2020_ADN_V5_No3_web

VOL. 5, NO. 3 FALL 2020 

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CONTENTS 

IDA Column. ............. 4 

IDA Marine Certification 

Sets Sail! 

Detail Doctor . ............ 6 

Maintenance Matters 

Innovations . ............. 8 

Nitty Gritty ............. 10 

Where’s the Money? 

Industry Dirt . ........... 12 

Fiber Logic ............. 20 

The Business 

of Detailing . ............ 24 

What Type of Detailer 

Do I Want to be? 

We're Not In 

Kansas Anymore ........ 26 

Vol. 5, No. 3, Fall 2020 

One More Thing ... 

So…how is everyone doing out there? Are 

you okay? Surviving? Mad? Miffed? Wishing 

2020 was over? Or, are you seemingly unaffected 

by it all? Perhaps your state is “business 

as usual.” Although, even if you’re impervious 

to it all, the news, television entertainment, 

and your travel plans are anything but normal. 

This year for me has somewhat been a kick in 

my ever-hopeful heart. My beloved cat passed 

away, a close family member has been sick, and 

there has been so much strife between friends 

and loved ones over the upcoming election, 

I seriously feel like either hiding out in the 

Adirondacks for the next five months in a cabin 

with no electricity. But, a constant and steady 

part of my life has been this magazine. I still 

have this work to look forward to every day and 

I still get to hear your stories and feel normal 

again when I sit down to work. Of course, while 

I type this, I still have both kids at home with 

me. I still feel stuck, and I still want to go and 

visit my friends in other states, but those are 

all passable problems. And, I hope, for all of 

you who are reading this, whom I appreciate so 

much, are doing okay. I know in a lot of ways, 

the importance of cleanliness is front and center 

of most peoples’ anxieties and desires. Germkilling 

is no longer germaphobe propaganda – it 

is a full-on new way of life. Detailers have a lot 

of opportunities here, to really promote your 

services and offer concrete, dependable services 

and also, offer something that we moms, caregivers 

and stressed-out drivers need more than 

ever: Peace of mind. 

And, if you don’t want to take the pandemic-based 

marketing route, consider using the 

recent study, referenced on page 17 which 

revealed that most people will not get a second 

date if their date’s car is messy. So, there you 

have it. If people aren’t afraid of getting Covid, 

maybe they are afraid of getting ghosted. 

In other news, this issue’s cover story was so 

much fun. It was made possible by Bud “Detail 

Doctor” Abraham who knows detailers from 

all over the world. The idea came about at the 

last Mobile Tech Expo (remember when we all 

convened in Orlando, without a Covid-based 

care in the world). Bud and I were talking and 

the idea of an international issue came about. 

That evening, during a social gathering at one 

of the resort restaurants, also gave us the opportunity 

to meet Guðmundur Einar Halldórsson 

of Iceland. The International Detailing 

Association helped me track him down months 

later and here we are. A detailer in Saudi Arabia 

and another in Argentina are also included. 

Some of their answers might surprise you. 

And, one more thing before I go. If money 

is tight right now, I urge you to read page 10 

and look into a loan from the Small Business 

Administration. I know businesses are closing 

up here in Upstate New York. The money is 

available and the criteria seems more than 

reasonable. Please do not feel any shame in 

reaching out for a helping hand. 

I also ask that all of you out there stay safe 

and know that you’re not alone. 

Until next time, 

Publisher: Jackson Vahaly 

Editor: Debra Gorgos 

Design: Katy Barrett-Alley 

Auto Detailing News is published 4 times per year 

and is independently owned by Jackson Vahaly. 

Web address is www.autodetailingnews.com 

All inquiries should be directed to: 

Auto Detailing News 

110 Childs Ln. Franklin, TN 37067 

jacksonv@autodetailingnews.com 

Copyright © 2020 

2 Dollar Enterprises/Auto Detailing News 

All Rights Reserved. 

VOL. 5, NO.3 • FALL 2020 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 3

IDA 

COLUMN 

IDA Marine 

Certification 

Sets Sail! 

The IDA’s Newest Certification Program 

Is Ready for its Maiden Voyage 

By Erin Reyes, IDA 

Communications Coordinator 

It’s time to dive into the latest IDA 

Certification – Marine! 

That’s right, IDA Marine Certification 

examinations are now available online. 

This is the first specialty certification 

that the IDA is introducing to its lineup 

– with plans to eventually grow to include 

individual certifications for motorcycles, 

recreational vehicles, aircraft, and more. 

The IDA Certification Committee 

first decided to proceed with the marine 

certification more than two years ago, 

based on market demand and the availability 

of volunteers willing to help move 

the program forward. 

“The Certification Committee is constantly 

reviewing the current programs 

and looking at future opportunities,” explained 

Keith Duplessie, CD-SV, RT, former 

IDA president and one of the leaders 

of the marine certification project. 

“There have been a number of potential 

specialty accreditations discussed in recent 

years, including marine. In 2018, the 

committee established a task force to review 

the feasibility of and process for the 

program. Luckily, a great group of IDA 

members with an interest in marine detailing 

volunteered to do the heavy lifting 

of implementing the program.” 

Indeed, heavy lifting it was – the task 

force essentially started from scratch to 

pull the program together. First, they 

needed to settle on the best categories 

to build upon the foundational Phase I 

– Certified Detailer (CD) exams, while 

also making sure the new tests were marine-specific. 

Then came the even harder 

task – developing questions that would 

accurately assess an individual’s marine 

expertise while also keeping them generic 

enough to apply to the variety of circumstances 

and environments that marine 

detailers face on the job. Lastly, they 

made the decision to limit the certification 

– at least for now – to written exams, 

rather than including the additional level 

of in-person skills validation (SV). 

“We all came to the agreement that 

we should have knowledge first and then 

work on the skillset,” said task force member 

and veteran marine detailer Parker 

Richards. “If some are wondering why 

there’s not an SV test right away, we had 

all decided that it was important to build 

a foundation [first] and then continue to 

build on the skillset.” 

The task force initially believed the 

certification development process would 

take no more than a year, but soon realized 

that between busy work schedules 

and all the necessary steps to build the 

program properly, they could not rush the 

timeline. Now, over two years later, the 

program is finally ready, and they are glad 

they took the time to do it the right way. 

While they had hoped to launch the 

program earlier this year in-person at 

the Southern Detailers Conference in 

Lexington, Kentucky, unfortunately the 

event was cancelled due to limitations 

on gatherings because of the pandemic. 

Exams are available online now, but, 

according to Duplessie, the task force is 

hoping to move forward with their plans 

to hold in-person exams at the 2021 

Mobile Tech Expo in Orlando, Florida, 

should the event go on as planned. 

Knowing that there would be a lot 

of interest in the program, along with 

a lot of questions, the task force held a 

webinar at the end of August to discuss 

the exams and answer questions from 

attendees. The live webinar had more 

than 60 attendees interested in learning 

more about the program. The webinar 

recording is available on the IDA website 

for members who were not able to 

attend the live session and for those who 

just want to re-watch the discussion for 

additional insights. 

One of the points the panelists emphasized 

during the webinar is that those 

considering taking the exams should be 

well-versed in the intricacies of marine 

detailing and understand the major differences 

between it and other forms of 

detailing, namely auto detailing. 

“There is a lot of material here,” 

Duplessie said, adding, “This is a very 

focused area of detailing. It’s not rocket 

science, but it is specific.” 

Not only are there the obvious differences 

between the actual vessels that are 

being detailed, but there are also various 

chemical, environmental, and safety factors 

to consider, which auto detailers may 

not even think about at first. 

During the webinar, the task force 

dove into the example of cross-contamination, 

an issue that can arise when 

a boat is transported from one lake to 

4 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 3 • FALL 2020

another. If one lake is populated by an 

invasive species, it is important for the 

detailer to thoroughly de-contaminate 

the boat before the customer brings it to 

another lake or run the risk of potentially 

spreading the invasive species. Therefore, 

it is essential for marine detailers to get 

to know their customers and understand 

their habits and behaviors, perhaps even 

more so than auto detailers. 

Furthermore, panelist Ben Thompson 

reminded those on the webinar that, 

as marine detailers, the waterway would 

more than likely be their workplace, so 

they have to be extra considerate of the 

environment, knowing that whatever substances 

they are using to clean the boats 

will run off directly into the body of water. 

Thus, hopefully marine detailers take it 

upon themselves to be more cognizant of 

the types of materials they use, all of which 

is reflected in the certification exams. 

Because of the advanced nature of 

the marine exams, it is a prerequisite to 

hold an active Certified Detailer (CD) 

designation, which establishes the foundation 

for all other certification levels. 

There are five exams in the marine certification 

series: (1) Interior & Vinyl Care, (2) 

Paint & Fiberglass, (3) Safety & Environmental, 

(4) Terminology, and (5) Wood 

Trim, Metal & Brightwork. The full set 

of exams costs $200 for members and 

$400 for non-members. Each exam can 

also be purchased individually for $50 for 

members, $90 each for non-members, 

and they can be taken in any order. Just as 

with the Phase I certification exams, individuals 

will receive two attempts for each 

exam with their first purchase. If they do 

not pass with an 80% or better after two 

attempts, retakes will be available for $10 

each. Also, like with the Phase I exams, 

users will have a year to complete their 

exams from the date of purchase of the 

first exam or the complete set. 

An 80% or better is required on all 

five exams to pass and achieve the marine 

certification. Once an individual earns 

the certification, they also earn the privilege 

of using the CD, MC designation 

after their name (i.e. John Smith, CD, 

MC). They will then be known as an IDA 

Certified Detailer – Marine Certified for 

as long as they maintain recertification. 

As with all other IDA Certification 

levels, marine certified detailers will need 

to complete eight credits for recertification 

every two years. A minimum of 

two of the eight credits need to be marine-specific, 

to show that the detailer is 

keeping up with all the latest techniques 

and technological developments in relation 

to marine detailing. Similarly, the 

Certification Committee will continue 

to monitor the marine exams – as they 

do for all current exams – on an annual 

basis, updating the material as needed to 

match new rules, regulations, and trends 

as they arise. 

The IDA knows that its members are 

continuously looking for ways to better 

themselves and improve the services they 

offer to their consumer base. To that end, 

the Certification Committee – along with 

all the other IDA committees, task forces, 

and Board leaders – are constantly working 

on programs and offerings to improve 

education and professional development 

opportunities for detailers. In this case, 

Marine Certification is just one of the 

many ways the IDA is working to ensure 

that the rising tide lifts all boats. 

The IDA Marine Certification online 

exams are available now. To get started, 

visit https://the-ida.com/marine. 

The IDA wishes to extend sincere thanks to 

the team responsible for bringing the exams 

to fruition: Keith Duplessie, CD-SV, RT, Detail 

Plus; Parker Richards, Colorado Boat Detailing; 

Ben Thompson, Mavinate; Josh Buckler, 

Shine Right Detailing; Mike Phillips, CD-SV, RT, 

Autogeek; John Lakkis, Hula Boat Care; and 

Nathan Warren, CD-SV, Frontline Shine. 

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DETAIL DOCTOR 

Maintenance 

Matters 

Why your shop’s equipment 

requires scheduled care. 

Bud Abraham is Founder and President Emeritus of DETAIL PLUS Car Appearance Systems, 

with more than 40 years of experience in the car care industry as a manufacturer, operator, 

distributor and consultant. He writes articles and gives seminars on the subject of auto 

detailing throughout the automotive industry. He can be reached at buda@detailplus.com. 

