Express Wash Concepts opens 18th Michigan location in Davison
The Davison site brings the Clean Express Auto Wash brand to 60 locations and lifts the parent company's total footprint to 144 washes across six states.
By The Car Wash News Staff
3 min read
Express Wash Concepts (EWC) has opened a new Clean Express Auto Wash in Davison, Michigan, continuing a steady expansion across the southeast and mid-Michigan markets. The site, located at 1211 S. Irish Road, is the 18th Clean Express location serving the metro Detroit and Flint regions.
According to reporting from Auto Laundry News, the Davison opening pushes the Clean Express brand to 60 locations and brings EWC's overall portfolio to 144 express car washes spread across six states.
A regional growth push
EWC has framed Michigan as a central part of its expansion strategy. Founder and CEO John Roush said the state represents "one of our most significant opportunities for continued growth," and pointed to a broader approach that looks past single sites toward serving entire communities. That framing includes building out convenience for repeat customers, creating jobs for local staff, and forming partnerships in the markets where new washes open.
The company operates multiple brands under the EWC umbrella, with Clean Express Auto Wash anchoring its Michigan presence. The Davison launch reflects a cluster strategy in which operators concentrate locations within a region to build density and brand recognition rather than spreading thin across disconnected markets.
Grand opening promotions
To mark the opening, the Davison location gave away free signature Ceramic 4 Ultra washes, a package valued at $26, from October 9 through October 18. During the promotional window, guests could also enroll in the wash smart unlimited membership club and receive 50 percent off the top wash package for their first three months.
The discounted membership offer is a familiar playbook for express operators, using an introductory period to convert first-time visitors into recurring subscribers. Free top-tier washes during a launch window drive initial traffic and give customers a reason to try the highest-margin service tier.
Why it matters for operators
EWC's Davison opening is a case study in regional density. With 18 washes clustered across metro Detroit and Flint, the operator benefits from shared marketing, labor flexibility across nearby sites, and stronger local brand recall. Operators weighing where to expand can take note that building out a concentrated footprint often delivers more operational leverage than scattering locations across unfamiliar markets.
The grand opening structure is also worth studying. Pairing a free premium wash giveaway with a discounted multi-month membership offer targets both ends of the funnel: it generates immediate footfall while locking in recurring revenue. The specific mechanics, a 10-day free wash window followed by a three-month discount on the top package, give customers time to form a habit before full pricing kicks in.
For independent operators competing against growing chains like EWC, the Davison launch is a reminder that larger players are steadily deepening their presence in secondary and mid-size markets. Watching how these brands structure launch promotions and membership conversion can inform how smaller operators defend their own customer base and position their value proposition.
