Rozone is the long-term parts washer partner with Halfords, the UKs leading supplier of motoring and cycling products and services. Rozone was invited to help the retailer include bike servicing into their Mobile Expert proposition, which is currently an at-home fitting and car service. Halfords wanted to partner with Rozone and the ROwasher in recognition of the huge part a ROwasher plays in improving quality and efficiency in any bike workshop.  

What problem was Halfords trying to solve?

Central to the extended customer offer was the inclusion of a parts washer within the Mobile Expert vehicle.  The parts washer had to be easily and safely transported in a vehicle, without any risk of spillage. Because most parts washers are designed for static placement, finding a suitable option for the mobile Halfords technicians was proving to be a considerable problem.

What solution did Rozone’s ROwasher provide?

Rozone is the preferred parts washer supplier to the Halfords retail chain, and we were asked to develop and deliver a watertight, scalable parts washer solution that could be fitted into the Halfords Mobile Expert vans.

Initially our solution was successfully trialled in one Halfords Mobile Expert van.  With two extra units now ordered.

We worked closely with On Board Power, the Halfords van fleet customisation partner, to understand the space available and the location for a parts washer in each van.  We took a standard ROwasher 500, customised in Halfords branding and colours, and developed a two-stage watertight sealing system to ensure fluid could not leak from the tank. 

The newly developed ROwasher was set up to run with reduced fluid, with a power invertor to keep the fluid warm.  This has provided a solution that means the Halfords Mobile Expert technician can arrive at their destination, safe in the knowledge that the machine has remained watertight and is ready for use immediately.

The insulated tank of the new ROwasher means that limited heat is lost from the tank when the vehicle is parked up overnight – thus meaning the oil “eating” microbes can continue to thrive and bioremediate oils and greases 24 /7. 

Three of these ROwashers have been ordered so far, alongside the microbial filter mats and the ROwash Bike degreasing solution. The ROwasher’s three-way system of machine, filter mat and Bike industry specific degreasing fluid means that the parts washer acts as a recycling vessel. The ROwash fluid degreases and cleans the dirty parts, 200 million microbes are delivered via the microbial filter mat, to deal with the oil and grease by digesting the organic nutrients in the oily waste and then turns them into harmless water and carbon dioxide. This method of eradicating pollutants is called bioremediation.

What impact or benefit has this had?

Halfords are delighted that they can extend their service to customers by servicing bikes from their Mobile Expert vans. The mobile technicians can deliver a really powerful good-as-new clean that is solvent-free.

Health & Safety Benefits:

  • No need to use harmful sprays in the confined van space
  • pH neutral, water-based, bioremediating
  • Degreasing is all in one area, making it easier to control
  • Complies with ISO14001

Time Saving Benefits:

  • No set up or warm up time for the parts washer – it’s ready to go immediately.
  • Overall, a quicker more efficient way to clean bike components.                                     

Cost Saving Benefits:

  • Reduces spend on manual cleaning products
  • Low energy consumption
  • Reduced waste
  • No waste removal service contract

Environmental Benefits:

  • Low impact on environment
  • No VOCs