News 69
Mark Askew – hopeful of a change in policies relating to the off grid sector and in particular the oil heating industry
The Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) is looking forward to meeting of the new energy & climate change secretary, Amber Rudd and her team.
“There are important issues relating to the oil heating industry and the off grid energy sector which we want to discuss,” said chief executive Mark Askew. “In particular looking at ways in which we can work together to tackle fuel poverty.
“The new government and a new energy & climate change secretary present a great opportunity to make the necessary changes to home heating policies.
“With the previous government, the policies simply didn’t work. The Green Deal put people off because of the prospect of debt; the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) policy was unaffordable for many; and the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund excluded oil condensing boilers.
“By working with Amber Rudd on the issues that really matter to the oil heating industry, we feel positive that we will be able to help ensure the sector is better recognised in policies under the new regime.
“It’s time for change. We’ve had a change of government and now we are hopeful of a change in policies relating to the off grid energy sector and in particular the oil heating industry.”
“There are currently one million homes in rural England, Scotland and Wales, and almost half a million homes in Northern Ireland, heated by oil. It has been suggested that up to an estimated 80% of them are in the lowest energy rating with efficiency bands of F or G,” added Mark.
“This means these boilers are inefficient and cost more to run than modern condensing boilers. With a substantial number of inhabitants living in rural fuel poverty, we urge a change in government policies to incentivise the replacement of old and inefficient boilers in these houses with modern condensing boilers which are far cheaper to run and give off much less CO2.
“Steps need to be taken to make homes more energy efficient, including a policy to improve the insulation of UK homes and making the reduction of fuel poverty and carbon emission the same goal.”www.fpsonline.co.uk
Pete George will retire at the end of September 2015
Having started his career with Conoco in the routing office at Immingham 45 years ago, Pete George, now managing director of UK & Ireland marketing at Phillips 66, is to retire.
Pete’s career began in 1970 when he began taking orders from customers and allocating work to what were then the company’s in-house drivers.
In the course of his career with Conoco, ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66, Pete has had 14 different roles in several locations. In addition to Immingham he has also worked in London, Slough, Manchester, an 18 month training stint that included Kingsbury, Cliffe (Kent), Tyneside and London, back to Immingham, Harrogate, Warwick, Brussels and then Warwick again!
Speaking about the variety across his 14 roles Pete said it had been a joy getting to know the company’s customers.
“Our customers have diverse backgrounds and businesses and it has been a joy getting to know them and building relationships over the years.”
Asked what he hoped would be his legacy, he added: “An organisation that has a great attitude towards getting things done efficiently by helping and supporting each other.
“No egos, no politics – that’s what our customers demand and they are the reason we are here.”
Mary Wolf will be taking on the role of managing director, UK & Ireland Marketing with effect from 2nd October 2015.www.phillips66.co.uk
Colin Levy is looking forward to “expanding the company‑owned retail forecourt position and to becoming a more prominent player in the forecourt industry”
Last month Colin Levy joined Certas Energy’s retail division as company-owned operations manager.
Based at the company’s Scottish head office in Larbert, Falkirk, Colin brings almost 20 years’ experience in the forecourt retail arena, primarily with BP and partner companies. Colin’s career saw him progress from store management to area management, covering stores in Scotland, North West and North East of England.
In his new position, Colin is responsible for maintaining the safety and operational performance at the 21 Gulf and Shell branded sites owned by Certas Energy across Scotland, while looking for opportunities of potential growth which fit in with the company’s strategy.
“I was drawn towards this role at Certas after learning about the ambition within the retail team and expansion plans for the business,” commented Colin. “I pride myself on the service I provide to customers and am always looking for ways I can improve customer service levels.
“I look forward to being able to help push the retail side of the business forward, with a view to expanding the company‑owned retail forecourt position and to becoming a more prominent player in the forecourt industry.”
“We warmly welcome Colin to our growing retail team,” said retail director Ramsay MacDonald. “Colin has a proven track record of driving improvements in store standards and performance. As Colin begins to embed himself in the business, we will be looking for him to utilise his experience and develop our business even further.”
