Car wash chain IMO Car Wash has been intensively renovating existing car washes in Germany for several months now. At the same time, new systems are being added to the network. Three new locations have now been opened in the German cities of Jena, Wildau and Marl.

Currently, around 50 percent of the facilities in the existing IMO Car Wash network have been completely renovated. The new branding was implemented outside with the slogan ‘Love Your Car’ and the basic colour blue, and adjustments were also made inside the car wash. In all cases, the car wash technology was renewed to varying degrees and adapted to the company’s new standards. The washing chemistry has also been completely switched over to AUWA chemistry in recent months and includes the IMO-exclusive products Triple Foam, Ultra HD and Ceramic XTR. “This makes washing your car fun for all the senses,” Carsten Karasch, Managing Director of IMO Autopflege GmbH, explains to CarwashPro.de.

Since the launch of the new customer app, a lot has changed in this area too: individual washes and savings points, wash packages, monthly subscriptions and changing (local) offers now complement the popular option of pre-payment. The new app is made possible, among other things, by the fact that the wash range offers tailor-made solutions for every budget. Wheel cleaning is now a standard part of the car wash at all renovated facilities and makes buying laundry via the customer app much easier. “In the future, we will continue to offer relevant customer promotions and discounts exclusively via the app and reward the loyalty of our best customers to the maximum,” says Karasch.

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Expansion

The expansion process was recently successfully continued with the opening of three new locations. “We broke internal time records with the locations in Jena, Marl and Wildau. Between the takeover of the location from the previous owner and the opening of the location, the location in Marl was renovated in less than five weeks,” Karasch reports proudly. In Wildau, an IMO system with a car wash and five wash bays is now in operation, and in Marl, in addition to the express car wash and the covered vacuum cleaner area, customers will in future also be able to use the vehicle loading system. “In Jena, we are pleased with the additional special feature that the car wash can also be operated on Sundays. This was not an easy path, but it is routine for our team to investigate such options in consultation with the local authorities and in the interests of our customers,” says Karasch.

Mat cleaners and vacuum cleaners are available as standard at all locations, but the vacuum systems are only free of charge for car wash customers. In addition to the app, IMO also uses contactless payment at affiliated self-service locations. “We only accept cash if there are exceptional circumstances at a location,” explains Karasch.

Targeted acquisition

The current expansion course of IMO Germany follows many strategic decisions. The targeted acquisition of car washes at selected locations is part of the process. “We are also particularly pleased when competitors approach us in a trusting manner and want to talk about a partnership. This shows us as a team that we are on the right track in the German market,” says Karasch, describing the current development. The development of IMO Car Wash in Germany is also recognized within the entire group. “We are pleased that with the German share we also play a role in the international growth. We produce washing technology partly in Germany and the surrounding European countries, which is also used internationally. “That always makes the German team proud,” says Karasch.

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