Aussie-born franchise ecowash mobile has just been announced as the top franchise export for 2008 by the Franchise Council of Australia.
This latest honour follows ecowash winning the AMEX Best Services Retailer, NAB Top Franchise and awards in four categories at the Australian Business Awards.
“We are really pleased to receive this recognition from Australia’s peak franchising body,” said ecowash co-founder and managing director Jim Cornish.
“We have made rapid ground in breaking overseas markets, but this top award recognition says it all.”
ecowash’s export started with France, the Middle East and Jordan only to be followed among others by Greece, New Zealand and the US, with many organisations, car dealerships and governments departments contracting the waterless car wash concept to maintain their vehicles and fleets.
The announcement as the top export franchise came only a week after being positioned as the nation’s top no four franchise system, according to an independent industry survey.
“With the demand for our waterless service exceeding current capacity, there are ample franchise territories available in all states in Australia as well as abroad,” said operations manager and co-founder Stewart Nicholls.
ecowash mobile is known for its ‘green’ constitution including being waterless, completely carbon neutral across its entire fleet and using a biodegradable 2-in-1 polymer that facilitates the scratch free clean and polish.
Single mum and passionate eco-warrior Nejla Rawnsley has been at the helm of the waterless car-wash eco-revolution throughout Queensland since 2005.
Rawnsley purchased the ecowash franchise license for Queensland in July 2005 and she established the first three franchisee territories in Queensland within just four months. She brought the count to 10 within less than a year.
“I always knew that the waterless concept, strong branding and ecological soundness of the business would be paramount to its success. Yet I did not expect it to take off so quickly,” she said.
“I noticed the emergence of ecowash mobile and instantly knew it had ‘ticks’ in the right boxes, so I jumped on it. I just knew it had a long way to go and with 17 territories in operation now just three and a half years later and a good 20 more territories in Qld to go, I think my initial intuition has proven right.”
The Brisbane Mum has proudly attracted quite a few women into the ‘green’ business.
With her kids still young, Nejla can schedule her hours around their routine and create the perfect balance between work and family life.
“I now have two employees and 17 franchisees between the Gold Coast and Port Douglas to look after. While central Queensland and the southeastern corner of the state still hold the greatest growth and available territories, the open mindedness of the people throughout the state keep demand growing strong in all areas,” added the successful business-woman.
Having grown from a one car operation in 2004 to over 50 franchises across Australia ecowash has branched into 14 other countries in just four years. The waterless car wash franchise has saved over 44 million litres of our quintessential resource in Australia alone and is a major supporter of World Water Day held earlier this year.