LP/Gas articles from September 2005

LP/Gas archives from September 2005

Welcome to the family.(an overview of professionals of propane industry)
September 1, 2005... The calendar on the wall says its September, but that can't possibly be right. Where did summer go? It seems like I just got done finding summer jobs for my son and daughter, home from college and scrounging for cash. Both have already returned...

In the know.(public survey on propane industry service)
September 1, 2005... Consumer Survey We called 500 residential propane customers from companies across the United States. Of those we called, 94 participated in a short survey about their propane service. We asked the following questions: Who is your...

Heating degree days by state.(WEATHER WATCH)(Statistical table)
September 1, 2005... Heating degree days by state State July Deviation Last 12 Deviation from norm months from norm Alabama 0 0 2643 -211 Alaska ...

Upcoming events.(Calendar)
September 1, 2005... * Oct. 4 Illinois Propane Education & Research Council meeting in Springfield, IL. For details contact Rhonda Turner at 800-727-6207 or rturner@ilpga.org. * Oct. 4 Pennsylvania Propane Gas Association fall board and membership meeting at...

The importance of safety meetings.(SAFETY FIRST)
September 1, 2005... The question of how often to have scheduled safety meetings can be the bane of propane management. One manager laments, "Why do we have to talk about safety and all the bad things that can happen? It just brings up the negative, eats into...

Is your job candidate capable?(BUSINESS MATTERS)(hiring for propane industry)
September 1, 2005... In last month's column, I gave an overview of the next few columns, which will focus on hiring the best in the propane industry. The three questions posed were: * Does the candidate have the ability to do the job? * Is the able...

Energy bill offers propane incentives.(WASHINGTON REPORT)
September 1, 2005... What's left to say about the energy bill? Plenty. What took the U.S. Congress ore than 10 years to craft and three sessions to pass overcame partisan wrangling and warfare to finally reach the president's desk for his signature. What was...

Summer stocks filling the bill, winter's price a roll of the dice: summer's stock build has been progressing nicely, and propane industry experts anticipate having a healthy 70-million-plus barrel supply going into winter. Pricing, though, remains a roll of the dice, subject to all manners of volatility once the heating season cranks up.
September 1, 2005... The costs of crude oil and natural gas bear watching, as does the weather picture and the infamous bottleneck-producing infrastructure issues. Not to mention the impact of world affairs on petroleum production. The consensus in August was...

Finding good drivers is a tough haul: higher pay and better benefits being offered to recruit and retain fleet personnel.(U.S. Truck Driver Shortage Analysis and Forecasts)
September 1, 2005... A nationwide shortage of truck drivers has propane retailers and distributors struggling to find enough operators to properly pilot their fleets, and may force employers to substantially up their pay scales if they hope to be in high gear when...

Newly passed act previews 'clear' future for propane.(INDUSTRY)
September 1, 2005... Last month, all three parts of the National Propane Gas Association-supported CLEAR Act (Clean Efficient Automobiles Resulting from Advanced Car Technologies) passed the House and Senate, opening the way for the use of alternative fuel energy...

NPGA Executive Committee votes dues increase.(National Propane Gas Association)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The National Propane Gas Association's Executive Committee has voted to raise marketer member dues 3 percent in 2006. The dues increase will affect marketer members only. The yearly membership dues for a marketer's first location will jump...

Propane drivers win exemption from contentious HOS rules.(WASHINGTON, D.C.)(hours-of-service)
September 1, 2005... Propane-delivery drivers will not violate new federal hours-of-service rules if they must respond to an emergency even after their shift is over, under a new exemption included in the national transportation bill. The exemption--one of...

Inergy to buy New York natural gas storage facility.(KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Inergy L.P. announced an agreement to purchase the membership interests of the entities that own the Stagecoach natural gas storage facility located in Tioga County, N.Y., for $205 million. Stagecoach is currently connected to Tennessee Gas...

Williams Partners L.P. announces initial public offering.(TULSA, OKLAHOMA)
September 1, 2005... Williams Partners L.P. announced the pricing of the initial public offering of 5 million common units at $21.50 per unit. The partnership began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "WPZ". The Tulsa, Okla.-based company...

Hearth & Home wins Shingo Prize for excellence.(LAKE CITY, MINNESOTA)(Hearth & Home Technologies)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Hearth & Home Technologies was named one of 15 winners of the 2005 Shingo Prize for excellence in manufacturing. The Minnesota manufacturer was recognized for its work to implement lean and world-class manufacturing practices to improve...

Sharp Propane expands in Texas with bulk route purchase.(FORT WORTH, TEXAS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Sharp Propane has announced that it has purchased the bulk delivery routes of Fort Worth Butane. Sharp purchased the 50-year company from Estelle Prather Jobe. Terms were not disclosed. Sharp's new operations will be located at 5317...

Propane industry scholarship fund grows with donation.(National Propane Gas Foundation Scholarship Fund got donations from CHS Inc. and the CHS Foundation )(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The National Propane Gas Foundation Scholarship Fund has announced that CHS Inc. and the CHS Foundation of Inver Grove Heights, III, have together donated $75,000 to its effort. The donation makes the companies a platinum-plus donor to the...

Group names propane superstars.(SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS)(Adamek Custom Builders)(Briggs Equipment Inc.)(Acme Iron and Metal Co.)(Railroad Commission of Texas)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The Texas Railroad Commission is honoring 17 organizations with its 2005 Propane SuperStar award. The Texas recipients are selected for making propane their fuel of choice. The winners include: Tri-Star Protector Service of Humble;...

