Car wash kits: R&D underscores portable, practical designs

China suppliers of car washing and maintenance equipment are pushing ahead with R&D to improve their competitive stance. This comes as sluggish overseas demand continue to strain profit margins, making it difficult for companies to depend solely on low prices.

Because China's selection is geared primarily toward the DIY rather than the professional segment, suppliers are moving beyond the basics to develop more convenient and practical designs.

Traditional car wash systems come in bulky and heavy constructions intended for home use and garage storage. To address portability concerns, makers are offering models that are small enough to fit inside car trunks and be carried around by hand.

Such units can be plugged into the vehicle's cigarette lighter socket. This enables users to clean their vehicles even in parking lots and remote locations.

Portable car wash systems from Hengtai International Co. Ltd consist of a water container and pump, hose, interchangeable brush and spray gun heads, and power cord with cigarette lighter adapter. Model TW-Q16 features a PP bucket with a handle integrated in the top lid. Another release, the TW-Q17 model, includes a collapsible water tank. This reservoir, together with other implements, is packed in a compact PP carry case.

In addition, Hengtai's latest designs are equipped with mechanisms for changing water pressure levels depending on the area of the car being washed.

For car cleaning brushes, suppliers are reworking designs so that these can perform other functions.

At Cixi Loto Plastic Products Fty, modified constructions have an extra-long, hollow shaft with a quick-click connector at the end that attaches directly to the hose. This allows water to flow into the handle and then out through the brush head, which can be detached when rinsing down the vehicle. There is also a built-in valve, eliminating the need to turn off the hose faucet.

The upper section of the shaft is fitted with a detergent container. Its lid doubles as a switch for controlling the flow of soap into the brush head.

Dual-purpose releases from Ningbo Zeal & Fame Commodities Co. Ltd can be used for removing frost and snow from the windshield and windows. The ice-scraping blade is integrated at the opposite end of the brush head.

With vacuum cleaners, the trend for user-friendly designs is reflected in the increasing output of wet-and-dry models. From 20 percent the previous year, the category now accounts for one-third of production.

Vacuum cleaners and polishers are two of the key lines in China's car washing and maintenance equipment industry.

The former category accounts for 15 percent of output. Available in portable designs, models usually target the DIY segment. Rated between 35 and 75W, most run on 12VDC and come with cigarette lighter adapters. AC versions have voltage and power ratings of 110 or 230V and 3,000W, respectively.

Polishers constitute 10 percent of turnout. The selection is a mix of home-use and professional designs with 5 to 10in foam pads.

AC-powered units, which dominate production in this segment, are available in 120 or 230V versions rated between 90 and 800W. No-load speed options range from 2,800 to 3,500rpm.

Battery-run 12VDC models have a 4 or 5A current rating, with the average no-load speed at 3,200rpm.

For both lines, prices depend largely on the type and grade of the housing material.

At the lower end of the spectrum, plastic such as ABS and PP is the predominant choice. A combination of recycled and virgin grades is adopted to keep costs down.

Low-end models are made mostly, if not entirely, of recycled varieties. For midrange designs, 30 percent or less of the materials used are recycled. High-end products come in virgin ABS or PP, although aluminum and stainless steel are also employed for AC-powered units.

Home to more than 2,000 suppliers, China produced over $1 billion worth of car washing and maintenance equipment in 2008.

The industry's large companies each generate more than $8 million in sales annually. These enterprises carry out 80 to 100 percent of production processes in factories that exceed 10,000sqm. They have over 600 workers, including at least 10 each in R&D and QC.

At midsize operations, yearly revenue ranges from $1 million to $8 million and plants occupy more than 2,000sqm. Such businesses conduct 40 to 80 percent of manufacturing processes in-house, with molding often subcontracted. Their workforce numbers between 50 and 600, with 10 specialists assigned to R&D. A similarly sized group handles QC.

Makers running smaller factories and employing fewer personnel have annual sales of less than $1 million.

This article "Car wash kits: R&D underscores portable, practical designs" is originally posted in Global Sources.

Autoline International Trading Co. Ltd
Cixi Loto Plastic Products Factory
Hengtai International Co Ltd
Kema International Ltd
Ningbo Mind Import & Export Co. Ltd
Ningbo Yinzhou Eternal Star International Industry Co. Ltd
Ningbo Zeal & Fame Commodities Co. Ltd
Zhongshan Hairuida Electronic Technology Limited Company