By Bud Abraham 

buda@detailplus.com 

When someone brings a vehicle to 

your detail shop, you can tell if it has been 

properly maintained. If it has not, what’s 

your reaction? You probably feel that 

the owner doesn’t bother to do the little 

things that keep the car looking good. 

You see that they rarely wash the car, has 

probably never waxed it, or shampooed 

the carpets. If there were jail time for cosmetic 

vehicle abuse, this person would be 

behind bars for a long time. 

How, you ask yourself, can a person 

spend so much money on their vehicle - one 

of the largest investments they will make in 

their life and then not take care of it?” 

TAKE A LOOK 

IN THE MIRROR 

Look around your shop or mobile rig 

at the investments you’ve made in equipment. 

Are you properly maintaining 

the equipment and tools that you need 

to practice your chosen profession? Or 

are some of your tools/equipment now 

malfunctioning or not functioning at all 

because of the abuse they have been put 

through? You’re thinking about repairing 

or replacing them, but they’re “doing 

fine,” even though it might be costing you 

in work quality and re-dos. 

Most of your equipment and tools 

need regular maintenance. Frequency 

will vary, depending on the equipment/ 

tool, shop management, shop personnel, 

and the level of respect an owner has for 

their equipment investment. The following 

is a list of equipment maintenance 

tips that will help you focus on an important 

part of your business. 

Although not a comprehensive list 

by any means, these tips might deal with 

some equipment that your shop has let 

slide. If this nudges you into taking another 

look at that particular piece of equipment 

and its maintenance, maybe it will 

have saved you some part of your initial 

investment or even a future job. Remember 

that there is no “downside” to regular 

maintenance. You’ll never see an article 

titled, “The Pros and Cons of Equipment 

Maintenance” because the “cons” simply 

don’t exist. Properly maintaining your 

shop’s equipment can only produce good 

results for your bottom line. 

Keep in mind that some tips presented 

here may not apply to a specific manufacturer’s 

equipment. Always follow the manufacturer’s 

recommended maintenance. 

AIR COMPRESSORS 

Regularly replace air filters and carbon 

vanes, check oil and add or change if 

necessary, open the valve to blowout condensation 

or dirt, clean out water traps to 

remove condensation. 

After a few years, your compressor 

may have inadvertently become situated 

in a less-than-ideal area of the shop. 

Make sure that it’s placed in an area that 

provides clean, fresh, breathable air that 

is well ventilated. 

Regularly check the belt to ensure 

snugness. A loose belt could break the 

belt down and throw the pulleys out of 

balance. An overly tight belt, on the other 

hand, may damage the motor and compressor 

bearings. Check for damaged 

wires around the belt area. 

Check monthly for rust and cracks in 

the body or tank of the compressor. If either 

appears, it may be time for a brand 

new compressor. 

Check for bubbles or blisters in hoses 

and replace before breakage can occur. If 

you have a new compressor, allow for a 

break-in period before you begin subjecting 

it to the wear of everyday shop use. 

If you use air tools, lubricate them every 

day only with manufacturer-recommended 

oil or install an automatic oiler 

or lubricator in the air lines that power 

the tools. (If you use electric tools, check 

brushes and cords for wear). 

Regularly check for worn parts that 

will affect the tool’s performance. Since air 

tools rely upon specific air pressures a worn 

part that causes a drop in pressure can adversely 

affect the tool’s performance. 

Keep all moisture out of the air lines 

by using a dryer or filter. Drain the compressor 

daily and install moisture traps 

and separators in the air lines. 

Periodically check air tools to see if 

they’re receiving the proper amount of 

air pressure. Air pressure can be checked 

at the tool by rigging a compression 

gauge or an air-pressure gauge to a tee 

fitting and then note the air-pressure 

reading. Note this reading against the 

running air pressure. 

ELECTRIC TOOLS 

The most important thing to do with 

electric tools is to change the brushes in 

the motor regularly. Check the electric 

cord for any fraying or loosening where 

the cord goes into the tool. And, check 

the condition of the plug regularly. 

COMPUTERS 

Periodically check all plugs, wires and 

connecting cables for signs of fraying or 

other damage. 

Regularly clean the outside of your 

computer and its components, following 

manufacturer recommendations. You 

should not use aerosol sprays, solvents or 

abrasives to clean your computer. Do not 

allow moisture to get into any openings. 

After a computer has been in your 

shop for some time, it can be taken for 

granted. If you’re not careful, some employees 

will begin using it as a magazine 

stand, memo holder or coat rack. 

Avoid overheating of your computer, 

make sure that all ventilation openings 

remain clear and unobstructed. 

HAND TOOLS 

Make sure the tips of screwdrivers are 

free of dirt and grease, and keep handles 

clean as well. Inspect tips regularly. 

Check for wrenches with broken or 

battered points - discard these. Inspect 

ratchets regularly and keep each mechanism 

clean and properly lubricated with 

Iight-grade oil. 

Periodically inspect sockets and replace 

immediately if showing cracks or 


wear. Make sure sockets are free of dirt 

and grease both inside and out. 

Organize tools on wallboards for better 

access and inventory control. Install metal 

supply cabinets for smaller tools that tend 

to “walk away.” Use the last 15 minutes of 

each workday for tool cleanup and for the 

return of tools to proper places. 

RESPIRATORS 

If you use respirators, check the mask 

regularly for cracks, dents, etc. For cartridge-type 

respirators, replace the cartridge 

on a regular basis and at the first 

scent of solvent odor. Replace the respirator’s 

pre-filters when it becomes difficult 

to breathe using the respirator. Check for 

proper fit on a regular basis. 

SPRAY GUNS 

If you do paint touchup and use 

spray guns, be sure to check the gun cup 

gasket. Soak it thoroughly to remove all 

traces of paint material, which can lead 

to severe leaks. 

Regularly examine and lubricate the 

gun’s air valve, trigger-bearing stud, pattern-control 

knob, and fluid-control knob. 

However, do not overly lubricate. Check your 

owner’s manual for lubrication intervals. 

To clear a plugged side-port jet or 

horn hole on the air cap, soak the air cap 

in lacquer thinner, place the cap face up 

on a piece of cloth held in the palm of 

your hand, and use an air gun to blow 

the passages clean. 

If there are small nicks or abrasions 

on the cup’s neck or rim, you can remove 

MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATION 

The maintenance tasks and tips covered 

in this article don’t take care of 

themselves, of course. As already slated, 

the importance of maintenance has to 

be stressed by the owner or manager and 

that maintenance philosophy has to be 

adopted and carried out throughout the 

shop. Here are some basic steps to take 

to begin organizing your shop’s maintenance 

program: 

them by using a 100-grit dual-action, 

adhesive-backed sanding disc. Place the 

sandpaper, grit side up, on an even, flat 

surface. Before sanding, open the cup 

rim, making it as round as possible. Also 

check to see that the cup-locking pegs 

are straight and not pointed toward the 

ceiling due to previous, excessive lid pressure. 

Then, turn the cup upside down and 

move it in one direction over the sandpaper 

until the edge is completely smooth. 

• Make a list of the 

equipment in your shop. 

• For each piece of Equipment, list 

the maintenance procedures you 

should follow to care for 

that equipment. 

• List the frequency for each 

maintenance task (daily, 

weekly, monthly, etc.). 

• Decide who will be in charge 

of equipment maintenance. 

VACUUMS 

You should empty and flush the vacuum 

canister every night and clean the filter - 

without exception! Check gaskets for proper 

sealing, and hoses for cracks or leaks. 

EXTRACTORS 

Empty and flush out the solution and 

recovery tanks, clean and rinse filters every 

day. Check all fittings for leaks and 

hoses for cracks and leaks. 

With a regular maintenance schedule, 

you can track who is responsible for maintenance 

problems. It also serves as a kind 

of job description for the person assigned 

to the maintenance, mapping out all the 

duties expected of him. By listing the 

procedures necessary for maintenance, 

the schedule also serves as a checklist for 

more accurate upkeep control. 


INNOVATIONS 

Introducing new & improved products for professional auto, boat & motorcycle detailers. 

Headlight restoration 

system from Auto Magic 

Auto Magic announces the launch of 

their Professional Headlight Restoration 

System that quickly restores yellowed 

and foggy headlights up to original OEM 

specifications. With the new system, 

headlights can be restored up to 5 times 

faster and with up to 30% less sanding. 

A final coat is formulated to cure in 3-4 

minutes with UV light or sunlight for 

increased application flexibility while 

providing a protective coating that helps 

resist chips and scratches. 

“Detailers want product solutions that 

deliver quality results while saving time 

and money,” said Steven Levine, Vice 

President and General Manager ITW 

Global Body Repair. “The Auto Magic 

Headlight Restoration System delivers 

professional results with fewer steps and 

in less time, adding customer value and 

helping increase the productivity of detail 

shops. Best of all we stand behind our 

performance with a 3-year guarantee.” 

The Auto Magic Headlight 

Restoration Kit includes materials and 

supplies to restore 12 cars or 24 headlights—no 

special tools or equipment 

are needed. Kits are available from 

authorized Auto Magic Distributors. 

Additional product information and list 

of distributors can be found on the Auto 

Magic website. 

Career Center from 

International Carwash Association 

The International Carwash Association has 

launched the ICA Car Wash Career Center, 

designed to connect employers in our industry with 

candidates, job seekers, and talent. It’s never been 

easier to amplify the benefits of working at your 

operation or company; and it’s never been easier to 

find opportunities in our business. 

The Car Wash Career Center features postings 

from all segments of the car wash business. 

Jobs will be available at retail operators, suppliers, 

Surface prep from Meguiar’s 

Meguiar’s® M122 Surface Prep is a new and 

unique formulation that was specifically formulated 

with professional detailers in mind to equip them 

with a pro-grade inspection spray that delivers 

maximum performance, yet is still cost-effective. 

M122 removes compound and polishing residue, 

oils and fresh surface contaminants ultimately 

allowing the detailer to fully assess the true condition 

of the surface they are working with. Given 

the highly competitive price point, detailers can 

finally justify using M122 as an inspection spray 

throughout the entire paint correction process. 

Surface Prep is also the perfect choice to quickly 

clean and prepare paint and ensure maximum 

adhesion before applying a coating or touch-up 

distributors, and facility or ancillary services like 

marketing, finance, or HR. 

Employers should know that the Career Center 

is distributed and promoted to ICA’s global audience 

of more than 25,000 subscribers and members. 

These individuals include veterans to the industry 

and those from “car wash families” as well as those 

brand new or seeking entry into the industry. And 

between now and October 1, 2020, all job postings 

to the ICA network will be FREE to any employer. 

paint. Without being 

heavy in solvents, this 

ready-to-use formula 

is body shop safe and 

uniquely formulated 

so it won’t run the risk 

of swelling or staining 

paint, making it 

safer to use than pure 

isopropyl alcohol. Whether an automotive detailer, 

a professional in a paint collision shop, or detailing 

enthusiast, this pro-grade inspection spray is easy 

to use, delivers quick effective paint cleaning and is 

still a cost-effective solution. 

Commercial Wall 

Fixtures from LSI 

LSI Industries has launched a new line of high-performance 

commercial wall fixtures. The new outdoor 

luminaires feature a sleek, modern housing and offer 

multiple temperature, distribution and lumen options. 

Cost-competitive and energy-efficient, the new fixtures 

are ideal for retail exterior applications. 

