Modernising vehicle cleaning infrastructure at a high‑traffic airport hub

At one of the busiest airport locations in the UK, a leading car rental and mobility provider has just taken a significant step forward in its environmental and operational infrastructure. Recognising the challenges of maintaining a high‑volume vehicle wash facility on leased ground within a constrained site boundary, the operator has procured a Morclean surface‑mounted vehicle wash pad paired with a Morclean above‑ground partial water treatment system (commonly known as the BlueBox).

This upgrade addresses several key pain points around regulatory compliance, groundworks disruption, water reuse, and future flexibility. Below, we explore the “why”, “how” and anticipated benefits of this move — and lessons for other fleet operators, airport‑based services, and mobility providers.

The challenge: washing many vehicles, under site constraints

Washing dozens (or even hundreds) of rental vehicles daily at an airport branch is not trivial. Some of the constraints typically encountered include:

• Limited or leased ground: Often the site is leased or sits within a larger airport estate where deep excavation or permanent civil works are restricted, costly, or outright prohibited.

• Regulatory and environmental pressures: Discharges from wash water (oil, detergent, suspended solids, hydrocarbon residues) must not exceed limits. Operators must either route into approved sewage, or capture, treat, or reclaim wash water.

• Downtime and disruption: Traditional installations involving underground tanks, interceptors, or drains can require long construction periods, interruptions in use, trench digging, etc.

• Future flexibility: If the operator needs to reconfigure layout, scale up, or even relocate, a lighter, modular system offers more options.

This particular airport facility sought a solution that avoided invasive civil engineering, delivered compliance, and allowed for quick installation and minimal operational disruption. The Morclean system pair turned out to be an ideal match.

The solution: Morclean surface‑mounted wash pad + BlueBox system

Surface‑mounted vehicle wash pad

The Morclean surface‑mounted wash pad is engineered to permit full vehicle washes without the need for excavation or below‑ground civil work. Some of its features:

• No groundworks — the pad installs directly on the existing surface (e.g. concrete or paved apron) and is fixed using surface bolts. 

• Low profile — the external raised kerb is only about 100 mm high, reducing risk of damage as vehicles drive on/off. 

• Removable gratings — the surface grate covers can be lifted for inspection, cleaning and maintenance.

• Flexible sizing / bespoke design — standard sizes (e.g. 5×3 m or 6×4 m) are offered, but custom dimensions are also possible to fit within spatial constraints. 

• Integrated drainage — all water is captured into a drain or sump and can either be pumped into foul drain directly or routed into a treatment or reclaim system. 

In short, the pad enables robust, high‑throughput vehicle washing without digging, backfilling or major disruption.

Above‑ground partial water treatment (BlueBox / “blue bin”)

To ensure wash water meets discharge standards before entering foul (or to allow partial reuse), the operator paired the wash pad with Morclean’s BlueBox above‑ground water treatment unit. Key attributes:

• Surface mounted & minimal installation — no excavation, no underground tanks or interceptors needed.

• Semi‑portable design — the BlueBox can be relocated if the wash bay layout or location changes. Simple connections — one inlet (from the wash pad), one outlet (to foul drain), plus internal oil removal, settlement stages and internal filtration.

• Oil filtration & sediment settlement — the unit includes stages to capture hydrocarbons and sediments before discharge. 

• No civil works — avoids costs and delays of builder and groundworks. 

• Compatibility — designed to integrate with Morclean wash pad systems seamlessly.

By combining the wash pad with the BlueBox, the operator ensures that wash effluent is managed responsibly, reducing environmental risk and meeting regulator expectations.

