using and maintaining car wash equipment through its Istosmart by ISTOBAL connectivity system. The company continues to leverage cloud business solutions and data analysis and integration to improve efficiency and increase competitiveness.

  By product divisions, rollovers continued to lead ISTOBAL’s sales, followed by jet wash facilities and the commercial vehicle lines. Chemical products, along with payment and connectivity terminals, were the lines with the highest sales growth in 2020.