What Kjemico does

Kjemico AS is a Norwegian specialty industrial supplier founded in 1983 and headquartered in Kristiansand, Norway, providing an integrated portfolio of self-service car wash systems, professional cleaning chemicals, and technical equipment designed specifically for Norwegian conditions. Its customer base is concentrated in the Agder, Telemark, and Rogaland regions of southern Norway, with additional customers located throughout the country. The company is privately owned by CEO Kjetil Larsen, who acquired the business in 2022 and relocated operations to expanded facilities at Skibåsen 28, Kristiansand, the same year.

The core offering is organized around three product lines: Selvvask (self-service car wash systems and equipment), Kjemi (professional chemistry including degreasers, pH-neutral soaps, hyper-concentrates, and niche cleaning products), and Teknisk Utstyr (technical equipment including payment terminals, vacuum systems, wall-mounted foam units, and underbody sprayers). Most technical equipment is designed and manufactured in Kjemico's own workshop in Kristiansand. A central piece of proprietary technology is the ProWash 2.0 payment kiosk software, which supports Vipps (Norway's dominant mobile payment platform), bank cards, value cards, QR code payments, and a companion mobile app for remote control of the wash installation.

The business model combines one-time hardware sales of car wash systems with recurring weekly chemistry deliveries on fixed days across eastern, western, and local routes. Go-to-market is sales-led, with field sales representatives conducting regular visits, providing installation and technical-room setup, and handling empty-container pickup. The company operates a small direct-to-consumer online shop (Kjemico Shop) for consumables. Kjemico has held the Miljøfyrtårn (Environmental Lighthouse) certification continuously since 2007 and is a member of Grønt Punkt Norge for packaging recycling compliance. Distribution partnerships include an agency for Canadian Drainvac industrial vacuum systems and a partnership with Westmatic for Viking large-vehicle wash systems.

Name

Kjemico

Legal name

Kjemico AS

Website

https://kjemico.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kjemico AS is a Norwegian supplier, founded in 1983, that designs, manufactures, and distributes self-service car wash systems, professional cleaning chemicals, and technical equipment—primarily serving commercial car wash operators and fleet customers across southern Norway.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Car Wash Equipment and Chemicals

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (33331)

SIC

Wholesale-Motor Vehicle Supplies & New Parts (5013), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Fleet/Vehicle & Equipment Exterior Washing (Residential/Light Commercial) (HSAEAMAL)

Keywords

• Car wash chemicals
• Self-service wash systems
• Commercial vehicle cleaning
• Payment kiosk software
• Professional cleaning detergents

Headquarters

HQ city

Kristiansand

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Self-Service Car Wash Systems: Sale of complete self-service car wash systems and equipment. Many customers view the systems as a revenue opportunity for commercial use, while others want the extra quality for internal washing needs. Most technical solutions are developed and produced in their own production facilities.
2. Car Wash Chemistry Products: Sale of car wash chemicals including degreasing agents, pH-neutral soaps, hyper-concentrates, and niche cleaning products. Products are either self-developed or from partnerships with other manufacturers.
3. Technical Equipment: Sale of technical equipment including payment kiosks, industrial vacuums, and wall-mounted foam systems. Equipment is either self-developed or from partner collaborations.
4. Weekly Deliveries: Regular weekly deliveries of chemistry products to customers across Norway, with fixed delivery days for eastern, western, and local areas.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kjemico AS produces and sells self-service car wash systems, professional cleaning chemicals, and technical equipment (payment kiosks, foam systems, vacuums) under its own brand, with most technical equipment developed and manufactured in its Kristiansand workshop. The company sells directly to commercial car wash operators and fleet customers across Norway, supports them with weekly chemical deliveries, and operates its own ProWash 2.0 payment kiosk software and mobile app. It also acts as Norwegian agency for Drainvac industrial vacuums and Westmatic Viking large vehicle wash systems.

