WashTec wins Lymm Truckwash tender
Vehicle washing equipment provider WashTec has been awarded the tender to supply four commercial vehicle wash systems for a £2.3 million new site under development by Lymm Truckwash.
Lymm Truckwash is a family-owned and managed business based just off Junction 20 of the M6 and Junction 9 of the M56 near Warrington. It washes over 60,000 trucks per year.
The business, which claims to be Europe’s largest and oldest truck wash facility, was started in 1967 by John and Anne Cardwell, and is now owned by daughter Laura. Customers, who can enjoy both a pre-wash and gantry wash within seven minutes at the facility, range from owner-drivers to major fleet operators such as AW Jenkinson, BP, DHL, ECM, Hoyer and XPO.
The company is currently based at Lymm Services, but is moving 100 metres away to new premises on the opposite side of the road (formerly the original Poplar Park truckstop) this autumn – which it says will be quicker and easier for customers to access, since they will no longer have to enter and exit the services.
The decision to move was made in March 2016 after it was discovered that the lease at the services could not extend beyond this December.
“We undertook professional market research and this showed that 80 per cent of our customers drive into the services simply for a wash, and do not use any other facilities,” explained Laura Cardwell, managing director of Lymm Truckwash.
“This gave us the confidence to apply for planning and buy the site opposite.
“Planning was achieved in October 2017 after huge support from our customers, which we are forever grateful for. This move is not only about our customers but also supporting our long-serving and faithful staff and consequently their families, as well as the local economy and business community.
“We went out to tender for this project as we had to ensure a smooth transition to our new site… As well as the quality of the wash we provide, continuity of business was of paramount importance.
“We chose to work with WashTec as not only the product quality is excellent, but the knowledge within the team gave us great confidence that this project will be delivered on time and to the highest standards.
“We are now in an exciting period with the move to our new site in Autumn 2019. It is a purpose-built site with state-of-the-art WashTec washers, alongside a bespoke pressure washer system and payment system with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR). There will be no need to get out of the truck; simply pull up to the HGV height kiosk, and payment will take about 20 seconds.
“This is a huge investment for Lymm Truckwash, and we are excited to welcome both existing and new customers to our fantastic new site.”
The firm teamed up with WashTec to promote the news on the washing equipment provider’s stand at the Commercial Vehicle Show last month.
Craig McKay, managing director of WashTec UK, added: “This is a prestigious site for the UK, and to be chosen as the commercial wash supplier demonstrates the knowledge and innovation WashTec provides.
“We are looking forward to working with Lymm Truckwash to deliver the highest quality of projects on time. I’d like to thank Laura and the team for this project, and wish them all the best for their new site.”
Lymm Truckwash, which has undergone a rebrand to coincide with the shift of premises, says its service will continue at the current site until it undergoes a seamless transition to the new facilities in the autumn, resulting in no loss of service for customers.
Regular updates on the transition will be available via a newly-launched website; and the company is also encouraging customers to follow it on Twitter (@LymmTruckWash), as well as on Facebook, where it offers a monthly competition to win a wash, daily traffic updates for the surrounding motorways, and updates on the new development.
