What effect, if any, will the trend toward consolidation have on ICA membership?
At the retail level the carwash potential membership universe is so large that I don’t expect much impact on the size of ICA membership in the short term. We estimate there are 75,000 carwashes in America – 40 percent self serves, 40 percent rollovers and 20 percent conveyors. If you do the math you’ll see what I mean when I look at our 2,600 operators-members who represent 15,000 washes and detail shops. The major impact of consolidation at the retail level, however, will not be quantitative but qualitative. Consolidation will be successful only if quality can be replicated consistently at multiple locations. Consistent quality replications will require standards – franchise standards, if you will. With standards which result in a consistent, dependable product, this will give rise to brand identity. And it will be the establishment of standards by the various “consolidators” which will challenge each of us to meet their standards in order to be competitive. Consolidation among manufa
