Originally publish August 2017, Wash Trends
Read the original article here.
It’s seldom that you see a carwash chain take off in a matter of a few short years, but thanks to great passion, a snappy idea, and high-quality customer service, Moo Moo Express Car Wash in Central Ohio has done just that. Having started with one wash in Reynoldsburg in 2008, local founder and managing partner John Roush has grown his business to 12 locations in just nine years. He is now poised to open a thirteenth location in August.
Ohio drivers know Moo Moo Express by its eye-catching ”barn” brand: At each of its service locations, cars move through the three-minute tunnel wash that actually looks like the iconic farm building. Clever marketing allows customers to choose differing wash price points: $5 for the “Fat Free” option, $10 for the “Whole” and $15 for the “Crème de la Crème” wash. The barn and dairy theme are a lasting tribute to a historic barn in Pickerington, Ohio, that was lost in a fire.
Being an environmentally friendly carwash was very important to John Roush when he established Moo Moo Express. At any location, each car is treated using less than 20 gallons of fresh water – drastically fewer than the 120 gallons typically used when washing at home or at older carwash facilities. This is because of John Roush’s investment in reclaim water systems. “Our on-demand timing system profiles and measures each vehicle and then delivers water precisely to that vehicle’s surface. The water is then captured and routed into our reclamation system and is then treated to remove all solids and contaminates before being redelivered to the vehicle in our high-pressure area.” WaterSavers and the International Carwash Association have recognized the company’s wash process for preventing water pollution.
If a U.S. carwash owner would like to switch to “greener” products, Roush suggests using a reclaim water system, conservative electrical use, and high-efficiency gas heating systems to heat water and tunnels. Moo Moo Express uses electronically timed tunnels and vacuum systems which feature variable-frequency drive (VFD) technology that removes “spikes” in energy usage. Roush also invested in highly efficient LED lighting, and the gas heating systems prevent icing issues in the winter months. Overall, Roush suggests, “[I]nvest in the best equipment available today. Don’t go cheap—it just doesn’t pay off in the end.”
