Esso Blanz in Wartenberg- Germany

WashTec? WashTec! AUWA? AUWA!

Motorists who drive along the Kaiserstrasse through Wartenberg-Rohrbach in Rhineland-Palatinate will inevitably come across the ESSO Station Blanz on the outskirts of town. Cornelia Dürr is responsible here for the business areas Washing, Refuelling and Garage Services for motor vehicles. She heads up the family business today along with her husband Jens Dürr. "My parents started the petrol station business exactly on the first April 1967. This year thus sees us celebrating our 50th company anniversary with "Esso Station Blanz"", says today's boss visibly proud. The management duo took over all three business areas back in 2004.

Premiere with Kleindienst 

Eleven years earlier, the family Dürr took on the challenge of "car wash". The first automatic vehicle wash started in 1993, a gantry system of the former manufacturer Kleindienst, who merged three years later with California Rohé. "At that time, we obtained several offers from the market, among them those from Wesumat and Kleindienst. The contract was awarded to the high-performance Kleindienst gantry", she remembers quite precisely. This developed into a model business relationship on an equal footing between the Wartenbergers and the Augsburgers. The outcome – exemplary professional car washing to perfection at the Esso petrol station in Wartenberg-Rohrbach. That the decision back then for Kleindienst and the continuation of the special business relationship with the world market leaders in automatic vehicle washing was a truly good one is underscored by the still solid business connection.
Every five years, the Dürrs exchange the old gantry for a more modern one. "We maintain and look after all our gantries with the utmost care. Otherwise they would not have been in such good condition." Acting in this way prevents technical downtimes and repairs. Each time the gantry was changed, the experienced WashTec sales rep Harry Zöller was always called upon for his suggestions. As was the case with the most recent change of gantry. He recommended which equipment features the "new one" should have. "We have been working with him for many years. Knowing our high standards in professional vehicle washing, he knew exactly which technical and visual components the new gantry should have. We liked his suggestions and agreed unquestioningly", said Cornelia Dürr.

Effective lighting 

The result is a high-tech gantry with everything that is currently technically and visually possible. Customers experience the illuminated StarTrack guide rails immediately before the washing programmes start. They enjoy a superb light show, which masterfully highlights all the programme steps of the wash. "The lighting impresses customers and of course us tremendously. We would have never thought that light could make such a difference. The visual effect is unbelievable", say Cornelia and Jens Dürr enthusiastically. And, "we always switch on the lighting so as to showcase the washing process." Technically, SoftCare² Pro leaves nothing to be desired. The pressurised water flowing from the TurboNozzles in the pre-cleaning high-pressure wash coats each vehicle in a steaming water cloud, the obliquely extending WheelJet wheel washer cleans each rim reliably and thoroughly thanks to AUWA chemicals and powerful brush contact, after the foam curtain has gently enveloped the vehicle spreading evenly over all its surfaces. Roof and side brushes come into action in order to wash and care for the vehicles both thoroughly and gently. The highly efficient FlexStream roof dryer succeeds in getting all the areas of the vehicles truly dry.

TecsLine incorporates BestLine

To achieve this requires using the right chemicals. "Everything in terms of quality chemicals you can put into a car wash can be found here", says a delighted Cornelia Dürr. The powerful and fast-acting special wheel cleaner WheelTecs®, which creates the basis for sparkling clean rims, the universal active foam FoamTecs®, the deep-cleansing shampoo shampan max eco plus, ultra-shiny ShineTecs® with repair effect and the effective, intensely scented wax RainTecs® to optimally protect the paintwork and make raindrops glide effortlessly from the windscreen.
The changeover to the new system was extremely professional. The WashTec experts had dismantled the old gantry within a day. The assembly took a good ten days because the new water conditioning system had to be installed and connected at the same time. The compact AquaPur2 for gantry car washes reliably delivers high waste water recovery rates, works effectively and cost-efficiently, saves fresh water and filters a maximum of four cubic metres an hour. Thanks to its size, it even fits into small technical rooms, which also made it a favourite for vehicle washing in Wartenberg.
2 March 2017 finally goes down in the Blanz/Dürr family history as the day on which the SoftCare² Pro, kitted out with everything a car wash operator's heart desires, goes into service – powerful, effective and convincing. Since then, it has proven to be just the right thing for Wartenberg's motorists and customers from the surrounding area within a 30 km radius. After all, "the car wash is doing so well, that we don't even have to advertise it. After their visit to the car wash "customers are so impressed that they quickly share their experience and talk about the results with others." The Dürrs have simply attached two weatherproof banners at the site exit with the inscriptions "We have a new car wash – Stateof- the-art technology from the market leader" and "Car wash with SofTecs®, the gentlest washing material ever", flanked by a sturdy stand-up display "New - paintwork protection with repair effect. Car wash with ShineTecs®.

Our "self-service wash"

The opening day for the self-service car wash, which we planned long ago, has however not yet been confirmed. "It will be a three station rack system with a modern, translucent shed roof", reveals Jens Dürr, "which we are going to put on the greenfield site next to the wash bay building. As soon as permission has been granted, the build will begin." The questions regarding who will supply the equipment and the chemicals we need have already been clarified. WashTec? WashTec. AUWA? AUWA.

Thank you, WashTec

The business success did not come by chance, but had to be worked for each and every day. "There used to be lots of petrol stations here. They have now all but gone", recalls the boss. "Because in the past, all motorised vehicles drove down the A 40 and thus also came passed us." Once the A 63 had finished being built, the flow of customers stopped abruptly. Most of the traffic to and from Kaiserslautern has gone via the motorway ever since. "Only the locals remained loyal customers. They exit before Wartenberg, and then drive to us, before rejoining the motorway at the next junction. That we are nevertheless still in business is thanks to the efficient and reliable WashTec technology.

 Text/ Images: Bernd Fiehöfer