Tommy’s Direct Mount Blower System Saves Money, Space, & Energy

Take advantage of better drying with Tommy Car Wash’s “Direct Mount” blower system! More blow, less cost, less space, less electric, & more dry! We hit a home run with this one!

How It Works

The new blowers contour to the shape of the car by attaching directly to Tommy’s patented round arches. Thanks to design improvements, the new blowers have significantly better energy efficiency, and outputing more air than anything we’ve ever seen, while running on 10 or 15 horsepower. In many applications, Tommy’s new blower system has reduced the number of necessary blowers by two to three – lowering overall operating cost and upfront costs.

The blower system takes up only eight feet of space (only 6′ floor footprint), leaving plenty of extra room. New car washes can get more cars per hour with shorter tunnels with Tommy Car Wash.

“This is the driest car I’ve ever seen!” remarked one of our customers after seeing the blowers in action.

“We we’re able to reduce from 12 blowers down to 10 on our new site because of the intensity of the blowers” -new Tommy operator.

The cool thing is using the Tommy arch, the blowers have unlimited configuration options. You can move them around, and rotate them, while also rotating the angle of the housing outlets and the nozzle angle. The arch is a smaller shape that brings the blowers tight around the radius of the car. This keeps the air all moving in the same direction and makes so we can fit more blowers in a tight space without them fighting eachother.

Systems options are as follows:

Single Direct mount arch: $1,995 for arch, takes up 2′ of space, and holds up to 8 blowers.

Two Direct mount arches: seperated with 5′ spreader, takes up about 7′ overall and can hold up to 16 blowers.

Three Direct mount arches: seperated each by either 3′ or 5′ spreaders consolidated takes up 6′ of floor space and can hold 24 blowers.

Due to some new technology with both the impeller and the nozzle design we get extremely high output and also a “thick” column of air which keeps water moving one direction and allows us to dry in nearly one pass.

All Tommy blowers are TEFC motors capable of being run in wet environment.

Color options: Red, Blue, or Black.

Add wedges to your order for deflecting the nozzles slightly if you like.

Learn more about Tommy’s new Complete Blower System at www.tommycarwash.com, or call 616-494-0771.

Hydra-Flex / Tommy Arch Testimonial: Metro Express Rain X Application, increased revenue & lowered cost per car.

At Tommy’s Car Wash, we routinely receive positive feedback from customers who are satisfied with equipment packages and parts they’ve purchased from us. Recently, one testimonial in particular stood out which highlights one of our newer product offerings: the Hydra-Flex chemical induction system by Aqua Lab. Bill Martin, owner of Metro Express Car Wash (three locations), recently had a Hydra-Flex unit installed at his Meridian, Idaho location, to be used in conjunction with a Tommy Arch applicator for the Rain X application. Over the past few months, Mr. Martin has seen a considerable return on this installation.

(For more information on the Hydra-Flex system and how it is used alongside Tommy’s patented POD system and round applicator arches, visit the Hydra-Flex product page on our website.)

Let’s take a look at exactly what Mr. Martin had to say.

Key benefits of the Hydra-Flex system:

Better Rain X “show”.

Mr. Martin commented that his wash’s previous Rain X applicator, a simple hydrominder, did not make product application apparent to customers. Customers were never sure when or whether Rain X was being applied to their vehicles, since the application was not visible to them. With the Hydra-Flex paired with Tommy’s applicator arches, Rain X application is now clearly visible; it now appears as if each vehicle is being “painted” with the Rain X product, a fun and satisfying show for customers to watch.

Increased chemical efficiency.

The previous hydrominder being used to apply Rain X applied the product at 240:1. After the installation of Hydra-Flex, Rain X is now being applied at 447:1 with a 3.2 GPM injector – nearly a 100% increase in chemical efficiency!

Increased revenue.

Most importantly, Mr. Martin has seen a significant return since incorporating Hydra-Flex into his Meridian wash. Coupled with the Tommy Arch and Rain X product, the Hydra-Flex has increased sales of top end packages “beyond any previous sales we have experienced”. Since the installation, the wash has been doing 63% Rain X, and revenue per customer has increased by 11%.

“We have had remarkable results since installing the Hydra-Flex, especially in conjunction with the Tommy Arch and Rain X,” Bill Martin testified. “Thanks for pointing us in this direction, keep up the great work!”

Take a look at the Hydra-Flex being used in Tommy’s applicator arch to apply Rain X in real-life wash applications:

Inbay/Rollover to Tunnel Conversion Case Study: Emile’s Mobile Service

This past March, Tommy completed an inbay conversion package for Emile’s Mobile Service of Los Angeles, California. Since the renovation to an automatic carwash, the wash has been receiving such a positive response that we felt it would make a great case study on how touchless rollover car washes can see improved traffic and ROI with the help of a simple inbay conversion package.

