As a carwash owner, you want your wash to be the best. To be the best, you need the best. As the exclusive supplier of world-renowned chemistry brands, NCS continues to supply the highest quality car wash chemicals. A big part of any carwash success story is the history and legacy of the iconic car wash chemistry brands that have served carwash owners with the very best for over half a century.

How well do you know these highly prized, highly regarded brands? Why do they produce the most profit and best success for carwash owners and operators? Not coincidentally, these brands have the longest track record and richest stories. They’ve emerged over time as the best.

In this post, we review the history, legacy and leadership position of these powerhouse chemistry brands, and why they’re still your best choice today:

• Armor All Professional®
• Rain-X®
• Rain-X® Graphene
• Blue Coral®
• Black Magic®

Armor All Professional^®

Armor All Professional is an iconic American brand of car care products. The brand’s origin story goes back to 1962 when polymer chemist Joe Palcher invented a unique method for protecting vinyl, rubber and plastic from ozone damage and UV radiation. 

Joe’s novel solution was dubbed the “miracle formula.” Considering the amazing effect that resulted, and the success of the brand today, that name may not have been an overstatement!

Four years later, a local auto shop owner and a friend of Joe’s, convinced him that the solution was commercially viable. The two launched the solution as “Tri-Don” (No-Dirt spelled backward) and took the formula to market.

Pioneering Pristine

In 1972, savvy entrepreneur and car enthusiast Alan Rypinsk bought Tri-Don and renamed it Armor All Protectant, which evolved into Armor All for consumer use, and Armor All Professional for the commercial carwash market. Along the way, many innovative products were pioneered, including the first car-specific wash formula, tire foam protectant, wheel cleaner, wipes, auto gels, sprays and disinfectants.

2007 saw the introduction of the product line that is now Armor All Professional Extreme Shine Wax. From the beginning, it was evident that this product was one of the company’s superstars. This advanced ormula contained a proprietary carnauba wax blend for the ultimate shine. 

Ceramic Seal – A Leap Ahead 

One of the most innovative Armor All Professional products is the Ceramic Seal. This product represents a leap in car care technology, aligning with the latest advancements in ceramic coatings. Ceramic coatings are known for providing superior protection compared to traditional waxes or sealants, offering enhanced durability, hardness and a brilliant shine that lasts. 

The Ceramic Seal stands out for its use of silicon dioxide (SiO2), which forms a chemical bond with the vehicle’s paint surface. This bond creates a hydrophobic (water-repellent) layer that protects the car’s exterior from UV rays, road salts, bird droppings, and other contaminants. Unlike earlier formulations, the ceramic-based product ensures longer-lasting protection, reducing the frequency of reapplication needed and providing more value over time.

The legacy of Armor All Professional, particularly with its Ceramic Seal, extends beyond product innovation. It represents a commitment to quality and advancement in the automotive care sector. This commitment influences customer expectations and industry trends, setting a high bar for what consumers believe possible in car care.

Armor All Professional offers an industry-leading ceramic seal. It uses silicon dioxide (SiO2) to form a chemical bond with the paint surface, creating a water-repellent layer that provides longer-lasting protection from various contaminants. This ceramic seal is a leap in car care product innovation. It makes professional-grade ceramic coating technology accessible to all and fosters product advancement, as other brands must innovate fast to catch up. 

Time-Honored. Tested. Trusted. 

The power of the Armor All Professional brand is undeniable. It commands a staggering 90% market recognition and has 85.8% positive consumer perception.  Furthermore, 46% of customers will likely choose a car wash that uses Armor All Professional, and 44% of conveyor wash users upgrade their packages when Armor All is offered.

Armor All empowers car wash operators to offer top-tier services and enjoy impressive returns. A three-site chain reported a 15% revenue increase and a 25% reduction in labor costs after switching to Armor All Professional products. These numbers speak volumes about the brand’s ability to upgrade car washes and elevate customer experiences.

Having branded Armor All Professional logos on the menu drives an average increase of $1.51 per service ticket, according to a Case study of one major national carwash operator.

Rain-X^® Surface Protectant

Rain-X is instantly recognizable by its bright yellow and blue logo, and is a true pioneer in the auto care industry. Rain-X’s story begins in 1972 with Howard Ohlhausen. He invented an ultra-thin, silicone-based coating that made glass surfaces repellent to water, soil and grime. This coating causes water to bead and roll off glass surfaces, enhancing visibility and driving safety in bad weather. As a result, it caught on with truckers and racers quite quickly.

