Industry Statistics and Trends
Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)
Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.2 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated €1.6bn in 2025.
Trends and Insights
The modernisation of car washes makes a significant contribution to reducing fresh water consumption
- A report by the International Water Association (IWA) from 2024 documents an annual consumption of almost 30 million cubic metres of fresh water by German car washes. It is striking that older facilities built before 2004 often do not have modern water treatment systems and consume more than 300 litres of fresh water for each wash. Systems built after 2004 are required to install modern treatment technology, which can significantly reduce fresh water consumption per vehicle wash.
- Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Source: IBISWorld
Industry outlook (2025-2030)
Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.
Trends and Insights
The industry's digital offerings are likely to be further expanded in the coming years
- Digital technologies are fundamentally changing the processes in modern car washes. Systems such as licence plate recognition enable automatic identification of vehicles as they enter and ensure ticketless and accelerated processing. App-based booking and payment offer customers convenience, time savings and flexibility. Users start the wash directly from their smartphone, select the programmes in advance and benefit from functions such as voucher management and the display of waiting times. Large operators such as CleanCar, IMO and Mr Wash in particular are driving this development in Germany.
Biggest companies in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing in Germany
There are no companies that hold a market share exceeding 5% in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing in Germany industry.
Products & Services Segmentation
Source: IBISWorld
Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Gantry car washes, Car washes and Self-service car washes. Gantry car washes is the largest segment of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing in Germany.
Trends and Insights
Gantry washing systems are space-saving and generally do not require additional operating personnel
- The most common type of car wash in Germany is the gantry car wash. It consists of a portal-shaped structure that is equipped with cleaning nozzles and brushes made of textile or foam material and moves automatically around and over the vehicle.
- More insights available in the full report
Table of Contents
About this industry
Industry definition
The industry comprises companies that offer exterior and interior cleaning services for motor vehicles. The industry's services include cleaning in fully automated car washes as well as the operation of self-car washes. The sale of additional maintenance services such as car polishing are also included.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany include Operation of systems for the exterior cleaning of motor vehicles and Operation of systems for the interior cleaning of motor vehicles.Companies
Companies covered in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany include .Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.
Related Terms
Related terms covered in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany include water cycle and lotus effect varnish.Industry Code
WZ 45.20.2 - Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing in Germany
Performance
Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.
Analyst insights
In Germany, many car washes are operated at petrol stations. The provision of car wash services on the premises of a petrol station is still the most common form of operation...
In this chapter (4)
- Current Performance
- Outlook
- Volatility
- Life Cycle
Key metrics
- Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
- Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
- Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
- Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business
Charts
- Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
- Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
- Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
- Industry Life Cycle
Detailed analysis
- Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
- Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
- Factors that influence volatility in the industry
- Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
Products and Markets
Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.
Analyst insight
The technology of the car wash should be adapted to its location. Very powerful systems such as car washes are only suitable for heavily frequented locations due to their hig...
In this chapter
- Products & Services
- Major Markets
Key metrics
- Largest market segment and value in 2025
- Product innovation level
Charts
- Products & services segmentation in 2025
- Major market segmentation in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
- Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
- Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
- Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
Geographic Breakdown
Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.
Analyst insights
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In this chapter (1)
- Business Locations
Charts
- Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
- Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025
Tables
- Number and share of establishments in each region in 2025
- Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2025
- Number and share of employees in each region in 2025
Detailed analysis
- Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage
Competitive Forces
Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.
Analyst insights
The car wash industry is highly fragmented. The industry consists mainly of small companies that operate both car washes and are active in related sectors. This can be seen f...
In this chapter (4)
- Concentration
- Barriers to Entry
- Substitutes
- Buyer & Supplier Analysis
Key metrics
- Industry concentration level
- Industry competition level and trend
- Barriers to entry level and trend
- Substitutes level and trend
- Buyer power level and trend
- Supplier power level and trend
Charts
- Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
- Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart
External Environment
Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.
Analyst insights
The use of a water cycle is intended to reduce water consumption and environmentally harmful waste water. It has been mandatory for car washes for several years now. By thoro...
In this chapter
- External Drivers
- Regulation & Policy
- Assistance
Key metrics
- Regulation & policy level and trend
- Assistance level and trend
Detailed analysis
- Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
Financial Benchmarks
View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time.
Analyst insights
Automation and labour costs reduce profits Investments in resource-saving and more automated car washes require high investments and are a burden on the profits of some indust...
In this chapter
- Cost Structure
- Financial Ratios
- Key Ratios
Key metrics
- Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
- Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
- Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
- Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio
Charts
- Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
- Investment vs. share of economy
Data tables
- Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
- Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
- Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- Average Wage (2015-2030)
- Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
- IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
- Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
- Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
Detailed analysis
- Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability
Key Statistics
Industry Data
Data Tables
Including values and annual change:
- Revenue (2015-2030)
- IVA (2015-2030)
- Establishments (2015-2030)
- Enterprises (2015-2030)
- Employment (2015-2030)
- Exports (2015-2030)
- Imports (2015-2030)
- Wages (2015-2030)
Top Questions Answered
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What is the market size of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany in 2025?
The market size of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany is €1.6bn in 2025.
How many businesses are there in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany in 2025?
There are 2,493 businesses in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
Has the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany has been declining at a CAGR of 0.2 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany is expected to grow.
What does the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany include?
Operation of systems for the exterior cleaning of motor vehicles and Operation of systems for the interior cleaning of motor vehicles are part of the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany.
How competitive is the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany?
The level of competition is low and steady in the Car Wash & Motor Vehicle Detailing industry in Germany.
Related Industries
Widen your competitive advantage with related industries
Complementors
View all industries in Germany
Methodology
How are IBISWorld reports created?
IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.
Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.
IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.
What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?
Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.
Key data sources in Germany include:
- German Federal Statistics Office (Destatis)
- European Statistics Office (Eurostat)
- United Nations Comtrade
Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.
These sources include:
- Industry and trade associations
- Industry federations or regulators
- Major industry players annual or quarterly filings
Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.
How does IBISWorld forecast its data?
IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.
IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.
Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.