“Our new commercial wall lights are among the 

most competitive, scalable and affordable wall fixtures 

on the market,” said Mike Prachar, Chief Marketing 

Officer of LSI Industries. “Not only do they deliver 

excellent photometric performance, they match the 

aesthetics of our commercial area lights – giving property 

owners the ability to create modern, attractive and 

welcoming spaces.” 

LSI’s new wall mount fixtures are easy to install, 

featuring an external box for surface conduit, including 

thru-wire, as well as stub conduit for use when a junction 

box is not present. The new luminaires are available in 

three sizes with outputs ranging from 1,500 to 20,000 

lumens. The optics can distribute illumination in Type 

3 and Forward Throw patterns at 3K, 4K and 5K color 

temperatures that enhance visibility, safety and security. 

In addition, the new products can be configured with 

photocell sensors that automatically switch the lights off 

during daylight hours – conserving energy and minimizing 

associated energy costs. LSI’s new wall mount 

product line is compliant with DesignLights Consortium 

(DLC) premium standards, allowing customers to 

qualify for energy rebates. The new products can also 

comply with California’s Title 24 energy conservation 

requirements and International Dark Sky standards. 

8 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 3 • SUMMER 2020

NITTY 

GRITTY 

Where’s 

the Money? 

U.S. Small Business Administration 

P.L. 116-136 – Sec. 15010/15011 

Plan for Use of Covered Funds 

If you feel like you’re floating out to 

sea, lost in a fog with money worries, 

and Covid-based nightmares, there are 

lifelines available, both financial and 

advisory, for small businesses. But with so 

many different platforms, and deadlines, 

and red tape, it can be challenging to 

know what opportunities are right for you 

and your business. Here is a breakdown 

of the various funding options, offered by 

the Small Business Administration (SBA). 

WHAT’S AN EIDL? 

An EIDL stands for Economic 

Injury Disaster Loan. On June 15, the 

Small Business Administration resumed 

accepting new EIDL applications from 

all eligible small businesses. EIDL 

proceeds can be used to cover a wide 

array of working capital and normal 

operating expenses, such as continuation 

to health care benefits, rent, utilities, and 

fixed debt payments. 

Small business owners and qualified 

agricultural businesses in all U.S. states 

and territories are currently eligible 

to apply for a low-interest loan due to 

Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The SBA EIDL direct loan program 

is administered by SBA’s Office of 

Disaster Assistance (ODA), and offers 

long-term, low-interest loans to eligible 

small businesses, private non-profit organizations, 

and agricultural businesses 

that have suffered substantial economic 

injury as a result of a declared disaster. 

SBA has issued COVID-19 disaster 

declarations for all U.S. states and territories. 

Eligible applicants must apply 

directly to SBA using the online SBA 

COVID-19 EIDL portal (available at 

sba.gov/funding-programs/disasterassistance/coronavirus-covid-19). 

For the 

COVID-19 disaster, Section 1110 of the 

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 

Security Act (CARES Act) (P.L. 116-136) 

authorized SBA to provide advances of 

up to $10,000 to applicants that applied 

for COVID-19 EIDL loans and self-certified 

as to eligibility, while the applicants 

await processing of their EIDL loan 

applications. The COVID-19 EIDL 

advance is a grant that must be used for 

general business purposes. 

When SBA disburses an EIDL 

advance or an EIDL loan to an applicant 

or borrower, all proceeds are 

deposited ONLY into the verified 

Financial Institution account belonging 

to the eligible applicant or borrower. 

For purposes of the EIDL program, a 

verified Financial Institution account is 

a depository institution account using the 

Employer Identification Number (EIN) 

or Social Security Number (SSN) entered 

by the applicant or borrower in the EIDL 

loan application. No third-party service 

provider is authorized by SBA to receive 

EIDL advance or EIDL loan funds on 

behalf of an applicant or borrower. 

As of August 24, 2020, 3,573,856 

loans have been approved have been 

approved across the United States 

totaling $188,022,021,024. 

Each applicant must review and 

check all the following (If Applicant 

is unable to check all of the following, 

applicant is not an eligible entity): 

✔ Applicant is not engaged in any 

illegal activity (as defined by 

Federal guidelines). 

✔ No principal of the Applicant 

with a 50 percent or greater 

ownership interest is more than 

sixty (60) days delinquent on 

child support obligations. 

✔ Applicant does not present 

live performances of a prurient 

sexual nature or derive directly 

or indirectly more than de 

minimis gross revenue through 

the sale of products or services, 

or the presentation of any 

depictions or displays, of a 

prurient sexual nature. 

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION P.L. 116-136 – SEC. 15010/15011 PLAN FOR USE OF COVERED FUNDS 

SBA Program 

Economic Injury Disaster Loan 

Emergency Advance (EIDL) 

Grants 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1107, Sec 1110 

P.L 116-139, Division B Title II 

Entrepreneurial Assistance - 

Small Business Development 

Centers 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1103, Sec 1107 


Women's Business Ownership 

Assistance 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1103, Sec 1107 


Centralized HUB FOR COVID-19 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1103, Sec 1107 

Subsidy for Paycheck Protection 

Program 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1102, Sec 1106, 

Sec 1107 

P.L 116-139, Sec 101(a) 

CARES Act Debt Relief 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1107, Sec 1112 

Subsidy for Coronavirus Disaster 

Assistance Loans 

P.L 116-139, Division B Title II 

Salaries and Expenses 

Administrative Funding 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1107 

P.L. 116-139, Division B Title II 

Disaster Administrative Funding 

P.L. 116-123, Title II 

P.L. 116-136, Title V 

Office of the Inspector General 

P.L. 116-136, Sec 1107 

Covered Fund 

(in Millions) 

Type of 

program 

$20,000 Grant 

program 

$192 Grant 

program 

$48 Grant 

program 

$25 Grant 

program 

✔ Applicant does not derive more 

than one-third of gross annual 

revenue from legal gambling 

activities. 

✔ Applicant is not in the business 

of lobbying. 

✔ Applicant cannot be a state, 

local, or municipal government 

entity and cannot be a member 

of Congress. 

Purpose and Use of Covered Funds 

In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 

small business owners in all US states, Washington, DC 

and territories are eligible to apply for an Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan Advance of up to $10,000. This advance will 

provide economic relief to businesses that are currently 

experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. 

To provide management counseling, training, and 

technical assistance to the small business community 

through a network of Small Business Development 

Centers (SBDCs). 

To fund private, nonprofit organizations to assist, through 

training and counseling, small business concerns owned 

and controlled by women, and to remove, in so far as 

possible, the discriminatory barriers that are encountered 

by women in accessing capital and promoting their 

businesses. 

To establish an online platform that provides small 

businesses with access to a consolidation of COVID-19 

related information and resources from multiple federal 

agencies that incorporates an online training program to 

educate SBA’s Resource Partners. 

U.S. Small Business Administration 

$670,000 Guarantee The Paycheck Protection Program was established by the 

P.L. 116-136 – Sec. 15010/15011 

Loan program CARES Act. The Paycheck Protection Program is a loan 

Plan for Use of Covered designed Funds to provide a direct incentive for small businesses 

to keep their workers on the payroll. The effective period 

is any from covered February mortgage 15 to June obligation, 30, 2020. any The payment program on any is 

implemented covered rent obligation, by the Small or Business any covered Administration utility payment. with 

support from the Department of the Treasury. This 

program PPP lending provides authority small at businesses the current with subsidy funds rate to is pay $652 

payroll billion and costs excludes including 7(a) benefits. program Funds authority can also also be included used to 

pay in the interest CARES on Act. mortgages, rent, and utilities. 

$17,000 Loan 

During As part the of the period coronavirus beginning debt on relief February efforts, 15, 2020, the SBA and pays 

payments ending 6 months on of December principal, 31, interest, 2020, the and amount any associated of loan fees 

forgiveness that borrowers under owe this for section all current will be 7(a), determined 504, and without 

regard Microloans to a proportional in regular servicing reduction status in the as well number as new of fulltime 

7(a), 

504, and equivalent Microloans employees disbursed if an prior eligible to September recipient, in 27, good 

faith, 2020. is able to document the inability to rehire or return 

to the same level of business activity as prior to February 

$50,000 Direct Loan SBA is offering disaster designated states and territories 

15, 2020 due to safety requirements related to COVID-19. 

program low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to 

SBA will forgive loans if employees are kept on the payroll 

small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a 

for 24 weeks after the date of origination, and the money 

result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

is used for payroll for at least 60 percent of the covered 

$2,775 Administrative 

loan 

To provide 

amount 

support 

for payroll 

for the 

costs, 

administrative 

and may use 

expenses 

up to 40 

of the 

percent 

Small Business 

of such 

Administration 

amount for any 

(SBA) 

payment 

headquarters 

of interest 

and 

on 

field offices operations for CARES Act program 

1 implementation, as well as to prevent, prepare for, and 

respond to coronavirus. 

$582 Administrative To provide support for the administrative expenses to 

carry out the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program in 

response to coronavirus. 

$25 Administrative To perform the necessary audit oversight of CARES Act 

related loans and activities. 

2 

SBA ANNOUNCES NEW 

REDUCED 504 LOAN 

DEBENTURE RATES 

The U.S. Small Business 

Administration announced the updated 

interest rates for the 504 Loan Program 

offered by Certified Development 

Companies (CDC). Small businesses can 

now apply for the lowest interest rates 

since July 2018 as the program is now 


Got 

Questions? 

We have answers! 

Accounting expert Pat Shannon answers questions 

on everything from PPP loans to tax forms to 

revenue numbers. 

In the hazy maze of this financial 

quagmire thanks to Covid-19, many 

business owners are left with questions. 

The Small Business Administration (sba) 

is offering help, but unless you’re an 

expert in the field of economics, there 

are opportunities for confusion and 

frustration. Thankfully, Pat Shannon fits 

the bill for the aforementioned qualifications. 

Shannon is a car wash owner, 

the President of the Heartland Carwash 

Association and an expert in small business 

accounting, payroll, personal and 

business tax preparation. The following 

are answers to questions posted to 

carwashforum.com. 

Why doesn’t an S-corp qualify for 

the PPP loan? 

PAT SHANNON: Being an S-Corp does 

not disqualify you from receiving a PPP 

Loan and if you do not receive a PPP 

loan you should explore the employee 

retention credit. If your business is taxed 

as an S corporation, your owner draws 

are known as shareholder distributions. 

It’s important to realize that these distributions 

are non-taxable, which means 

there are some pretty strict requirements 

in place to prevent owners from taking 

advantage. As an owner of an S-Corp, 

you are required to pay yourself a reasonable 

salary through payroll, meaning that 

you are remitting payroll taxes on that 

amount. You are allowed to take distributions 

in addition to this salary, but it’s 

best practice to have a combination of 

the two rather than distributions alone. 

We purchased our business about 

two years ago from the owner on a 

land contract and we have about a 

year left to pay it off. We updated 

our equipment and rehabbed the 

building using a home equity loan. 

Our LLC is a partnership between 

my dad and me. I have noticed 

that sole proprietors and LLCs 

are specifically mentioned in the 

stimulus package. From what I have 

gathered so far it seems like we 

may be able to get some assistance 

based on the numbers that we 

show as profit. Is this true? 

The help you can receive depends on the 

program that you are applying for. For 

EIDL loans (applied for directly on the 

Small Business Administration website) 

they are revenue based. For PPP loans to 

sole proprietors and LLCs that file taxes 

on Schedule C they are profit based. You 

stated you were a partnership, so your 

1065 and K-1s would drive your eligibility. 

The 1065 would document formal 

payroll and the K-1s would document 

owner draws or distributions. The last 

day to apply for a PPP loan is August 

8th, so see your banker right away. 