Certas Energy currently delivers fuel and lubricants to over 1,200 independent and dealer forecourts across the UK.www.certasenergy.co.uk
Senior advisor to CD&R Funds, Sir Terry Leahy is joining the MFG board
Private investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, (CD&R) will be partnering with the Motor Fuel Group (MFG) to acquire the company from its original institutional investor, Patron.
Former chief executive of Tesco and current chairman of B&M European Value Retail, Sir Terry Leahy is a senior advisor to CD&R’s Funds.
The transaction, which is valued at approximately £500 million, is expected to close in July, subject to customary regulatory approvals.
The MFG management team, whose chairman is oil industry veteran Alasdair Locke, partnered with Patron in 2011 to acquire the MFG business and today, it is the number two independent petrol and convenience retailer in the UK.
Through a series of strategic acquisitions, Patron and MFG management have grown the company from 48 stations in 2011 to a current total of 373 stations operating under the BP, Shell, Texaco and Jet brands. In addition, MFG also operates a Murco-branded dealer network of more than 200 sites.
In April 2015, MFG was ranked 9th in a league table of Britain’s 100 private companies with the fastest-growing profits in the 16th annual Sunday Times BDO Profit Track 100.
Jeremy Clarke, managing director of MFG said: “We thank Patron for helping us to become one of the largest, most dynamic and profitable independent petrol and convenience retail operators in the UK and we are excited to be partnering with CD&R. The firm’s reputation for operational excellence and deep consumer and retail experience will be especially useful as we move the business forward to the next stage of profitable growth.
“We are also delighted that Sir Terry Leahy will be joining the MFG board.”
Marco Herbst, a partner at CD&R, commented: “We look forward to building on MFG management team’s success by continuing to accelerate the company’s transformation into a best-in-class petrol and convenience retailer.”www.cdr-inc.comwww.motorfuelgroup.com
Adler and Allan’s flood defence system, JBAR
Asset protection and PPM will be key messages from Adler and Allan when the company exhibits at the Facilities Show from 16th-18th June at London’s Excel.
The company is focusing on key areas affecting facilities managers – flood protection, planned preventative maintenance (PPM), asset protection and fuel services.
With the threat of flooding and associated damage to UK organisations still very much an issue, group marketing manager Alan Scrafton says the company is making sure that businesses have the appropriate plans and protective measures in place is key.
“This year, our stand will include a working model showing the benefits of having flood defences, such as our JBAR system. Visitors can see for themselves the positive impact flood defences can have, eliminating critical downtime in the event of an environmental disaster.”
In addition to providing advice in keeping assets in good working order through PPM, Adler and Allan will also be showcasing its range of protective coatings and linings, as well as fuel services available for facilities managers. Keeping fuel in top condition is a priority; the company also provides tank cleaning and polishing, on-site or at its dedicated laboratory.www.adlerandallan.co.uk
Latest industry figures show that heating oil prices are now 13% cheaper than mains gas to heat the average home.
According to the Sutherland Tables, a recognised independent source of data on comparative UK domestic heating prices, oil is now by far the cheapest of all the major heating fuels, costing just £930 a year to heat an average three bedroom home in Great Britain. This compares to an annual heating bill of £1072 for the same home on mains gas, the second cheapest option.
Comparing the equivalent heating costs for LPG and electric storage heaters – the other main heating methods used by off gas grid households – and oil remains vastly cheaper, currently coming in at 42.5% less expensive than LPG and 42% cheaper than electricity.
A renewed appreciation of the benefits of oil
Most experts agree that oil prices will remain low for some time and with the sales of oil condensing boilers up by 7% in the first quarter of this year compared to 2014 figures, it would seem that homeowners have a renewed appreciation for the benefits of oil.
Jeremy Hawksley, director general of OFTEC, said: “Oil prices have now fallen to their lowest point since autumn 2009 and are currently over £500 cheaper than when prices peaked in the early summer of 2013. This is great news for the industry and the UK’s 1.5 million oil using households.
“With prices forecast to remain low for the foreseeable future, we anticipate many households currently using LPG and electricity will consider a switch to oil. Making the change could save LPG users around £700 per year – or over £1,000 if their boiler is a standard efficiency model. Even allowing for the cost of a new oil boiler and tank, the move would provide considerable savings over the lifespan of the installation.
“The continued drop in oil prices is also expected to further dampen demand for the government’s domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme. With cost remaining a key driver for most consumers, there is little incentive for oil-using households to switch to renewables, especially considering the high up-front costs of installing these technologies.
“OFTEC has called on the government to back a boiler scrappage scheme to incentivise the switch to high efficiency condensing boilers – for which there is clearly still a strong demand.”
www.oftec.org.uk
Manufactured by Ledbury Welding, the 10,000 litre SuperVault petrol storage tank with associated dispensing equipment is now on route to Fox Bay Village in the Falkland Islands.
The contract was awarded by Stanley Services, which provides fuel to both the domestic population of the Falkland Islands and the fishing fleet operating in the waters near and around the islands.
“This new above ground facility, which will be located alongside existing diesel storage facilities, will allow our customers on West Falkland to collect petrol by way of a self–service account in a very straightforward and easy manner and saves them having to store highly inflammable product in 205 litre barrels,” said Tom Swales, managing director of Stanley Services.
“We won this order against a competitive bid,” said LWE managing director, Kevin Powell.
“We believe that a deciding factor was the integrity of our SuperVault technology which has been designed to pass rigorous fire and multiple–hazard test requirements.
“The tank is self-bunded (in excess of 110% of the nominal capacity) to ensure secondary containment. Its design features a steel inner and outer tanks and the cavity is filled with a specially formulated cement-based, lightweight insulation.”
www.stanley-services.co.fk
www.lweltd.co.uk
The oil business must adapt to suit the needs of the millennial generation says Easy Oils.
The millennial generation – those born between 1980 and 2000 – marks a whole new brand of oil clientele.
“This generation works a little differently to its predecessors,” says Russell Bush of Easy Oils. “But, with the support of EasyOils you can make sure that your business is fully equipped to support this technological, fast-paced and flexible generation.
“The millennial consumer will expect to use online banking as their primary method of payment; to place orders from apps and smartphones and to be able to make instant contact with companies online.
An online SAAS company, Easy Oils offers a business software as a service which can be built into existing company websites without an unnecessary or complicated ‘add-on’ process.
“Your millennial customer can then make an order based on the most recent pricing parameters, with a range of delivery dates and payment options at the click of a button – simpler than ordering the groceries!
“Utilising cutting edge technology and software Easy Oils, which also offers oil-based websites and instant pricing systems, can design and construct a system to meet the needs of the next generation,” adds Russell.
www.easyoils.co.uk
Newly appointed FPS president, Duncan Grant intends ‘to use every opportunity and more to promote what is an incredibly hard working and conscientious industry’
On 22nd April 2015 Duncan Grant, Certas Energy’s customer sales and development manager, was appointed as the 31st Federation of Petroleum Supplier (FPS) president.
Formerly FPS vice president and regional representative for the West Midlands, Duncan Grant, who is based in Certas Energy’s Coleshill depot, takes over the presidency from Mark Nolan of Nolan Fuel Oils who has been president for the last two years.
Duncan brings extensive experience and expertise to the role having spent over 32 years in the industry with companies such as BP Oil, Kuwait Petroleum, Pace Fuelcare and now Certas Energy, one of the largest fuel distributors in the UK.
Commenting on his appointment, Duncan said: “As president I will be working closely with FPS chief executive, Mark Askew and the FPS team to support them in the day to day running of the organisation as well as being an ambassador for the industry as a whole.
“The oil distribution industry is facing some tough times, the growth of online ordering, buying groups and agents are changing the way our industry trades. Distributors who can’t adapt or embrace change may start to find life difficult. So, as part of my role, I want to ensure that the pros and cons of the different ways of purchasing heating oil are understood and communicated to both the industry and customers.
“Oil supply and availability, particularly at peak periods, also remains a significant threat. The FPS stock sheet is helping the government understand the issues and dangers. The threat of a stock out remains high but, during my time as president, I will ensure that our members are heard at government level.
“I also think that we must try to improve the image of the industry in order to repair the reputational damage, mostly undeserved, which has been attached to the sector in recent years. I intend to use every opportunity and more to promote what is an incredibly hard working and conscientious industry.
