LP/Gas articles from March 2003

LP/Gas archives from March 2003

ExTA, Exclusive Thermodynamic Applications Ltd. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Based in Jerusalem, ExTA is an engineering company that manufactures FLOW STABILIZERS, a cost-effective device that enhances vaporization, replaces vaporizers and reduces storage capacity. The flow stabilzer offers dramatic cost savings as...

Fairview Fittings & Manufacturing Inc. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Fairview Fittings Gas Outlet Boxes Designed for indoor and outdoor applications, Fairview Gas Outlet Boxes are compact and made with heavy-duty stainless steel or ABS plastic covers. Safety feature denies connect/disconnect while gas is...

Flame Engineering Inc. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Flame Engineering, the manufacturer of Red Dragon Torches and Equipment, also manufactures Red Dragon Leisure Products which include Patio Lights, Patio Woks and the Weed Dragon Home and Garden Torch. These are perfect additions to any lawn and...

F-RAMS. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... F-RAMS is the most advanced truck-mounted electronic fuel register and management system on the market. In operation on standard trucks and transport, the F-RAMS family of products includes fleet fueling, dual meter, single meter, and...

E-Z Trench Mfg. Co. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... The New EZ9000 Groundsaw is easy to operate, not intimidating, and is the toughest mini-trencher on the market today. The Groundsaw comes standard with a new Heavy Duty blade. The new blade has larger forged carbide bits, which are longer...

Fisher Controls. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Fisher is the world's leader of LP-Gas equipment. Around the world, Fisher and its distributors offer a complete line of quality products for the bulk storage, transportation and regulation of LP-Gas. Products include internal valves, relief...

Ford. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Your fleet has the option to help everyone breathe a little easier and potentially save money by switching over to Ford factory built propane vehicles. Come and see us at the Southeastern Show, discover how in some areas the price of propane is...

Fueling Technologies. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Fueling Technologies Model 100 LPG bulk storage tank gauge is the most innovative product on the market. It provides inventory accuracy to 99.5%, unheard of in LPG inventory gauging. FTI's series 100 gauges provide gross & net fluid, and fluid...

H & H Sales Company, Inc. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... From Smooth-Rider e bulk tank trailers to storage cabinets and truck bodies, H & H Sales can equip your business needs. For 51 years, we've specialized in service and delivery bodies, storage and in-plant tank handling and bulk tank trailers. H...

Jamerson McLean Insurance. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Jamerson McLean Insurance has dedicated 26+ years to providing LP Gas marketers with an agency/customer partnership. Specializing in the energy industry, we provide industry-specific knowledge. Our commitment to safety and regulatory compliance...

Jordan, Knauff & Company. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... We can help tailor the kind of transaction that's right for you. If you are considering selling or buying a propane company, or want a valuation of your company, call Jordan, Knauff & Company--the investment bankers for the propane industry....

Liftmoore Inc. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Liftmoore manufactures a complete line of electric and hydraulic cranes with capacities to 10,000 lbs. and moment ratings to 72,000 ft.-lbs. Continuous, unlimited rotation is standard on most models. With either FM radio remote or standard...

Heritage Propane Partners, L.P. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Heritage Propane has actively acquired quality retail propane companies for over 13 years. We take pride in our reputation of integrity in our approach to acquisitions and the subsequent operation of those companies. Please give us a call for a...

Jasper Engines & Transmissions. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Jasper Alternate Fuels, a division of Jasper Engines & Transmissions, offers a complete alternate fuels program - including engines, parts, remanufactured fuel systems and training. Engines are remanufactured and re-engineered to provide...

L.E. Klein Company. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... We have been serving the Southwest for over 38 years with quality products at reasonable prices. Phone number: 800-251-0073 Fax number: 214-350-4783 E-mail: lek.co@mindspring.com www.leklein.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Liquid Controls. (Southeast Showcase).
March 1, 2003... Liquid Controls, A Unit of IDEX Corp., is an industry leader in flow measurement and process control instrumentation. To optimize the LPG measurement process, LC's LectroCount LCR-II Electronic Registration system offers maximum flexibility and...

Color my world. (View point).(National Propane Gas Association releases security report)(Editorial)
March 1, 2003... Having spent my entire life in northern Ohio, I thought the color orange would forever signify the splendor of the autumn foliage, the frustration of road construction barrels and the exhilaration (and too frequent disappointment) of our...

