Who we are

Simplicity in Design! Simplicity in Operation! Simplicity in Motion!

AVW is a family-owned company that believes in manufacturing innovative car washing equipment and building long-term, mutually beneficial business relationships with our customers. From our start in repairing car wash equipment to our current position as a leading global manufacturer of advanced full, flex, or express car wash systems, our business philosophy has remained constant: simplify the design and use high-quality materials to build reliable and durable car wash components.

More than forty years of experience and product innovation goes into every piece of equipment we make. We offer custom solutions to meet your unique requirements and develop, design, and build in-house the car wash equipment we sell. We don’t allow commercially available technology to limit design options. If needed, we will make the necessary modifications to existing components, or design a brand new part. We will do whatever it takes to make sure your full, flex, or express car wash is simple and easy to operate and provides highquality washes, cost effectively and reliably, on the day it goes live and for years to come.

The AVW family is here to support you, in any way we can, and to help you build a worry-free car wash…which leaves more time to grow your business!

How It All Started

AVW Equipment was founded by Milovan “Mike” Vidakovich in 1973 in Stone Park, IL. After emigrating from Serbia, Mike worked many jobs to make ends meet in the U.S., including factory work. However, walking into work one day, Mike found that the doors were locked. The factory had closed, and Mike was placed in a tough position without a job. Needing to provide for his family, he quickly found an opportunity in the car wash industry.

Mike began tinkering with the equipment on the job and believed he could improve the designs by simplifying them. When he shared his ideas with his boss, his boss said they did not have time for the changes. But Mike was not deterred, and he took the equipment home to work on in his spare time. With his natural inclination for ingenuity, Mike re-engineered the equipment and impressed his boss with the innovation.

From there, Mike went into business with a partner to service car wash equipment in Addison, IL. Eventually, he went out on his own and established AVW Equipment with the support of his wife, Dusanka. Today, AVW Equipment operates across the U.S. and Europe. AVW Equipment continues to grow, becoming one of the country’s largest independent car wash manufacturers, with thousands of car wash installations around the globe.

AVW Brochure