Here we are with all of the overhead 

of a small business without the 

payroll. Are there any benefits 

available for those who have been 

affected by COVID-19? Utilities, 

mortgage payments and equipment 

loans are the same as any other 

business with payroll…so, what is 

available and how do we apply? 

The time to take cookies is when cookies 

are being passed around. That was the 

advice that I gave Heartland Carwash 

Association members back on April 

4, 2020, when I laid out all the programs 

available to help business owners. Now, 

four months later, many of the programs 

are closed or out of money. You have until 

Aug 8, 202,0 to get a PPP loan, get to 

your banker ASAP for details. Otherwise 

the Employee Retention Credit 

and the Employer Tax Deferral 

programs will still be available to you. 

I recently got this email: “You are 

receiving this message as a notification 

that your Economic Injury 

Disaster Loan (EIDL) application 

is currently being processed in 

the order it was received. You 

will receive an email notification 

when there is a change to your 

application status” and then I found 

$1000 in my account. It doesn’t say 

anything about it being an advance. 

Should I assume that’s what it is? 

Yes, EIDL Advances were deposited 

without notice or explanation. Be happy 

that you got the advance, as that program 

quickly ran out of funds and has not 

been refunded leaving the SBA owing 

advances to many businesses and no 

additional funds look to be forthcoming. 

The Paycheck Protection Plan 

loan includes the self employed, 

so long as you have paid taxes as 

a self employed business owner. 

Therefore, you should be good for 

2.5 times the monthly “payroll” as I 

understand this so far. Is this true? 

Yes, depending on the tax form being 

filed and a few other details. 

SBA’s plan for use of funds provided 

through public laws 

The Small Business Administration’s 

plan for use of funds provided through 

public laws: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, 

and Economic Security Act (CARES 

Act), the Paycheck Protection Program 

and Health Care Enhancement Act, 

and Coronavirus Preparedness and 

Response Supplemental Appropriations 

Act, 2020. 

allowing 20 and 25-year interest rates at 

2.214% and 2.269%, respectively. 

“These are very encouraging terms 

and very supportive of our nation’s goal 

to bounce-back from COVID-19,” said 

William Manger, SBA Chief of Staff and 

Associate Administrator for the Office of 

Capital Access. “CDCs” are the driving 

force behind the 504 Loan Program. 

The longer terms and low interest rates 

support and encourage entrepreneurs 

to step outside of the box and look at 

real investments. We are pleased that the 

504 Loan Program continues to show 

double-digit year-over-year growth, 

especially in these extraordinary times.” 

Small businesses looking for information 

on how to expand their business’s 

real estate or improve their working 

capital should visit: https://www.sba. 

gov/brand/assets/sba/sba-lenders/504- 

Loan-Fact-Sheet-Borrower-Version.pdf 

The 504 Loan Program is an SBA 

business loan program authorized under 

Title V of the Small Business Investment 

Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 695 et seq. The 

core mission of the 504 Loan Program is 

to provide long-term financing to small 

businesses for the purchase or improvement 

of land, buildings, and major 

equipment, to facilitate the creation or 

retention of jobs and to support local 

economic development. Under the 

504 Loan Program, loans are made in 

conjunction with private sector lenders 

to small businesses by CDCs, which are 

certified and regulated by the SBA to 

promote economic development within 

their community. 

For questions about the 504 Loan 

Program, please contact: 

Linda Reilly, Chief, 504 Loan Program 

202-205-9949Linda.reilly@sba.gov 


EVENTS CALENDAR 

2020-2021 

NOV 18, 2020 

The Kleen- 

Rite Expo 

Kleen-Rite Headquarters 

Columbia, Pennsylvania 

kleen-ritecorp.com 

FEB 4-6, 2021 

Mobile Tech Expo 

– Orlando 

Gaylord Palms Resort 

mobiletechexpo.com 

FEB 17-19, 2021 

SCWA 

Convention 

& Car Wash EXPO 

Fort Worth Convention Center 

Fort Worth, Texas 

swcarwash.org 

JUNE 7-9, 2021 

Car Wash Show 

Las Vegas Convention Center 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

carwash.com 

SEPT 27-29, 2021 

2021 American 

Car Wash Expo 

Georgia World Congress Center 

Atlanta, Georgia 

secwa.org 

OCT 4-6, 2021 

Northeast 

Regional 

Carwash 

Convention 

Atlantic City Convention Center 

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 

nrccshow.com 

*These shows are still scheduled 

at the time of publication of this 

issue. However, shows might still be 

canceled due to Covid-19. Check 

websites for each show for more 

information. 

NRCC canceled for 

2020, Hard Rock to 

host 2021 convention 

A press release from the Northeast 

Regional Carwash Convention (NRCC) 

Board of Directors, was sent out June 1, 

2020, stating that the 2020 Convention, 

that was supposed to take place in Atlantic 

City in October, was canceled. 

According to a letter from Suzanne 

Stansbury: 

The Northeast Regional Carwash Convention 

(NRCC) Board of Directors, after extensive 

deliberation, has decided to cancel the 2020 

show, October 5-7, at the Atlantic City Convention 

Center in Atlantic City, NJ. This thoughtful 

decision took into consideration the numerous unknowns 

with a trade show in early October as a 

result of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The board 

felt that this decision would be in the best interests 

of its exhibitors and attendees. 

“We are concerned that large venue events 

may not be an option in October, there could be 

a resurgence of the virus in the fall and our carwash 

economy will still be recovering,” said 2021 

Show Chair Dave DuGoff. “In addition, even if 

allowed, will people feel comfortable traveling and 

INDUSTRY 

NEWS 

congregating? These are certainly unprecedented 

times and with that caution and safety are necessary, 

but it was an incredibly difficult decision.” 

That being said, the 2021 show, October 

4-6, will include a reimagined education track 

and show floor, as well as an elite keynote speaker, 

and a move to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 

for overnight accommodations on the city’s iconic 

Boardwalk. “The 2021 NRCC will have a new 

look and feel but still provide our attendees with 

an intimate setting in which to learn, grow and 

reimagine their operations,” said DuGoff. 

Spending is up since May for small businesses 

A report by CNBC stated that business 

spending showed some signs of 

green shoots in June, as manufacturers 

bought more equipment and spending 

shifted away from stay-at-home sectors 

to ones that could rebound in a reopening 

economy, according to Cortera, a 

software company which analyzes business-to-business 

credit transactions. 

But overall, June spending was still 

depressed, down 10.9% from the same 

month last year, and up just 2.7 percentage 

points from the 13.6% decline in May 

year over year, according to the company. 

Cortera said spending by industries 

that benefit from the work-from-home 

trend, like internet retailers and food 

and beverage stores, fell by 6 percentage 

points in June from May, but is still 1.7% 

above 2019 levels. “Gasoline stations and 

food and beverage establishments and 

other sectors that would benefit from reopening 

spent 7 percentage points more 

in June than in May, but that is still lower 

than last year.” 

The report also stated that 48 states 

saw increases in spending from May to 

June, with small and medium-size businesses 

recovering at a faster rate than 

large businesses, up 7 percentage points. 

However, they were harder hit in March 

and April, and small business spending 

was still down 10% from last June. 

Statement from SEMA about the 2020 SEMA Show 

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment 

Market Association, announced on August 

5 that due to Covid-19 and concerns 

that event facilities and services will be 

unavailable, the SEMA Show will not be 

taking place in 2020. 

While both event organizers and industry 

members have been working tirelessly 

to deliver an outstanding SEMA Show 

in November, mounting uncertainty has 

rendered continuing with the event inadvisable. 

SEMA expects the decision will 

bring much needed clarity to an uncertain 

picture and will help exhibitors, attendees 

and partners plan accordingly. 

Recent SEMA Show survey results 

indicated interest in a possible virtual 

tradeshow with related live elements. 

SEMA will be working with industry 

members to determine interest levels on 

specific alternatives. 

“The SEMA Show is committed to 

furthering businesses in the automotive 

specialty equipment market, and to providing 

manufacturers and buyers with 

the best opportunity to connect, promote 

new products and discover new trends,” 

said Chris Kersting, SEMA president and 

CEO. “We appreciate the spirit, hard work 

and innovation our industry puts into the 

SEMA Show each year. While we are disappointed 

circumstances prevent us from 

hosting the Show in November, we look 

forward to getting everyone together in 

2021 for another outstanding event.” 

Full refunds for SEMA Show exhibitor 

booth deposits and attendee registration 

fees will be issued. 


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INDUSTRY NEWS 

SEMA offering eMARKETPLACE solution 

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment 

Market Association, announced today 

that it is offering an online marketplace to 

allow manufacturers and resellers in the 

specialty automotive segment to connect 

and conduct business. Taking place Nov. 

2-6, SEMA360 was created after industry 

members expressed a need for a viable 

marketplace solution in the absence of 

the 2020 SEMA Show. 

“Creating a platform where the industry 

can gather and discover new products 

and trends has always been a SEMA priority,” 

said Chris Kersting, SEMA president 

and CEO. “SEMA360 is the ideal 

solution to bring the industry together, 

at a time when we’ve all been kept apart. 

The platform allows qualified buyers to 

interact with manufacturers, see innovative 

new products, check out top SEMA 

Show builds, and take in industry-leading 

educational offerings.” 

Show organizers gathered input from 

industry members who registered concerns 

with typical “virtual trade show” 

solutions. The result is SEMA360, a simplified 

platform where SEMA will help 

manufacturers create a straightforward 

brand presence that will reach quality 

domestic and international buyers. With 

a focus on helping the industry grow their 

businesses, participating resellers will have 

access to product offerings and demonstrations, 

and manufacturer personnel. 

“The industry made it clear there is 

a void to fill,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA 

vice president of events. “SEMA360 addresses 

that need by leveraging SEMA’s 

exclusive buyer database to connect manufacturers 

with resellers.” 

KEY FEATURES OF 

SEMA360 INCLUDE: 

• A simplified platform for 

manufacturers to showcase their 

new products and innovations 

• Efficient interaction between 

manufacturers and resellers for 

quality business exchange 

• SEMA vehicle reveals from 

world-class builders 

• Industry-leading education 

focused on professional 

development and new strategies 

• SEMA’s unrivaled media contacts 

amplifying news, products, and 

innovations to a world-wide 

audience 

Manufacturer applications for 

SEMA360 will open Sept. 3, 2020, at 

a SEMA-member rate of $495, and a 

nonmember rate of $1,495. Attendee 

registration, which opens mid-September, 

will be free to qualifying buyers who 

are SEMA members, and $25 to nonmembers. 

Qualifying media will be able 

to register at no cost. 

Mobile Tech Expo Orlando! 

Mobile Tech Expo Orlando is still on 

the calendar – put it on yours! The Gaylord 

Palms, our 2021 home, has already 

hosted a safe and health centric event in the 

convention hall. They’re preparing to host 

other events through 2020 and into 2021. 

Our hope is that the situation nationwide 

continues to improve and we will all be together 

again in Orlando in February. 

In other MTE news, after the Las Vegas 

Mobile Tech Expo was canceled due to 

the pandemic, show organizers announced 

that plans for the 2021 are still a-go. 

According to a statement: Mobile 

Tech Expo Orlando is still on the calendar 

– put it on yours! The Gaylord Palms, 

our 2021 home, has already hosted a safe 

and health centric event in the convention 

hall. They’re preparing to host other 

events through 2020 and into 2021. Our 

hope is that the situation nationwide continues 

to improve and we will all be together 

again in Orlando in February. 

