A BP branded MRH service station in Cheshire
On 11th January 2016, the European Commission approved the acquisition of MRH by Lone Star; the deal concluded on Tuesday.
Dallas-based Lone Star is a global private equity firm that invests in real estate, equity, credit and other financial assets. Since the establishment of its first fund in 1995, Lone Star has organised fifteen private equity funds with aggregate capital commitments totalling approximately $60 billion.
As the activities of MRH, which owns and operates fuel service stations in the UK and the Channel Islands, do not overlap with those of Lone Star, the Commission therefore concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns. The transaction was examined under the simplified merger review procedure.
In recent years Lone Star has also acquired 89 ‘distressed hotels’ and has since revealed plans to bring these UK hotels together to form a £1 billion company, trading under the name Amaris. The company plans to spend £100 million in renovating the hotels which are in ‘great locations.’FOR MORE ON THE UK RETAIL MARKET – SEE INSIDE OUT IN THE FEBRUARY 2016 ISSUE OF FUEL OIL NEWS – OUT SOON!www.mrhgb.co.ukwww.lonestarfunds.com
Schrader – interested to see how the UK market reacts to this new prototype 6-compartment tanker
A new prototype UNITAS 2020 6-compartment petroleum tanker manufactured by German company Schrader, the first of its kind in the UK is now in service at HOYER Petrolog.
The trailer is designed to carry automotive fuel (UN 1202, UN 1203 & UN 1223), as well as Ethanol (UN 1170) and mixtures of petrol/ethanol (UN 3475). The unit provides a net capacity of 43,000 litres and a tare weight, inclusive of pump, of 5450kg.
“The development of this new prototype is the result of a close partnership with Schrader over a number of years,” said Allan Davison, operations director.
“This ground-breaking tank joins HOYER’s fleet with a number of innovative safety and design features for increased efficiency in supply and delivery and we’re proud to be the first company to bring it to the UK.”
The unique characteristics of the tank include:
The Theo T tanker sets sail from the Port of Corpus Christi bound for Europe
Emco Wheaton, part of Gardner Denver Energy, played a pivotal role in the transfer of the first shipment of U.S. crude oil for export in 40 years.
Using three Emco Wheaton marine loading arms (MLA) the Greek oil tanker, Theo T, was loaded on New Year’s Eve by NuStar Energy at its North Beach Terminal at Port Corpus Christi in Texas. In 2014 Nustar Energy made significant investments in the terminal equipment to cost effectively and safely supply crude oil to the global market.
Integral in NuStar’s ability to load export-size cargoes at a rate of 30,000 barrels per hour was a state-of-the-art metering system, vapour control system, and a dock structure with three marine loading arms. The complete MLA package for NuStar has been designed and manufactured at Emco Wheaton’s custom built plant in Kirchhain, Germany, the company’s MLA engineering and technology hub.
“It’s a great achievement for Emco Wheaton’s marine loading arms to play such an important role in US history and we’re proud to be a part,” said vice president Michael O’Neil. www.emcowheaton.com
Since its launch in 1980 FPS EXPO has become the largest event dedicated to the fuel oil distribution industry
Now in its 36th year FPS EXPO 2016 will be at the new Exhibition Centre Liverpool (ECL) on 20 and 21 April.
“With more exhibitors and larger stands displaying more products and services, we urge all oil and fuel industry professionals to come along,” says Dawn Shakespeare, marketing and events manager for the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS).
More new names have joined the list of exhibitors including Wincanton, Suttons Group, TIP Trailer Services UK, Essar Oil UK, Liquip UK, Backwatch Safety, In Control Projects and Tyretracks.
“Entry to the exhibition, which attracts over 1,200 visitors is FREE and for the first time key industry professionals from the DVSA, HSE and CIRIA are scheduled to speak in a series of seminars,” added Dawn.
