Report from UNITI, day 2: car washing or greenwashing?
After the first day of UNITI expo 2022 focused on innovations and successful models in the car wash business, the second day of the German trade fair was dedicated to sustainability.
It is currently the number one topic in car washing: sustainability. At the same time, some people say that in the car wash industry, “greenwashing” goes a long way in car washing. However, the UNITI presentations have made it clear that sustainability is more than just an image issue.
For some years now, sustainability has been an increasingly important topic. In the car wash industry, this development meets business models in which water consumption and the use of chemicals are indispensable. But UNITI expo 2022 has shown that sustainability is now a primary matter in the industry. And we’re not just talking about water reduction and lowering chemical consumption. Far from. Sustainable solutions are now found in all areas of the industry.
Smart sustainability
About 10 years ago, the industry discussed whether there would be a self-sufficient car wash in the future, where the only things needed are washing technology and washing chemicals.
We’ve now reached the stage where this future vision has come true. A while back, the first Kärcher car wash park opened. It uses a closed water system with rainwater harvesting, while it also generates its own energy and heating.
Sustainability in the car wash industry is also evident when it comes to digitalisation. WashTec AG, among others, is taking the sustainable route by making car washes smart. This increases flexibility. It also shows that intelligent solutions with technical support can lead to around 20 percent less service deployments in system management and maintenance.
This proves that sustainable washing also has an impact on the amount of materials used, on the production proces, on energy and water use, compared to general car washing.
UNITI expo 2022 turned out to be an ideal opportunity to see how manufacturers and companies in the sector are implementing their sustainability goals on the basis of their current products .
Drinks, snacks and phone numbers
After the impressive networking parts of the first evening of the fair, the second evening of UNITI offered numerous opportunities to cultivate and intensify contacts, as many exhibitors invited visitors to trade fair parties at their stands.
In a relaxed atmosphere and with drinks and snacks, journalists, entrepreneurs and manufacturers found each other, exchanged ideas and phone numbers once again.
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