Since 2014, Brandstoffen Tilmans-Pouls & Zoon has been operating the Grenspoal gas station in Molenbeersel. In addition to a shop, the station, which is located a stone's throw from the Dutch border, also offers a 35-meter tunnel wash and a self-wash as a service. The self-wash recently underwent a true metamorphosis and moved from location within the premises of the gas station. A new, modern self-wash facility with 5 covered washing areas was built in collaboration with CTW Cleaning Systems. Ergox also installed a central vacuum system, so that the washing customer can clean the inside of the car in complete comfort.
Fuels Tilmans-Pouls & Zoon : gas station Grenspoal at Molenbeersel.
New self-wash at Fuel & Wash Grenspoal is sure to please.
Selfwash Moves tens of meters.
Since its start, the gas station has experienced significant growth and its customer base has expanded year after year. More and more Dutch drivers are also visiting Grenspoal to fill up their tanks. This forced manager Vital Tilmans to expand his fuel station and provide an extra fuel pump. But that had an influence on self-wash.
“We originally had 3 wash boxes, which were housed in our gas station building. But due to the expansion of our forecourt, they were no longer accessible. Because a large part of our washing clientele specifically opts to service their car themselves in the self-wash and/or considers the price of a wash in the wash tunnel too expensive, we decided to look for a solution so that we could still meet their needs. cater to. This came about when we were able to purchase the adjacent site, which housed a car garage showroom and a warehouse. The latter was retained, but the showroom was demolished to make way for a new building, where we will soon house the offices of Brandstoffen Tilmans-Pouls & Zoon on the top floor. These are currently still located in Maaseik, just like our own fuel depot, which will also move here in the future. We then connected our new self-wash to the new building at the front and turned it into a beautiful, stylish whole. This means that the washing boxes and the vacuum cleaner area are completely covered and the washing customer can clean his vehicle comfortably regardless of the weather conditions. The new self-wash has been operational since mid-November. The facade will soon be covered with a cloth, under which there will be lighting, making it easier for the self-wash to stand out in the street scene at night," outlines Vital Tilmans.
Modern infrastructure
Vital Tilmans turned to CTW Cleaning Systems to realize the new self-service car wash. “We have built a full option installation here. It is a stainless steel construction with glass partitions, which includes 5 covered washing areas with a height of 3.50 meters. This means that vans can also be washed without any problems. The washing customer can choose between 7 programs, namely wheel cleaner, pre-wash, foam lance, foam brush, rinse, hot wax and gloss rinse. The operator can set which programs use hot or cold water, which can result in significant cost savings in these times of high energy prices. Here it was decided to heat the water via an oil boiler. The technical installation consists of pressure-increased pumps and the entire pipe network is made of stainless steel material. This self-wash is also equipped with our own digital management system, which allows the operator to manage his installation remotely: adjust settings or overviews of income, alarms, performance or the like, it is all possible,” explains Jonas Schellekens of CTW Cleaning Systems to.
Various payment options
The Antenor payment terminal guarantees a smooth and easy purchase of laundry tokens. “This can be done in cash (coins and notes) or with a bank card (also contactless) and a smartphone at the Valina terminal,” explains Jonas Schellekens.
“The payment system is also equipped with a bar and QR code scanner. After all, customers who come to refuel can save for a free wash. They can exchange their savings points in the petrol shop for a voucher that they must then scan at the payment terminal, after which the car wash box will start automatically. We regularly run savings and promotional campaigns in our shop and they are always very successful,” adds Vital Tilmans.
Technology is located above the self-wash
What is striking about this project is that the technical room is not located next to the self-wash construction, as is normally the case. A conscious choice, says Vital Tilmans. “This is housed on the top floor of the new building. We could indeed have decided to install this next to the self-wash construction, but then we would have had to sacrifice a wash box. Moreover, the chosen approach offers the opportunity to further expand the self-wash in the future, if there is a need for this. The distance to the top floor is quite short, which made everything technically perfectly possible. We have finished the technical room with a double wall with sound insulation in between, as our new office spaces are located next to it and we wanted to guarantee that our employees are not disturbed by major noise pollution.”
“The location on the top floor was a clear challenge, but it was certainly not an insurmountable problem. Our architect and R&D department developed some new drawings regarding the positioning of the guard tubes and the equipment, which resulted in a beautiful and functional end result,” emphasizes Jonas Schellekens.
Rainwater
The new selfwash also focuses on sustainability. For example, rainwater is collected on the roof of the new building and the warehouse. This is stored in 4 tanks with a total capacity of 80,000 liters and used during the washing process. This also leads to significant savings in the use of city water.
Central vacuum system
Customers who come to clean their vehicle in Grenspoal's self-wash can also use the extensive vacuum cleaner area.
“The vacuum cleaners are located behind the wash boxes. I thought it was important that both washing and vacuuming could be done under cover, so that the washing customer is always protected against the weather. With that in mind, we also installed an automatic exit gate so that it absorbs any wind. The original intention was to install individual vacuum cleaners, but I ultimately opted for a central vacuum cleaner system from Ergox. In addition, the system was extended to our office space, so that we can also use it there,” explains Vital Tilmans.
Ease of use is central to vacuuming
“We want to contribute to a positive car wash experience with our central vacuum systems, which we develop and produce ourselves. That is why we have developed a total concept here, whereby the washing customer can vacuum the interior of his vehicle in a simple, pleasant way. First of all, there is a vacuum hose on both the left and right sides of each location. In addition, various accessories can be found at each vacuum location, which offer clear added value. The compressed air gun, for example, can not only be used to blow away water droplets from door and trunk pillars or neck mirrors, but is also very useful for removing dust from the dashboard. The mat clamp is also very useful, because it means that the washing customer does not have to bend down when cleaning the floor mat. Finally, this unit includes a tire pump, allowing the driver to check and adjust his tire pressure so that he/she can get back on the road safely. We designed the construction in black anthracite so that everything fits in nicely with the rest of the building. Pipes, cables and the like were also neatly concealed to prevent vandalism. With the automatic payment system, the money is immediately deposited there to avoid theft,” says Henk Wildeman of Ergox.
Relieving the car wash operator's worries
The Ergox installation not only promotes the comfort of the washing customer, it also offers various advantages for the car wash operator. “First of all, our central vacuum system is very energy-saving. Only vacuum hoses that are in effective use consume energy. There is a sensor in the vacuum nozzle, which, when the washing customer has paid, sends a signal to the PLC control box, from which the shut-off valve of the hose is opened. The amount of vacuuming power provided is also determined per hose. The sucked dirt goes to a pre-separator, where it is separated from the vacuum air. The latter is then sent through a particulate filter, after which it is blown out again by the turbine. This filter contains a measuring system that measures the amount of resistance. If these results are slightly out of line, a filter cleaning cycle is automatically started. The Ergox system therefore requires no maintenance. The operator only needs to empty the bucket of the pre-separator once or twice a week, with the bucket of the particulate filter this is even only once a quarter. Because our installations are controlled via compressed air, no malfunctions can occur,” concludes Henk Wildeman.
Gerealiseerd met de steun van Flanders Investment & Trade
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