PDQ, based in De Pere, Wisconsin, is the world’s largest producer of touch-free vehicle wash systems. PDQ manufactures and sells both conveyorized and in-bay automatic touch-free vehicle wash equipment.

PDQ was founded by William "Red" Lewis in 1984. Red had started in the car wash business in 1967 as an assistant manager of a Green Bay car wash. From this humble beginning, Red eventually grew to owning and operating nine car wash facilities in Northeastern Wisconsin. He started the manufacturing business in 1984, first to manufacture better equipment for his own washes, and then started selling the equipment to other operators.
  In 1989, PDQ merged with Pacific Car Wash Company, a company founded and owned by Allen Jones. In 1984, Allen developed touch-free in-bay automatic car wash equipment he called Laserwash® in his country of New Zealand. He realized the New Zealand market was quite small, so in 1987 he relocated his business to Chicago, Il.
  In 1991 Charlie Lieb, PDQ’s current President, joined the small company as Chief Operating Officer, to provide professional management skills.
  PDQ Manufacturing, Inc. achieved rapid sales growth led by the introduction of the Laserwash® 4000, an improved version of the original Allen Jones design. This vehicle wash machine provided a safe, reliable, cost effective, high-throughput solution to the marketplace. Soon major U.S. oil companies became aware that by using this equipment they could significantly increase their revenue while providing a higher quality, safe wash to their customers.
  In late 1997, Allen Jones announced that he desired to exit the business and return to New Zealand. The three owners decided to investigate the possibility of selling the business and responded to an inquiry from a business broker. Many companies expressed interest in purchasing PDQ. The PDQ management team selected the Dover Corporation offer because of its commitment to leave the management team in place and allow the company to continue to operate autonomously.
  Following the acquisition of PDQ in May of 1998, Red Lewis retired and agreed to serve as a consultant to the company for a period of time. Allen Jones resigned and moved back to New Zealand, and Charlie Lieb assumed the Presidency.
  Since the acquisition by Dover, PDQ has continued to develop new products, expand facilities and grow the enterprise. In 2000, PDQ Manufacturing, Inc. completed their first add-on acquisition with the purchase of Kesseltronics Systems, a manufacturer of electronic and management control systems for the vehicle wash equipment industry.
  Today PDQ continues to be the technological leader in vehicle wash equipment in the USA and, with the support of Dover, continues to develop and introduce innovative new products to meet the customers’ changing demands.

"When we decided to sell PDQ what attracted us to Dover was their committment to allow us to run the company as we had in the past. I am very pleased to report that Dover lived up to their committments. Dover has provided us access to whatever resources we need and, with its small staff, Dover has neither the time nor desire to tell their independent companies what to do. It is often said that the best job in Dover is as a company president and I agree with that!"

Charlie Lieb, President, PDQ