"Hot topics" in the propane industry. (In The Know).
March 1, 2003... Last summer, Propane Resources kicked off its Propane University workshops featuring sessions on leadership and mangement and customer service. At the end of the program, participants were asked what topics they want to hear about at future...

LP/gas stock index.
March 1, 2003... Propane Master Limited Partnership Comparison Company Symbol Quarter Price Distribution Ended (2/10/03) AmeriGas APU Dec $24.44 $2.20 Ferrellgas * FGP ...

Propane MLP price history.
March 1, 2003... Historic price index Propane stock price history calculated by averaging unweighted prices for AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Heritage, Inergy, Star Gas and Suburban master limited partnerships. Sources: Public information and A.G. Edwards...

Weather watch.
March 1, 2003... Heating degree days by state State January Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from norm Alabama 738 58 3733 -257 Alaska ...

Upcoming events.
March 1, 2003... * March 5-6 Propane Gas Association of New England meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Mystic, Connecticut. For details, contact Judy Taylor at gtaylor@conknet.com or 518-689-0146. * March 6-8 Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Expo at the Gaylord...

Insurance alternatives under study. (Safety first).
March 1, 2003... When there is financial squeezing going on, most fingers are pointed in opposite directions. One only has to read the long list of attorneys, cause and origin experts, marketers, suppliers and defendants down stream from liability to recognize...

Taking stock of your company. (Business Matters).
March 1, 2003... As I shared with you in last month's column, my recommendation as Step 1 toward building a success plan for your business is for you to conduct an objective evaluation. This first step will be both hard and rewarding. The hard part is to...

Bobtail tax slashed, as promised. (Washington Report).(Research & Special Programs Administration)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... As promised, the bobtail tax was slashed and refunds are coming. The Research & Special Programs Administration lowered the tax even more than it planned--about $15 million in each of the next three years and about $6.5 million the year after...

LIHEAP money released. (Briefly Speaking).(Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Notes from Capitol Hill The Department of Health & Human Services has released to states $200 million of the $300 million Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program reserve fund to help cope with heating oil price increases. It is...

API consensus draft coming. (Briefly Speaking).(American Petroleum Institute)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The American Petroleum Institute plans this spring to issue a draft for a consensus standard for pipeline operators to use in developing public awareness programs. It sought public comment last fall in devising the standards.

January drawdown sets record. (Briefly Speaking).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Cold weather caused a record drawdown of 18.6 million barrels during January, a level that surpassed the previous monthly record of 17.6 million barrels set during January 1994. The Energy Information Administration reported that residential...

New ergonomics group formed. (Briefly Speaking).(National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Occupational Safety & Health Administration established the National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics for two years as part of the new approach to reducing workplace injuries. NACE will provide advice on guidelines, research and providing...

RSPA wants to use NFPA rules. (Briefly Speaking).(Research and Special Programs Administration)(National Fire Protection Association)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... At NPGA's request, RSPA is proposing to incorporate the National Fire Protection Association pamphlet "Standard for the Storage & Handling of Liquefied Compressed Gases" to the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code. RSPA also proposes to allow the...

The basics of wage and hour law. (Legal Ease).
March 1, 2003... Whether deciding when and how much to pay for overtime, keeping proper records or deciding whether to pay accrued vacation to a terminated employee, failure to understand the laws in this area can lead to significant penalties for the improper...

It's show time! How you can profit from the NPGA Southeastern Convention.(National Propane Gas Association)
March 1, 2003... Today, you're going to walk miles and miles of aisles and aisles, shake hands with 4,000 people, and listen to 350 sales presentations. This is not your typical day at the office--unless you're heading for Atlanta and the 53rd annual National...

Seller secrets exposed: how to get the best deal from expo vendors.(National Propane Gas Association Southeastern Convention and International Exposition in Atlanta)
March 1, 2003... You may feel like a trout when you walk into the Georgia World Congress Center this spring. That's perfectly normal because hundreds of companies are angling to hook your checkbook at the NPGA Southeastern Convention and International...

Just peachy: Atlanta's great culture, sports, food and music will lure you off the showroom floor.
March 1, 2003... Before we begin our look at the town called "Hot-lanta," here are a couple of no-no's for visiting the city during the National Propane Gas Association's Southeastern show. First, don't you dare be caught in public with a Pepsi product, as...

Sexual harassment: will you know it when you see it?
March 1, 2003... The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as "unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that are connected to decisions about employment or...

