Jeremy Hawksley (director general, OFTEC), Martyn Bridges (new OFTEC chairman), Nick Hawkins, DESO Engineering (new OFTEC vice chairman) and Barry Gregory, Riello (outgoing OFTEC chairman)
This was just one of the many questions asked at OFTEC’s AGM last month when the long term future of the oil heating industry was under debate.
In the first quarter of 2013 oil boiler sales increased by 22% compared to last year.
Sales at the end of 2012 also showed an improvement on the previous year. Commenting on the news, OFTEC director general, Jeremy Hawksley said: “Most boiler sales are distress purchases and the healthy results are due partly to the cold weather the UK has experienced this winter. However, it also underlines the public’s continued enthusiasm for oil heating and the fact that upgrading to a modern oil condensing boiler will bring an immediate saving in heating costs. This is by far the simplest and most cost-effective change that existing oil heating users can make”.
OFTEC is promoting the benefits of oil heating to rural households with Oilsave leaflets and flyers. The flyer offers homeowners a booklet about energy efficiency which is available FREE from OFTEC.
http://www.oilsave.org.uk/
Visitors to FPS EXPO 2013 admire WCF Fuels’ latest tanker. Built by RTN Lakeland, it features WCF Fuels’ new logo
Visitor numbers at this year’s FPS EXPO, where 98 exhibitors displayed the latest advances in oil distribution technology, were up 7% on last year.
“There was a real buzz about the place this year and that showed in the level of enquiries we received, as well as the general atmosphere we experienced,” reported Kiran Shaw, operations manager at IFC Inflow.
“It is our most important show of the year, we really enjoy attending and catching up with both customers and suppliers, old and new.
“FPS EXPO is a very focused show, targeted specifically to our customer base” said an Emco Wheaton spokesperson. “It offers an opportunity to showcase our latest developments to a large audience.”
New FPS president Mark Nolan addressed an audience of industry professionals at the awards dinner where John Bussell of Moorland Fuels took the coveted Driver of the Year award, sponsored by OAMPS Petrochemical. The runners up were Bob Cook of GB Oils and Mark Summerfield of Heltor.
Planning has already begun for the 34th FPS EXPO which will again be held in Harrogate on 9 & 10 April 2014. Many of this year’s exhibitors will be returning and 41% of the stand space has already been sold.www.fpsshow.co.uk
