The Car Wash Industry in the US is Highly Fragmented with the 50 Largest Chains Holding Just 15 Percent of the Market

DUBLIN, Ireland--Oct. 2, 20057, 2005--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c26702) has announced the addition of Car Washes - An Industry Profile to their offering.

The car wash industry in the US includes 14,000 full-service car washes with combined annual revenue of about $5 billion. Large chains include Wash Depot (70 locations); Oasis Car Wash; Car Wash Partners; and Auto Bell Car Wash. The industry is highly fragmented: the 50 largest chains hold just 15 percent of the market. Chains are local or regional. A typical firm has one location. A large location has 35 employees and $1.5 million of annual revenue.

Demand is driven by favorable weather, new car sales, and growth in consumer income. The profitability of individual firms depends on favorable location and efficient operations. There are few economies of scale. Chains have advantages in advertising and customer recognition. Small firms can compete successfully by good location. The industry is highly labor-intensive; annual revenue per employee is just $40,000.

Major services are exterior wash, exterior and interior cleaning, waxing, underside cleaning, vacuuming, and premium detailing. Ancillary products and services such as pick-up/drop-off services, fast food, greeting cards, and automotive products are also offered at some locations. Detailing services consist of intensive interior and exterior cleaning, and waxing and polishing by hand.

This Industry Profile helps sales teams perform faster and smarter, open doors, and close more deals. It performs the "heavy lifting" by synthesizing hundreds of sources into an easy to digest format that a sales person can consume very quickly to better understand a prospect's business issues.

Topics covered in the profile include:

-- Industry Overview

-- Quarterly Industry Update

-- Business Challenges

-- Trends and Opportunities

-- Call Preparation Questions

-- Industry Forecast

-- Website and Media Links

-- Glossary of Acronyms

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c26702.