IN-BAY/SELF-SERVE SOLUTIONS
The evolving IBA market
What you need to know to improve your IBA’s operation and profitability.
BY DEBRA GORGOS | MANAGING EDITOR
This January, a manufacturer of in-bay
automatic washing equipment had an
announcement. Sales of friction IBA units
had increased to 51 percent at Mark VII
Equipment Inc. Previously, these machines
had accounted for only about a third of
Mark VII’s total sales, but now they had
become the majority of new equipment
purchases.
Steve Robinson, director of marketing
and product management for the com-
pany, noted two factors driving the trend:
• Demand for newer technology that sig-
nificantly reduces water consumption.
• A desire to reduce operating costs.
Other trends leading the way
The move towards friction and hybrid
washing machines isn’t the only major
trend affecting the in-bay market. According to Al Huntington, in-bay product
manager for Belanger, Inc., IBA machines
are also becoming more affordable and
efficient.
“For operators, the IBA offers a lower
entry cost for building a carwash,”
Huntington explained. “Not only is the
machine more affordable than a wash
tunnel, it can be built on a less expensive,
smaller property that may not support a
conveyorized wash. Indeed, the real estate
cost may be zero — since many IBAs are
added to existing sites.”
Thomas McLain, vice president of A-OK
Equipment and Supply Co., Inc., agreed,
adding that new chemical applications
introduced in the 2000s are evening the
playing field for IBA operators who want
to compete with tunnel facilities.
“A big hit,” said McLain, over the past
decade was when they started offering tri-foam conditioner, Rain-X and the virtual
treadle.
Moving beyond chemical features, Huntington pointed out some other updates to
30 PROFESSIONAL CARWASHING AND DETAILING | March 2010
improve performance and market appeal.
“In addition to mechanical refinements
and engineering updates, cutting-edge in-bay washes are receiving updated controllers and operating software that improves
their performance,” he explained. Including:
• New software. It does more than enhance the performance; it can actually
increase the wash’s throughput and
revenue potential. That’s because wash
passes can be programmed to run more
efficiently, and extra service application
options are increased.
• Cosmetic updates. Just as today’s new
car starts to look dated in five to 10
years, an older in-bay can often benefit
from a ‘freshening up.’ These makeovers
may range from a redesigned carriage
fascia, to new decals and accent color
pieces. One popular program replaces
the entire carriage ‘head’ of the touch-
less in-bay wash with the latest model
carriage. Since the backroom equipment
and wash frame are typically in good
shape, this gives the operator ‘new ma-
chine’ operational benefits and increased
revenue potential, for a fraction of the
price of a full reload.
