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Feature Articles

In-depth feature stories examining the trends, challenges and innovations shaping the propane and LPG industry.

  • #LPGday, New Global Awareness Day, To Be Celebrated June 7

    With the goal of raising global awareness about propane and achieving more visibility for it, the World LPG Association (WLPGA; Paris) has launched #LPGday. This global awareness day is to be held annually on June 7, starting this year. WLPGA will celebrate the day with a “social media storm” and invites other associations, companies, and individuals around the world to do the same. “There are many days in the global awareness calendar to celebrate an incredible breadth of topics—from women, to raise awareness around various illnesses, or even more fun initiatives like bicycles day, tulip day, chocolate day, etc.—and we realized that we have nothing to celebrate LPG/propane and felt it was a great opportunity to join this awareness community,” Alison Abbott, marketing and communications…
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  • WORK TRUCK SHOW 2019: PROPANE AUTOGAS STAKEHOLDERS MAKE THEIR CASE

    A walk through the massive annual Work Truck Show in Indianapolis in early March gave attendees a chance to discover almost every new development in the work truck world. Alternative fuels received a good deal of competitive spin regarding which fuel delivers the best bang for your buck now and in the future. Many speakers and seminars made their case that electric vehicles are the way of the future—or that clean diesel is the way of the future—the option of propane autogas wasn’t mentioned. Meanwhile, an ever-growing group of stakeholders representing propane autogas begs to differ. This group, anchored by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), has steadily reserved more floor space at the Work Truck Show and they, too, want their message heard….
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  • Autogas Experts Share How To Help Fleets Transition To Propane

    By Todd Mouw and Jim Bunsey…Propane providers across the nation can bring in propane autogas fleet customers that account for steady, year-round gallons. Every day, you drive around the city or town you live in. By paying attention to the service and fleet vehicles you see, you can learn a lot about which fleets would consider propane autogas vehicles if they knew about the benefits. Spot a pest control company. What type of vehicle is it? Does an EPA/CARB certification exist for that vehicle system to operate on propane autogas? Check out the back of school buses and look for the diamonds denoting fuel type. Are they running on diesel or another alternative fuel? See a city or county vehicle? How far do you think…
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  • Cleaner Air, Greener Schools, Healthier Students With Propane School Buses

    The Propane Council of Texas highlighted the benefits of autogas school buses on Earth Day April 22, writing in a press release that more than 840 school districts across the U.S. transport nearly one million students each school day on upgraded, greener propane-powered buses. Texas is number one in propane school bus adoption with over 3000 buses operating in the Lone Star State, paving the way for cleaner communities and schools. The council reported new propane buses can produce up to 90% less nitrous oxides (NOx) than clean diesel variants. Why is this important? NOx is a significant contributor to ground-level ozone, and according to the American Lung Association, NOx is likely to be a cause of asthma in children, can trigger an increase in…
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  • Energy Distribution Partners Mourns the Passing of Co-Founder Marlo Young

    (April 26, 2019) — Energy Distribution Partners (EDP) today announced that its co-founder and chief operating officer, Marlo Young, passed away unexpectedly. Mr. Young was a long-time propane industry leader, as well as a key member of EDP’s team since its founding in 2012. He had extensive experience in the energy sector and previously served in operating and executive roles with Ferrellgas, Cornerstone Propane and Inergy Propane. "Marlo Young touched so many lives, including those of our EDP family members and others throughout the industry. He was recognized throughout the propane business for his wise counsel and positive leadership. At EDP, Marlo helped build a dedicated, resilient team of highly capable executives and managers. We are greatly saddened to lose our friend and colleague, and…
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  • Federal Grants Now Available for Low-Emission Propane Autogas Buses

    WASHINGTON (April 23, 2019) – The Propane Education & Research Council is encouraging public transit agencies to apply for up to $85 million in competitive grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration to purchase propane autogas transit vehicles as part of its “Low or No Emission (Low-No) Bus Program.” The program sponsors the purchase or lease of low- or no-emission public transit vehicles that use advanced technologies for transit revenue operations, including related equipment or facilities. A low- or no-emission transit vehicle must significantly reduce energy consumption or harmful emissions when compared to a standard vehicle. Projects may also include the costs for workforce training and administration expenses. “Grants like the Low-No Bus Program are great ways for fleet managers to…
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  • Remote Monitoring Leaders WESROC, DataOnline, Wikon, and iTank Combine as Anova