New consumer safety brochures, pamphlets available.(from Propane Education and Research Council)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The Propane Education & Research Council has released a new set of consumer brochures and pamphlets to educate consumers about propane safety. The updated materials are designed to reach a number of different customers, including...

New York county plans propane fuel cell/energy storage project.(TOMPKINS, NEW YORK)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... The Delaware County Electric Cooperative in New York State is testing an efficient, clean energy project that will power a home in Tompkins, N.Y. The advanced-technology, residential power generation project features a 5 kW fuel cell that...

Loading device.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Stellar Industries Inc. has a new X-Tra-Lift Utility Pro loading device for full-size, dual rear-wheel chassis with a 60-in. cab-to-axle length. The lifting device can be purchased as part of a delivery truck or separately for...

Battery pack.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... MSA now offers a replaceable battery pack option for its Galaxy Automated Test System for managing MSA gas detection equipment. The AA alkaline batteries provide more than 100 calibrations per Galaxy Test Stand in areas where AC power is...

Digital fax service.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Skymira LLC, a provider of global wireless communication solutions, has launched Sky-Fax, a digital fax service that can send and receive faxes through any Internet connection. The service is designed for those who aren't familiar with...

Bulk transfer hose.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... HBD/Thermoid Inc. has introduced the Flex-Devil, a bulk transfer hose specifically engineered to transfer gasoline, petroleum-based products and a wide range of fats, oils and chemicals. The full-vacuum hose stays flexible and can deliver a...

Vent-free fireplace.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Design Dynamics, maker of vented and vent-free gas log sets, has entered the vent-free fireplace market with its Valiant line of indoor fireplaces. The fireplaces feature a flush-to-the-floor design in 32-, 36- and 42-in. sizes with an...

Patio heater.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... SunStar Heating Products has a heavy-duty, infrared patio heater in stainless steel or black-and-silver painted finishes. The unit provides a circle of heat up to 20 ft. in diameter, and is rated to 40,000 Btu/hour. The weighted base is...

Handheld gas detector.(PRODUCTS)(Innotek Corp.)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Innotek Corp. has a new handheld gas detector designed as an affordable means of identifying propane leaks in recreational vehicles. The pen-size unit, which weighs just 3 ounces, can reach into difficult-to access areas where tank...

Space heaters.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Space-Ray has expanded its line of low-intensity, gas-fired U-tube heaters to 21 models with capacities that range from 40,000 to 250,000 Btu/hour for industrial and commercial applications. The heaters, built for natural or propane gas,...

T-connection tool.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... TaKMaC, LLC, introduces its Timmy T-Tight tool for connecting flared T-connections to copper tubing. Instead of using two adjustable wrenches, try using this tool to hold the horizontal portion of the T connection while tightening the...

Fireplace mantel.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Hearthside Designs offers its line of wood cabinet fireplace mantels made from Lyptus trees planted to preserve South American forests. The company says the trees used to craft the mantels are interspersed with reintroduced indigenous...

Gas log sets.(PRODUCTS)
September 1, 2005... Vanguard offers a new line of maintenance-free, vent-free and vented gas log sets. The Firewerks sets are assembled in the factory as a combined log-and-grate unit for easy installation. They hook up directly to gas, with a look of natural wood...

Tarantin Tank & Equipment.(PEOPLE)(John Edden appointed as sales marketer)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... John Edden has been hired by Tarantin Tank & Equipment Co. to help strengthen its sales department in Florida and Georgia. He will also be responsible for overseeing the company's new warehouse and southeast distribution center in Hastings,...

New Jersey Propane Gas Assoc.(PEOPLE)(New Jersey Propane Gas Association awarded Gerald C. Stocker )(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Gerald C. Stocker of Lebanon, N.J., is the recipient of the Howard Card Safety Award by the New Jersey Propane Gas Association. Since 1995, Stocker has served as the president of Thomas Associates Inc., an engineering and construction firm...

Cavagna.(PEOPLE)
September 1, 2005... Cavagna North America Inc. has appointed Matt S. Gimmer as its product manager for compressed gas equipment. Gimmer previously worked for Messer GT&S. He is responsible for industrial, medical and specialty gas valves and related compressed...

Stellar Industries.(PEOPLE)(Steve Schnieders appointed as manager of operations)(David Backus appointed as chief financial officer)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... Stellar Industries Inc. announces the appointment of two people to new posts. Steve Schnieders has been named manager of operations. He previously served as the engineering manager for Stellar. Schnieders will now oversee management of all...

William Clark.(PEOPLE)(editor at Butane-Propane News, dies)(Obituary)(Brief article)
September 1, 2005... William Clark, owner of Butane-Propane News and a leader in the propane industry for 50 years, died Aug. 8 at age 88. Clark joined BPN as editor in 1958, and acquired the propane industry trade magazine in 1969. His daughter, Natalie Peal,...

New consumer safety education materials available.(LET'S TALK)
September 1, 2005... The propane industry has three new powerful tools to communicate important safety information to its customers that demonstrate the industry's serious commitment to the safety and well being of propane consumers. The new materials are the first...

Gas pains.
September 1, 2005... Caption: I'm looking for the part where we're not longer dependent on foreign oil Don't waste your energy [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]