- In 1885, Hans Kleindienst opens a machine factory
- In 2000, merger with Wesumat Holding AG to form WashTec AG
- World market leader in vehicle wash systems
Augsburg (prc) – From a small machine factory to the leading manufacture of vehicle wash systems - this is the history of Augsburg-based WashTec AG. This year, the company celebrates its 120th birthday. It all started in 1885, when Hans Kleindienst founded the firm in Augsburg. He produced machines for large laundries, later adding lifts and then car wash systems. In 2000, the merger between California Kleindienst and WESUMAT Holding AG created WashTec AG - the world's number one in vehicle washing systems with a unique expertise in design, manufacture and service. For its anniversary, the company is able to report that 2004 was a successful year, with pre-tax profits of a million euros and order levels higher than in the previous year. WashTec will be continuing its market offensive and the expansion of its product portfolio - ensuring that the company remains strong and viable for the future.
The origins of the group of companies
In 1885, the trained lathe operator Hans Kleindienst establishes Kleindienst GmbH & Co with two friends in Kurzes Sachsengässchen in Augsburg. They make machines for corset parts. One year later, the firm already employs a workforce of six. Twelve years after its foundation, Hans Kleindienst is once again the sole "master workman, merchant and technician", as he himself writes, looking back. After the turn of the century, the company moves to the large site vacated by an insolvent foundry in Argon Strasse. Hans Kleindienst devises new machines to make work in laundries easier. The hem moistener, the collar corner ironing machine and the cuff press appear in the market. The little workshop turned into a well-known machine works a long time ago. The company has also been creating a reputation as a lift manufacturer since then. After the Second World War, four fifths of the factory have been destroyed, but laundry machines are soon being produced again. The new carousel press becomes a best-seller, and is part of the basic equipment of almost every laundry for over four decades. Innovative automatic functions make the machines more efficient. Kleindienst sells worldwide.
In 1964, the company ventures into a new field; this is when Germans are discovering the car, and more and more vehicles need to be looked after. But manual labour is expensive and the site prices for a classic car wash tunnel are high. Kleindienst develops a car wash system that takes up a minimum amount of space: the first electrically powered three-brush gantry wash system - a real sensation. Soon a separate dryer is available for it too. Numerous innovations, such as wheel and underbody washes and paint protection options, ensure that washing cars mechanically is constantly improved. Kleindienst is the front-runner in Europe, with one out of two car wash systems coming from Augsburg. The proportion of manual washing operations declines rapidly. The company continues to develop and becomes the market leader for vehicle wash tunnels and commercial vehicle washing facilities.
Kleindienst enters data processing
At the beginning of the 1970s, the mechanical engineering specialist presents yet another product - the document reader - and thus enters the world of electronic data processing. The Data Technology division is formed. Banks and administrative authorities, associations and group head offices are amongst the firm's customers. Computers, printers, data storage media and microfilming systems are developed. The Kleindienst document reader grows into an independent system that offers extraordinary value for money. The electronic expertise is also used in the washing systems, opening the way to applications that cannot be achieved by mechanical engineering alone.
Parallel developments at WESUMAT Fahrzeugwaschanlagen GmbH
Wesumat is also an expert in cleaning technologies for transport systems. In 1962, the Weigele-Sulzberger inventors' association in Augsburg presented the first fully automatic brush washing system which could be installed in existing vehicle wash operations. By 1968, the association had had over 4,000 car wash systems made under licence at MBB. Two years later, WESU Weigele GmbH & Co. KG takes over the manufacture of its machines. In 1973, WESUMAT Autowaschanlagenvertriebs GmbH is founded in Düsseldorf and all sales activities originate here. The two companies were later merged, with production and sales being jointly controlled from Augsburg. Following the continued growth of WESUMAT, the company was launched on the stock exchange in 1997.
Company mergers have a decisive effect on history
In the 1980s, Kleindienst becomes part of the Osorno Group of Investors and is joined with California Rohé GmbH in 1996 to form California Kleindienst. The new company successfully takes the core competence of vehicle wash systems further and defends its market leadership in Germany and the world. In the millennium year 2000, California Kleindienst and Wesumat Holding AG merge to form WashTec AG. In the many company mergers, the newly founded companies are always absorbed into the original Kleindienst GmbH & Co. KG, and so it is possible to talk about WashTec's 120-year history.
Today, the WashTec Group produces a complete product range, from cleaning systems for cars, commercial vehicles and buses, plus water treatment systems. The Augsburg-based company combines cutting-edge technology and high-quality components to create reliable, durable systems that retain their value, embodying the values intrinsic in "Made in Germany". The company constantly underpins its market leadership with constant innovations. The new developments range from what is currently the fastest gantry car wash, the "SoftCare Juno", which can wash and dry a car in just 2.5 minutes, through patented linear technology for car wash tunnels, which allows higher throughputs with a consistent cleaning effect, to the revolutionary brush material SofTecs, which leaves no brush marks on vehicle paintwork, as proved in an ADAC study.
The WashTec group of companies is present today in more than 55 countries throughout the world with subsidiary companies and dealer organisations, and achieves 56% of its turnover abroad.
Globally, over 28,800 gantry car washes, over 1,450 car wash tunnels and 2,650 commercial vehicle washing facilities have been installed by WashTec. More than 2,000,000 vehicles are cleaned every day using WashTec technology. In 2005, WashTec is continuing its market and product offensive. Amongst other things, the development of further vehicle wash systems is being planned in order to round off the product portfolio. WashTec offers first-class servicing to ensure that business runs smoothly at all times. In Germany alone, more than 250 mobile engineers are available around the clock.
After business had developed unsatisfactorily in 2003, WashTec implemented a restructuring programme. The success of measures can be seen already - the company has left the loss zone in time for its anniversary. In the successful 2004 financial year, pre-tax profits of a million euros were achieved, and order levels are higher than in the previous year.
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