Keen to reach more homes and businesses across the South East, Watson Fuels has opened a new depot in Headcorn, Kent. It joins Watson Fuels’ network of nearly 35 depots across the UK which, together, offer national reach combined with the friendly local service Watson Fuels customers have come to expect for over 60 years.
The Headcorn depot replaces an existing facility in Hawkhurst, Kent, and brings with it greater capacity to serve more customers. Through this new purpose-built depot, Watson Fuels is now able to take on new customers in the area and can serve homes and businesses in even the most rural locations across the South East.
“Kent has excellent road links, one of the UK’s busiest ports in Dover, and hundreds of fantastic rural businesses,” Scott Roberts – operations & logistics director at Watson Fuels explains. “It makes sense for us to invest in the area – a location that remains key to both national and local industry. Our new depot enables us to reach more customers across the region, helping businesses and families in the South East to manage their fuel supply easily and cost-effectively.”
“I am delighted to be in a position to confirm the new site at Headcorn, Kent is now fully operational. The new site further supports our desire to be our customers’ number one choice in Kent. And, for our colleagues, the new site investment demonstrates our commitment to them ensuring they have the facilities to operate safely and efficiently as we grow our business further.”
The new Headcorn depot marks the latest in a series of operational investments by Watson Fuels. In the last 18 months, the distributor has opened a new facility in Grangemouth – the first Watson depot in Scotland – and a new operational location in East London, as well as improving the tank infrastructure and capacity within a number of existing depot and office locations. Watson has also been modernising its 350-strong fleet of tankers and will have replaced over 30% of the fleet with brand-new vehicles before the end of 2021.
The investments are key steps in making sure that, as Watson Fuels’ services grow, it continues to stay reliable, offering customers a cost-effective, efficient and dependable service.
Essar Oil UK’s Stanlow Manufacturing Complex has achieved Gold in the internationally-renowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, which offer a prime opportunity to benchmark safety performance year on year and ensure consistent performance between sites. They also provide an effective route to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to raising health and safety standards.
Established in 1956, the longest-running industry awards scheme in the UK, which receives over 2,000 entries from organisations around the world, recognises achievement in health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.
Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of qualifications, awards and events, said;
“The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations around the world, making it one of the most sought-after global accolades in health and safety.
“RoSPA wants every employee, wherever they are, to work safe in the knowledge that they will be going home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day. The RoSPA Award winners are vital to help achieve this goal, as by entering they are driving up standards and setting new benchmarks for organisations everywhere. Currently, around seven million people are directly impacted by the RoSPA Awards, but the scheme’s influence is even wider.”
Jon Barden, chief operating officer at Essar, commented;
“Health and Safety is a continuous focus for everyone at Essar. We are pleased to once again receive the Gold RoSPA award, recognising our commitment to maintaining the highest health and safety standards and safe working environment which ensures our staff and business partners get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.”
Adler and Allan has agreed a three-year partnership with Hoyer Petrolog UK Ltd to carry out road tanker testing across its road fuel tanker fleet.
The contract will include holding their fleet details on a secure database, to ensure that all tests are carried out on schedule. Clients have password-protected database access to view their fleet information, including test results and certificates.
The integrity of the barrel and tank on road tankers should be tested every two years according to the Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1992.
Adler and Allan is approved by the Department for Transport to provide road tanker testing across the UK and issue Safe Loading Passes as well as meeting strict UKAS standards. The company is also approved and accredited for testing general purpose and bitumen tanks as well as meter and fire extinguisher testing which is required annually.
Andrew Clarke, Forecourt Services managing director, Adler and Allan, said;
“We are delighted that Hoyer Petrolog UK Ltd has trusted us with their road tanker testing in the UK. As well as road tanker testing we are accredited to perform vapour tightness testing, intermediate and periodic inspection and testing.
“We are also experts in chemical compliance and have a 24/7 hazardous materials advice line. If you are transporting any bulk liquid in the UK, we can ensure you remain compliant and safe.”
The news follows the latest announcement that Adler and Allan has extended its leak detection capability by offering Leighton O’Brien’s Automatic Tank Gauge Alarm Management solution and Wetstock Live fuel management software to the UK petroleum industry.
Family business, Gardner Garages Limited, has recently opened another Texaco site, City Service Station in Hereford. This will bring the current number of Gardner Garages sites under the Texaco brand to four with their first site Gardner General Garage in Huntley joining over 20 years ago. The three existing sites have recently signed long term renewals with the Texaco brand as well.
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Portico, a deep-water cargo terminal owned by Portsmouth City Council and based within Portsmouth International Port, is taking action to minimise its impact on local air quality by powering its cargo handling operations with a low emission alternative fuel.
The business is working with Certas Energy to implement the use of a cleaner burning diesel alternative, Shell GTL Fuel, in its port side fleet, plant and machinery.
Exclusively supplied in the UK by Certas Energy, Gas-To-Liquid (GTL) is a paraffinic fuel known for its improved combustion properties. It is proven to reduce emission levels of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) to immediately improve local air quality.
Trials have shown that Shell GTL Fuel can reduce NOx emissions by up to 37% and PM by up to 50% compared to conventional diesel. As a drop-in fuel, Shell GTL Fuel can be used as a direct replacement for diesel to improve air quality without the need for expensive modifications to existing engines or investment in infrastructure.
The fuel is free of unwanted components such as sulphur, metals and aromatics, which make it non-toxic, biodegradable and less harmful to the environment. This is a significant added benefit for Portico, which works in close proximity to marine ecosystems.
