LP/Gas articles from May 2007

LP/Gas archives from May 2007

Pedal to the metal.(VIEW POINT)
May 1, 2007... There is a palpable, tempered excitement within the propane community about the outlook of boosting propane sales into the domestic motor fuel market. Most propane marketers had given up on the lofty dream that their fuel could someday...

In the know.
May 1, 2007... Appliances We asked 420 retail propane marketers across the United States the following questions about appliance sales and service. We received responses from 77 companies. Here is what they had to say. Outcomes: From the...

Propane master limited partnership comparison.(LP/GAS STOCK INDEX)
May 1, 2007... Propane Master Limited Partnership Comparison Company Symbol Quarter Price Ended (4/13/07) AmeriGas APU Dec. $33.41 Energy...

Propane MLP price history.(LP/GAS STOCK INDEX)
May 1, 2007... Historic price index Propane stock price history calculated by averaging unweighted prices for AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Energy Transfer, Inergy and Suburban master limited partnerships. Sources: Public information and A.G. Edwards &...

Heating degree days by state.(WEATHER WATCH)
May 1, 2007... Heating degree days by state State March Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from norm Alabama 221 -125 2524 -295 Alaska ...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2007... * May 30-June 1 Propane Marketers Association of Kansas Convention & Trade Show and annual meeting at the Overland Park Marriott in Overland Park, KS. For details, contact Justin Holstin at 785-354-1749 or pmak@pmak.org. * June 1-4...

Safety in New World: a tough order: safety management must be a process of day-to-day interaction with those hard-working heroes who drive the trucks, deliver the gas, fill the cylinders, provide tech service, work in the plant or keep things running smoothly in office.(SAFETY FIRST: SPONSORED BY CENEX[R], A BRAND OF CHS)(Column)
May 1, 2007... Nationwide, business managers are trying to quantify the process of safety to an exact science. In short, they believe they can turn the topic of safety into a sort of New World order. That concept misses the mark when it comes to propane...

Resolving conflict in the family business: the family business is a collision between basic family values of unconditional love and acceptance with the business environment of accountability, performance measurement and competitive achievement.(BUSINESS MATTERS)
May 1, 2007... Sibling rivalries. Father-son power battles. Non-active vs. active shareholder issues. Patriarchs unable to relinquish the reins to the next generation. A family-owned propane company's conflicts come in all types and variations. There are...

Taking action against the silent killer: PERC has recently developed literature that warns consumers about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisonings. It is an excellent document that you can now make available to your customers.(LEGAL BRIEF)
May 1, 2007... Carbon monoxide poisoning has earned the notorious designation as the silent killer because it is colorless, odorless and silent. Within the propane industry, the recent Incident Data Report prepared by the Propane Education & Research...

Eyes wide open to degrees of change: the view of the industry looks very different as seen through the eyes of regulators and legislators in a post 9/11 world.(WASHINGTON REPORT)
May 1, 2007... The following issues of price gouging, war spending, climate change and homeland security are worth watching even as they impact the industry to different degrees. Price gouging--back to the future? With the official winter heating...

Switching gears: backed by GM and CleanFUEL USA, the new 8.1-liter LPI engine is giving retailers a reason to choose propane over diesel for use in their bobtails.
May 1, 2007... General Motors' decision to provide a dedicated propane engine with enough muscle to power bobtails was just the answer to pleas from frustrated propane marketers nationwide. Equally important, the newly released 8. 1-liter engine puts...

Blue Bird takes flight.
May 1, 2007... The distinctive rumble of school buses will be a bit less noisy next fall as hundreds of school children ride the first wave of propane-dedicated vehicles on the market since 2002. Blue Bird Corp., one of the world's leading bus...

New and improved: Roush's design of the F-150 propane truck is injecting a boost into the industry.
May 1, 2007... Roush is racing to the forefront of alternative-fuel vehicle development with a propane project that is sparking excitement in the industry. This year, with backing from the Propane Education & Research Council and in partnership with...

On the cutting edge: Envirogard is driving its full line of propane lawn mowers against the competition.
May 1, 2007... Jim Coker has spent the last three years traveling around the country, visiting dealers and potential customers and expressing just how far his Envirogard propane lawn mowers have come. Envirogard, a unit of Onyx Environmental Solutions...

NPGA objects to DHS regulations.(WASHINGTON, DC)(National Propane Gas Association, Department of Homeland Security)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The National Propane Gas Association has launched an aggressive campaign against a U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposal. New regulations would force each facility that possesses or plans to possess more than 7.500 pounds (1,785...

MIT researchers develop new type of propane.(CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS)
May 1, 2007... According to a report in Technology Review, MIT researchers say they have developed an efficient chemical process for making propane from corn or sugarcane. They are incorporating a startup to commercialize the biopropane process, which they...

Consumer ed campaign adds homes, yields 7.8 percent ROI.(ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA)(Propane Education & Research Council's campaign, return on investment)
May 1, 2007... The propane industry's $27.2 million investment in consumer education programs from mid-2004 to mid-2005 added about 15,800 new propane households and 12 million gallons per year of incremental propane sales, according to a Virginia research...

