LP/Gas articles from May 2003

LP/Gas archives from May 2003

More dense than smog. (View Point).
May 1, 2003... Remember the recent electricity shortages that crippled the state of California? You'd think those folks would have learned something about resource over-management after a crisis of that magnitude, right? Guess again. The state's...

Supply/risk management survey. (In The Know).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... During 2003, Propane Resources conducted six supply sessions in which marketers came to learn about supply and risk management decision making. The marketers were anxious for information. Topic: Supply and Risk Management in 2003 ...

LP/gas stock index.(Illustration)
May 1, 2003... Propane Master Limited Partnership Comparison Company Symbol Quarter Price Distribution Yield Ended (4/15/03) AmeriGas APU Dec $24.53 $2.20 9.0%...

Propane MLP price history.(Brief Article)
May 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.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Heating degree days by state State March Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from Alabama 247 -99 3285 -310 Alaska ...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2003... * June 1-4 National Propane Gas Association's Pinnacle Conference at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New Orleans. For details, contact Bree Raum at braum@dc.npga.org or 202-466-7200, or visit www.npga.org. * June 5-7 Kansas and Nebraska joint...

Attitude must be measured. (Safety First).(attitud)
May 1, 2003... Have you ever tried to measure attitude? It's pretty tough to measure, but we know it when we see it. Let's assume for a moment that we have an employee with a bad attitude. He is out among our customers most of the time. The only...

The steps to achieving your goals. (Business Matters).
May 1, 2003... In the first column in this series we addressed the importance of having a business plan and we outlined three basic elements of the plan: * Taking stock of your company * Setting your goals * Creating the steps to take you...

Teaching forklift maintenance is vital. (Let's Talk).(Propane Education and Research Council )
May 1, 2003... Concerns for the environment have moved indoors. The health and safety of employees in the workplace have long been an issue with OSHA, but more recently the Environmental Protection Agency has promulgated large spark ignited (LSI) engine...

Propane's share.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Propane provided less than 1 percent of utility generation in the United States in 2001, the EIA reports.

Propane stocks begin build.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Propane inventories rose to about 19.5 million barrels in late March following historically low levels caused by severe weather in January and February. The March stockdraw of 1.4 million barrels was less than half the five-year average...

Bill to fund clean transportation.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) introduced the Securing Transportation Energy Efficiency for Tomorrow (STREET) Act, which would provide $2 billion to develop alternative and energy-efficient fuel sources for transportation, including research...

Conversations you may record. (Legal Ease).
May 1, 2003... This advice may seem slightly off the wall, but I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked about the legality of recording telephone or face-to-face conversations and, more precisely, who must have knowledge of and/or consent to such...

Pay at the pump: stations get credit card-friendly dispensers for quick-and-easy fill-ups.
May 1, 2003... Imagine hordes of hurried motorists pulling into gas stations and filling their tanks with propane. Gas-and-go with the swipe of a money card. Think of all the clean-burning gallons that would be consumed should propane become commonplace as...

California aims to eliminate non-electric forklift sales. (Sacramento, California).
May 1, 2003... Two California air quality districts are proposing a measure that would require forklifts purchased in that state after 2004 to run only on electricity. Alarmed propane industry leaders say the rule would effectively ban LPG forklift...

Atlanta action. (Industry).(Southeastern Conference and Show in Atlanta, Georgia)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The Southeastern Conference and Show in Atlanta was a hit by most every measurement, drawing 3,121 exhibitors and attendees--a 4.5 percent increase over 2002. The show was spread out over a larger area than last year, too, covering 191,000...

PERC funds communications, training, research programs. (Atlanta, Georgia).(Propane Education & Research Council)
May 1, 2003... The Propane Education & Research Council has approved 13 grants for projects ranging from a plan to reach out to the agriculture industry to developing a propane-fired heat pump pool heater. Once again, the biggest checks were written for...

Empire Products to purchase Appalachian Stove Co. (Montclair, California).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Empire Products Inc. has signed a letter of intent to purchase Appalachian Stove Co., a hearth product manufacturer based in Asheville, N.C. Empire said it would keep the manufacturing, engineering and administrative facilities in...

Consumers buying more gas hearth products. (Washington, D.C.).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Gas hearth product shipments increased 2 percent during 2002 while shipments of cordwood and pellet appliances declined 16 percent and 36 percent, according to the Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Association. The popularity of gas hearth...

NPGA releases report on troubled insurance market. (Washington, D.C.).(National Propane Gas Association)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The National Propane Gas Association is attempting to address the reasons behind the massive increases in insurance rates for propane retailers, and why several insurance companies have pulled out of the propane industry altogether. The...

Propane dealers form own insurance company. (South Carolina).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Rising insurance costs have convinced a consortium of 50 propane dealers from across the United States and U.S. Propane Dealers Insurance Agency to form a new insurance company that is completely owned by propane dealers. Jamestown...

Wyoming adopts NFPA 54, 58 and 101 codes. (Quincy, Massachusetts).(National Fire Prevention Association)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... The governor of Wyoming has signed legislation that formalizes statewide adoption of updated editions of NFPA 54, NFPA 58, and NFPA 101 developed by the National Fire Prevention Association and other leading code developers. The...

