Spotlight 20
One of the leading fuel distribution companies in Ireland, and parent company of Certas Energy, DCC, has agreed to buy Jones Oil for an undisclosed sum.
Trading in Ireland under the Emo brand, DCC’s Energy division notified the transaction to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on Friday 30th April. Currently in the preliminary investigation phase, third party submissions can be made until May 18.
Jones Oil, founded in 1984 as Jones Distribution, is an entirely Irish-owned company, headquartered in Dublin. It supplies homeheating oil and commercial fuels to the agricultural, commercial, industrial and marine sectors from 15 depots in the East, Midlands and North-West of the country.
Pat Nevin, who has held the position of CEO of Jones Oil for over 20 years, was instrumental in restructuring the business as an oil distributorship. For years the company was one of the largest Esso distributors in Ireland and covered the Midlands and North of the Republic with Suttons (covering the South/South West) and Three Rivers (covering the South East). In 2007, Pat Nevin oversaw the acquisition of Three Rivers.
With a fleet of 45 tankers and 150 staff members, Jones Oil had Euro 138 million in turnover in 2019 – an increase of 13.5pc compared to 2018.
DCC, a diversified holdings company specialising in distribution and marketing, is one of the biggest Irish companies by value (£6.25bn) and is a member of the FTSE 100 index of large companies.
The company has spent £3.3bn on 280 bolt-on acquisitions in the last 26 years since the company floated on the stock market and two-thirds of its profit growth comes from its mergers and acquisitions activity. Fuel distribution accounts for three quarters of DCC’s profits, with the remainder coming from healthcare and technology divisions.
Ben is excited to announce that Ben Ball is back this year and will be held at the iconic venue, the Roundhouse in Camden, London, on 8th December.
Watson Fuels has recently announced that customers can now purchase Carbon Offset Fuel from the company. A proportion of the price paid for fuel will go towards projects that compensate for the carbon impact of the fuel being used.
The company has stated that it only purchases carbon offsets from projects that have been independently verified against international standards, providing a robust methodology and registry process that ensures emission reductions are real, additional, permanent and unique.
The offsets are currently being procured from a range of solar and wind projects across India through Watson Fuels’ sister company World Kinect Energy Services, with all projects meeting the Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). The offsets represent reduction happening in the last five years and support UN Sustainable Development goals 7 and 13.
As part of the combustion process, all liquid fuels release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. CO2E (CO2 equivalent) is a metric used to convert the net impact of these gases into an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide with the same global warming potential. All liquid fuels have a CO2E conversion factor. Buying fuel from Watson Fuels means that a proportion of the price paid for fuel goes towards projects that compensate for the carbon impact of the fuel used.
“We were pleased to launch our Carbon Offset Fuel offering to customers this April,” comments Ian Probert, marketing director. “We’ve been fortunate to be able to leverage the expertise, scale and buying power of our colleagues at World Kinect Energy Services, who have decades of experience in both the carbon markets and the sustainability space.”
Any distributors looking to purchase carbon offsets through World Fuel Services, are invited to call the wholesale fuel desk on 0207 808 5137.
From what was once a traditionally male dominated industry, greater diversity is being seen every day within distribution companies, suppliers and trade bodies. We spoke with Emily Yates, who joined Craggs Energy in 2015, about her role as a young, female fuel oil distributor.
Fresh blood
I joined the Craggs’ new apprenticeship scheme in 2015, called ‘Craggs Academy’ which was created to entice young people to learn about the industry and join the fuels sales world. This worked brilliantly, as myself and two others that joined the academy are still working for Craggs Energy to this day.
After completing the apprenticeship, Craggs offered me a full-time position in the customer service department, a role which I filled for around two years, before moving into a domestic and agriculture sales role. Around the same time, I started making fuel deliveries in the evenings and weekends in our 4×4.