PERC awards $1.39 million for fuel system study. (Washington, D.C.).(Propane Education and Research Council)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Propane Education & Research Council has awarded a $1.39 million research grant to Southwest Research Institute to study propane fuel system technologies and their ability to meet 2007 EPA standards. PERC's largest single research...

Blue Rhino buys Suburban cylinder exchange business. (Winston-Salem, North Carolina).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Blue Rhino Corp. has acquired Suburban Propane's cylinder exchange business, which operated in Blue Rhino's back yard under the name USA Cylinder Exchange. The deal includes 1,500 cylinder exchange retail locations in North Carolina, South...

RSPA reduces annual bobtail tax; refunds available. (Washington, D.C.).(Research and Special Programs Administration)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... In response to an excessive collection of fees, the federal Department of Transportation's Research and Special Programs Administration has reduced the cost of annual registration fees paid by transporters of hazardous materials. Small...

PERC, NPGA merge safety, training programs. (Washington, D.C.).(Propane Education and Research Council)(National Propane Gas Association)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Propane Education & Research Council has purchased the National Propane Gas Association's safety & training programs for $1.6 million to form a new safety partnership between the two groups. The agreement includes NPGA's award-winning...

Florida equity firm acquires DESA in $200 million deal. (Bowling Green, Kentucky).(HIG Capital)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A private equity firm based in Miami, Fla., has purchased the operating assets of DESA Holdings Corp. and zone heating manufacturer DESA International for $200 million. Under the deal, completed Dec. 24, HIG Capital will provide...

Study details impact of vent-free appliances on humidity. (Arlington, Virginia).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A study initiated by an association for the vent-free gas products industry shows almost no correlation between the use of vent-free appliances and indoor relative humidity. Indoor humidity is a concern because of the potential for the...

Builders show booth attracts questions about propane. (Las Vegas, Nevada).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Nearly 70,000 builders and suppliers from around the world visited the International Builders' Show, where more than a dozen propane industry members answered questions about the fuel. The show, Jan. 21 to 24 in Las Vegas, featured an...

PERC announces first winners of homebuilder awards. (Washington, D.C.).(Propane Education & Research Council)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Propane Education & Research Council has named Marion Czaplicki of Maric Associates Inc. as its industry leader and Gordon Cormack of Cormack Builders in Madison, N.H., as its trailblazer in its first Homebuilder Awards. The awards...

Inergy acquires central North Carolina marketer. (Kansas City, Missouri).(Central Carolina Gas Co.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Inergy will add another 1.2 million gallons of propane to its totals with the acquisition of Central Carolina Gas Co. of Hamlet, N.C. Central Carolina served 2,000 retail customers in 2002.

AmeriGas acquires New Jersey propane marketer. (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania).(Norieka Gas)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... AmeriGas has acquired most of the assets of Norieka Gas of Jackson, N.J. The marketer served about 1,500 customers in central New Jersey. Its operations will be blended into an existing AmeriGas location in Tom's River, N.J., and the...

PERC to reclaim unused state advertising campaign funds. (Washington, D.C.).(Propane Education & Research Council)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Propane Education & Research Council will reclaim unused money set aside for state associations to use the marketing materials in the propane advertising kit. The council voted unanimously in January to set a June deadline for claiming...

ConocoPhillips donates propane for refuge. (Houston, Texas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... A federal wildlife refuge near Mound City, Mo., has reclaimed 1,600 acres from drought thanks to donations of propane that helped resurrect an antique propane-fueled water pump. ConocoPhillips donated 1,000 gallons of propane to the Friends...

Advancements made in propane fuel-cell system. (Los Angeles, California).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Clean Fuel Generation claims to have made "significant steps" toward removing impurities blocking the development of a propane-powered fuel cell. A prototype generator for the recreational vehicle industry was introduced at the National RV...

OSHA reports all-time low number of workplace injuries. (Washington, D.C.).(Occupational Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The number of workplace injuries and illnesses has reached an all-time low, declining for the ninth consecutive year, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A total of 5.2 million injuries and illnesses were...

Torch manufacturer Primus-Sievert changes name. (Loves Park, Illinois).(to Sievert Industries)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Primus-Sievert Inc., a manufacturer of open flame torches, electronic hot air welders, gas hot air welders, and soldering irons and accessories, has changed its name to Sievert Industries. The Loves Park, Ill.-based company said, along with...

