As a continuing feature to CAR WASH Magazine, we will occasionally provide excerpts from The Great American Car Wash Story. Former ICA Executive Director Gus Trantham and veteran commercial writer John Beck wrote this book in 1994. It represents the most complete history we have found of the industry in North America. Enjoy.
Years of Growth and the U.S. Department of Commerce Forecast
The decade following 1967 consisted of relatively quiet years for the car wash industry with the U.S. Department of Commerce reporting a total of $330 million in car wash and other auto services for that year of ‘67. This might have been called the “best of times” with a steady growth in the car wash business as more and more cars hit the highway and car owners began to gain more experience and hence have more faith in automatic car washes.
These were the years that Bob Burglin was elected president of ACWA International after having served two terms as president of ACWA Southern California where he had trumpeted loudly his belief that hot water should be treated as an extra service, causing it to climb from 50 cents to $1. These results were reported by Jim Anderson of Racine, Wisc.:
“The immediate response by the public was very gratifying. We were amazed to find that more people were buying the $1 wax than the 50 cent wax. We continued to sell both the 50 cent wax and the $1 wax for about three months. The $1 wax outsold the 50 cent wax by such a large percentage that we decided to discontinue selling the 50 cent wax.”
These were the years that a GMC Suburban pulling a gleaming Airstream trailer could be seen cruising from state to state with Sherm Larson, the so-called Johnny Appleseed of car washing, at the wheel and on the road and stopping at key cities to conduct equipment maintenance seminars for car wash operators everywhere, regardless of whether or not they used Sherman equipment. During one nine month period, Sherm visited cities in 33 states, tirelessly unloading his arsenal of props and demonstration materials to make presentations to more than 2,000 car wash managers and owners.
These also were the years that Dan Hanna promoted far and wide the use of car wash “Menu’’ signs to market a range of packages and services that could include such extras as carriage wash, vinyl top dressing, carpet shampoo, sealer wax and on-the-line polishing, which went far beyond the simple car wash and hot wax that had gotten the industry started.
These were the busy years that Marvin Pockros, Max Silver and George Baker succeeded one another as presidents of the Association who planned and labored to help car washing work its way up past the half billion dollar mark. Then, while Jerry Salzer was president in 1974, the name ACWA was traded for International Carwash Association, or ICA, dropping the word “Automatic” from the logo. Probably one compelling reason for dropping “automatic” was the great expansion of self-serve car washes in almost every municipality and town, and the realization that a marriage with the sister Association (NCC) was mentioned frequently in car wash publications.
With Association activities on the constant increase under the guidance of Gus Trantham, it was decided in a meeting on September 15, 1971, in Montreal, Canada, to discontinue the publishing of the ACWA Journal and coordinate further publication of Association news and communications with the editors of other, independent car wash industry publications.
These were the years that saw the birth of other car wash industry publications besides the veteran Auto Laundry News, the Western Car Wash Review, and the ACWA Journal which was just bowing out. The welcome newcomers included American Clean Car, the Self Service Car Wash News, the American Carwash Review and a burgeoning biggie with the title Professional Carwashing.
In 1976, the year after Thomas O’Neal took the gavel over from Carl Ledamoff in Chicago at McCormick Place, the U.S. Department of Commerce under Secretary Elliot L. Richardson, conducted a market study of the car wash industry as part of a “U.S. Industrial Outlook 1977 with Projections to 1985.”
This report was released on January 1977 and contained some very interesting figures and prognostications. As previously indicated, it was revealed that in 1967 car wash and other auto services (not including repair shops) totaled $330 million with an estimated $960 million for 1976. This included a projection for 1977 of $1,020 million … or a final break above the $l billion mark!
The report included the following observations about car wash activities and pointed out:
“Motorists are now driving their cars for one or two additional years compared to several years ago. To protect their investment, many car owners are having their autos washed, polished and waxed at car wash facilities at regular intervals.
“Other services frequently offered by car wash operations include rustproofing, upholstery cleaning, carpet shampooing, exterior touch-up, and trunk cleaning.
“Sharply rising car sales in 1976 also boosted car wash activity because new car owners tend to take very good care of their cars. In addition, car wash markets are expanding to include pick-up trucks and vans, which have become popular for personal transportations, boats, trailers, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles.
“Modern car wash water softeners frequently save operators time and money because softened water helps to eliminate spotting problems and increases the washing efficiency of car wash soaps and detergents. However, softening systems must be regenerated periodically with salt flushing in order to be effective.”
As a deeper look into the crystal ball, this report took some time to discuss briefly some of the anticipated trends up to 1985, as follows:
“With the increasing number of automobile and truck models and the growing complexity of vehicles, auto repair markets should continue to expand in the years ahead. The trend toward lighter and more fuel-efficient cars with engine design changes is expected to continue and more electronic components will probably be incorporated in tomorrow’s automobiles, especially in the area of instrumentation and control.
“Demand for auto/truck leasing and rentals, car washes, and commercial parking is also expected to rise during the next several years to accommodate the increasing number of motorists on the nation’s roads. Automotive services receipts are expected to approach about $41 billion by 1985, reflecting an annual gain of 8.9 percent from 1976 to 1985.”
To those active in the car wash business, and especially the Association members, the Department of Commerce report seemed to vindicate all of their hopes and hard work. With the arrival and passing of the billion dollar benchmark, there could no longer be any doubt that a new major industry had arrived on the American scene.