What Innovative Control Systems, Inc does

Innovative Control Systems, Inc. (ICS) is a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based provider of car wash automation technology founded in 1988 by Kevin Detrick, a car wash operator dissatisfied with the management and control systems available for his own site. The company serves car wash operators across express exterior, in-bay automatic, tunnel/conveyor, petroleum-located, self-service, full-service, and flex-service segments, with express exterior identified as the primary use case. ICS has operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dover Corporation since January 2021, sitting within Dover's OPW business unit's Vehicle Wash Solutions platform alongside sister brands PDQ Manufacturing and Belanger.

Name

Innovative Control Systems, Inc

Legal name

Innovative Control Systems, Inc.

Website

https://icscarwashsystems.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ICS provides integrated car wash automation technology including payment terminals, POS management software, tunnel controllers, and vehicle recognition systems to car wash operators across multiple wash models under Dover Corporation's OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Car Wash Technology Equipment

NAICS

Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Controllers & Control Systems (PLCs, PACs, CNC Controllers) (IMAHAHAH)

Keywords

• Car wash technology
• Payment terminals
• Point of sale systems
• Tunnel controllers
• Vehicle recognition systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethlehem

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Subscriptions: WashConnect POS and related software platforms likely operate on subscription or licensing models for ongoing software updates and support
2. Hardware Sales: Sale of payment terminals (Auto Sentry series), car wash controllers (Tunnel Master), and additional components
3. Professional Services: Marketing services through The Agency at ICS including website design, social media management, digital marketing, and creative services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Innovative Control Systems (ICS) designs, manufactures, and supports an integrated technology platform for the car wash industry. The offering centers on WashConnect point-of-sale management software paired with payment terminals (Auto Sentry Flex, Petro, CPT, MAX, and SmartStart Pro), Tunnel Master conveyor controllers, vehicle recognition systems (Auto Passport LPR and RFID), and digital management platforms (WashCloud, WashTab, WashNow!). The platform enables express, in-bay, tunnel, self-service, petroleum, and full-service car wash operators to automate payment processing, control wash equipment, manage loyalty programs, and gain operational insights.

Product overview

Innovative Control Systems (ICS) offers a comprehensive platform-plus-modules architecture for the car wash industry. The core platform consists of WashConnect, a multi-site point-of-sale management system that serves as the central hub for operations. This integrates with payment terminals (Auto Sentry Flex, Auto Sentry Petro, Auto Sentry CPT, SmartStart Pro, and the new Auto Sentry Max) and tunnel controllers (Tunnel Master WBC and Tunnel Master Jr.) that manage physical car wash equipment. ICS provides vehicle recognition through Auto Passport LPR (License Plate Recognition) and Auto Passport RFID systems. Digital customer engagement is handled through WashCloud (cloud management platform) and WashTab (customer-facing service platform), complemented by WashNow! Online Store and WashNow! App for e-commerce and mobile access. Additional modules include digital displays (Entrance & Exit Management, Digital Menu Sign), POS interfaces (WashPad, Touch It POS), and advanced features like Auto Sentry Intelligence and WashConnect Family Club for loyalty programs. The company was acquired by Dover's OPW business unit in January 2021 and is part of OPW's Vehicle Wash Solutions platform alongside PDQ and Belanger brands.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WashConnect: Point of Sale management system for car washes
• WashCloud
• WashTab
• Auto Sentry
• SmartStart Pro
• Tunnel Master
• WashNow!
• Auto Passport
• The Agency at ICS

Products and services

• WashConnect POS Point-of-sale management system providing multi-site car wash management capabilities, including transaction processing, inventory tracking, and operational reporting for car wash operators.
• Auto Sentry Flex Payment Terminal

Named customers2 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Dover Corporation (OPW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021In January 2021, ICS was acquired by Dover and its OPW business unit. ICS is now part of OPW's Vehicle Wash Solutions platform of brands, which includes PDQ and Belanger. This acquisition enables ICS to expand its product portfolio, software capabilities, and customer support programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DRB Systems: DRB Systems is one of the most direct competitors to ICS, offering car wash POS management systems, tunnel controllers, and payment terminals to the same operator customer base in North America.
• PDQ Manufacturing: PDQ is a sister brand within Dover's OPW Vehicle Wash Solutions platform that manufactures vehicle wash equipment and integrates complementary control technology, competing and collaborating closely with ICS.
• Belanger: Belanger, another Dover/OPW vehicle wash brand, designs and manufactures car wash equipment including tunnel systems with integrated controls, directly overlapping ICS's tunnel controller and equipment automation scope.

Broad incumbents

• Sonny's Enterprises: Sonny's is the largest North American car wash equipment manufacturer, offering tunnel equipment, controllers, POS, chemistry, and aftermarket services — a much broader portfolio that competes with ICS across most product categories.
• National Carwash Solutions: NCS is a broad-line car wash equipment, chemistry, and service provider serving operators across the U.S., with technology/control offerings that overlap ICS's controller and POS solutions as part of a wider solution stack.

Emerging players

• Motor City Wash Works: Motor City Wash Works is a Michigan-based car wash equipment manufacturer expanding into tunnel and in-bay systems with integrated controls; it competes with ICS primarily in the regional/niche operator segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ICSCarWashSystems
• Facebookfacebook.com/innovativecontrolsystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovative-control-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Innovative Control Systems, Inc