Century Tool recalls propane-powered camping stoves. (Washington, D.C.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Century Tool and Manufacturing Co. of Cherry Valley, Ill., is recalling 6,300 propane-powered camping stoves because the burner assembly can restrict the flow of gas and cause a leak. The stoves, made between May 2, 2002, and July 31, 2002,...

Filing extension granted in Tesher receivership. (Austin, Texas).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... An extension has been granted in the filing of claims against Tesher Corp. of Tyler, Texas, and its president, insurance agent John William Tesseyman III. The insurance agency has been in receivership since July 17. Tesseyman sold policies...

Employers' health care costs rising nearly 15 percent. (Washington, D.C.).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Employers can expect health care costs to rise 14.6 percent in 2003, about the same rate as the 14.7 percent increase in 2002. The statistics, from a Mercer Human Resource Consulting nationwide survey of 2,889 firms, also indicate that 62...

Energy consultant, information tracking firm to partner. (Fairfax, Virginia).(Pace Global Energy Services and eLutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Pace Global Energy Services and eLutions Inc. are partnering to provide real-time energy management and metering tools to industrial energy users worldwide. The alliance offers Pace Global clients state-of-the-art energy monitoring and...

Weld force gauge. (Products).
March 1, 2003... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sensotec Inc. presents a hand-held weld probe--Model WP9000--that is ISO 17025-certified to satisfy manufacturer's needs to validate or re-validate resistance weld forces. The battery-powered unit is immune to...

Gas grills. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Ducane Gas Grills has started the production and shipping of the 7100 models in the Ducane Stainless Steel series. They feature 500 square inches of cooking surface with 28,000 BTUH and are constructed of 304 grade, 18-gauge stainless steel...

Breakaway coupling. (Products).
March 1, 2003... OPW Engineered Systems offers its Breakaway coupling designed for fluid or gas containment in drive-away or pull-away accidents. Designed for use with hose or loading arm applications, the Breakaway is designed to separate at any angle when...

Canvas tool bags. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Klein Tools has introduced a new line of canvas tool bags featuring internal pockets of various shapes and sizes. There are four tool bag models available. The 16-inch bag has eight interior pockets, while the 18-inch bag has 10 interior...

BBQ oven. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Bubba's Bar-B-Q Ovens Inc. is offering an oven that features a 1,002-square-inch cooking surface with outside dimensions of 26 by 38 inches. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Available only in 304 grade, 16-gauge stainless steel, they feature...

Portable pressure calibrator. (Products).
March 1, 2003... SI Pressure is offering its PC6-B pressure Calibrator with instrumentation with sensor and component technology that is both portable and bench mountable. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It is designed to accurately test and calibrate the...

Telescoping crane. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Auto Crane Co. offers a new 5005H telescoping crane. This 25,000 ft/lb. crane is equipped with an FM remote and a tethered pendant, a two-speed rotation mechanism, power boom extensions to 20 feet, and 60 feet per minute line speed via a...

Animated brochures. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Smith Flow Control is offering a series of animated brochures that demonstrate how its range of process safety and valve operating products--including the Flexi-Drive remote cable-driven valve operator and the Easi-Drive portable valve...

Wireless truck tracking. (Products).
March 1, 2003... GEOCOMtms announces enhancements to its A.MAZE Tracking System through its JMonitor. The product allows fleet managers and dispatchers to have direct control over their trucks and operators to ensure safe driving, theft security and...

Wireless surveillance system. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Sequent Technologies is offering its Ranger 350I, a television-quality mobile video transmitter that uses existing wireless networks to deliver compressed MPEG 4 streaming video transmissions. The so-called cigar box size system can record...

Fuel distribution software. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Rural Computer Consultants Inc. has released a new Windows version of its RCC Fuel Distribution System. The improved application offers all integrated applications including accounts receivable, general ledger, accounts payable, inventory...

Gauge product catalog. (Products).
March 1, 2003... AMETEK U.S. Gauge is offering a comprehensive catalog of its pressure and temperature measurement products. The color catalog has an extensive listing of the company's process gauges, liquid-filled pressure gauges, general purpose and...

Level sensor Web site. (Products).
March 1, 2003... MTS Systems Corp. has developed a new Level Plus Liquid Level Sensor Web site to provide engineers with a direct venue for its liquid level sensor information. It features a direct link to the company's comprehensive online catalogs and...

