WashTec Cleaning Technology GmbH
Argonstraße 7
86153 Augsburg
Telephone +49 821 5584 0
WashTec Best Practice:
I'm very happy with the ‘everything from a single source’ concept - service, wash chemicals and system. I particularly like the service.
It was a sunny day in autumn 2016 when Fevzi Gecegel set foot on German soil for the first time in two years. He had lived and worked in Mexico for two years to gain experience and broaden his horizons. But homesickness and the desire to build something of his own led him back to Germany, or more precisely to Waldshut-Tiengen.
While looking for a car wash, Fevzi discovered a car wash at Carl-Duisberg-Str. 7 in 79761 Waldshut-Tiengen, which was in a perfect location but surprisingly quiet. He immediately recognised the potential. ‘When I wanted to clean my car, I saw a lot of potential in this business. I wanted to take on the challenge and prove to myself that I could get more out of this large car wash,’ Fevzi recalls. Without further ado, he called the owner and started his career as a car wash operator.
Fevzi leased the facility for the first three years, got to know the business from the ground up and quickly realised that it was time to buy the car wash. With a clear goal in mind, he invested in a modern WashTec car wash, which replaced the old system in 2020. ‘The capacity, the cleaning power and the state-of-the-art technology of the system convinced me,’ says Fevzi, explaining his decision in favour of WashTec. He found the ‘everything from a single source’ concept - service, wash chemicals and system - particularly appealing: ‘I'm very happy with the concept. I particularly like the service.’ For Fevzi, it is important to have everything from a single source and to avoid system failures.
The choice of washing chemicals was also crucial. After years of using Caramba, Fevzi switched to Auwa Chemicals in 2019. ‘I was impressed by the expertise and experience of my contact partner. AUWA's products are also very efficient,’ says Fevzi. Sustainability is playing an increasingly important role for him and his customers. ‘Sustainable car washing is very important to us. That's why we have installed a solar energy system and a water treatment system at our plant.’
Fevzi has put together a small but efficient team to run the car wash: Two full-time employees and one part-time employee look after the car wash itself, while four people work in preparation and two in the workshop. A small snack bar is also part of the business, where two employees cater for the physical well-being of the customers.
Fevzi's success story is also a family story. His wife, brother, brother-in-law and sister-in-law are all involved in the business. The brother-in-law and sister-in-law work in the vehicle preparation centre, which is located in a hall next to the car wash. While Fevzi, his wife and his brother manage the car wash, the garage and the snack bar on the premises.
The car wash quickly became an insider tip in the region. Customers from a radius of over 60 kilometres came to have their expensive and high-quality cars washed at Fevzi's facility. They were particularly impressed by the use of osmosis water, which leaves no stains on the cars and, in combination with the AUWA chemicals, gives them a special shine and beading effect. Fevzi observes: ‘The washing behaviour has increased. This could be due to the fact that cars have become bigger and more expensive. We have a lot of customers who come to us from neighbouring Switzerland to have their cars washed. In addition, our customers have less time for car care and therefore attach greater importance to the long-lasting cleanliness of their cars after our wash.’
‘I have a special fondness for cars when they are clean and shiny. It's also overwhelming to see the customers‘ beaming faces when they have a clean car again,’ says Fevzi, describing his fascination with car washing.
Thanks to his tireless work and the commitment of his team, the number of car washes at his location in Waldshut-Tiengen has increased significantly. The district of Waldshut, with its 173,000 inhabitants and correspondingly large number of cars, offered enormous potential, which Fevzi knew how to utilise. Next year, he plans to extend the car wash by eight metres in order to be able to offer even more brushing, rim and drying options. The number of hoover bays is also to be increased from ten to fourteen, and two double WashTec suction towers will also be added. ‘I don't want to be more explicit about our plans for the future just yet,’ he says mysteriously, but you can sense that he has big plans for the future.
Fevzi goes to work every day with a smile on his face, filled with pride and the certainty that he has realised a dream through hard work and the support of his family. His journey from Mexico back to Germany was the start of a new chapter, and it is only the beginning.