In 1972, Ohlhausen and his sons began selling the product commercially under the Unelko Company name. But their innovation didn’t stop there. In 1981, they moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where they developed products like Rain-X Anti-Fog for interior glass, a glass scrub and stain remover, and a windshield wash with rain repellent. 

Four years later, Rain-X began sponsoring motorsports, a move that increased the brand’s awareness considerably and solidified its reputation in the auto industry.

Today, Rain-X is a global auto care brand with a legacy of safety-focused auto innovations. Rain-X offers a range of specialty glass cleaners, protective windshield coatings, and microbe-resistant wiper and windshield treatments, all rigorously tested to meet industry standards.

Rain-X Graphene – Ultimate Protection

The latest innovation, Rain-X Graphene, is the epitome of car care. It’s uniquely formulated with graphene technology, an extremely thin form of carbon with superior physical, electrical and thermal properties discovered in 2004.  Rain-X graphene sealant is applied to the entire car – not just the windshield – to offer the following standout benefits:

• Incredible durability: Graphene’s two-dimensional and honeycomb lattice structure delivers peerless durability and protection against chips and cracks.
• Best water-beading: Its hydrophobic properties make water bead up more, leading to less evaporation and a much cleaner surface even after exposure to harsh weather
• Anti-dust: Rain-X Pro Graphene also effectively keeps dust and dirt off the car for far longer thanks to its antistatic properties.
• Unbeatably rich gloss and shine: The nanoparticle layer delivers a stunning gloss, improved slickness, and deeper color depth for a show-stopping finish.

Although Howard Ohlhausen passed away in 2017, the brand upholds his legacy of creativity and invention through innovative products like Rain-X Graphene. These new offerings showcase Rain-X’s ongoing commitment to pushing boundaries in auto care and driving safety. 

They’re also a key reason the brand holds the #1 spot for all-surface protectants with over 80% brand awareness. Rain-X is estimated to generate over $91 million annually for wash operators.

Blue Coral^® Products – Exceptional Performance Since 1927

Blue Coral has been a leading force in the auto aftermarket since 1927. The company boasts a reputation for quality and improvement in automotive cleaners. Today, Blue Coral is one of the largest-selling brands in the retail and professional car wash sectors, proving its enduring quality and adaptability in the ever-evolving car industry.

Blue Coral’s legacy of innovation and performance is eveident in products like high pH and low pH presoaks and body soaps, wheel and tire cleaners, bug removers, boosters and drying agents.

Blue Coral Optimize is a revolutionary low-pH pre-soak solution designed as a foundation for vehicle cleaning. It neutralizes vehicle surfaces, prepping them for a superior shine. Optimize is uniquely formulated with a foam that augments a vehicle’s surface adherence to detailing products and facilitates an easy rinse. It also features specialty wax polymers to enhance the final finish. It perfectly exemplifies the brand’s mantra of “setting the stage” for exceptional car care results.

Currently in development, Blue Coral Lo pH 190 showcases the company’s dedication to performance and safety. When released, it will offer an alternative to hydrofluoric acid (HF) in pre-soak solutions. It will provide provide excellent cleaning power while eliminating risks associated with hydrofluoric acid. It will be compatible with all tunnel and in-bay automatic washes and effective in truck washing and wheel brightening.

Black Magic^® Tire Dressing

Black Magic’s journey as an innovator in the automotive market begins not with a bang but with a squeeze. Its first product — a thick silicone trim shine in a squeeze bottle — found success in the 1990s when consumers discovered it gave a better tire shine than anything else on the market. 

The success highlighted a market gap that Black Magic quickly filled by developing Black Magic tire dressing, a professional-grade tire shine for the auto retail market.

Today, Black Magic still holds the #1 selling tire dressing spot in the US market. It offers wash owners powerful brand recognition that adds value to wash packages. Customers prefer carwashes that use Black Magic® products, appreciating the long-lasting shine. Studies have shown increased top wash package selection when Black Magic® tire dressings are highlighted.

Turn to NCS for Superior Carwash Chemistry

The auto care industry thrives on innovation, and NCS champions this progress through its exclusive offering of products like Armor All, Blue Coral, Rain-X, and Black Magic. These storied brands have stood the test of time for a reason: innovative chemical technologies that enhance cleaning efficiency, protect vehicles and boost customer satisfaction – from their humble beginnings right up to today. 

So, whether you want to increase car wash revenue, improve operational efficiency or deliver the absolute best wash results – surprising and delighting your customers – explore our portfolio of chemical brands to find the solutions you need.

Contact NCS today for expert guidance on chemistry or anything else you need for your carwash business.