A new challenge
Prior to joining Craggs, I went to college, completed a qualification in childcare, learning and development and, during this time, I worked in schools and nurseries in Calderdale. I quickly fancied a change in career and saw the apprenticeship advertised. I knew I wanted to learn something completely new and challenge myself with something very different to what I had been doing.
Craggs Energy not only gave me that challenge but helped massively with self-confidence. I’ve come on leaps and bounds since joining the company and have not looked back since. Talking to customers over the phone and face to face on fuel deliveries has helped in a big way.
I love the fact that I can be in the office selling fuel and lubricants during the day and, once the office is closed, I am out and about meeting customers face to face whilst delivering their fuel. I cover the whole of our deliverable area in the 4×4 for emergency run outs and hard to access properties. I love going to new places and meeting new people too.
Settling in
I settled in quickly to what has previously been a male dominated industry. I had a lot of support from my managers at Craggs, including our CEO Chris Bingham – he has really helped me get to where I am today, and I can’t thank him enough for what he has done for me over the years. When I first wanted to make fuel deliveries, I went to Chris with the idea and he was over the moon. Chris, alongside other managers, helped to make it happen.
Although I have been making deliveries for almost four years now, a lot of people are still surprised when they see me turn up with their fuel. The majority are happy to see a woman working hard and getting the job done, just as well as anybody else could. I believe there is no reason or barriers to prevent women joining the operations side of this industry and making deliveries. From a Landrover to a ridged, to an artic, why not? It would be brilliant to see a lot more women doing these roles.
Looking ahead
Now, I am extremely keen to get my HGV and ADR licence to be able to deliver on tankers as well as the 4×4. I have just recently moved job roles from a sales role to becoming part of the transport team and helping out with operations. I am more than willing to better my skills in a wide range of job roles with Craggs Energy.
In our April ‘branding and marketing’ print issue, we considered how companies in the sector have adapted and evolved their communication styles and branding in response to market developments, the energy transition and, more recently, Covid-19. Here, Mark Todd, wholesale business manager for Phillips 66 Limited, speaks in depth with content editor Stephanie Samuel about the brand position and values of Phillips 66 and JET and explains how, for them, with clear communication being more important than ever, consistency is key.
The supplier of choice
Phillips 66 continues to reinforce its retail position in the UK with its new JET branding being rolled out across its 300+ sites nationwide and the hugely popular ‘Keep On Moving’ TV campaign due to be back on our screens at the end of May.
As the industry continues to diversify many retail sites are following suit and reinventing themselves beyond the traditional fuels offering. The recent reopening of JET’s New North Road station in Ilford is a prime example of a forecourt and retail transformation.
Owned and managed by Janu Patel for the past 20 years, the ambitious makeover has been driven by Kayur, Janu’s son – who has joined his father in running the business.
The new-look forecourt demands attention with JETs iconic colour palette of yellow, blue and grey. The canopy, complete with a silver-grey fascia, includes distinctive yellow LED lighting that as well as improving visibility also facilitates greater levels of safety. Every element of the new branding has been designed to be welcoming and friendly – to deliver a first-rate forecourt experience.
“This transformation is extremely impressive,” says Chris Murphy, retail account manager, Phillips 66 Limited “and it’s testament to Janu and Kayur’s belief in the business and their ambitions for its future. At JET we have enjoyed a 20-year partnership with New North Road that continues to go from strength to strength and we couldn’t be happier that the new-look forecourt has been received so positively.”
Commenting on the makeover Kayur Patel says: “My father has been serving the community for the past 20 years – and this investment in the business is a big commitment for us as a family. I was recently asked for any significant stand-out moments in the last 20 years and this is it, 2021 is the standout year. We have a great relationship with JET and the new branding is fresh and modern – and really stands out. We look forward to 20 more years”.
A significant safety milestone at the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex has seen a £3,000 donation made to Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) charity, Families United (Warrington).
This spring sees OTS Group Ltd celebrating its 50th anniversary and, from humble beginnings in 1971 in a farm cowshed to becoming a leader in the fuel industry, the company has never lost sight of its values.