PERC funds poultry house sanitation project.(WASHINGTON, DC)
May 1, 2007... The Propane Education & Research Council is partnering with Flame Engineering of La Crosse, Kan., and the University of Missouri--Columbia to research effective pathogen reduction in poultry houses using Flame Engineering's propane-fueled Red...

Washington House approves state propane tax bill.(OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON)
May 1, 2007... The Washington State House of Representatives has passed a bill that would exempt propane from sales and use taxes when used for agricultural purposes. House Bill 1376 was approved 86-9 with three excused and headed to the Senate. Rep....

Griffith Energy expands by acquiring Conwell Oil.(ROCHESTER, NEW YORK)
May 1, 2007... Griffith Energy has acquired Conwell Oil Corp., a heating oil and power fuels supplier in Elmira Heights, N.Y. Griffith Energy is one of the largest combined marketers of propane, heating oils and power fuels in the state. It has 27 offices...

Dixie Chopper trip promoting propane for rider mowers.(WASHINGTON, DC)
May 1, 2007... Dixie Chopper is undertaking a 2,000-mile "Clean Cut Across America" trip from Indianapolis to Sacramento, Calif., to help raise awareness of propane as an alternative fuel and to promote its propane-powered lawn mower. National Sales...

Three capture annual fleet awards for promotions.(ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA)(2007 Propane Exceptional Energy Fleet Awards)(Conference news)(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... The 2007 Propane Exceptional Energy Fleet Awards were given at the Alternative Fuels & Vehicles National Conference and Expo. The awards are given annually to on-road and off-road fleets that promote the use of propane as a safe,...

Sensor modules.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... MSA offers its Ultima X Series Sensor X-change Program. The sensor-replacement service supplies users with replacement calibrated sensor modules on demand. Sensors will arrive prior to the Ultima X Monitor's scheduled calibration date for easy...

Hose end valve.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Marshall Excelsior introduces the KWIK-STIK quick connect hose end valve for use with LP gas motor fuel cylinder filling operations. The unit allows push-to-connect convenience while eliminating pinch points and the need for pneumatic systems....

Valves and fittings.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... High Pressure Equipment Co. has a new line of NPT valves and fittings made of high-tensile 316 stainless steel. The new pipe connection valves are offered in two-way straight and two-way angle configurations. Valves are available in 1/8-,...

Gas detector.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Honeywell Analytics introduces the Series 3000 XPIS (Explosion Proof, Intrinsically Safe) gas detector that utilizes existing two-wire systems to monitor for toxic and oxygen gas hazards in industrial settings. The unit can be wired...

Expansion joints.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Holz Rubber Co. Inc. offers new molded PTFE expansion joints designed to compensate for movement and abate noise in severe corrosive environments. The spool-type flexible couplings can be used where metallic joints/lap joints, or PTFE and...

Toxic gas monitor.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... RAE Systems introduces QRAE II--an improved one-to-four sensor for toxic gas detection. It includes a solid-polymer electrochemical, lead free, oxygen sensor. The monitor offers easy access to the battery compartment and all of the sensors,...

Safety eyewear.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Willson Safety Products has added amber and blue mirror tints to its A800 Series line of safety eyewear. The amber lens is designed to filter out light at the blue end of the spectrum, reducing haze and making it easier to see in fog or at...

Crane.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... H&H Sales Company is touting that the Auto Crane model 6406H, when coupled with Thieman's model TT-16 lift gate and mounted on a model 96-168 Service/Installation truck body, offers the power and benefits of all-hydraulic crane operation. The...

Static grounding and bonding assembly.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Newson Gale Inc. offers a portable self-testing grounding and bonding assembly, which enables workers to establish and verify proper low-resistance connections to safely dissipate static electricity in hazardous locations. The Bond-Rite EZ...

Integrated filters.(PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2007... Industrial Specialties offers a new line of fittings with integrated filters for air, vacuum and liquid service applications. The miniature fittings are available in straight, elbow, tee or coupling configurations. Standard products are...

Fisher LP Gas Equipment.(Nick Grant, Tung Nguyen, Jeff Sexton, Ed Varney, Nasser Malek and Xavier Coens )(Brief article)
May 1, 2007... Fisher LP Gas Equipment announces the appointment of six people to new positions. Nick Grant has been promoted to vice president. He has been with Fisher Controls for two years as a marketing director. Tung Nguyen has been named engineering...

MFA Oil Co.(PEOPLE)
May 1, 2007... MFA Oil Co. has hired Tim Crowe as its senior vice president of sales and supply. He will oversee the company's bulk and propane plants and supply operations. He previously was manager of the CITGO Petroleum Corp.'s commercial sales department...

LP Gas Magazine.(PEOPLE)
May 1, 2007... Brian Richesson has joined the staff of LP Gas Magazine as senior editor. Brian spent the last nine years in the newspaper industry, most recently with The News-Herald in Willoughby, Ohio, where he served as a copy editor. He also worked...

New opportunities for LPG engine fuel.(LET'S TALK)
May 1, 2007... As our nation begins to rethink our energy policies, the current political, economic and public opinion of the energy-conscious society we live in creates real opportunity for propane engine fuel. The media is constantly reminding us of our...

Gas pains.(Cartoon)
May 1, 2007... REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS JUST A "GAS STATION"? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]