“Liverpool benefits from an excellent communications network and visitors can travel to the venue easily from anywhere in the UK or overseas thanks to the motorway network, rail links, and the nearby international airport and the ferry terminals.”
The exhibition will feature more than 100 exhibitors from across the UK and Europe with some of the biggest names in the industry including Scania, MAN Truck and Bus UK, Philips 66, RTN, Kingspan Environmental, Hytek, Emco Wheaton, Pen Underwriting incorporating OAMPS, Williams Tankers, Valero Energy and Mabanaft.To register to visit FPS EXPO 2016 for FREE go to www.fpsshow.co.uk
Graeme McFaull – ‘delighted and privileged’ to become chairman of the Suttons Group
Graeme McFaull was appointed as chairman of the Suttons Group earlier this month. His appointment follows the untimely death of Michael Sutton, the former longstanding chairman, in May 2015.
“The Group board is unanimously agreed that Graeme McFaull is an ideal candidate to chair Suttons at this exciting stage in the company’s history,” said CEO John Sutton.
“Graeme has significant experience in the management and chairmanship of logistics and supply chain businesses. He understands the competitiveness of our industry and also has a strong empathy with our culture and commitment to serving our customers.
Graeme was formerly chief executive of Wincanton, where he was instrumental in securing the company’s position as a major force in European logistics. Graeme is currently involved as a non-executive with a UK construction group and as chairman of a logistics real estate investment company. He is a chartered management accountant and spent his early career in senior finance roles with PepsiCo and Cargill.
“I am delighted and privileged to become chairman of a company with such a rich heritage as Suttons,” said Graeme. “I look forward to being part of the team that builds upon the strong position we hold in the market today.”www.suttonsgroup.com
To tackle the problem of recruiting and retaining staff in the logistics industry, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is to hold a Logistics Skills Shortage Summit in March.
The FTA Logistics Skills Summit – Attract, Recruit, Retain, will be held at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Thursday 17th March and is a FREE to attend event with tickets offered on a first come, first served basis. The event follows last year’s successful Driver Crisis Summit which attracted more than 600 delegates.
“The past 12 months have seen a slight improvement in the number of unfilled driver vacancies across the sector,” stated James Hookham, FTA’s deputy chief executive.
“The government’s recognition of the need to professionalise the industry through its new HGV Driver Trailblazer Apprenticeships is a huge step forward.
“However, there is still a great deal to be done to make the industry more attractive and to help employers recruit and retain staff. We need to improve the public perception of logistics and make it a desirable place to work. The summit will build on the success of last year’s event and help employers to develop effective strategies for recruitment and retention.”
The summit will feature a number of key speakers and interactive workshops focusing on attracting new talent into the industry; recruiting from specific sectors including school leavers, armed service leavers, EU workers and NEETS (young people not in education, employment or training); and retaining the skills that organisations currently have.
According to Manpower UK – recruitment of engineers and technicians is the most difficult with professional drivers being the third. There is currently a shortage of 45,000 HGV drivers in the sector with employers also having problems recruiting in other areas, such as warehousing.
To register for a FREE place at the Logistics Skills Summit, please visit the FTA website www.fta.co.uk/events
Inter Terminals is now the largest bulk liquid storage provider in Scandinavia with comprehensive facilities on both sides of the Danish Straits
As demand for storage outstrips supply, Inter Terminals has made a multi-million Euro investment.
The investment is in large ship handling and oil storage at the Asnaes Oil Terminal (AOT) in the Danish Straits, the third most active channel for oil products in the world.
Dredging and improvement works at AOT’s main oil quay and an adjacent jetty have resulted in deepening the drafts to 11.5m and 14.2m respectively. The jetties are able to accommodate vessels of Aframax and Suezmax up to 180,000 tonnes. To match this new loading/unloading capability two tanks at the terminal are being recommissioned, providing an additional 40,000 cubic metres of oil storage.
New developments – the installation of mixers/blenders in heated fuel oil and vacuum gas oil (VGO) tanks and radar-based tank gauging technology – at Asnaes are part of an upgrade programme at all four Danish terminals.
AOT, one of four coastal oil terminals operated by Inter Terminals in Denmark, is capable of storing 430,000 cubic metres of products, with the other terminals located at Ensted, Stigsnaes and Gulfhavn. The AOT complex occupies a strategic position for international movement of fuel oil destined for Europe, Asia and the USA.
Inter Terminals’ most recent acquisition in Sweden strengthens the company’s position on the Baltic still further with four terminals totaling 1.2 million cubic metres at the country’s principal ports of Göteborg, Malmö, Södertälje and Gävle. Occupying prime positions that cover both the west coast and Baltic Sea product flows, the terminals provide specialist storage, handling, and distribution for a diverse range of products including fuel oil, diesel, jet fuel, VGO and bitumen.
“Average utilisation rates across our European storage network in the first three quarters of 2015 were 93% compared with 77% for the same period in 2014,” said chief executive Martyn Lyons.
“Our ongoing investment in this strategically important location means we’re ready and able to meet the fast changing needs of the market and our customers.”www.InterTerminals.com
OPW has completed the acquisition of Tokheim Group S.A.S.’s dispenser and systems businesses.
One of the most recognised brands in the retail fueling industry, Tokheim manufactures fuel dispensers, retail automation systems and payment solutions and hasa presence in Europe, Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia-Pacific.
“Both Tokheim and OPW have been leaders in the retail fueling industry for more than a century,” said David Crouse, OPW president. “By integrating Tokheim’s advanced line of dispensers and automation systems, the combined business will be able to offer our customers an unparalleled end-to-end fueling solution.”
Tokheim is the fifth major acquisition for OPW in the past two plus years, and matches previous acquisitions, including Fibrelite, KPS, Jump, Liquip, of category-leading brands outside the North American market.
“OPW’s goal is to bring the very best solutions to our customers in all regions of the world,” said Keith Moye, OPW VP of global marketing. “Our combined product portfolio now comprises the industry’s broadest product offering, enabling us to bring a more complete solution to our customers.”
www.opwglobal.com/opw-retail-fueling/tokheim-microsite
To open further discussions between government and industry on the subject of oil heating and oil buying groups, the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) has written to MPs and energy minister Amber Rudd.
With the need to combat fuel poverty and cut CO2 emissions high on the government agenda, the FPS is urging the government to offer additional help to off grid energy customers. This includes offering incentives to replace an estimated 900,000 old oil boilers with condensing boilers which would save every customer at least 20% off their fuel bills and reduce CO2 emissions at the same time.
The Thurrock facility has longer reach hoses, improved pump speed and additional pumps
Following ‘significant on-site investment’ Certas Energy reopened its Silwood depot refuelling facility at West Thurrock in late December.
The depot now offers 12 multi-product fill‑points (pumping derv, gas oil or Ad Blue) with increased pump speeds for faster refuelling, plus 24‑hour availability to enable HGVs to refuel all day, every day.
Andrew Goodwin, sales & operations manager, said: “Thurrock is our flagship bunkering facility with a storage capacity of 230,000 litres. Safety is our first priority. With our site operational 24 hours a day, we’ve taken extra measures to ensure customers are safe at all times, with state-of-the-art surveillance and electronic monitoring facilities to check stock levels and transactions.”
Gary Brown, driver trainer from bulk distributor, Reynolds Logistics, commented: “We have 25 drivers using this Thurrock facility, drawing on average 2,600 litres a day (13,000 a week). The location of the bunkering facility in Thurrock is particularly convenient, just a two minute drive from our own depot. Like a number of other haulage or distribution companies located in this part of London, we rely on our fleet being fuelled quickly and easily to go about our business. All of our drivers are allocated a fuel card, which makes the refuelling process smoother and stress-free for all involved.”fuelcards.certasenergy.co.uk/