Essar Oil UK is pleased to announce the further strengthening of its executive leadership team with the appointment of Mark Pennifold as chief people officer.
Greenergy has completed the acquisition of Amber Petroleum (‘Amber’), an independent fuel retailer and distributor based in the Republic of Ireland. The completion of this transaction gives Greenergy a growing presence in Ireland where it currently markets through Inver Energy.
Christian Flach, Greenergy CEO said:
“This transaction is a key part of our growth strategy in our key markets and it will allow us to continue to expand our integrated platform in Ireland, building on our existing infrastructure, supply and retail operations. I look forward to welcoming the Amber team to Greenergy.”
Amber’s existing management team and staff will remain in place.
A significant safety milestone reached at Essar Stanlow has seen a £3,000 donation made to The Alzheimer’s Society. The award recognises the recent achievement of reaching one million hours without a recordable injury at the Ellesmere Port site. The funds were raised through Essar’s ‘Let’s Give’ scheme, which links the company’s commitment to safety directly with charitable giving. Essar employees and business partners nominate a chosen charity as safety milestones are met.
Ulceby Truckstop in Immingham is the latest addition to Mabanaft’s growing portfolio of UK truckstops. Another top-tier site, Ulceby, was selected for its strategic location just outside Immingham docks.
Europump Maintenance Ltd has extended its partnership with global fuel and lubricant dispensing solutions company Hytek by becoming an approved verifier for its fuelling equipment.
The inclusion of the Hytek products in the Section 11A certificate issued by The Office for Product Safety and Standards means that Europump Maintenance Ltd has authority to carry out initial verification and in -service verification on the Pumptronics Alpha and C Series range of fuel dispensers.
“This is a great move for all parties concerned as it means our engineers can commission and verify the dispensers during the same visit, undertake any in service reverification following repairs, providing a cost effective solution to the customer ” explained Martyn Gent, Business Development Manager at Europump Maintenance Ltd.
Europump Maintenance Ltd has also welcomed the news that Hytek has purchased OLE Gauges.
OLE provides a wide range of high accuracy tank gauge equipment for the aviation, commercial fuel, petro-chemical, and road transport sectors.
“This is good news for us as it gives us easier access to the products,” Martyn Gent commented. “OLE gauges are renowned for their quality and accuracy – two things that are vital in our industry. Their accuracy is second to none and they come with ATEX approval.”
Environmental risk reduction business, Adler and Allan, has announced the acquisition of three companies into the group: electrical specialists AMGS Electrical, hazardous material specialist Flotech Performance Systems Limited (Flotech) and industrial sewage specialist and underground infrastructure specialist Oneline Surveys.
The acquisition announcement follows the recent changes to Adler and Allan’s senior leadership team and supports its ambitious growth plans to solve more customer challenges in a broader range of sectors with a joined-up approach to its services.
AMGS Electrical undertake a wide range of electrical services nationwide and specialise in design, installation, commissioning, and maintenance particularly in the evolving forecourt sector. With an expert team of highly accredited electrical engineers, it will provide outstanding technical support to Adler and Allan’s customers particularly in retail forecourts. This acquisition complements its existing electrical services offering.
Andrew Clarke, energy infrastructure director, Adler and Allan, said: “The acquisition allows us to further execute our strategy, helping clients maintain and decarbonise their energy infrastructure and install new electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, as the world transitions to a mixed energy future. By combining this with our other energy and forecourt services, we are now able to be a much more strategic environmental partner to customers.”
Flotech provides design, fabrication, consultancy, project management, planned and reactive maintenance for the storage, transfer and distribution of industrial liquids, gases and waste. Its highly specialised services cover; additive and blending, fluid transfer, access solutions, storage tank equipment, and vapour recovery.
Mike Willink, group development director, Adler and Allan, said: “With our already extensive capability in hazardous materials, this acquisition helps us to handle an even greater range of substances in a broader set of situations and environments, including those that will become more important in the future, such as hydrogen. By combining this acquisition with our existing environmental services, we are now able to be a much more strategic environmental partner to our customers.”
