Loogman Carwash Business Blossoms in the Netherlands

“In 1996, our double 95-foot pre-wash and 140-foot main-wash carwash was ready,” he continues. “The wash volume increased again. The result was better, and we were no longer depending on the labor of our employees. Through the years, we were able to improve the result by investing in better performance of soaps, waxes, hot-air dryers, new controllers, etc. With this system, we can wash 2,000 cars per day with only six employees.”

Words of Wisdom

With business booming to the degree it has, the Loogman Group has diversified into other areas, including self-storage facilities (two), additional gas stations (two) and real estate. In addition, Loogman says the group offers management to other carwash enterprises and consults with those operators looking for guidance when purchasing equipment.

The key to the company’s growth and continued carwash success is simple to pinpoint, notes Loogman, who says the most important criteria to please customers and earn repeat business is a short waiting time, a memorable carwash experience, customer service and a quality carwash.

Maintaining these standards has proven to be quite successful for the Loogman Group and certainly has played a role in the company’s increasing volume. Loogman’s Aalsmeer location, for example, now serves 240,000 vehicles per year, he says, while its Amsterdam facility washes 200,000. The Hoofddorp location washes 80,000 each year, and Lelystad services 60,000.

When asked if he has any advice or recommendations for first-time operators, Loogman carefully delivers his message: “Running a carwash is not simple, it is a real business,” he begins. “It takes a long time to learn and understand. Do not start too big, and listen to other operators.”

Although he’s been in the industry for a couple of decades, it seems like only yesterday he was toiling away on all the big and small details. One of his most memorable moments, he says, was the opening of the Aalsmeer location’s double tunnel.

“Nobody in the business understood why I was investing so much money in new buildings and equipment,” he recalls. “At this time, Aalsmeer is still one of the biggest carwashes in Europe.

“Looking back, it was very instructive for me to grow from a small carwash to the standard we have reached today,” notes Loogman. “If I could do it all over again, I would probably go the same way. The whole process of learning was very interesting and made me who I am today.”