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Oliver Kazunga Acting Business Editor
THE car wash business is booming in Bulawayo with one of the companies, The Tunnel Car Wash, offering its service through a state-of-the-art automated car wash technology. Due to the complexity of its technology, the company is a cut above the rest as it cleans a vehicle within two minutes and through its sophisticated equipment, vehicles can go through the tunnel at the same time.
As they go through the tunnel, the vehicles are controlled through a traffic lighting system.
Business Chronicle caught up with The Tunnel Car Wash operations director Martha Molawa-Nyathi to get an insight into their technology and the services that they offer.
“We secured this technology called automated car wash from China last year and in May this year we secured land from Bulawayo City Council here (Lunar park area along Robert Mugabe Way after 15th Avenue) to set up our business.
“We began our operations in June this year,” she said.
The automated car wash technology has four categories in the cleaning process that include the watering pipe and wheel wipers; roof wipers, side wipers that clean sides of the vehicle and windscreen, and then the dryer which exceptionally wipes every water drop on the vehicle.
The system has brushes, sprinklers and a dryer to allow a vehicle to get washed and polished.
And when the whole process is complete, the vehicle gets a new look, shining brighter than before.
“This technology allows a vehicle to be pulled through a conveyor system to the tunnel where its exterior is cleaned.
“As a company, we’re here to provide car owners with a fast means of having their cars cleaned. Company executives can have their cars done while on their way to work,” said Molawa-Nyathi.
The equipment also has brushes to ensure the undercarriage of the vehicle and wheels are also cleaned as it moves along the tunnel.
Before a car goes onto the tunnel, the wheels are cleaned using a ‘gun’ that releasing water under high pressure.
“This is the only car wash in the country with such technology. We also do vacuum wash and wax, full valet, engine cleaning, and chasis cleaning,” she said adding that their technology was environmentally friendly as it has a sump where oil and sand are trapped to avoid spillage into the drainage system.
Molawa-Nyathi, a South African married to a Zimbabwean, said their technology was presently being used in South Africa.
“This is the only car wash in Zimbabwe that washes a vehicle within two minutes. At the moment, we’re washing between 10 and 15 cars per day and we’re hopeful that the figure will increase as motorists get to know of this technology,” she said.
“We charge between $10 for sedans, $12 for pick-ups, $12 station wagons, $13 double cabs and $15 Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). The charges include cleaning the interior and exterior”.
At the moment, The Tunnel Car Wash employs five people and going forward plans are afoot to establish a car wash centre where heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks will be washed.
“We’ve plans to establish a car wash centre but the only limiting factor will be space to operate from,” said Molawa-Nyathi.
derick.khumalo