Oneline Surveys provides highly specialised surveys of underground infrastructure as well as cleaning, handling and uplift of hazardous liquid waste from industrial tanks and sewers. Oneline has over 30 years combined experience in planning, mobilising and successfully completing large scale surveying and cleaning projects, including tank and siphon cleaning and confined space entries.
Robert Evans, environmental services director, Adler and Allan, said: “This acquisition will allow us to offer a more extensive environmental risk audit of our customers’ underground infrastructure so they can better manage and mitigate risk. It will also position us as the go-to leader in emergency response to sewerage pollution incidents. Combined with our other environmental services, we are now a more strategic environmental partnership to our customers.”
Exolum was one of 14 companies to win an award at the second edition of the UK-Spain Business Awards, which recognise innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship in fourteen Spanish and British companies.
The award was presented at a virtual gala hosted by the British Ambassador and attended by Britain’s Minister for Investment at the Department for International Trade, Gerry Grimstone, and Spain’s Secretary of State for Trade, Xiana Méndez.
The UK-Spain Business Awards, which are held in conjunction with the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain and Banco Santander, recognise companies whose business activity in Spain and the United Kingdom has boosted trade relations between the two countries. Specifically, Exolum won the award in the Growth in the UK category for the significant expansion the company undertook last year in the UK.
At the end of 2020, the company added 15 new liquid product storage terminals to its portfolio, 11 of which are located in the UK. With this acquisition, Exolum has consolidated its presence in the UK market and initiated operations in the rest of Europe.
In addition, Exolum has expanded its service offering to include the storage, management and transportation of new liquid products, particularly chemical products, and has begun to operate in new sectors, such as eco-fuels, the circular economy and the development of new energy vectors.
Exolum currently employs more than 2,300 professionals and operates in eight countries, where it manages a pipeline network of over 6,000 kilometres, 68 storage terminals and 45 airport facilities with a total storage capacity of more than 11 million cubic metres.
The Grangemouth firm, Rix Petroluem (Scotland) Ltd has teamed up with a campaign launched by an ex-Scotland rugby star to help tackle motor neuron disease (MND).
The charity was set up by Doddie Weir OBE and close friends after the former international player was diagnosed with MND in 2017. The organisation has two main objectives: to raise funds to invest in MND, and to support people living with the disease and help them live as full a life as possible.
Gail Fawcett, Rix Petroleum business unit manager at its Grangemouth depot, is confident the company can support the organisation by raising a significant sum. She said: “My Name’5 Doddie is such a worthwhile cause, we want to do them proud.
“We’re planning a lot of activities that we can do despite Covid. We’re determined that won’t hamper our efforts.”
Mark Cessford, general manager at the fuel firm’s Montrose base, said: “Doddie Weir OBE is a national hero in Scotland and a household name to rugby fans across the world.
“So, when he announced he had been diagnosed with MND, it really brought home that developing this awful condition can happen to anyone. As someone who has followed his career, I admire the way he has brought as much grit and determination to his personal fight and to the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation as he did his rugby.
“Naturally then, when it became time for us to choose a charity to support, this was top of our list.”
To help the charity, Rix Petroleum has created point-of-sale material for their depots to inform customers about its work and has appealed for donations.
The company has also taken its support of the foundation on the road by displaying branding on the back of a tanker to help spread its message. Rix Petroleum is also putting together a range of Covid-friendly fundraising events and aim to raise money at any agricultural shows that go ahead in 2021.
In the March issue of Fuel Oil News magazine, with April marking the first anniversary of her retirement, we caught up with Jane Raphael, a familiar face to many of you as the former editor of Fuel Oil News magazine. Find out a little more about the person responsible for bringing you all the news from the industry for over 21 years.