Shell GTL Fuel also produces less odour, smoke and engine noise than conventional diesel to create a more pleasant working environment for port operatives. Its improved engine starting performance in colder conditions makes it a year-round reliable fuel choice.
The low emission fuel will be used across Portico’s extensive fleet of vehicles, plant and machinery, helping to reduce ongoing maintenance costs.
Steve Williams, operations director at Portico, said; “We are constantly pursuing cleaner ways of working to minimise our environmental impact in the port area and for the local community. By transitioning to a cleaner burning fuel with Certas Energy, we can reduce harmful local emissions of PM and NOx to make an immediate and positive difference to local air quality.”
Further to news of the significant safety milestone achieved at Stanlow, a donation of £3,000 has been made to the Ellesmere Port based Boaty Theatre Company to support the delivery of their summer programme for local children. The funds were raised through Essar’s ‘Let’s Give’ scheme, which links the company’s commitment to safety directly with charitable giving and came after one million hours without a Recordable Injury were recently achieved at the refinery.
The awarding-winning team at The Boaty Theatre Company provide a safe and a supportive environment for local young people of all abilities to achieve their creative ambitions through on-going projects, performances, workshops and creative activities. Boaty Theatre were quick to adapt to the Covid-19 pandemic, moving rehearsals online and social groups going virtual to ensure all their regular beneficiaries were safe and well during isolation. In response to challenges facing the local community, the team devised and launched a free summer programme, which local young people could join in person or online.
Consisting of four hours of creative workshops every weekday throughout the holidays, the programme includes drama sessions, creative writing and music production, together with yoga, mindfulness and art therapy. The team also created activity packs required to join in workshops from home. These were given to over 400 local children, helping families struggling with the cost of home schooling. The charity has also been able to provide in excess of 30 free lunches every day through external support.
Artistic director for The Boaty Theatre Company and Summer Programme Lead, Laura Harris, said; “We were delighted to discover that Essar knew of and wished to support our work. This surprising donation will really help us out and enable us to address differentiated provision for the remainder of the summer programme. It’s so encouraging to be recognised in such a manner and be supported by a company so intrinsically linked with the town.”
Sponsors of the Valero UK Benefit for Children Classic have gone above and beyond for charity, donating over £169,000 for children’s charities, even though the event this year did not take place. When the annual charity golf and karting event was cancelled earlier in the year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Valero was concerned that the charities would miss out. So they asked their sponsors if they would help out.
Last week UKIFDA announced, through social media, that it has begun the search for a new CEO.
Posting on LinkedIn, UKIFDA outlined the high-profile role and its desire to find an inspiring leader to drive a culture of collaboration and engagement, whilst continuing to deliver UKIFDA’s strategy and future vision to steer the transition to renewable fuels in future energy policy in the UK and Ireland.
Having taken on the role in February 2018, and worked tirelessly, in support of the membership, to keep liquid fuels on the future energy agenda, current CEO Guy Pulham commented; “I look forward to handing over to my successor. Someone with renewables experience who can help ensure that bio liquid fuels are included in consumers’ decarbonisation choices in the UK and Ireland.”
A spokesperson for UKIFDA said; “In order to fulfil this role, we are seeking to appoint a dynamic candidate. Whether a serving CEO, or you are looking for a career step, the ideal candidate will have experience or a strong working knowledge within the renewable sector and a good understanding of the UK fuel distribution industry, operating and influencing at government level with established industry and government contacts and relationships”.
The closing date for applications is August 28.
The Craggs Energy Group has appointed a new chief financial officer and is actively seeking several acquisitions across the North of England.
TSA associate member Reynolds Training Services has had its Bulk Storage Operator Technician qualification approved by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) – the first level 3 diploma to be approved by IChemE.
Part of a two-year apprenticeship offering a wider focus on process and occupational safety, human factors and emergency response and aligning these elements with technical operations, approval has been awarded for Reynolds Training Services’ sector leading Bulk Storage Operator Technician level 3 diploma. The programme is a mix of vocational and academic learning delivered in conjunction with HETA (Humberside Engineering Training Association) at Reynolds Training Services’ who are based at the CATCH Training facility in Stallingborough North East Lincolnshire.
John Reynolds, managing director at Reynolds Training Services, said; “This is a huge milestone in the progression of this qualification and embedding it into the apprenticeship programme and offers a real career pathway for those entering the industry, or for those currently employed within the sector and looking for a wider progression route.
“It was brought about through excellent teamwork and coordination with the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), the Tank Storage Association and the wider team at Reynolds Training Services Ltd. I am extremely proud of the work undertaken and the achievement gained.”
The IChemE assessors commended Reynolds Training Services for their outstanding simulation facility of a full-scale tank farm that offers a realistic, professional environment and which provides trainee engineers ample work-based experience in real-world problem-solving and risk assessment for major accident hazards. The assessors also praised the course leaders for teaching the process safety fundamentals at an exceptionally high standard.
Peter Davidson, executive director of the Tank Storage Association, commented; “The bulk liquid storage sector is and will continue to be an important source of career opportunities. With a new wave of innovation and extensive demand for skilled and qualified specialists, we are delighted that this Level 3 Qualification that is embedded into the sector leading apprenticeship programme has received IChemE recognition, a testament to Reynolds Training Services’ commitment to the development of the next generation of talent in the UK.”
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