Computer software. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Clear Computing Inc. introduces its Rent, Route & Service--Dispatch Manager. It was developed for companies using an established accounting system to handle invoicing and receivables. The stand-alone dispatch product manages service...

Rooftop unit. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Tempstar Heating and Cooling Products offers the Tempstar PGAD, a package gas/electric unit that offers 12 SEER, three-phase high efficiency for commercial applications. The unit, which has an optional LP kit, uses a scroll compressor and...

Fuel distribution software. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Rural Computer Consultants Inc. releases the newest Windows version of its RCC Fuel Distribution System, an improved system for integrating accounting applications, such as accounts receivable, general ledger, accounts payable, inventory and...

Drop-in grill unit. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Modern Home Products introduces a new drop-in unit for built-in grills, featuring a lifetime warranty on the entire stainless steel and aluminum exterior, burners, and cooking grids of its top-of-line Model GJKBI 36-inch Optimum Series. ...

Vent-free gas heater. (Products).
March 1, 2003... Gas Fired Products Inc. offers a new 9,500 Btu Corcho vent-free heater designed for use in bedrooms or other areas of a home. The CK10 new radiant plaque-style heater is available in either natural or LP gas and come with a 10-year limited...

GPS vehicle locator. (Products).
March 1, 2003... IDA Corp. introduces its TRAKIT GPS AVL fleet management system to track the location of a vehicle carrying hazardous materials. The technology uses global positioning systems (GPS) to transmit data from the vehicles to IDA's Global Trakit...

Welding cylinder truck bodies. (Products).
March 1, 2003... H&H Sales Co. Inc. presents its line of EGW Series steel welding cylinder truck bodies equipped with an in-bed lift platform. The line is featured in a new two-page literature with information and photos. The bodies are equipped with a...

Inergy.(Kurt Kolbeck and John Simcox hired )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Inergy has named Kurt Kolbeck as its vice president of wholesale marketing and John Simcox as its director of business development for the Northeast region. Kolbeck had served as the senior vice president of marketing for the Gulf South...

National Propane Gas Assoc.(Robert Baylor named director of communications)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The National Propane Gas Association has hired Robert Baylor as its new director of communications. Baylor previously worked as a senior writer for publications produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He also previously worked as a senior...

Worthington Industries.(George Stoe named president of Worthington Cylinder Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Worthington Industries has named George Stoe as president of Worthington Cylinder Corp. Stoe was previously president of Zinc Corp. of America. He also worked for Alumax Inc., where was an executive vice president. The company also has...

Presto-Tap.(Robert H. Holland named Southeastern marketing and sales director)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Presto-Tap, a manufacturer of permanently installed leak detection products, has named Robert H. Holland as its Southeastern marketing and sales director for Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Florida. He was previously...

Ferrellgas.(Daniel P. Carrigan named director of corporate development and Catherine Forbes named marketing director)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Ferrellgas has named Daniel P. Carrigan director of corporate development and Catherine Forbes as marketing director. Carrigan will oversee all aspects of acquisitions for the company. Before joining Ferrellgas, Carrigan was acting managing...

Blue Rhino.(Mark Zimora named director of corporate development)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Blue Rhino Corp. has named Mark Zimora director of corporate development. He will focus on acquisitions, distributor partnerships and expanding the company's cylinder exchange network. Zimora joined the company in 1997 and was...

Fueling Technologies.(appoints Everett Osgood & Associates)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... Fueling Technologies has appointed Everett Osgood & Associates as territory representative for Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. It will cover both Fueling Technologies LPG bulk storage tank gauges...

Rocky Mountain Propane Association.(hired Tom Jones)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2003... The Rocky Mountain Propane Association has hired Tom Jones, of Cheyenne, Wyo., as its new lobbyist. Jones is a small business owner, a former legislator, attorney and a long-time registered lobbyist. He is also the state director for the...

Let's share the load for security. (Let's Talk).
March 1, 2003... A March 2002 incident involving a Kentucky propane distributor provided a grim reminder of the security challenges that still face the bulk logistics sector. It presented potential for the sort of nightmare terrorist scenario that everyone in...

The road to cleaner fuel: new efforts, big research dollars being invested to solve long-standing problems with fuel impurities, contaminants.
March 1, 2003... Imminent EPA regulations and a competitive race toward the hot, new technologies that promise high growth markets are pressing propane industry efforts to solve complex fuel composition problems that have plagued the industry for decades. ...