Environmental risk reduction specialist, Adler and Allan, is announcing changes to its senior leadership team effective 1 March 2021. This supports its ambitious growth plans as the UK’s leading provider of environmental risk reduction services, covering both emergency response and scheduled maintenance across a wide range of critical asset infrastructure and contaminants.
Henrik Pedersen will become group managing director, having previously held the role of group commercial director. He will provide a clear focus on commercial growth based upon the depth of the group’s technical expertise and track record of exceptional service to its customers.
Mike Willink will become group development director having previously held the role of group managing director. He will manage the integration and success of acquisitions, together with retaining responsibility for group supporting functions.
The group also welcomes a new group commercial director, Mark Bannister. Mark is an experienced commercial director having worked at a number of successful companies including RS Electrocomponents and Travis Perkins.
The changes follow the recent announcement that Adler and Allan has a new financial partner, Sun European Partners, and is the continuation of a period of growth for the company, which had a strong performance in 2020 despite the global pandemic.
bp announces that Peter Mather, bp’s UK head of country and senior vice president for Europe, will leave the company at the end of the year.
Peter has been UK head of country and regional president for Europe since 2010 and recently established bp’s new regions, cities & solutions entity across the UK and continental Europe. It caps a distinguished career of almost 40 years working in upstream, refining and supply, gas and power, trading, shipping, and commercial leadership roles across several countries.
William Lin, executive vice president regions, cities & solutions, said: “We’re immensely grateful for Peter’s unwavering commitment to bp over his career. We will miss not only his sound counsel but his ability to represent the company and skillfully manage a broad set of relationships across the UK and continental Europe.”
Automotive charity, Ben, announces that its 10-day virtual active challenge, Breakout for Ben, has raised just under £159,000 – an amazing total that will help address its £1million fundraising shortfall.
Ben invited the whole automotive industry to Breakout for Ben in February and a total of 986 people took part. They walked, ran, cycled and exercised their way to complete over 80,000 miles collectively to raise much-needed funds for the charity. Teams embarked on a virtual journey visiting motor circuits across the UK, starting at Pembrey Circuit in north Wales and taking in all four home nations, before ending at Silverstone.
With the Breakout total included, just under £737,000 has now been raised to help address Ben’s £1million fundraising shortfall following its rallying cry last year asking for urgent support.
All funds raised will help Ben support automotive industry people with their mental health, physical health and wellbeing. Fundraising like this is vital and means that Ben can be there to help those in crisis and provide support with stress, anxiety, depression, money worries, or anything else.
Congratulations to the Breakout for Ben competition winners:
Names have been announced of the 26 sports clubs chosen to receive funding under the Texaco Support for Sport initiative launched last September by Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited – the company that markets fuel in Ireland under the Texaco brand.
Open to sports clubs across the 26-counties, irrespective of sporting discipline, size, membership, age, cultural appeal or gender, the initiative saw a fund of EUR130,000 being made available by Valero for distribution in equal amounts of EUR5,000 to successful applicants chosen on a county-by-county basis.
Close to 400 clubs submitted applications under the scheme. Of the clubs that will now receive funding, EUR55,000 will go to five Gaelic football, four hurling, one camogie and one handball club. Five soccer clubs will share EUR25,000, with the next highest amount of EUR10,000 divided between two basketball clubs. Additional disbursements amounting to EUR40,000 go to athletics, boxing, climbing, cricket, diving, hockey, rugby and swimming clubs, all receiving EUR5,000 each.
Overseeing the judging process was Texaco Support for Sport ambassador, acclaimed broadcaster and former Irish rugby international, Donncha O’Callaghan. Commenting, he said: “as adjudicator, the most uplifting aspect of the process was the desire expressed by even the smallest niche clubs to build on their value to communities, to expand membership by attracting new players and by providing a safe setting for young people.” “In most cases, finance to purchase materials and equipment required to accommodate more members was a key requirement,” he added.