First, let’s look at what Tommy’s Inbay Conversion package entails:

- A renovation designed specifically for rollover/inbay car washes, this package converts inbay washes into high-end automatic tunnel washes, with 50 car per hour capabilities.

- The typical inbay conversion wash is equipped with a dual belt conveyor for easy self-loading, ideal for C-store environments (employee supervision is often unnecessary).

- Flooring from the old rollover/inbay wash is removed, while the rest of the building is left in tact; conveyor belts are installed and existing back room equipment is maintained and upgraded.

- Building permits are often unnecessary for these projects, and, in most cases, the renovation can proceed as a simple rehabilitation rather than a major construction project.

- The new tunnel wash is equipped with a plasma TV loading system, and customers guide themselves onto the conveyor rail.

- A presoak arch, wrap mitter or top brush combo and rocker brushes clean more quickly and more effectively than most rollovers.

- The conversion package is custom tailored to the unique needs of each building.

- Existing rollover/inbay carwash buildings must meet minimum space requirements in order to be converted; buildings generally must be 38 feet long or longer, with width adequate to accommodate the new equipment.

Now, let’s take a look at Emile’s Mobile Service before the renovation:

An interior shot of Emile's Mobile Service rollover wash before conversion.

A lackluster exterior and interior aren’t very enticing, and with no value-added services, curbside appeal of the wash prior to renovations was minimal.

POS and exterior before conversion.

Emile’s Mobile Service is adjacent to a C-store complex, and the exterior designs were made to match the store as part of the conversion process.

C-store and new wash exterior.

New in-bay automatic wash exit and exterior vacuum stations.

New inbay entrance and vacuum stations.

10 new self-serve, 25 horsepower vacuum stations were added as part of the renovation as well. The presoak arch is fitted just outside the main entrance, adding an attractive introduction to the wash.

Specs and results of the conversion:

Construction began in November and was completed in early March; total construction time was four months.

Since the new wash opened in March, it has seen a 100% increase in traffic, going from an average of 100 cars per day to 200 cars per day right out of the gate, with peak days close to 400 cars per day!

Changes in profit margin are difficult to pinpoint yet, as the wash has been running a $3 wash promotion to kickstart the new opening, but with dramatically improved traffic and lowered equipment costs, the owner is optimistic about seeing an improved ROI in the near future.

With brand new machinery, the new tunnel carwash has reduced maintenance costs. Likewise, chemical and water use is down, further cutting back operating expenses.

Cars are emerging from the wash cleaner, and customer feedback regarding the new wash has been uniformly positive.

The addition to free vacuums has brought a significant amount of business; customers appreciate this value-added service.

Overall, both the wash owner and his customers have been thoroughly pleased with the changes made, and the new automatic tunnel has been a success from every point of view!

The success of Emile’s Mobile Station is a great example of how a simple, cost-effective renovation can significantly improve an outdated rollover wash’s brand, image and – most importantly – bottom dollar.

The conversion project was managed by leading California car wash consultant and Tommy Distributor Brian Hobin who can be reached at www.tommycarwash.com/washology

For more information about Tommy’s Inbay Conversion package, visit us online, or contact one of our sales reps.

Tommy Goes to Car Care World Expo 2011

As many of you may know, last week the International Carwash Association (ICA) hosted the Car Care World Expo 2011 at the Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. At Tommy Car Wash, we look forward to the ICA’s annual expo as an opportunity to meet new wash owners, chat with clients and, of course, show off our latest wash technology.

This year, we were pleasantly surprised to see a stronger attendance and more interest in the industry than we’ve seen in recent shows, a good sign for the industry! Tommy reps and distributors partnered with equipment manufacturer AVW to showcase the latest additions to the Tommy equipment family, which generated plenty of interest among the wash owners and investors in attendance.

We snapped some photos of the show, including some of our most popular show pieces.

Mary Essenburg, graphic designer and marketing coordinator for Tommy, operates one of Tommy’s two show booths.

Tommy’s first booth highlighted our signature, patented stainless steel round arches, complete with LED lighted signage.

Operations manager Ryan Essenburg and product support specialist Nate Nyboer pour over new building 3D models at the new building design booth.

A portion of Tommy’s iconic glass-sided walls on display.

Tommy Car Wash and AVW’s belt conveyor offers revolutionary safety and functionality over standard chain conveyors, and proved to be the hottest item this year with over 50% of new projects opting to go with the belt conveyor system.

One of the biggest buzzes this year was Tommy’s Inbay conversion system that allows operators to take a 40′ inbay automatic building and convert it to a conveyorized tunnel system mostly thanks to the dual transporter belt. If you missed Ryan’s seminar on the inbay conversion process it will be available at our youtube page next week. This game-changer product has allowed Tommy’s latest success story Emile’s Mobil Service to in one month convert from 1,300 cars per month up to 355 cars in a single day after the conversion!

Tommy’s unique, dual-sided, canopied outdoor vacuum also generated considerable interest. The vacuum filter empties easily into Tommy’s iconic “red ball” trash can or the “Tommy Cone” as we call it; paired with an attractive canopy and lighted globe, the canopy vacuum proved to be a show stopper, thanks to its obvious curb appeal and easy single stall modular design.

Tommy’s blower arches, wrap and mitter combos completed the booth display.

In addition to  the belt conveyors and self serve vacuum, Tommy’s Car Wash also presented vendors with a new social media marketing package custom tailored for car washes. There were two package options:

Directory & Online Listing Setup – A service to optimize and/or create listings for your car wash business in 10 of the internet’s most visible small business directories, including critical Google Places, Yelp, Hotfrog and many other listings. Having optimized listings in these directories ensures that your carwash will be found by customers, as they search for the nearest washes online and through their mobile devices.

Premium Social Media Consulting & Management – In addition to directory & online listing setup, this package also includes Facebook and Twitter setup, three months of social media account management and three hours of consulting which can be used to train your staff to continue managing these accounts in-house. Other perks of this package include Facebook ad campaign creation and customized, unique status updates.

Show pricing for these social media packages will be available for a short time after the show; if you’re interested in either of these packages, let us know right away!

Virtual Car Wash Equipment Package Tours: Tommy Car Wash Videos!

Have you ever wondered what a Totally Tommy Car Wash looks like from the inside? Or exactly how our triple presoak arch works? The car wash business is a very hands-on industry, so here at Tommy, we’ve been documenting our car wash packages and equipments on video for several years now. We don’t want our customers to have to guess what the end result will look like – we want you to understand exactly how the equipment packages work before you buy.

Below are a few videos which highlight the key features of our most popular car wash equipment packages and products. To view all our videos, visit our YouTube channel.

 Tommy Equipment Package

Take a comprehensive virtual tour of the full Totally Tommy Car Wash equipment package, from self-loading entrance module to 20′ end blower system. Want to know more about Tommy’s turnkey car wash package? Get package details from our online store.

 Totally Tommy Express Car Wash

A more in-depth tour of the complete Totally Tommy Express Car Wash, this virtual video takes a look at all aspects of the complete Tommy Express Wash, including all interior and exterior elements, architecture and offices.

Car Wash Equipment – Triple Presoak Arch

Operations manager Ryan Essenburg narrates Tommy’s patented triple presoak arch at work, highlighting the arch’s unique chemical and water saving functions, as well as Tommy’s revolutionary tire cleaner and gloss applicator.

Inbay Conversion Package

Learn how standard, outdated in-bay automatic car washes or rollover car washes can be easily converted into a fully conveyorized tunnel car wash using Tommy’s Inbay Conversion Package.

Tommy Transporter Belt Loading

A quick clip of Tommy’s Transporter conveyor belt in action as it loads a car seamlessly into the wash tunnel.

Multi-Washer Module

A quick clip of Tommy’s multi-washer module wrap mitter combo in action as it delivers the best clean in the industry.

Car Wash Lights & Signage: Triggering Customers’ Emotions

You market your business. You create coupons, specials, you advertise on local radio stations and hire mascots to catch the eyes of drivers-by. But how often do you think about your car wash’s signage? When was the last time your logo was redesigned?

Car washes are largely an impulse buy, and consumer impulse is driven primarily by emotion, so eliciting an emotional response from potential customers is key. One of the most important parts of creating a positive, memorable emotional experience for your car wash customers is creating an eye-catching visual experience for your customers as they drive through. Light and color play a huge role in capturing your customers’ emotions, so having the right signage and lighting around and within your wash is important.

Studies have shown that bright entrance signs and colored lights at the entrance and exit to wash tunnels have created a deeper emotional impact on customers, creating more repeat business. Additionally, the presence of brightly colored signage and neon lights is often directly related to higher ticket averages. Something as simple as adding neon lights to your triple foam arch can raise your average wash $.50 or more!

Experience is half the thrill of going to the car wash, so reward your customers with a fun, visually stimulating experience. Clearly label each stage of the wash with a brightly light sign, and mark the entrance to your wash with colorful signs that attract attention. Make sure your main business logo is colorful, bright and fun. At Tommy, we’ve chosen red to be our signature color, since red is one of the most eye-catching and emotionally evocative colors.

So what exactly can you do to make your car wash a more emotionally stimulating experience? These are a few simple add-ons we’ve developed over the years which have been proven to increase repeat business and average ticket sales:

- Use Tommy’s indoor and outdoor red balls as planters, trash cans and outdoor decoration to make your wash’s aesthetic more fun and appealing.

- Place bright, eye-catching “car wash” arrow signs directing cars to the wash line.

- Use sign panels with colored LED lights to mark each stage in the wash.

- Redesign your logo and signage to be brighter, simpler and more memorable.

At Tommy Car Wash, we’re experts at creating the kind of visual appeal that keeps customers coming back for the experience, not just the wash. If you need help taking your wash’s aesthetic up a notch, our customer service team would be happy to help. For a limited time, we’re also offering signage re-imaging for just $100; simply send us pictures of your signage and facility, and let our artists re-image your facility. Contact us for more details.

Perks of Ordering Car Wash Parts Online: Free Shipping & More!

As a car wash owner, you’re always on the lookout for ways to decrease expenses and boost revenue. Purchasing replacement car wash parts, equipment and supplies can eat into your car wash business’ revenue if you’re not careful, and ordering the correct supplies from sales representatives can be a hassle. At Tommy Car Wash, we understand the challenges car wash owners face when it comes to obtaining the right parts and supplies, and we’ve worked hard to make sure our car wash parts ordering process is as simple – and cost-effective – as possible. To this end, we’ve developed a streamlined online parts and supplies ordering system through our website at www.tommycarwash.com. Through our online store, car wash owners can purchase car wash detergents, parts, equipment and a wide range of both Tommy Car Wash and A.V.W. replacement parts. Car wash owners will find our online parts store fast, easy to use, accurate and – most importantly – a great way to save money!

Tommy's online store makes car wash supply ordering simple.

Why order car wash parts from Tommy online?

Free shipping on orders under $10,000. Shipping costs for heavy items such as car wash detergents, soaps and replacement equipment can add up quickly, but we’ve eliminated these costs by offering free shipping for most car wash part orders placed online. To qualify for free shipping, orders of car wash detergents and liquid chemicals must meet a $900 minimum. Parts orders have no minimum to qualify.

Get the right part the first time. When placing car wash part and supply orders over the phone to customer service representatives, some details can get lost in translation. Part numbers can get jumbled, and car wash owners typically have to order based on catalog part descriptions, which can lead to incorrect orders. Ordering car wash parts online through our online parts store leaves a much smaller margin for error. By including detailed photos and descriptions of each part, online ordering also allows you to see exactly what you’re ordering to make sure it’s the correct part.

Multiple payment options. Just because you’re placing an order online doesn’t mean you’re required to use a company credit card. Tommy’s online store offers multiple payment options during checkout, including credit card, wire transfer and check payment, giving your car wash business more financial flexibility. We can even setup a direct debit from your checking account which is helpful for residual orders like car wash chemicals.

Bulk car wash part purchase discounts. As an OEM car wash equipment supplier, we offer bulk discounts on many parts and supplies, and these discounts are available through online ordering as well as through phone orders. Any available bulk discounts are automatically applied to your total during checkout when purchasing supplies through Tommy’s online store.

Faster order processing. Car wash part and supply orders placed online through the Tommy Car Wash store are immediately put into our system for instant processing, while orders placed over the phone may not be processed until later in the day or the next morning. Additionally, orders placed through our online store are processed directly by us, allowing you to receive your order more quickly while continuing to get full support and installation service from our local distributors.

If you have questions about ordering online, give us a call at 616-494-0771, or start browsing our online car wash supply store today!

Soo-Soft® Car Wash Water Softeners for Greener Operations and Better Water

Water softening is one of the most critical processes to a car wash business, yet for most car washes, it’s an extremely expensive and environmentally hazardous process. Processing such large volumes of water using traditional salt-based water softening systems requires the use of several large salt tanks, which take up valuable space, electricity and softening materials such as salt brine and resin beads. Traditional salt-based water softening systems used in most car washes use large volumes of salt brine, the costs of which can add up over time. The large quantities of used salt brine and resin beads must be disposed of as well; brine typically ends up in rivers and eventually the ocean, which is very toxic to the environment.

Traditional salt-based water softening systems.