MTE also announced it is accepting 

nominations for its People of the Year awards. 

AWARDS HANDING OUT 

AT THE EXPO INCLUDE: 

• Detailing Person of the Year 

• PDR Person of the Year 

• PDR Tool Person of the Year 

• Lifetime Achievement Award 

• Windshield Repair Person 

of the Year 

• Rufus Lowery Mentor 

of the Year Award 

The Detailing Person of the Year 

award honors the individual who has 

made a difference in the detailing industry, 

either through product innovation, service 

to the overall industry through marketing 

and advocacy or has advanced the industry 

through mentoring and education. 

PREVIOUSLY, AWARDS 

WERE GIVEN TO: 

• TOM NATIONS 

(PDR Person of the Year) 

Tom Nations was an industry leader in every 

sense of the word. He always spoke honestly 

about the pros and cons of the industry, 

and was strong enthusiast of the industry 

and an asset to the Dent Wizard Team. He 

was straight-forward and always had a smile 

on his face and brought one to those around 

him. In his memory and to honor his consistent 

support of the paintless dent repair 

industry, Mobile Tech Expo has named the 

PDR Person of the Year award after Tom. 

• SID EMMERT MEMORIAL 

(PDR Tool Person of the year) 

Sidney (Sid) Emmert began manufacturing 

his own tools when he started his career in 

paintless dent repair after college. An industry 

icon, Sid was a leader and mentor, and 

his company DentCraft Tools became one of 

the most highly regarded in the industry. In 

addition to his PDR work, Sid also was well 

known for his charity work with children as 

he created the “Twinkie Drop”. But it is for his 

many contributions in forwarding the PDR industry, 

that the PDR Tool Person of the Year 

award is named in his honor 

• NAT DANAS MEMORIAL 

(Lifetime Achievement) 

Nat Dinofsky, who eventually shortened his 

surname to Danas, owned a small trip shop 

in the 1950s. He realized there was no way 

to share information between trim & upholstery 

shops, so he started Auto Trim News in 

1951. This 60-year publication reshaped the 

automotive aftermarket. Danas was a true 

mentor, friend, and gentleman. The Nat Danas 

Memorial Award honors those who have 

also dedicated themselves selflessly to the 

Auto Care industry. 

WINDSHIELD 

REPAIR PERSON 

OF THE YEAR 

Honoring an individual for their contributions 

through product development, 

mentoring and advocacy or has advanced 

the industry through other methods. 

People who have passed away may 

also be honored. The Rufus Lowery 

Memorial is in honor of Lowery, a PDR 

Tech was known to offer help to anyone 

who needed it. Lowery, was killed in April 

2006 at the age of 49 when he was robbed 

by two men and killed for his tools and his 

truck. In his memory, the Mentor of The 

Year Award is named the Rufus Lowery 

Mentor of the Year Award. 

Nominations may be made by visiting: 

mobiletechexpo.com/orlando/nomination 


Mobile Tech 

announces virtual 

education series 

Mobile Education Series by MTE 

launched in early August, premiering 

with Galit Ventua Rozen’s “Upleveling 

Your Business” session. New videos will 

continue to be uploaded on a weekly 

basis on Mobile Tech Expo’s You- 

Tube channel. The content will also 

be shared on Facebook. If you have 

any requests for content or would like 

to participate as an educator, please 

email Lindsay@MobileTechExpo. 

com. Viewers can look forward to more 

content from Galit as well as from Rod 

Puzey and Jody Sedrick at Zenware, 

and Marty Hill at Total Auto Solutions 

& The Pints and Polishing Podcast. 

SBA warns of small business support scams 

GRANTS 

• SBA does not initiate contact on 

either 7a or Disaster loans or grants. 

If you are proactively contacted by 

someone claiming to be from the 

SBA, suspect fraud. 

LOANS 

• If you are contacted by someone 

promising to get approval of an SBA 

loan, but requires any payment up 

front or offers a high interest bridge 

loan in the interim, suspect fraud. 

• SBA limits the fees a broker can 

charge a borrower to 3% for 

loans $50,000 or less and 2% for 

loans $50,000 to $1,000,000 with 

an additional ¼% on amounts 

over $1,000,000. Any attempt to 

charge more than these fees is 

inappropriate. 

• If you have a question about 

getting a SBA disaster loan, call 

800-659-2955 or send an email to 

disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. 

• If you have questions about other SBA 

lending products, call SBA’s Answer 

Desk at 800-827-5722 or send an 

email to answerdesk@sba.gov. 

PHISHING 

• If you are in the process of applying 

for an SBA loan and receive email 

correspondence asking for PII, 

ensure that the referenced application 

number is consistent with the actual 

application number. 

The Office of Inspector General 

recognizes that we are facing unprecedented 

times and is alerting the public 

about potential fraud schemes related 

to economic stimulus programs offered 

by the U.S. Small Business Administration 

in response to the Novel 

Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19). 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic 

Security Act (CARES Act), the 

largest financial assistance bill to date, 

includes provisions to help small businesses. 

Fraudsters have already begun 

targeting small business owners during 

these economically difficult times. Be 

on the lookout for grant fraud, loan 

fraud, and phishing. 

• Look out for phishing attacks/scams 

utilizing the SBA logo. These may be 

attempts to obtain your personally 

identifiable information (PII),to obtain 

personal banking access, or to 

install ransomware/malware on your 

computer. 

• Any email communication from SBA 

will come from accounts ending with 

sba.gov. 

• The presence of an SBA logo on 

a webpage does not guaranty the 

information is accurate or endorsed 

by SBA. Please cross-reference 

any information you receive with 

information available at www.sba.gov. 

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INDUSTRY NEWS 

Federal Government awards 

record-breaking $132.9 Billion 

to small businesses 

In other SBA news, the Administration 

announced in August that the federal government 

exceeded its small business federal 

contracting goal, awarding 26.50 percent 

or $132.9 billion in federal contract 

dollars to small businesses. That amount 

is more than a $12 billion increase from 

the previous fiscal year. Additionally, the 

Fiscal Year 2019 Small Business Federal 

Procurement Scorecard marks the second 

time in Scorecard history that the women-owned 

small business contracting goal 

of 5% has been met*. 

The federal government also added a 

record-breaking one million jobs to the 

American economy with $132.9 billion 

in prime contract dollars awarded to 

small businesses and $90.7 billion in subcontracts 

awarded. Overall, the federal 

government earned an “A” on this year’s 

government-wide Scorecard, according 

to a statement. 

“I’m thrilled to report that the federal 

government exceeded its set goals 

and awarded a significant $132 billion 

to small businesses in FY19,” said SBA 

Administrator Jovita Carranza. “There 

is good news for women-owned small 

businesses too. For the second time in the 

history of the Scorecard, the federal government 

has met the women’s contracting 

goal. For the seventh year in a row, 

the federal government has also exceeded 

the contracting goal set for service-disabled 

veterans. The federal prime and 

subcontracts awarded to small businesses 

in FY19 equate to more than one million 

jobs created. Every contract that gets in 

the hands of a small business is a winwin 

for our nation, entrepreneurs and 

their employees, and the communities 

they support. This is especially important 

now, as our economy recovers from 

the pandemic-related setbacks.” 

FY2019 Small Business Federal Procurement 

Scorecard: 

The individual agency scorecards 

released today by the SBA, as well as a 

detailed explanation of the methodology, 

is available online. 

• In FY19, the federal government 

exceeded the service-disabled 

veteran-owned small business and 

small disadvantaged business goals 

and the prime contract dollar awards 

in all small business categories 

increased from previous years. 

• The federal government also 

exceeded its subcontract goals for 

awards to small businesses and 

women-owned small businesses 

and awarded more than $90 billion in 

subcontracts to all small businesses. 

*The prime contract goal achievements 

by dollars and percentages for all 

categories are as follows: 

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Dirty cars don’t get 

you a second date 

And, in case you need another marketing 

tool, how about the fact that a dirty 

car is a major turnoff during the early 

stages of a relationship. 

According to an April Fox News report, 

when it comes to relationships, seven 

in 10 believe having a dirty car is a turnoff, 

according to new research. 

A poll of 2,000 American drivers discovered 

that 51 percent would go so far 

as to end a first date early if their date 

showed up in a dirty car, the story said. 

“In fact, having a messy car is such 

a massive turn-off that 23 percent have 

even ended a relationship with someone 

because of their filthy vehicle.” 

The study, conducted by OnePoll in 

conjunction with Meguiar’s, also found 

that 68% of those with messy cars are 

completely embarrassed to have people in 

their car, given its filth. 

Interestingly, 45% said containing the 

mess in their cars is overwhelming. 

HERE ARE SOME OF 

THE OTHER FINDINGS: 

• 24% said they avoid cleaning 

their cars because they know it’ll 

just get messy again 

shortly thereafter. 

• 41% don’t think it’s all that 

important to have a tidy car 

while a further one in five don’t 

even know where to begin when 

it comes to cleaning their cars. 

• 24% said they would much 

rather clean their toilet than 

have to tidy up their car. 

• 62% of those surveyed 

would rather have a dirty car 

than a dirty home. 

• 28% said they have empty 

bottles taking up way too 

much space in their cars. 

• 78% said a clean car makes 

them feel like they have their 

life more together. 

When asked about the junk found in 

people’s cars, three in 10 revealed their 

cars are filled with crumbs while a further 

and three in five respondents said their 

cars are filled with stuff they need to pursue 

their passions. 

A majority of Americans believe their 

entire life would be better off if they had 

tidier vehicles, the story stated. 

TOP 5 THINGS 

AMERICANS WOULD 

RATHER CLEAN 

THAN THEIR CARS: 

1. Dishes 36% 

2. Dusty shelves 29% 

3. Kitchen sink 27% 

4. Toilet 24% 

5. Bathtub 24% 

TOP 5 THINGS IN 

AMERICAN’S CARS: 

1. Crumbs 30% 

2. Empty bottles 28% 

3. Food wrappers 25% 

4. Old magazines 24% 

5. A blanket 23% 

LOSS SHINE • WEATHER RESISTANT 


INDUSTRY NEWS 

STUDY SAYS: 

This is the dirtiest 

part of a car 

If you need a new marketing strategy, 

a recent study might give you the 

ultimate opportunity. According to the 

study, a car stereo is 371% (or four times) 

dirtier than a communal office toilet seat. 

According to a July report in The 

Drive, a recent study conducted by 

Compare the Market discovered the 

top five dirtiest parts of a car’s interior. 

“Compare the Market is an automotive 

insurance comparison website based in 

the United Kingdom, and its study involved 

testing ten different vehicles using 

high-end surface test swabs and computing 

systems to determine Relative Light 

Units (RLU). An RLU reading is then 

compared to the amount of Adenosine 

Triphosphate (ATP) collected during the 

swab. Basically, the dirtier the test area, 

the larger the ATP amount, producing a 

higher RLU reading. A high RLU reading 

means gross, dirty, germy, cringing 

levels of disgust.” 

The ten vehicles tested included 

family cars, work vans and luxury vehicles. 

Each of the following areas were 

swabbed: The shifter, indicator stalks, 

steering wheel, driver seatbelt and seat, 

interior door handle, windshield, stereo/ 

touchscreen, and rearview mirror. The 

study also swabbed a toilet seat at an 

office building to have a comparison in 

bacteria levels, the story said. 

According to the results, the dirtiest 

area of a car is the stereo and in second 

place was the shifter, racking up an RLU 

reading 331 percent higher than the toilet. 