Product overview

Kjemico is a Norwegian car wash solutions provider offering an integrated portfolio of self-service car wash systems, professional cleaning chemicals, and technical equipment since 1983. The core offering centers on Selvvask (self-service car wash) as the primary business line, supported by Kjemi (professional chemistry formulations) and Teknisk Utstyr (technical equipment). The company also offers Storbilvask for large vehicle washing. Key add-on modules include the ProWash 2.0 payment terminal system with multi-payment support (Vipps, bank card, QR code) and a proprietary mobile app, plus the Drainvac vacuum system for interior cleaning. Most technical equipment is developed and manufactured in-house at the Kristiansand workshop, with products designed specifically for Norwegian conditions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Selvvask (Self-Service Car Wash Systems) Complete self-service car wash systems and equipment developed and manufactured in-house at the Kristiansand workshop, optimized with proprietary chemistry and operational reliability for Norwegian conditions. Sold to commercial car wash operators and to organizations for internal washing needs.
• Kjemi (Car Wash Chemistry Products) Professional cleaning chemicals and detergents for car wash applications, including degreasers, pH-neutral soaps, hyper-concentrates, and niche cleaning products, sold via weekly deliveries to commercial wash operators and via the online shop.
• Teknisk Utstyr (Technical Equipment) Technical equipment for car wash facilities including payment kiosks (Betalingsskap), industrial vacuums, wall-mounted foam systems, and other car wash components, with most items developed and manufactured in-house at Kjemico's Kristiansand workshop.
• Storbilvask (Large Vehicle Wash Systems) Large vehicle washing solutions for trucks, buses, and commercial fleets, provided through Kjemico's offering of Westmatic Viking commercial vehicle wash systems.
• ProWash 2.0 Payment Kiosk Software Proprietary payment kiosk software powering Kjemico's payment terminals for self-service car washes, supporting multiple payment methods (Vipps, bank card, value card, QR code) and a companion mobile app for full car wash control via smartphone.
• Drainvac Industrial Vacuum System Industrial vacuum systems for interior car cleaning, offered through Kjemico's Norwegian agency for Canadian Drainvac, integrated into self-service wash facilities for a like-new interior cleaning result.
• T-Rex 25l Kjemi A 25-liter chemical product (T-Rex) for professional car wash applications, sold as part of Kjemico's Kjemi chemistry range.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• DrainvacminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKjemico holds an agency for Canadian Drainvac's industrial vacuum systems. These are offered as part of their self-service car wash solutions for interior car vacuuming, enabling customers to achieve a 'like new' interior cleaning result.
• Grønt Punkt Norge (Green Dot Norway)minorOthersKjemico is a member of Grønt Punkt (Green Dot), Norway's packaging collection and recycling scheme, supporting their environmental commitment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ryko Solutions: Provider of car wash equipment, chemistry, and payment solutions to the North American market. A direct peer given its combined equipment + chemistry + payment software offering similar to Kjemico's portfolio.
• PDQ Manufacturing: US-based manufacturer of in-bay automatic and self-service car wash equipment with proprietary payment systems. Directly comparable to Kjemico in the self-service wash + integrated payments niche.
• Sonny's Enterprises: Largest US manufacturer of conveyor and self-service car wash equipment, with a full chemical and payment software ecosystem. Closely comparable business model to Kjemico's integrated equipment + chemistry + payments approach.
• Westmatic: Westmatic is a Swedish/Nordic manufacturer of commercial vehicle wash systems (including the Viking large-vehicle wash line that Kjemico already distributes). It is a direct peer in commercial and fleet wash equipment and a current Kjemico partner.
• Mark VII Equipment: US manufacturer of self-service and in-bay car wash equipment with integrated payment and loyalty software. Direct peer to Kjemico in self-service wash hardware + payment software, though serving a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Turtle Wax: Global consumer and professional car care brand with chemistry and detailing products. Overlaps with Kjemico's chemistry offering, particularly in degreasers, soaps, and specialty cleaning products.
• WashTec: World's largest car wash equipment manufacturer, offering self-service, roll-over, and tunnel wash systems plus digital/payment solutions. A broad incumbent competing with Kjemico across the entire self-service and commercial car wash stack.
• Kärcher: Global leader in cleaning technology with extensive professional and consumer car wash, high-pressure, and chemistry portfolios. Kärcher competes with Kjemico across self-service wash hardware and chemistry, though it is a much broader cleaning equipment incumbent.
• ISTOBAL: Spanish-headquartered manufacturer of car wash, vehicle care, and industrial cleaning equipment with a global footprint. Closely comparable to Kjemico in self-service and commercial wash systems, but at materially larger scale.
• Sonax: Major German car care chemistry brand with a broad portfolio of detergents, polishes, and specialty cleaning products. Comparable to Kjemico's Kjemi line in car wash chemistry, though at much larger scale and consumer-led distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kjemico-as

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Kjemico