Congratulating winners on their success, James Twohig, director of Ireland Operations, Valero Energy (Ireland) Limited said: “A feature evident in almost all applications was the pressure felt by clubs in the current circumstances to expand their role within their local communities with increased membership demands and the need for extra equipment and improved facilities.”
He added: “The purpose of our initiative is to help clubs to overcome these obstacles so that they can continue to remain active and at the very heart of their local communities. This is why we believe our initiative has been so warmly welcomed by sports clubs nationwide in its launch year.”
By upgrading from its previous Isuzu 7.5 tonne fuel oil tanker to a brand-new Isuzu 11 tonne tanker, Kinch Fuel Oils Ltd is benefiting from much greater additional payload using a truck that is compact enough to still access the many tight and restricted customer locations throughout Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
The latest Isuzu F110.240 rigid truck to join the 12 strong tanker fleet at Kinch Fuel Oils is fitted with a 7000-litre tanker body, commissioned and built by Road Tankers Northern in Barnsley. With a three-compartment tanker body for even weight distribution, this Isuzu tanker will be carrying mainly kerosene and a range of domestic burning oils to customers local to the company’s Malmesbury base in Wiltshire.
“With the increase in fuel oil tank capacity available on the higher GVW Isuzu 11 tonner, we will now be able to cover up to 12 customer drops per day using this vehicle. Our previous Isuzu certainly gave us good service over many years but by moving up the weight range, this has allowed us to become more operationally efficient,” said Roy Kinch, director, Kinch Fuel Oils Ltd. Roy continues: “The drivers of this new Isuzu have already confirmed how easy it is to drive in both urban environments and country lanes, as well as it being really manoeuvrable on site, allowing them to access properties with quite limited access.”
Supplied by Bristol based Isuzu Truck dealer AK Commercials and supported by a seven-year R&M agreement, the Isuzu F110.240 tanker will be operational in the Kinch’s fleet for at least seven years, covering approximately 30,000 km per annum, on fuel oil distribution to customers in the Wiltshire and Gloucester areas.
“Throughout the whole new vehicle acquisition process, AK Commercials were excellent in terms of the service and support given to us. With Isuzu recently opening a new dealership in Swindon, Sparks Commercial Services Ltd, we will now be using them for ongoing service work as they are literally just up the road from us,” added Roy Kinch.
“Over the last few years, we have seen a significant increase in the number of Isuzu chassis being used for fuel oil distribution, especially those companies involved in delivering to domestic properties. With so many rural residences being located in areas with challenging road networks and narrow vehicle access, Isuzu trucks are the perfect vehicle for this type of distribution. It’s good to see a long-established company such as Kinch Fuel Oils continuing to benefit from having Isuzu in its fleet,” said Richard Waterworth, head of sales, Isuzu Truck UK.
The Prax Group, a leading independent oil refining, trading, storage, distribution and retail conglomerate dealing in petroleum products and bio-fuels, has announced that it has successfully completed the strategic acquisition of Lindsey Oil Refinery and its associated logistic assets in the United Kingdom, following the signing of an agreement in July 2020 to purchase the refinery from energy major Total.
Covering a 500-acre site and located five miles from the Humber Estuary in North Killingholme, North Lincolnshire, Lindsey Oil Refinery has an annual production capacity of 5.4 million tonnes. It is one of Europe’s most advanced refineries, processing over 20 different types of crude including, petrol, diesel, bitumen, fuel oil and aviation fuels, which are transported across the UK and abroad by sea, road, rail and pipelines.
With a strong track record of integrating acquisitions and managing assets in the oil value chain, the Prax Group is a long-standing and trusted partner of Total. The acquisition of the refinery will bring about new investment and underlines the Prax Group’s determination to support the local economy and the wider community, whilst continuing to explore new business opportunities as part of its long-term growth strategy.
Prax has also announced the appointment of Luc Smets as general manager of the refinery. Prior to his
After announcing Crown Oil as the winner of our 2020 Tanker of the Year competition, we hear from Crown Oil director, Mark Andrews: