By David Lowe… Is compensation a driver’s only consideration on the job hunt? “Absolutely not,” according to David W. Lowe, vice president of sales for Johnson City, N.Y.-based Pro Image Communications. Recruiting quality drivers who are willing to stay with a retail propane company has become more of a challenge for many marketers. “Most retail propane marketers don’t have a human resources department and they aren’t trying to maintain a large fleet of trucks. Most typical small retail propane marketers need [only] two or three good drivers and they want them to stay for a long time,” Lowe said. Building a company culture with clear expectations that appeals to quality drivers looking for a long-term, stable career opportunity is essential. Lowe is not a newcomer...

As the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) prepares to host Propane Days June 3-6 in Washington, D.C., exemptions from several rules that most in the propane industry find very unnecessary and costly are the key challenges to discuss with lawmakers. In the case of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Crane Rule and the Jones Act, which will be discussed in detail with lawmakers, no one is strongly advocating why it is beneficial for the federal government to require the propane industry to follow these rules. “Inertia and resistance to changing anything in the final OSHA Crane Rule is what we’re up against,” said Phil Squair, senior vice president of public and governmental affairs at NPGA. “The Jones Act is different though, because...

Brian Donahue of Donahue Gas (Anderson, Ind.) was one of many retail propane marketers to volunteer in the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) booth during The Work Truck Show in Indianapolis, last March 2018. Occupying the entire Indiana Convention Center, The Work Truck Show draws thousands from all over to see and learn about the latest offerings for work trucks of all types. “I’m happy to come over and help because I want people to know how far propane has come as an alternative fuel for vehicles,” Donahue explained. “We’re a long way from the 1980s, before the days of fuel injection. We’ve gone from the bag phone to the cell phone. It’s important for people to see a large contingent of propane people...

When Andy Ronald was recruited by Inergy in July 2002 to manage supply for its retail propane operations he wasn’t a newcomer to the energy industry. Ronald already had 33 years of experience, mostly in propane at Shell and later with Enterprise. As Inergy grew rapidly, the supply leadership responsibilities were divided into three regions: West, Mid-continent, and East. Ronald took over the East region as it was the most problematic, with constant supply shortages and long-leads being the norm. During this time, Inergy’s retail division had one rule: never run out of gas. From July 2002 to August 2012, when Inergy was sold to Suburban Propane, under Ronald’s leadership the company achieved that goal. There were a few close calls, perhaps, but it never...

(March 19, 2018) — ROUSH CleanTech (Livonia, Mich.) recently introduced the first propane autogas engine certified to the lowest nitrogen oxide (NOx) level available in Class 4-7 vehicles. This new engine is Environmental Protection Agency- and California Air Resources Board-certified for 0.05 NOx emissions, which is 75% cleaner than the current emissions standard. According to Todd Mouw, vice president of sales and marketing, a propane autogas engine is available that can help fleets meet internal or external emissions mandates, while at the same time saving money. Regarding price, “Consider that propane autogas [costs] up to 40% less than gasoline and up to 50% less than diesel,” he said. “All this evidence leads to the conclusion that customers who want to reduce NOx emissions and save...

(March 7, 2018) — “Sales of retail propane trucks always have their peaks and valleys,” says Brian Amthor, executive vice president at Amthor International Inc. (Gretna, Va.). “The last couple of years were valleys, but we’re now making a move back up to the peak.” All of the truck builders BPN spoke with recently described sales as being back on the rise and there are several factors in play. “We’ve really had the perfect storm,” says Scott Swensen, sales representative of Lin’s Propane Trucks (Dighton, Mass.), and December’s Bomb Cyclone that sunk temperatures well below zero during the last half of that month was only part of the storm Swensen was referring to. “The cold weather is certainly a factor,” comments Tim Schweppe, Arrow Tank...

Gathering in early February 2018 for the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) meetings in temperate Santa Barbara, Calif., board members and guests alike admitted they were ready for a break from the cold. Furthermore, industry members who have weathered two warm winters following the unnerving Polar Vortex of 2013-2014 seemed very satisfied with how the winter of 2017-2018 was unfolding. Propane leaders were eager to head to meetings to discuss the cold winter and plot the future direction of the industry. Beginning with the NPGA Propane Supply and Logistics committee meeting, always one to draw a large crowd due to its relevance to most in the industry, members gathered for an update from Debnil Chowdhury, U.S. NGL research and consulting lead at IHS Markit (London)....

Dave Honeycutt’s family started in the oil business in Maryland in 1932. Nearly five decades later, in 1980, it added an HVAC business that brought the company a new focus on service as one of its key benefits. This was then followed in 2000 with the incorporation of Tevis Propane’s locations in Westminster and Hampstead, Md., to the mix of businesses. From the beginning, Honeycutt deemed selling and servicing propane appliances and hearth products critical to the success of the propane venture. He recognized that adding burner tips to customers’ homes was the best way to increase propane load. “We built a 3000-square-foot showroom to showcase our propane appliances,” Honeycutt said. “With a staff of 30 technicians on the road with the HVAC business to...

Combined Energy of Monticello, N.Y. has been serving residential customers throughout the Tri-State region of New York’s Catskill Mountains and lower Hudson Valley, eastern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey since 1968. One of the challenges the company has encountered is that, for many of its customers, the home the propane retailer serves is their second home. Some of these are winterized, whereas others have the heat left on throughout the winter season. This makes it difficult for the propane marketer to track the product consumed in many of these second residences, allowing a stronger possibility of home freeze-ups. According to Combined Energy Services’ general manager, Mike Taylor, the best solution for many is to install a community tank that serves multiple homes. Instead of each...