Autosmart International

What Autosmart International does

Autosmart International Ltd is a UK-based, privately-held manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle cleaning and food-processing hygiene chemicals, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Shenstone, Staffordshire. The company formulates and produces more than 300 proprietary chemical SKUs in-house at a purpose-built Staffordshire manufacturing facility, supported by an R&D team of chemists. Its product portfolio spans traffic film removers, shampoos, dressings, polishes, ceramics, metal polishes, food-safe biocidal cleaners, and fragrances, sold predominantly in bulk formats alongside consumable aerosol and 1L lines.

Autosmart generates the vast majority of its revenue through a franchise-led B2B trade distribution model: more than 160 franchisees operate mobile showrooms in exclusive territories across the UK and Ireland, selling directly to trade customers (vehicle dealerships, bodyshops, hauliers, bus and coach operators, plant hire, agricultural dealers, and food processors). Franchisees typically generate £100k-£300k of annual turnover, with growth potential above £500k. A dedicated National Accounts team serves multi-site enterprise customers (50,000+ orders per year, 74% delivered within 48 hours), and a small consumer e-commerce channel on autosmart.co.uk, Amazon, and eBay supplements trade sales. Revenue mechanics are wholesale-to-franchisee plus National Account and e-commerce transactions; no franchise royalties or management fees are charged.

The company's go-to-market is reinforced by a set of proprietary operational systems — Barrel for Life (refillable concentrated dilution), Smartbay (colour-coded valet bay management), Smart Truck (in-vehicle product information), and the new AtlasPro franchisee platform — and by a stated network reach of 25,000 trade customers per week and market position as the UK and Ireland's largest specialist in the category, with products used to clean over 50% of UK new cars and approximately one in three UK commercial vehicles. In December 2025, Autosmart completed a £36m management buyout funded by Lloyds Bank, alongside a £35m investment in a new manufacturing facility, and has set out plans to double in size within five years, expand into France via 35 new franchise territories, and add 40 new UK territories by 2030.

Name

Autosmart International

Legal name

Autosmart International Ltd

Website

https://autosmart.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Autosmart International is a UK manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle and food-processing cleaning chemicals, founded 1979, selling 300+ in-house products to trade customers via 160+ UK and Ireland franchise-operated mobile showrooms and a National Accounts team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Vehicle Cleaning Products

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers (42312), Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4231), Other Commercial Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (42344)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Wholesale-Motor Vehicles & Motor Vehicle Parts & Supplies (5010)

akta.pro primary industry

Car Wash, Auto Detailing & Vehicle Cleaning Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAM)

Keywords

• Professional vehicle cleaning products
• Traffic film remover
• Mobile showroom franchise
• Food processing sanitisers
• Trade cleaning chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Lichfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Franchise Product Sales (Trade): Autosmart manufactures professional cleaning products in-house. Franchisees purchase products at cost from Autosmart and sell them to trade customers from their mobile showrooms operating in exclusive territories. All profits are retained by the franchisee. Autosmart does not charge management fees or royalties on franchise sales. Franchise resales typically have annual turnover between £100,000 and £300,000, with growth potential to £500,000+. Franchisees also benefit from the unique Mini-Bulk delivery system, topping up customers' larger containers.
2. National Business Accounts: Large multi-site businesses are served through a dedicated National Accounts team, providing site audits, national visibility, chemical cost control, staff training, and ongoing technical support. 74% of 50,000+ orders delivered within 48 hours. No delivery charges or minimum orders.
3. E-commerce / Consumer Direct Sales: A small range of products is sold directly to consumers through the Autosmart online shop and Amazon/eBay stores. This is a secondary revenue stream compared to the core trade franchise model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Autosmart International manufactures over 300 professional vehicle cleaning and food-processing cleaning products in-house at its Staffordshire facility, distributing them primarily through a franchise network of 155+ mobile showrooms operating in exclusive UK and Ireland territories. Trade customers are served directly at their premises with live product demonstrations, while a National Accounts team supports multi-site enterprise customers and a small e-commerce range targets consumers.