QUALCOMM to provide satellite network for SmartDrops. (New Haven, Connecticut).(Vertrax Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Vertrax Inc. has negotiated with QUALCOMM to supply the satellite mobile communications for Vertrax's SmartDrops fleet management program. Under the deal, SmartDrops will integrate QUALCOMM's QTRACS mobile communications software into...

Heritage acquires Stegall, 1st Propane. (Tulsa, Oklahoma).(Heritage Propane Partners)(Stegall Petroleum Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Heritage Propane Partners has acquired the retail propane assets of Stegall Petroleum Inc. of Monroe, N.C., and 1st Propane of Boise, Idaho. Stegall Petroleum entered the propane distribution business in 1996 and has more than 1,600...

Appliances have little bearing on indoor humidity. (Arlington, Virginia).(Brief Article)
May 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...

New fireplace surround brand launched. (Annapolis Junction, Maryland).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Hearth & Home Technologies of Lakeville, Md., has launched a new division to specialize in wood fireplace surrounds. Fireside Furnishings, based in a 50,000-square-foot woodworking facility in Annapolis Junction, Md., crafts classic...

Gas grills. (Products).(Flagro Industries Limited)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Flagro Industries Limited introduces its new, upgraded Silver Giant grill line. The new line is designed for commercial grilling at such places as country clubs, churches, and schools, or serious residential grilling. The line includes...

Cylinder heating pad. (Products).(C18 VaporRaizer)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Superior Gas Plants Corp. offers its Model C18 VaporRaizer, a heating pad for 100-pound propane heaters that increases vapor flow. The VaporRaizer is a flexible, electric heating pad made of a fused matrix of silicone layers, reinforcing...

Management software. (Products).(AGRIS Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... AGRIS Corp. introduces AGRIS Energy, the newest addition to its software product line. The program is designed to track fuel levels, schedule deliveries and map delivery routes. A user-friendly customer information screen shows all tank...

Low-fuel warning system. (Products).(EK-4100 Low-Fuel Warning System )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Energy Kinetics Inc. offers its EK-4100 Low-Fuel Warning System for LP-fueled forklift trucks so operators of propane-fueled forklift trucks will know positively when they are low on fuel. The system uses a new two-lead lamp assembly with...

Deep fryer. (Products).(Bubba's Bar-B-Q Ovens Inc.)(Carolina Fryer)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Bubba's Bar-B-Q Ovens Inc. presents its Carolina Fryer, a propane-fueled hot oil fryer with two high-pressure cast iron burners capable of 60,000 Btu each. The fryer top includes two separate cooking vats--one with a large stainless...

Gas fireplace. (Products).(Heatilator Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Heatilator presents its redesigned Novus gas fireplace, which offers several new features in the original 19-inch frame. The fireplace now is available with a top/rear direct vent. Other new features include the choice of a herringbone or...

Crane electrical control system. (Products).
May 1, 2003... Ideal Crane Corp. presents its NoMEC electrical control system for its Liberator 4000 crane series. The solid-state circuit board control system eliminates burned-out solenoids or mechanical contactors, failed electrical motors or...

Dual-gas analyzer. (Products).(from Sensor Electronics Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Sensor Electronics introduces a new dual-gas optical analyzer to simultaneously measure and monitor two gases flowing in a pipeline or manifold. The analyzer, which covers more than 70 hydrocarbon gases, can give an on-going, separate...

LPG dispenser. (Products).(Clean Fueling Technologies)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Clean Fueling Technologies offers its PRO-4100 series LPG dispenser for filling retail cylinders, private automobiles, or large forklift cylinders. The unit includes a Liquatech LPM 102 meter and Corken C10/12 pumps inside stainless...

Gas grill. (Products).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... DCS introduces its 26-inch BGA series grill for what the company calls the ultimate in outdoor cooking performance and control. The handcrafted grill, constructed entirely of heavy-gauge stainless steel, offers 616 square inches of total...

Welding cylinder truck bodies. (Products).(from H and H Sales Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 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. They come in 10-, 12-, or 14-foot...

All Star Gas Corp.(staff changes)(Company Profile)
May 1, 2003... All Star Gas Corp. directors have appointed John Gordon as interim chief executive officer and Mark Barbeau as vice president. The two are principals with Corporate Revitalization Partners LLC of Dallas, a company specializing in turning...

Griffith Energy.(promoted John A. Hamilton)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... John A. Hamilton has been promoted from chief operating officer to president and chief executive officer of Griffith Energy. He will lead a staff of 600 em-ployees with locations throughout upstate New York.

Empire Products Inc.(hired Jim Bates )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Empire Products Inc. has hired Jim Bates of Bates Sales and Marketing as its new sales representative for Alabama, northern and central Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Bates will sell the Sierra, EasyChef and EasyFire brands...

Profit Strategies.(appointed Michael D'Angelo)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Michael D'Angelo has joined Profit Strategies Inc. as product manager for the new Quality Service Pricing system for plumbing contractors. D'Angelo also is president of Energy-Wise Heating and Cooling in Rochester, N.Y. In his new...