Carwash Con East posts record 423 exhibits after rebrand
The 37-year-old regional show set a floor record, expanded its education tracks and handed out industry honors during its Oct. 5-7 run in Atlantic City.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Carwash Con East drew its largest show floor in the event's 37-year history during its Oct. 5-7 run, filling the Atlantic City venue with 423 exhibits. According to reporting from Professional Carwashing & Detailing, 2026 show co-chair Dave DuGoff credited both the expanded vendor count and a strengthened education program for the turnout.
Co-chair Mike Ashley said every aspect of the event exceeded expectations, pointing to a keynote from former Harley-Davidson executive Ken Schmidt, a broad exhibitor floor and strong attendance. Both chairs framed the year as a milestone for the regional show.
Rebrand widens the show's reach
The show's board rebranded in part to pull in new vendors and attendees, and organizers said the move paid off. First-time exhibitor Even Baright of 1Stop Merchandise said he built strong leads and plans to return, noting steady traffic on day one followed by follow-up conversations on day two.
The rebrand also improved the show's search visibility. Matt Ladendorf of Centerpointe Development in Scottsdale, Arizona, said he is new to the industry and found the event by searching online for carwash shows, then traveled to evaluate self-serve options in person. Organizers positioned the improved discoverability as a key goal of the name change.
Honors and expanded education
DuGoff and Ashley presented three awards. Emerging Leader honors went to Aaron King of Mast Solutions Inc. and Kevin Fitzgerald of ScrubaDub Auto Wash Centers. A new Giving Back award recognized Motor City Wash Works for more than 16 years of fundraising for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, accepted by Richard Belanger. The show's Hall of Fame honor went to Micrologic founder Miguel Gonzalez, presented by 2025 recipient Tom Hoffman Jr.
The education lineup expanded with dedicated manager programming and networking sessions. Beyond Schmidt's keynote on market dominance, Southwest Airlines' Tony Brigmon addressed service and employee engagement, while Kyle Doyle presented on habits of high-performing washes. Mel and Mike Ohlinger covered visibility and AI-driven search. Two self-service sessions focused on competing effectively, two manager tracks covered sales and coaching, and the recurring Virtual Carwash Tour walked attendees through four different wash models.
Why it matters for operators
For operators weighing which trade shows to attend, Carwash Con East's record floor signals a healthy regional event with a growing vendor base, which means more equipment, chemistry and service options to compare in one trip. The expanded manager tracks and self-service sessions suggest the show is broadening beyond ownership to reach the staff who run day-to-day operations, a useful development for owners looking to send multiple team members.
The emphasis on AI search visibility reflects a real shift in how customers and even prospective operators find businesses. Ladendorf's path to the show, a quick online search that led to a flight, is the same path local customers increasingly take to find a wash. Sessions on standing out in AI-driven search point to a marketing area operators cannot ignore.
The awards also offer a reminder that community engagement and cause-related fundraising, such as Motor City Wash Works' long-running St. Jude effort, carry weight in the industry and can build goodwill that extends well beyond the show floor.