HERE ARE THE TOP 5 

DIRTIEST AREAS: 

1. Stereo 

2. Gear Stick 

3. Indicator 

4. Steering Wheel 

5. Handbrake 

“Other results in this test showed that 

a family car’s interior could be up to twice 

as dirty as a work van. So, according to 

this study, a contractor’s drywall dust-covered 

F-150 is probably cleaner to eat in 

than a new Lexus SUV with two car-seats 

in the back,” the story said. 

OSHA offers poster geared toward automobile 

industry workers 

A new poster, available in English and Spanish, lists steps to protect automotive service workers from exposure to coronavirus. 

Steps to Protect Automotive Service 

Workers from Exposure to Coronavirus 

The following steps can help reduce the risk of exposure to the 

coronavirus for automotive service workers: 

Encourage workers to stay 

home if they are sick. 

Provide gloves and masks or 

other face coverings. 

Maintain at least six feet 

between co‐workers and 

customers, where possible. 

Offer pick‐up and 

drop‐off service. 

Close or limit customers 

in reception areas and 

waiting rooms. 

Use "no‐touch" options 

for payments and 

appointments. 

Regularly clean and 

disinfect all tools and 

equipment. 

Discourage the sharing of 

tools and equipment. 

Cover seats and 

sanitize key fobs and 

steering wheels before 

and after service. 

Encourage workers to 

report any safety and 

health concerns. 

For more information, visit 

www. osha.gov/coronavirus or 

call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). 

18 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | VOL. 5, NO. 3 • FALL 2020 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) 

TTY 1-877-889-5627 

www.osha.gov 

OSHA 4070-08 2020

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Auto Detailing 

Products 

Issue DT62

Fiber Logic 

Everything you need to know about 

fiber-based buffing pads 

By Clint Hintz 

chintz@buffandshine.com 

Clint Hintz, IDA CD-SV-RT - Certified 

Trainer, is the North American Sales 

Manager of Buff and Shine Mfg. of Rancho 

Dominguez, California. 

Buff and Shine acknowledges that 

our industry is everchanging with tools 

and polishing systems, which obviously 

keeps a need for constant evolution with 

buffing pads. In last year’s summer edition 

of Auto Detailing News, foam pad 

technology was showcased, so this article 

will be covering the makeup and differences 

in fiber-based buffing pads. One 

objective is to educate our audience on 

the actual makeup and differences in 

these pads. Another objective is for the 

audience to be better versed in which 

types of fibers will work best with their 

current or future processes. We believe 

that this information will be helpful for 

people in not only knowing the differences, 

but how these different options may 

help increase productivity and improve 

performance. 

4-PLY TWIST 

A 4-ply twist 100% wool pad is an aggressive 

pad-type that has gone through 

prior manufacturing processes to reduce 

the short fibers in the wool that throw 

out lint, as these pads traditionally are 

known to lint. This wool type can offer 

an aggressive option with working on 

painted surfaces, can be cleaned with 

a spur to remove contamination much 

easier than knitted or lamb’s wool type 

pads. The lower the pile height will increase 

the amount of cut that these pads 

offer, which will typically work best on a 

rotary type polisher vs. random orbital 

machines. 4-ply wools have been around 

for a long while, are older technology but 

still very commonly used in the industry. 

Some cons to these pads are they are 

known to lint as well as using this padtype 

will typically take training, as improper 

usage can result in swirling and 

even burnt paint. Most common is 100% 

wool but you will find some pads that are 

wool blends, the easiest way to identify 

them is beige/white are wool and typically 

colored ones are the blends. 

Quick Take 

✔ More aggressive 

✔ Lower pile height 

✔ Work best with rotary type polisher 

✔ Easier to clean 

✔ Lint easily 

✔ Training needed 

SINGLE-PLY 

KNITTED WOOL 

Single ply wool is a stitched wool 

pad that has a similar construction to 

a 4-ply and predominately made to be 

used with a rotary buffer. This pad has 

the same grade of wool as the 4-ply but 

will be less aggressive than the 4-ply 

twist and not as widely used. These 

pads tend to throw a lot of lint, as it’s a 

single ply wool and not twisted. It is like 

a giant piece of yarn untwisted which 

can make manufacturing more intricate 

and equate to be a more expensive 

pad in the market. Most common 

is 100% wool but you will find some 

pads that are wool blends, the easiest 

way to identify them is beige/white are 

wool and colored ones are typically the 

blends. These wool types can be constructed 

with 100% wool as well as with 

a combination of wool and synthetic 

blends. 

Quick Take 

✔ Made to use with a rotary buffer 

✔ Less aggressive 

✔ Throws a lot of lint 

✔ More expensive 

The knitted wool pads look like 

sheepskin, but the wool is shaved from 

the animal, processed through a machine 

and knitted into the pad with 

an actual machine. One benefit versus 

twisted wools is a noticeable less amount 

of linting from these pads. There may 

be a small amount of lint from the manufacturing 

process, but after this is blown 

out the linting will be minimal. Another 

attribute of knitted wool is it can be very 

versatile in using with virtually any machine 

types (rotary or DA). 

One downside to this wool-type is 

that once it gets wet, or if you use too 

much product it can get matted up. 

They do not clean as easily with a buffing 

spur as a twisted wool, nor will have 

the longevity but can be kept cleanest 

by brushing regularly during use. 

Quick Take 

✔ Less linting 

✔ Very versatile 

✔ Easily mats up when wet 


MICRO-FIBER 

The most common pad construction 

with microfiber typically contains 

a higher pile (predominately for finishing) 

or a lower pile which would make 

more aggressive for cutting and/or 

polishing. You will see these pads made 

with various foam interfaces and again, 

typically thinner foams will offer more 

of a cut as the closer to the paint the 

machine gets. Regarding tools, thicker 

foams will increase durability in lower 

stroke machines and typically the thinner 

the foam will increase durability in 

the higher the stroke (15mm or 21mm). 

A thinner foam interface will not sway 

as much equating to longer durability 

of the pads. Most microfiber pads designed 

for a longer throw machine will 

have a hole cut out in the middle to reduce 

the heat build-up, as pads will tend 

to hold heat in the centers, which over 

excessive heat will cause the foam to 

collapse. These pads work exceptionally 

well with random orbital machines but 

due to the low pile height can get loaded 

up and will require regular cleaning 

with a brush during use for best results. 

The majority of the pile materials are 

100% polyester and different yarns can 

be manufactured at different denier 

(thickness), which means they can be 

finer or more course depending on the 

thickness, even though they are considered 

micro-fiber. You will see various 

colors of micro-fibers in the market 

which will not always mean anything 

regarding cutting ability, but other materials 

can be added to increase cutting 

ability. 

Quick Take 

✔ Offers more of a cut 

✔ Longer durability 

✔ Work well with orbital machines 

✔ Regular cleanings required 

Always keep in mind that not all fiber 

(wool and microfiber) based-pad types 

work the same with different polishing 

systems and paint types. In fact, in many 

instances pad choices can require some 

trial and error. There are numerous ways 

that fiber-based buffing pads are measured, 

but the information is this article 

was put together as a starting point to 

help choose the best pad for your current 

and future projects. This information is 

not presented to “steer” you towards a 

particular pad type, but to rather provide 

data to and education to help choose 

which pad type will work best for your 

preference and service options offered. 

HAPPY DETAILING! 

PROFESSIONAL AUTOMOTIVE DETAILING 

CHEMICALS & ACCESSORIES 

AUTOMOTIVE 

C H E M 

I C A L S 

SINCE 1953 

THANK YOU! 

TO ALL OF OUR MALCO DISTRIBUTORS 

both domestically and in over 70 countries for sticking by us in these trying times. 

For over 65 years Malco Distributors have been 

the backbone of our organization, and now, more than 

ever we appreciate your support and dedication to the 

brand and our industry! 

SURFACE CORRECTION / SURFACE PROTECTION / DRESSINGS / INTERIOR CLEANING / EXTERIOR CLEANING 

@Malcoautomotive @Malcoautomotive Malcoautomotive Malcoautomotive 

www.malcoautomotive.com 

VOL. 5, NO.3 • FALL 2020 | AUTO DETAILING NEWS | 21 

0000 Malco Auto Detailing News Ad_August2020.indd 1 8/21/2020 3:34:39 PM

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THE BUSINESS OF 

DETAILING 

What Type of 

Detailer 

Do I Want to Be? 

By Rob Schruefer 

rob@onspotdetailing.com 

Every person who opens a detailing shop, 

or is mobile, has to decide what type of detailer 

they want to be. I am not talking about how 

they will be as a person, I am talking about who 

the target market is for their business. Within 

the detailing community there are several 

“types” of detailers (in no particular order): 

✔ Car wash/Express 

✔ High-end boutique 

✔ Commercial, and 

✔ Production 

For years, on forums and Facebook, some 

of these factions have been negative towards 

one another. There seems to be a segment of 

the detailing world that thinks if you are not 

doing high-end paint corrections and coatings 

you are not a real detailer, and that there is 

no money to be made. I can tell you, from 

someone who does not limit themselves to 

a single category, that this is absolutely false. 

Every segment of the detailing industry can 

be profitable and can create the base for your 

business. In this article we will explore the different 

options and avenues that a detailer has 

when they are deciding what type of detailer 

they want to be. 

Car Wash/ 

Express Detailer 

This segment is given the 

hardest time, but the reality is 

it is where most of us got our 

start. The detailing industry’s low 

cost of entry creates a new flock of 

express detailers every year, so it is important 

to separate out the “bucket brigade” 

as they are sometimes called, from 

the professional detailers who just focus 

on the more economical end of the detailing 

world. There are a lot of vehicle 

owners that just could never wrap their 

head around spending thousands of dollars 

to have their vehicle cleaned. The 

express detailer lives in the $60-$300 detail 

realm, and this is also where the vast 

majority of residential 

detailing customers 

exist. An 

experienced detailer 

can service 

between 3-10 

of these customers 

a day depending 

on what service they are 

providing. Regular and maintenance customers 

also make up a large amount of 

the sales. Since these customers can also 

be serviced in a detailing shop or with a 

mobile unit, the ability to scale your business 

is completely based on your drive 

and ambition. The downside to this type 

of detailing is that it is weather/season 

dependent, and it requires a constant 

flow of customers to make sense. 

High End/Boutique 

The high-end market is where 

every detailer aspires to be when 

they start out in their detailing 

journey. This is the glamorous side 

of detailing that makes for great 

pictures and industry fame. The volume 

is low, but the average ticket price 

is high, sometimes very high. A single 

detail can run well into the thousands 

and may take days to complete. There 

is also the added advantage of working 

on Ferraris, and not filthy minivans. It 

takes years of experience to break into 

this category, and even more to establish 

the reputation for customers to trust you 

to spend that kind of money. High-end 

detailing also requires very few or any 

additional detailers 

to function. 

The work can 

be done by 

you, or one 

or two other 

trusted employees. 

This keeps the 

profit of the business 

high without having to strive for huge 

revenue numbers. The downside is the 

length of time it takes to establish yourself 

at this level. There are far fewer of 

these clients to go around, so they can be 

harder to get even when you have been 

established for a while. 