    DataOnline, a leading global provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, has announced the company has formally rebranded as Anova . The new brand incorporates DataOnline and its wholly-owned businesses, WESROC, Wikon, and iTank. These businesses have collaborated since coming together in 2018 and rebranding as Anova formalizes the relationship to optimize resources and enhance delivery of service to customers across the geographies and markets Anova serves. “Uniting our operations under the Anova brand positions us as the global leader in IIoT across industrial gases, chemicals, oils, propane, water, and other sectors,” said Chet Reshamwala, CEO of Anova. “Now all our customers and partners know that, regardless of their business or region, they can turn to Anova for powerful remote monitoring solutions, more than…
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  • CHS Creates Rebate Program To Grow Propane Gallons

    As one of the largest propane wholesalers in North America, CHS (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) is providing a new resource for propane marketers to adopt propane as an alternative fuel with its CHS Propane-Powered Rebate Program. The program is a first-of-its-kind initiative offering marketers rebates for adopting propane-powered technologies, participating in training, and making investments in autogas infrastructure. “We heard our customers say it’s hard to justify the cost of a dispenser or pay for other infrastructure if they don’t have any autogas customers,” said Andy Ernst, propane marketing manager at CHS, the country’s largest farmer-owned cooperative. “To help solve the problem and work to keep more American-made gallons here in the United States, CHS decided to invest in getting more marketers involved in autogas.”…
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  • Focus on Efficiency: Make Service Operations a Moneymaker

    Service and appliance sales are often considered to be a loss leader or a cost of doing business by propane marketers who are primarily focused on delivering propane. But that doesn’t have to be the case, says Saul Cohen, product specialist at Cargas (Lancaster, Pa.). If the marketer focuses on efficiency and expansion, the service operation can be a profit center. Cohen will present a seminar on this topic at the upcoming National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Expo. At Cargas, as a product specialist, he is a subject matter expert for the propane industry and software. In 2005, Cohen created and presented to Cargas the business plan to start Cargas Energy software solutions for fuel delivery and service companies. Today, he tells BPN, software solutions…
    Read More →: Focus on Efficiency: Make Service Operations a Moneymaker

  • Parent Company of Quality Steel Corporation Acquires Assets of LP Cylinder Service, Inc.

    April 10, 2019 (Cleveland, MS) — LT Corporation (LT Corp.) of Cleveland, MS, the parent company of Quality Steel Corporation (Quality Steel or QSC), a manufacturer and industry leader in value-added services to its customers, announced the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of LP Cylinder Service, Inc. (LP Cylinder).  LP Cylinder, founded in 1984 and operating with two facilities in Shohola, PA, is recognized as one of the nation’s leaders in the propane tank refurbishing industry. The acquisition gives LT Corp. the opportunity to continue its expansion of product lines and service capabilities to the industry.  Chairman of the Board of LT Corp., Jim Tims, said, “Our companies have grown by setting the industry standards for quality and customer service. We are excited…
    Read More →: Parent Company of Quality Steel Corporation Acquires Assets of LP Cylinder Service, Inc.

  • Tips for Performing a Financial Physical

    Every year brings new challenges to retail energy marketers. For propane marketers this past year has seen the cost of tanks skyrocket and the pool of qualified CDL drivers shrink with upward pressure on wages. Natural gas competition continues, and heat pumps and geothermal remain a threat to market share. So, what’s a propane marketer to do? A good place to start is in understanding your financial results. The four basic areas of a financial analysis are revenues, cost of goods sold, operating expenses, and capital expenditures. Because we are in a commodity-based business, we like to look at gross profit (GP) as it is better to analyze trends in GP than revenue. Gross profit We define GP as what you sold the propane to…
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  • Autogas Experts Address Common Myths, Present Facts

    Many of the barriers to the adoption of propane autogas are based on myths. Some propane marketers remember the inferior vehicle systems of the 1980s and are reluctant to enter the autogas market again. Many members of the public are not even aware that propane can fuel vehicles, so when they think of alternative fuels, they think electricity is the only solution. Four autogas experts will address these and other myths during a seminar at the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Expo in Atlanta. They will also present the facts about today’s autogas dispensing equipment, vehicles, and growth opportunities. The seminar is meant for propane marketers who are looking to learn more about the installation and maintenance of autogas stations; who are skeptics about the…
    Read More →: Autogas Experts Address Common Myths, Present Facts

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