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Whistle Express to acquire Take 5 Car Wash from Driven Brands in $385 million deal

Driven Brands said Jonathan Fitzpatrick, who joined the company as president and CEO in 2012, will step down on May 9.

Author

Jim Utter
February 26, 2025

Shine brightest with all the dirt from the Car Wash industry

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👋Good morning! In an unexpected move on Tuesday, Driven Brands Holdings announced a deal to sell its Take 5 U.S. car wash business to Whistle Express for $385 million. Read all the details, including the naming of a new chief executive at Driven, in this issue of the Car Wash Daily News email newsletter.

👉To give you an idea of what our daily newsletter has to offer, you can access all of its contents - including the long-form version of stories teased on the newsletter - until later this month. After that, as a paid subscriber, you can maintain full access. Otherwise, only short teasers and summaries will be available in the newsletter and on the Website.

We’re excited about offering a new addition to the media landscape to help publicize an underserved industry. I hope you enjoy reading.

Jim Utter
Director of Journalism/Editor in Chief
CW Daily News

Today's issue is sponsored by The Vita Agency — Let’s Drive More Business Your Way.

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🔦TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT🔦

Whistle Express to acquire Take 5 Car Wash from Driven Brands in $385 million deal

Whistle Express Car Wash has entered into an agreement with Driven Brands Holdings that will more than triple its size and soon make it the largest express car wash company in the United States.

The two companies announced on Tuesday they had entered into a definitive agreement which will see Driven sell its U.S. car wash business, Take 5 Car Wash, to Whistle Express Car Wash for $385 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, Whistle has agreed to pay Driven Brands $255 million in cash and deliver to Driven an interest-bearing seller note in the principal amount of $130 million, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

The completed deal would leave Whistle with more than 530 express car wash sites across 23 states.

Read more here.

➥ SUMMARY

Driven Brands said it would sell its U.S. car wash business to Whistle Express for $225 million in cash and a $130 million interest-bearing seller note in a deal slated to close in the second quarter.

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✂️SHORTCUTS✂️

   Editor’s Picks 👇

  • ShockWater projects 2-year ROI on water treatment system: Technology which can reduce freshwater consumption up to 15 gallons per car will be shown at this week’s SWCA Convention in Fort Worth, Texas, by ShockWater Car Wash Systems. The company says its advanced oxidation process neutralizes biological contaminants and removes residual chemicals, producing water that is suitable for replacing fresh water which can be used in multiple car wash applications, including chemical mixing, while ensuring a quality, odor-free experience for consumers. The ReGenV 100 GPM unit has automated, low maintenance, user-friendly controls and design. Read more here.

   Express Hits  🎯 

  • Sgt. Clean Car Wash is recognizing eight students - with four being an internal team member - with a $1,000 scholarship. The one-time awards will go to qualifying students in Medina, Portage, Cuyahoga, Stark, or Summit County in Ohio and are to be applied toward school tuition and fees in support of vocational trades, business, and or entrepreneurship. Submissions must be completed online at Sgtclean.com/scholarship by April 30. All winners will be notified by May 13 and invited to a group luncheon with Sgt. Clean's senior executive team for a check presentation.

  • The Big Rapids (Michigan) planning commission recently recommended the city commission approve a special use permit for a car wash at 1250 Perry Avenue. Local business owner Jerry Bowman requested the special use permit, necessary as the property is zoned C1 and requires a special use permit for any mobile related business. He plans to build conveyor belt car wash on the site. The city commission will now take up the issue next month.

  • The Russell Touchless Car Wash in Russell, Kentucky, suffered extensive damage from a fire on Feb. 20. No one was injured at the self-service car wash and no one was on the property when the fire was called in around 8:15 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but owners said there was a kerosene heater at the business used to combat freezing pipes.

  • Tommy’s Express Car Wash has opened a new location in Madison, Alabama, where customers can receive free car washes through Sunday. This location marks the first Tommy’s Express in the first in the state of Alabama. The brand is renowned for its customer-focused service, convenience, and high-quality car washes, which include tunnels with floor-to-ceiling windows and a transparent roof.

    👉 More updates here.

   Making Waves Around the World  🌊 

  • Halstead approves new car wash location: The town of Halstead in Essex, England, has approved plans to demolish an empty showroom and replace the building with car washes and parking spaces. The application sets out a proposal for the planning permission to replace the showroom, located next to the Esso petrol station, with three jet wash bays. The showroom building will be demolished. The application had been submitted previously and was declined but has now been approved. Read more here.

   What’s Coming Up  📅

  • Convenience U CARWACS Show 2025: The Convenience U CARWACS Show – Canada’s largest convenience, gas and car wash industry event – is set for March 4-5, 2025, at the International Centre Hall 5 in Mississauga, Ontario. More info here.  

  • APEC 2025: The leading conference in North America for power electronic professionals will take place March 16-20, 2025, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia. More info here.

  • Heartland Carwash Association 2025: The organization’s annual product and equipment show will take place March 24-26, 2025, at the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. More info here.

  • ICA Car Wash Show 2025: The ultimate gathering for car wash pros returns to the Las Vegas (Nevada) Convention Center April 26-28, 2025. More info here.

  • Car Wash Show Europe 2025: The leading car wash trade fair in Europe takes place Sept. 24-25, 2025, at EXPO Greater Amsterdam in the Netherlands. More info here.

❓DID YOU KNOW❓

According to IBISWorld, the world’s largest independent publisher of industry reports, says the average annual revenue for a single in-bay automatic car wash is $139,000.

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Disclaimer: The authors of cwdailynews.com, LLC are not financial or tax professionals. This email is for educational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We strongly recommend conducting your own research and consulting with qualified professionals before making any decisions. Our content, which may include affiliate links, reflects personal opinions and should not be used as the sole basis for decision-making. We are not responsible for any losses resulting from the use of this information.