Commercial 

Commercial detailers 

are those that focus on regular 

business-2business work, 

or large corporate contracts 

to support their business. The 

number of businesses out there 

with a fleet of company vehicles is 

staggering. They exist everywhere and 

could have hundreds of vehicles that need 

to be cleaned on a regular basis. Companies 

with large fleets have a hard time persuading 

employees to clean or take care 

of a vehicle that is not theirs, and possibly 

shared with others. Large accounts like 

Amazon, or FedEx are constantly looking 

for detailers to do basic washes on the exterior 

of their delivery vehicles. Once you 

have gotten a contract, it is fairly easy to 

keep it as long as you are doing what is 

asked of you. Long term contracts and 

solid word-of-mouth advertising is all that 

is needed to generate work, so marketing 

and advertising budgets can be significantly 

lower than residential 

detailing. The downside 

to commercial detailing 

is it often requires 

“off hour” working. 

Company vehicles 

are normally in use 

during regular business 

hours so cleaning them requires 

either long weekends or 

overnight hours. 

Production 

Production detailers, 

those that work at dealerships 

or auctions, have 

always been considered 

the bottom of the detailing 

world. They get the 

reputation of not being good 

detailers or being hacks. The problem 

with this train of thought is that they are 

not offering the same service as a highend 

detailer. I have an auction that can 

do 300+ cars a day. The service is more 

like an express than a detail, but the coordination, 

training, and teamwork that 

is required to produce that many auction 

quality vehicles every day, six days a week 

is quite an undertaking. Also, production 

detailers have steady work, year-round. 

Dealerships are constantly selling cars and 

need someone to be there to clean them. 

The revenue that can be generated is also 

nothing to be ignored. A small dealership 

will generate $100k+ a 

year in revenue, and a high 

functioning dealership or 

auction can be upwards 

of 5 million. Since a lot 

of production detailers 

are embedded in the locations, 

there is very little 

overhead outside of supplies 

and labor. The downside to the 

production world is that you get much less 

per vehicle and that you are a contractor 

for someone who probably does not think 

that highly of the detailing department. 

To make large amounts of money in production 

detailing, volume is the key. 

I have laid out the four most common 

types of detailing businesses. There 

is nothing to say you have to fit exactly 

into one of these categories, or even stick 

to just one. My business operates in all 

four. It is important to know as a detailer 

that there are other options out there, 

and there are successful people in all 

categories. Do not limit yourself or your 

company’s growth by thinking that there 

is only one path to detailing success. 

Rob Schruefer is the owner of On 

The Spot Detailing out of Columbia, 

Maryland. He proudly serves on the 

board of the International Detailing 

Association and works tirelessly to 

ensure that detailing business owners 

receive business development support 

to help them achieve their goals. 


We’re not in 

Kansas Anymore 

Of course, there’s nothing wrong 

with Kansas, or any other state in the 

beautiful country that is America. But, 

let’s face it, the last six months have 

made us all confined to our homes, our 

workplaces and sometimes even our 

state borders. So, let’s go on a little trip. 

First, we’ll head south of the equator 

to South America where we’ll meet a 

detailer in Argentina. Next, we’re off a 

little further north to the Middle East to 

meet a detailer in Saudi Arabia. And, 

finally, we’ll head further north to the 

beautiful European island of Iceland. 

So, let’s buckle up, and do a little 

globetrotting to three different continents 

and meet other detailers around 

the world. 


We’re off to see… 

RICARDO MARTINEZ 

of Buenos Aires, Argentina 

What is your name and 

business name? 

My name is Ricardo Martinez I´m 47, 

and my shop´s called “JMP Valeting 

Detailing”, JMP are the initials of my 

kid’s names: Juan Manuel (19 years old) 

and Paula (10 years old). 

How long have you been in 

the detailing business? 

I went full time in May 2009, so it’s been 

eleven years now. Eleven exciting years! 

What was your background 

before the auto detailing 

business? 

My parents owned a Gas Station since 

the end of the 60s, and that was our 

family business, it was a medium-sized 

facility with an oil change service, a 

convenience store and car wash. It was 

mainly intended for trucks as the gas 

station is located close to an important 

National Road about 25 miles south of 

Buenos Aires (Argentina´s capital city). 

I also would like to mention that I got 

a degree in marketing from a university 

and got a degree in English Teaching for 

primary and high school. I never worked 

as a teacher though, and preferred to 

work with customer service for several 

American companies such as At&t, 

Western Union and Microsoft… those 

years of customer care experience ended 

up being very useful when building up a 

clientbase for my detail shop. 

Do you have a fixed 

location or are 

you a mobile detailer? 

Luckily, I can say both. I kept my old gas 

station facility to provide a car wash and 

detailing services to my small town neighborhood, 

which was my first customer 

base. About March 2018 we expanded 

to Buenos Aires to deliver retail detailing 

services in the northern Buenos Aires 

area. We opened a shop with a partner 

in a very fluent and wealthy neighborhood 

with good business performance, 

but costs increased and I decided to 

turn to corporate 

customers. This 

ended up providing 

a constant workflow 

and I saved rental 

expenses by working 

onsite at their facilities. 

By October 2018 we started 

to take new car dealers’ work, we 

call them “official dealers” as they are 

manufacturer distributors. We have 

official Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, 

Chrysler-Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen 

dealers. Now, with these dealerships we 

work for them in their facility as well, or 

they assign a determined place for us to 

detail their units. This is convenient in 

two ways: It means low overhead for us 

and is safer as new units never leave the 

dealer´s building. I have a partner in this 

venture (Engineer Sergey Smirnov), who 

works in window tinting and has been 

providing this service to many important 

official dealerships since 2003, and has a 

good reputation within the main dealers 

in Buenos Aires. 

I also started to make a business 

connection with a very important collision-repair 

shop that specializes in making 

vehicles bulletproof in Buenos Aires. 

Bulletproof vehicles are becoming more 

and more demanded, and this Covid-19 

pandemic has increased a need for security 

for wealthy people. Most of the work is 

performed on high-end vehicles, and, again 

in this case, detailing comes as a part of the 

process of making vehicles bulletproof at 

the very end of the production line. Then 

it’s the quality assurance check and the 

car/truck is delivered to the customer. The 

whole process may take a month. 

continued ... 

We’re off to see… 

BANDAR ALAMER 

of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia 

What is the name 

of your operation 

and where is your 

operation located? 

We are agents of the 

American DETAIL PLUS 

company and we are headquartered 

in in Jeddah. We 

have branches in Riyadh, 

Al-Khobar, Tabuk, Jizan, Yanbu, 

KhamisMushait, and Abha. 

When did your 

business open? 

We started in 2002 

Why did you choose 

this line of work? 

I have chosen this business because of 

my love and passion for sport and luxury 

cars which started during my childhood. 

I used to buy weekly magazines related 

to cars when I was 12 years old. My love 

and passion for car news made me admire 

this activity since the opening of the first 

branch of the company even before I was 

an agent of it. I was 18 years old then. I 

decided to get into the trading world once 

I graduated from university and I chose 

the car polishing activity as a hobby. 

Eventually, I obtained the company’s 

franchise in the first branch that I 

launched in Jeddah for nearly 10 years 

before obtaining the agency at the level 

in Saudi Arabia. After that, I got the 

agency for the whole Gulf. 

continued ... 


RICARDO 

MARTINEZ 

continued... 

We’re 

off to 

see… 

GUÐMUNDUR EINAR 

HALLDÓRSSON 

of Selfoss, Iceland 

What is the name of your 

operation and where is your 

operation located? 

It is known under the name Detail 

Ísland (Detail Iceland) But the name 

of the company is My Island and we 

are located in a town called Selfoss 

which is 50 km outside of the capital 

of Reykjavík. 

When did it open? 

The company was founded in 2015. 

Before that I had been color correcting 

cars for about 20 years. 

How did you learn about the 

detailing industry and the 

skills involved? 

I have had a massive interest in cars 

since I can remember. I burned through 

my first panel at age 11. Since then I 

have burned through probably 100 

panels. My skills started to develop right 

before the year 2000 when I met an 

Italian guy rock climbing in Italy. His 

family owns a detailing company and 

we became good friends and he helped 

me out a lot. Unfortunately, he passed 

away a few years later in a climbing 

accident. When YouTube came along it 

gave all of us lots of knowledge. I have 

also made several trips to both sides of 

the pond to learn and train. 

What services do you offer? 

We just do color correction, coatings, 

high-end detailing and PPF. We also 

have training classes and offer 13 

different trainings that everybody 

can join. Training covers everything 

from how to wash a car to high-end 

detailing. 

Is auto detailing a wellrespected 

industry in 

Iceland? 

The word “detailing” was not known 

in Iceland when I started my business, 

but now people are starting to understand 

what we do. We have come a 

long way but there is even a greater 

road ahead of us. 

What is your clientele like? 

What types of vehicles do 

you mostly get? 

The car culture is a little bit different 

in Iceland than other countries. 

There are two Ferraris in Iceland, 

no Lamborghinis, but we do have 

a Porsche dealership. We probably 

mostly do American pick-up trucks 

that have been modified with bigger 

wheels and SUVs like a Range Rover 

and Audi Q7. 

Our clients are basically everybody 

-- farmers, fishermen, soccer moms, 

business owners, bankers… etc. 

Is there a lot of competition 

in your area? 

There are a lot of people cleaning cars 

in Iceland but not too many high-end 

detailing operations (there are a few 

trying and not many succeeding). The 

biggest problem is guys are not getting 

their education right. Everybody 

needs to train and practice -- that’s the 

only way to learn. At our workshop 

we have a section that is set up as a 

training center where we train people 

in color correction. That is my happy 

place -- I can spend a lot of time there 

testing pads, compound techniques 

and whatever else comes to my mind. 

There is a side effect on working 

with high-end cars -- You acquire an 

expertise on these units which is the 

most important thing. And, it increases 

the perceived value a customer sees 

in your service, which means you can 

charge more. Perceived value, experience 

and reputation are a detailer´s most 

important tools to market their services 

and improve sales, margin and workflow. 

Mobile detailing on the retail side 

has not developed yet in Argentina; 

sometimes we use our small Volkswagen 

minivan and take care of some 

customers here and there, but we basically 

focus on car collectors, high-end 

paint-shops with classic car projects, 

and concourse or car shows. I participate 

in AutoClasica which is our main 

Antique and Classic Car Contest, and 

is considered to be the most important 

event of this kind in South America. 

And, proudly, we got second place last 

year with an old 1959 Wartburg. 

In 2014 I was invited by the official 

Chevrolet Racing Team to work on their 

race cars and I ended up establishing a 

very important relationship with them, 

and got to know lots of people such as 

professional drivers, automotive engineers, 

motorsport journalists, advertising 

agencies and Chevrolet executives. Good 

contacts are important in this business; I 

find that a detailing venture depends on 

human relations. 

Being part of the Chevrolet team also 

allowed me to do some detailing for my 

community such as Car Museum units. 

Now I´m into some military unit restoration 

projects for the Falklands War 

Veterans, which Is not about money but 

about giving back to your community. 

Do you have any 

employees? 

Ricardo Martinez: Well we are a 

very small business. At the carwash we 

have two employees mainly for the daily 

wash and wax work. My older son operates 

the former gas station operation 

since last year and that has helped me 

a lot to develop my corporate customer 

base in Buenos Aires at the armor car 

operation. I started solo but I will soon 

increase production with a partner that I 

work with at the dealerships, and maybe 

will add two more employees, but my 

dealership work depends on how the 

economy recovers from this pandemic. 

My wife helps with administration, 

marketing and customer care aspects. 

What services are offered? 

On the retail facility we have a 

very loyal clientele, mostly car wash and 

interior work is what is most demanded. 

Our car wash services include 

continued ... 

1957 Chevrolet Belair totally restored by my good friend Dany Coronel, 

what you see at the back is a Chevrolet Silverado 1981 truck 


BANDAR 

ALAMER 

continued... 