Product overview

Autosmart International is a UK-based manufacturer and distributor of professional vehicle cleaning products, operating since 1979. The company manufactures over 300 different products in-house through its Staffordshire-based facility, serving trade customers through a franchise network of 155+ mobile showrooms across the UK and Ireland. The core product portfolio spans multiple categories including exterior cleaners (Traffic Film Removers, foams, shampoos, degreasers), interior cleaners, dressings and tyre products, polishes and compounds, glass cleaners, specialist cleaners, and food-safe products. Key products include the market-leading G101 multi-purpose cleaner, Duet wash and wax shampoo, Ceramix ceramic wash, and various professional-grade dressings. The company also offers services through its franchise model for local trade customers, national accounts service for multi-site businesses, the Barrel for Life concentrated dilution system, Smartbay colour-coded process system, and professional valeting training courses. Recent product launches include MetalliX metal polish, Royale and Sapphire fragrances, and G101 Power Foam aerosol.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cobalt+ Highly Versatile Spray Polish Versatile spray polish for trade valeters using Ionic Nano technology to deliver a high-quality finish to vehicle surfaces, available in 5L and 25L pack sizes.
• Finish Water-Based Tyre and Trim Dressing Water-based solvent-free tyre and trim dressing with silicone that protects and rejuvenates vinyl, rubber and plastic on trade vehicles.
• Highstyle Universal Dressing Universal dressing for all tyres, vinyl and plastics delivering a weather-resistant finish with high gloss and lustre for interior and exterior use.
• Reviva Gel All-Round Exterior Trim and Tyre Dressing Weather-resistant gel dressing that instantly revives and protects exterior trim, vinyl, rubber and tyres for trade valeting use.
• Rubber & Plastic Dressing Fast-acting silicone- and solvent-free dressing that restores an 'as new' appearance to tyres, rubber trim and interior plastics with a non-slip finish.
• Trim Ultra Long-Lasting Exterior Dressing Long-lasting exterior dressing with high gloss finish that restores colour and resists weathering for many weeks.
• Actimousse XLS Foaming Traffic Film Remover High-performance foaming Traffic Film Remover (TFR) delivering touch-free cleaning through all foaming equipment for trade and fleet customers.
• G101 Multi-Purpose Cleaner Market-leading non-caustic multi-purpose cleaner effective on hard surfaces, painted surfaces, wheels, bonnet areas and plant equipment.
• Duet Wash and Wax Shampoo Premium wash and wax shampoo with superior deep cleaning action that leaves a high wax, high gloss finish on paintwork for one-step car preparation.
• Ceramix Ceramic Wash Product High-gloss ceramic wash product that delivers professional-grade ceramic protection and shine to vehicle paintwork.
• Autowash Concentrated Neutral Shampoo Highly concentrated economical neutral shampoo with easy rinsing and streak-free glossy finish for trade vehicle washing.
• All-Purpose Foam Shampoo Specially formulated foam shampoo for use in foam lances, bucket washes and automated wash systems.
• Tardis Powerful Solvent Cleaner Powerful solvent cleaner available in 1L packaging for trade and consumer use through the Autosmart shop.
• Topaz Professional Polish Professional polish product sold in 1L format through the Autosmart shop for trade and consumer use.
• G101 Power Foam Aerosol Cleaner Advanced deep cleaning foaming formulation in aerosol form, highly effective on grease, oils and stubborn grime for interior and exterior vehicle surfaces.
• MetalliX 3-in-1 Metal Polish 3-in-1 metal polish that cuts, cleans and polishes to leave a brilliant shine, applicable by machine or hand and removes tarnish and discolouration.
• Royale Vehicle Fragrance Limited-edition luxury fragrance for vehicle air freshening, available in Blast, Silicone Spray and other delivery formats.
• Sapphire Vehicle Fragrance Reintroduction Premium fresh clean vehicle fragrance reintroduced for trade and consumer valeting customers.
• Biocidal Cleaner XLS Alkaline detergent and sanitiser tested to BS1276 and BS1656 (yeast), removing food residues and disinfecting in one application for food processing environments.
• F101 Food-Safe Alkaline Detergent Fast and effective alkaline detergent for removal of food residues and general cleaning in food processing environments.
• Triple Food Heavy Duty Caustic Detergent Powerful caustic-based detergent for heavy-duty food industry applications such as removal of fats and burnt-on residues.
• Barrel for Life Concentrate and Refill System Proprietary refillable barrel and concentrate system enabling precise dilution, cost control, plastic waste reduction and minimised manual chemical handling. Each refill saves the equivalent of 900 plastic water bottles.
• Smartbay Colour-Coded Process System Colour-coded process charts with matching spray bottles ensuring the right products are used in the right areas, maximising process efficiency and providing health and safety transparency with clear PPE guidelines.
• National Business Accounts Service Dedicated National Business team providing site audits, health and safety improvements with Smartbay colour coding, chemical cost control, full staff training and ongoing technical support for multi-site customers.
• National Accounts Site Audits Systematic site assessment and reporting providing national visibility and consistent standards across multiple business locations for enterprise customers.
• Complete Guide to Valeting Training Course One-day training course for new and experienced valeters covering industry best practice, health and safety, step-by-step valet techniques, wash techniques, interior cleaning, valeting process, chemicals and equipment.
• Smart Valeting Training Course One-day course for existing valeters covering additional profit-making services including paint renovation, paint protection and odour elimination.
• Matrix Ceramic Coatings Training Course One-day course for experienced valeters and detailers on applying Matrix Ceramic Coatings, including step-by-step instruction, aftercare techniques and accredited detailer status upon completion.
• Mobile Valeting Training Course Personalised mobile valeting training delivered at customer premises by an experienced valeting trainer, suitable for small groups requiring tailored car preparation programmes.
• Mobile Showroom Franchise Territory Mobile showroom business model where franchisees purchase an exclusive territory with existing customer base and sell market-leading Autosmart vehicle cleaning products from a shop-on-wheels to trade customers.
• Smart Truck In-Vehicle Demonstration Technology In-built smart truck technology installed in mobile showrooms that provides live product information and a bank of demonstration videos enabling franchisees to deliver expert advice and live demonstrations on the spot.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cleans over 50% of the UK's new cars
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Turtle Wax: One of the largest global manufacturers of vehicle cleaning and detailing products, selling through retail and trade channels. Comparable to Autosmart in product category (shampoos, dressings, polishes, wheel cleaners) but competing more heavily in retail/consumer rather than the B2B trade mobile-showroom model.
• Meguiar's: Iconic US-headquartered car care brand offering a full range of professional and consumer vehicle cleaning and detailing products. Overlaps directly with Autosmart's polish, shampoo, dressing and compound categories, and serves many of the same dealership, bodyshop and detailer trade customers.
• Koch-Chemie: German manufacturer of professional vehicle cleaning and detailing chemicals, widely used by European dealerships, valeters and detailers. Highly comparable in target customer (professional trade), product portfolio (pre-wash, TFR, shampoos, dressings, polishes) and premium positioning to Autosmart's professional range.
• SONAX: German manufacturer of vehicle care products sold across automotive trade and retail channels globally. Direct competitor in TFR, shampoo, polish and dressing categories, with comparable professional grade positioning and broad European trade customer base.
• Autoglym: UK-based manufacturer of premium car care products with deep penetration in UK dealerships and valeting. Strong overlap with Autosmart in product categories and UK trade customer base; Autoglym is a directly comparable home-grown UK competitor.

Emerging players

• Chemical Guys: US-based vehicle detailing chemicals and accessories brand that has rapidly scaled in the enthusiast and professional detailing segment. Comparable product mix (TFR, shampoos, dressings, polishes) and increasingly overlapping trade customer base, though distribution skews more to e-commerce and enthusiast channels than Autosmart's franchise model.
• Bilt-Hamber: UK manufacturer of vehicle cleaning, decontamination and protection products, popular among professional detailers and enthusiasts. Comparable chemistry portfolio (TFR, fallout removers, shampoos, waxes) targeting overlapping trade and prosumer customers in the UK.
• ValetPRO: UK-based manufacturer of professional valeting and detailing chemicals, primarily distributed through trade and detailing channels. Comparable product mix and target trade customer base (detailers, valeters, dealerships), making it a relevant UK private peer for Autosmart's professional range.
• Gtechniq: UK manufacturer of advanced surface protection and detailing products including ceramic coatings. Overlaps with Autosmart's premium and protection product lines (e.g., Ceramix, Matrix Ceramic Coatings training) and shares the professional detailer and dealership customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Diversey (now Solenis): Global institutional and industrial cleaning chemicals provider with a significant food processing hygiene portfolio. Comparable to Autosmart's food-safe product line (Biocidal Cleaner XLS, F101, Triple Food) in addressing food processing and food logistics customers with regulated hygiene chemistry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AutosmartUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/Autosmart.International
• Instagraminstagram.com/autosmart.uk
• TikToktiktok.com/@autosmartuk

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

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 Autosmart International