Aside from the environmental and financial problems associated with salt-based water softeners, they’re simply not very effective. Water softening salt tanks with brand new resin beads typically only remove 75% of hard calcium deposits in the water, and less and less calcium is removed as the tanks are used, until the beads must be replaced. This is a big problem for car washes, which have countless nozzles, tubes, hoses and brushes through which water is being run. Ineffective water softening quickly leads to a buildup of hard calcium deposits (aka “lime scaling”), clogging hoses and nozzles while causing brushes and water to be more abrasive and less effective at cleaning.

As a solution to all of these issues, Tommy Car Wash relies on a revolutionary new digital, non-salt based water softening product by Soo-Soft®. The Soo-Soft® car wash water softening system operates in a completely different way than salt-based water softeners, offering 100% environmentally friendly and 100% effective water softening processes.

How it Works

Traditional salt-based car wash water softening tanks work by removing hard calcium deposits in the water. These large “hard calcium crystals” are what quickly build up to form lime scale. Rather than removing calcium from the water, Soo-Soft®’s car wash water softening system works by breaking down hard calcium crystals to a much finer, softer molecular structure.

The Soo-Soft car wash water softening digital display and coil.

This is done by an electrical coil which is wrapped around the water pipe at the base of the water supply. The coil is regulated by a digital monitor, which sends a complex serious of electrical signals into the water through the coil, changing the physical chemistry – or molecular structure – of the mineral deposits within the water. Hard calcium crystals are quickly broken up into a very fine powder composed of fine, soft aroganite clusters rather than large, hard crystals. The soft calcium clusters not only cease to cause lime scaling, but they improve the water’s ability to be a carrier for minerals and the formation of detergent soap suds. Water which has been “physically softened” by Soo-Soft® water softening systems offer increased cleaning power, cleaning cars up to 60% better; this allows car washes to use less water and less detergent, all without the costs of salt tanks and resin beads.

Because Soo-Soft® car wash water softening systems do not add or use any chemicals to the water to soften it, the process is extremely safe for the environment. In commercial car wash applications, Soo-Soft® water softening systems can soften 150 gallons per minute through a two inch pipe, or 300 gallons per minute through a three inch pipe.

This water softening system may be installed in new car wash facilities, or it can be used to replace existing salt-based water softening systems. For more information about using the Soo-Soft® water softener in your car wash, contact one of our Tommy sales reps.

Buddy Bear Car Wash Now Open Cicero Ave. Chicago

We recently completed an exciting new Tommy Wash project on Cicero Avenue in Chicago, near the Midway airport. The new wash, “Buddy Bear Car Wash”, is a rennovation project done by owner Phil Degerato, who converted the facility from a dilapitated wash to a beautiful redone fully automated express wash with auto tellers and self loading transporter belt.

Just take a look at Buddy Bear Car Wash before construction:

Old Buddy Bear car wash before new construction.

and after!

Newly constructed Totally Tommy express car wash

This 120′ Tommy equipment package features a standard $3.99 express wash with a host of a la carte wash items, including a tire gloss system and a free self-service exterior vacuum. Other features include:

Tommy’s transporter dual belt conveyor system.

Self loading entrance.

DRB XPT auto teller system.

Tommy’s patented stainless steel round applicator arches.

Entrance display lights.

Dual conveyor belt is standard in Tommy's Express Car Wash

Tunnel entrance, complete with lights and automated door.

Inside the car wash tunnel.

Tommy's patented round application arches.

As you can see, Buddy Bear’s new car wash facility offers state of the art features for an exceptional wash and a fun, visually appealing service.

To learn more about converting and rennovating a car wash using Tommy’s Express car wash design and processes call us today or if you would like to tour this facility contact a Tommy sales rep to schedule 616-494-0771

Car Wash industries next big development

I wanted to personally chime in here with some new insight. I have never before been so excited about the state of our industry and state of our company. We are cresting on a wave of game changing technology that will forever change the car wash industry. I am writing this from 30,000 ft on southwest airlines on my iPad, pretty cool, but not as cool as what’s going to happen in Carwashing in the next 5 years. The foundations have been laid for nationwide success of thousands of people that are going to ride a five year wave from mom and pop Carwashing to 50 store chains in every market. Lower development costs, lower operating costs, more revenue generating services, and duplicatable success stories already making it happen. now is the time to go big or go home. The markets are now more wide open than I have ever seen, and virtually every market in the country is craving high end washes. Yes there are areas that are over saturated, but in my travels I see 5 to 1, markets that have no good car washes, at least not ones doing it right. I honestly believe more money will be made in the car wash business in the next 5 years than ever before, the best part is were already seeing it start. Look forward to several very good years to come.

On the road for 2 weeks, Ill try to tweet daily on the latest happenings.
Ryan Essenburg