Jordan Burke, who grew up in Artigarvan and attended Strabane High School, has launched a software platform for independent vehicle valeters and detailers after working three years in the trade.

Burke, now based in County Durham, developed Sudzy from his hands-on experience. The idea came while he was washing cars and managing the day-to-day demands of a valeting business, where he noticed significant time was consumed by administration.

He said the concept came directly from his own experience, seeing how much time went into managing bookings, customers, vehicles and the daily running of a business, often taking time away from the actual work.

That led him to create Sudzy, which he described as software built by a valeter for valeters, shaped by his own practical experience rather than built from outside the industry.

The platform allows customers to book appointments online at any time through a branded page. Operators can manage customer records, vehicle information and booking histories in one place. It also includes payment tracking features so businesses can record payment methods, monitor balances and keep financial information linked to individual bookings.

For tailored jobs, customers can upload photographs of their vehicles and receive a custom quotation before proceeding to a booking.

Burke said he had an interest in coding from a young age but dropped out of a BTEC in IT Practitioners to get a job. He continued learning on his own and eventually used technologies like TypeScript and React to build Sudzy.

He said he does not see it as leaving valeting for software development, but rather bringing the two together, using his industry knowledge to solve problems.

Although the business is in early stages, Burke said the platform is currently aimed at businesses across the UK and Ireland, with ambitions to expand further into Europe.