Implementation considerations and deployment steps

Here are the logical phases this operator likely navigated (and that others can learn from):

1. Site survey and design feasibility

   • Assess existing surface loading, gradient, drainage, service access, power supply, and vehicle manoeuvre space

   • Model load capacities (heavy vehicles, SUVs) to ensure the pad structure can support the fleet

   • Check local discharge permits and water quality constraints

2. Specification & custom sizing

   • Choose a wash pad configuration (standard or bespoke) that fits spatial and throughput needs

   • Decide whether a single BlueBox suffices or if multiple units / staging is beneficial

3. Preparatory works (minimal)

   • Ground cleaning, leveling, provision of power and electrical routes for sump pumps

   • Minor anchoring preparation (drilling for surface bolts)

   • Routing or connection to foul drain (via existing drain points)

4. Delivery & installation

   • Morclean deliver prefabricated wash pad base and gratings, BlueBox modules, piping, pumps

   • Anchor the pad, install sump pumps, connect to BlueBox inlet & outlet

   • Commission electrical and pump systems

5. Testing, commissioning & validation

   • Vacuum or water tightness testing of the pad unit and joints (Morclean does vacuum testing) Industrial Cleaning Equipment

   • Test wash cycles, monitor effluent quality (oil, turbidity, suspended solids)

   • Adjust pump rates, filtration stages, ensure that treated water meets discharge limits

6. Ongoing operations & maintenance

   • Periodic removal and cleaning of gratings

   • Check and maintain oil filters, settlement compartments

   • Monitor pump performance, replace consumables

   • Optionally collect treated water for reuse or topping up wash systems

Because the installation avoids deep civil works, downtime is minimal and the operational disruption to the branch is drastically reduced compared to a traditional “dig and install” approach.

Anticipated benefits and impacts

By adopting the Morclean solution, the airport branch operator can expect multiple tangible and intangible benefits:

1. Regulatory compliance & environmental stewardship

• The treated effluent from the BlueBox helps ensure wash water discharges meet acceptable pollutant levels (oils, suspended solids)

• Surface-mounted design reduces risk of leaks or ground infiltration

• The operator can demonstrate a proactive approach to sustainability, important for stakeholder, airport authority or local community relations

2. Cost savings & reduced civil disruption

• No excavation, backfill, or large underground tank works translates to lower capital cost and shorter installation time

• Minimal site disruption means less downtime for vehicle washing

• Lower ongoing maintenance of underground structures (no buried tanks to monitor or maintain)

3. Flexibility & scalability

• As fleet size fluctuates or site layout changes, the modular nature of the system (especially BlueBox mobility) allows adaptation

• If the operator reconfigures wash areas or relocates the wash bay within the lot, the system can be shifted with less work

4. Brand / customer confidence & operational quality

• Clean, well‑managed wash facilities help maintain vehicle presentation and reduce extend costs of cleaning

• Demonstrating environmental care in operations may support corporate ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting

• Efficient and reliable wash infrastructure reduces delays or bottlenecks in vehicle turnaround

5. Speed to deployment

• Because civil works are largely eliminated, the full system can often be installed in hours or days rather than weeks or months 

• Quicker rollout means the branch can bring improved facilities online promptly, supporting peak vehicle throughput periods

Key lessons and tips for other operators

• Don’t shy from modular, surface‑mounted technology: Where groundworks are restricted or costly, surface systems deliver powerful alternatives

• Understand discharge constraints early: Before ordering, audit the allowable effluent quality, flow limits, and local regulator expectations

• Plan flexibility in layout: Choose units (like BlueBox) that can be relocated or reconfigured along with branch growth

• Prioritise maintainability: Removable gratings, easily accessible filtration stages, and modular parts reduce long‑term servicing cost

• Integrate monitoring & validation: Install sensors or sampling points to routinely test treated water quality

• Work with experienced vendors: Partnering with a supplier familiar with modular wash systems helps navigate installation, commissioning, and compliance

Conclusion

For high‑throughput vehicle operations in constrained airport or leasehold environments, the combination of a Morclean surface‑mounted wash pad and Morclean BlueBox above‑ground treatment offers a compelling solution. It enables full vehicle washing capability without major civil works, ensures effluent treatment and regulatory compliance, and gives flexibility and cost control.

This airport branch’s decision to deploy such a system can serve as a model for other mobility, rental, fleet, or valeting operators seeking to modernise vehicle wash infrastructure in complex, space‑constrained settings.