How and where 

were you trained? 

At the start, we got the training from 

the previous agent. However, later on, we 

got the training from the main company in 

America from Mr. Bud Abraham himself, 

the owner of the company. 

are considered as one of the biggest 

names in the market. We are the first 

company that works in this field in the 

Middle East. Moreover, we offer quality 

with appropriate prices. 

What is your clientele like? 

in the winter, etc? 

Heat and sand affect the cleanliness of 

cars greatly from the inside in addition 

to the paint of vehicles. We also suffer 

from people using dish soap in washing 

their cars, which spoils our work and the 

materials that we put on their cars. 

What services do you offer? 

✔ Auto Detailing 

✔ Window Tinting 

✔ Ceramic Coating 

✔ Paint Protection 

We receive in our branches all kinds of 

regular and luxury vehicles and we have 

customers of all levels. 

Is there a lot of 

competition in your area? 

How do you advertise 

your business? 

We promote through modern social 

networking websites, such as Snapchat 

and Instagram, etc. 

service can be done for the car without 

leaving it or even moving away from it until 

completing the work completely. All equipment 

is designed by Mr. Bud Abraham, the 

founder of the company. 

Is auto detailing 

a well-respected industry 

in Saudi Arabia? 

Yes! It is very well-known and has had a 

lot of investors in recent years. 

Why do you think you 

have been successful? 

Our customers like us because we 

Yes! The competition has become very 

massive in recent years. 

What are some of the 

biggest issues affecting 

vehicles in the Middle 

Eastern climate? For instance, 

we have pollen here in the 

Spring, love bugs, salt damage 

What is your favorite 

detailing tool and why? 

We use the company’s Detail Plus materials 

and equipment. We are the first company 

to manufacture the necessary equipment 

to operate an auto polishing center in an 

integrated manner, according to the factories’ 

production line method, so that a full 

What is your life 

like outside of the 

detailing industry? 

I am a B.A. holder. My other projects are 

only in the field of real estate investment. 

I have some investments in Saudi Arabia 

and Dubai. And, I am married and have 

four sons and daughters. 

Detailing the iconic Masera6 300 Sport driven by Juan Manuel Fangio 

Williams Cosworth 1981 Formula One car driven by Carlos Reutemann. 

I coated this unit with a special SiO2 Coa6ng provided and shipped 

specially by Gtechniq from the United Kingdom. 


RICARDO 

MARTINEZ 

continued... 

GUÐMUNDUR EINAR 

HALLDÓRSSON 

In a normal year we get around 100 

people through our training courses. 

Since the pandemic started I have not 

been doing any courses as I don’t want 

to jeopardize the work at the workshop 

if I got sick. We will hopefully start 

again in the autumn. 

What are some of the biggest 

issues affecting vehicles over 

there? 

Iceland, as the name suggests, is quite 

brutal when it comes to ice. 

Volcanic ash is blowing around in 

the atmosphere every day. It is super 

fine and can easily scratch the surface 

of a vehicle. We have massive winters 

with a storm coming in at least once a 

week -- sometimes we get seven storms 

in seven days. 

I am quite certain that we have a 

world record in terms of salty roads, 

causing lots of rust damage. Our road 

system is terrible, with badly made 

asphalt, lots of stone chips and a huge 

tar problem. 

How do you advertise your 

services? 

My philosophy is that a good job will 

advertise itself, and a bad job will 

destroy your company. 

During a normal month for us we 

have about 20 cars waitlisted, so we 

don’t have to advertise too much. We 

do all kinds of advertising on social 

media. Facebook and Snapchat are 

our biggest social media platforms. 

We also do newspaper, radio and TV 

advertisements. 

What is your favorite 

detailing tool and why? 

This is a really hard question -- it’s like 

asking me which of my cars I love the 

most… After a long and hard thought I 

think I would have to say sandpaper and 

a rotary machine. Those two items have 

gotten me to the place where I am today. 

undercarriage pressure washing using an 

electro-hydraulic 2-post lift capable of 

lifting cars, trucks and even some minivans, 

up to 10,000 pounds. Also, our 

engine steam cleaning is in demand and 

we detail cars and do some repairs and 

repaint in partnership with a paint-shop. 

We outsource PDR, window tinting and 

car wrap with very good professionals. 

Some retail customers have very 

exclusive cars and need specialized 

services… the kind of work these 

customers give us is rewarding on the 

financial and professional side. We are 

always ready to take good care of our 

dealers. When sales improve dealers 

provide good work volume. We perform 

basic one-step detailing, and sometimes 

paint correction for showroom cars. 

A few years ago, we took used car 

dealership work, but paint correction in 

these units takes too many man hours 

and most of the time car dealers go 

for the cheapest work instead of more 

quality, so I decided to focus on new car 

distributors. Working on new units takes 

less working time, less cost in products, 

pads, and we obtained quite a good 

reputation as professionals working on 

brand new vehicles. 

The government does not detail 

their units and our local county has their 

own car wash facility and paint shop 

(that is operated by my brother-in-law). 

Nevertheless, working for the government 

demands very strong financial 

foundations as they are a very slow payer. 

Car collectors have offered me big 

opportunities as exclusive Car Clubs 

always need a good detailer at hand and 

this is a very profitable market niche. 

Is there a big retail market 

in Argentina for auto 

detailing? 

If we talk numbers, according to the 

Argentinean Car Dealers Association 

(ACARA), there are more than 14 

million cars in Argentina with an overall 

population of 45 million people. There 

is a car for every 3.14 people. Last year 

only 350,000 new units were sold, and 

the average car is 11 years old. Even 

during this bad economic time, detailing 

shops are opening everywhere. On a 

High-end units being detailed, White Mercedes Benz A250 AMG 2020 

plus BMW X2 M 2020, this vehicles were coated with Sillica-based 

Ceramic products. 

good year Argentineans can purchase 

1 million new units, so there is potential 

for growth. Is important to add that we 

are one of very few countries in Latin 

America that have several factories, 

therefore the automotive industry is very 

important in Argentina. 

Anyway, there’s a huge gap between 

the USA and Latin America in terms 

of the number of cars compared with 

population. For example: The USA has 

an average of 965 cars for every 1000 

people, and that average is reduced to 

265 cars for every 1000 in my country. 

The flip side is the culture: There 

is almost no DIY culture in Argentina 

so most people like to have their cars 

detailed by a professional. In some provinces 

there’s a strong car-culture which 

is mostly related to car manufacturing 

and motorsports. For example: Cordoba 

is the second city in population after 

Buenos Aires, and important automotive 

brands such as Fiat-Chrysler, Renault, 

IVECO and Honda produce cars there. 

Also, auto parts industries have their 

factories here such as LEAR, and the 

VW AG Group to mention a few. 

Motorsports is an important activity 

in this region; more than 50 professional 

racing teams are located in Cordoba 

and surrounding areas, they even have 

a WRC Contest every year. Cordoba 

is to Argentineans what Detroit if for 

Americans, it is where our automotive 

industry was born. 

What are some of the 

biggest problems you face 

professionally? 

I could name the lack of supply variety 

such as DA polisher machines, accessories 

and products as the number one 

problem, but I wouldn’t say “only in 

Argentina.” This is a problem for other 

parts of South America, Chile, Uruguay, 

Peru and Colombia. 

Car prices and car sales have an 

impact on detailing. Back in 2012 when 

car sales were at a record high and the 

high-end market was performing well, 

detailing shops were full, and we were 

booked even a few weeks ahead. With the 

recession, inflation and this pandemic 

most distributors and auto dealers are 

struggling to survive. Our administration 

locked down starting on March 18 with 

an announcement of our president on 

TV, I’m writing this on June 7 and this 

has harmed our economy to the bone. 

So, here comes our third problem: 

The future. At this moment we can only 

say that many 

businesses are going to close. My particular 

case is quite unique… I have very low 

overhead, I own my property, my shop´s 

property and work mostly on customer 

facilities, so over the last five years I have 

decreased my operating costs dramatically. 

I even keep my transportation costs very 

low by leaving a set of machines in my 

corporate customer´s shop and I organize 

workflow to optimize car usage. Keeping 

costs low has not been a problem, but 

more of a constant struggle. 

Are there many suppliers of 

detail products in 

Argentina? 

Supplies are sometimes hard to get. 

Some brands, many to be honest, don’t 

reach these regions. When it comes to 


accessories and machines it gets worse. 

Simultaneously, some Asian brands are 

establishing a presence here, but with 

low quality products lots of machines 

are sold with little to no manufacturer 

warranty. Product options are reduced 

to a few global brands such as SONAX, 

Meguiar’s, 3M, Menzerna, 3D or Koch 

Chemie. Other brands are made available 

here but not for an official dealer, 

distributor or branch and the products 

are highly taxed as well. 

On the flip side we have a few local 

manufacturers getting into this market. 

There´s an Argentinian chemical engineer 

that produces a set of detailing 

products with decent performance and 

our neighbor Brazil has an important 

manufacturer that has been historically 

a huge player in Carnauba wax 

production and now is producing high 

performance detailing chemicals with 

interesting results. 

Approximately how many 

detail shops are in 

Argentina? 

We are about 5,000 detailers in Argentina 

now, some detailing shops are shared with 

a car wash facility, or some kind of business 

related to cars. That number includes a 

good amount of part timers that work 

on weekends. But one aspect I want to 

point out is there could be some thousand 

so-called “detail shops” in every city, but 

there could be hundreds of guys detailing 

cars for dealerships, collectors, going 

mobile or even detailing museum cars. We 

could count them as detailers as well. 

Anything else you can tell 

me about the detail market 

in Argentina? 

A country such as Argentina has its 

particularities for instance, you have 

subtropical forests in the northeast, high 

altitude deserts in the northwest close to 

the Andes, and glaciers. High mountains 

and blue lakes like Switzerland in the 

southwest and plains along the entire 

Atlantic coast. 

Snow and salt removal is a must in 

the extreme south provinces of Santa 

Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. Red soil with 

high iron rust content can be a nightmare 

on car interiors and chassis if you 

live in the northern Misiones province. 

Sun can really damage a clear coat in 

the highlands of Jujuy. Dirt roads in the 

Pampas are covered with a thin dust that 

can easily pass through your door jamb 

rubber seals if they aren’t in good shape, 

gravel roads in Patagonia can literally 

remove undercarriage protection and 

rust your car chassis severely, so for us 

detailers it is not always just a polish and 

wax. Interiors get very dirty and molds 

grow fast if you don’t vacuum your car 

properly, as average humidity in the air 

is beyond 70% in my region, and bad 

odors can easily infect a car interior. 

Within Latin America the Argentinean 

detailer is much respected as well as all 

car-related technicians. We have a strong 

car industry and a reputation of being 

self-taught people in general. 

Argentine customers are very careful 

about whom they trust their vehicles 

to; they gather information about the 

detailer that is going to work on the unit, 

and inquire about his/her experience 

and reputation. 

Some particular types of customers 

demand more than just paint correction 

and look for what is referred to as 

a “full detail” – here that means you 

work on each and every part of the car, 

and it always includes a high amount of 

manhours and this kind of project can 

be complex and physically demanding. I 

take a few cars for full detail a year and 

it’s been mostly high-end or rare units 

most of the time. 

According to the Pareto Principle, 80 

percent of a business income is produced 

by 20 percent of the customers. In my 

business that rule of thumb is accomplished, 

very few customers keep my 

business rolling so taking good care of 

my customer base is my main strategy. 

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