“The FPS is doing lots of exciting work at the moment and has been working closely with the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) and consumer groups on different initiatives from the Buy Oil Early Campaign through to the launch of the FPS Surviving Winter Charity, which helps those in fuel poverty who receive heating oil with the help of local community foundations and their surviving winter campaign. We are hoping to expand on this initiative in 2015.
“The FPS is in a strong position to continue to represent the industry. It is important that all members of the FPS, whether they are large or small companies, feel that the FPS is addressing the issues which affect them, and this will always be a challenge for the future.
“At local level, all members are given the opportunity to share and contribute to all these relevant issues and I will continue to work closely with all our members both existing and new.” www.fpsonline.co.ukSEE THE JUNE ISSUE OF FUEL OIL NEWS FOR MARK NOLAN’S REFLECTIONS ON HIS TENURE AS FPS PRESIDENT
“Kinesis perfectly complements our existing fuel card offering and adds another tool to help customers manage their fleets more effectively no matter how many vehicles they operate,” says UK Fuels chief executive, Bill Holmes
Fuel card provider UK Fuels has boosted its offering to customers with the launch of Kinesis – a fully integrated telematics/fuel card management product with an ‘accessible price point’.
Channelling telematics data on driver and vehicle performance alongside fuel card usage information, Kinesis will provide fleet owners and managers with some of the most accurate MPG reporting available on the market.
Research conducted with over 4,500 fuel card customers found 8 in 10 (83.5%) cited cost as a major barrier to implementing telematics across their fleet. Although, over half have considered putting the technology in place to save fuel (57.64%), improve driver behaviour (66.67%) and enhance business productivity (65.97%).
Further customer consultation revealed a need for an integrated telematics system at a price point accessible to SMEs and businesses operating fleets as small as two or three vehicles. UK Fuels chief executive and founder Bill Holmes commented:
“Although use of telematics is becoming more and more widespread, there still seems to be a misconception that it’s only affordable for large fleets and businesses. Kinesis has been designed and developed to provide a cost-effective and streamlined system that will provide users with a host of benefits whilst saving time and reducing admin.
“Telematics data will be channelled through our existing Velocity online account management system and updated alongside fuel card data in real time so customers can log in and view up to the minute fleet activity from one central platform.
“Kinesis perfectly complements our existing fuel card offering and adds another tool to help customers manage their fleets more effectively no matter how many vehicles they operate.” www.kinesisfleet.comUK Fuels is part of Radius Payment Solutions Ltd, one of Europe’s leading fuel card management companies. Radius was established over 25 years ago and now has over 600 people located in 17 offices across Europe. Radius issues over one million cards per year and manages over 2.7 billion litres of fuel annually.
On 16th July 2015 the Energy Institute will launch its updated and substantially revised edition of the Model code of safe practice Part 15: Area classification code for installations handling flammable fluids, at a one-day seminar event in Manchester.
The Model code of safe practice (Part 15) for area classification publication is a key piece of process safety guidance, used globally across all industry sectors handling flammable fluids. The code presents a pragmatic and flexible approach to classifying installations into potentially flammable zones referred to as hazardous areas. It is referenced in the UK DSEAR approved code of practice, L138, as a key guidance document for the effective management of the risks associated with the potential ignition of flammable fluids.
At this one-day seminar delegates will hear from the contributors of the guidance, who will present the key technical changes of the fourth edition including: Ventilation, Mists, Frequency Data, and Consequence Modelling. Attendees will receive a free copy of this new edition of the guidance at the event.
Discount for Fuel Oil News’ readers
Fuel Oil News readers can attend this event at the discounted member rate when quoting ‘Fuel Oil News’ at the time of booking. Plus, delegates who book before the 12th June will receive a £50 discount on the full delegate fee.
For more information please visit: www.energyinst.org/ei15-seminar, or contact Francesca Ferrari at the Energy Institute: e: FFerrari@energyinst.org; t: +44 (0) 20 7467 7192.
Michael Sutton, chairman of the Suttons Group whose ‘presence, guidance and humour will be greatly missed’
The Suttons Group is sad to announce the death of its chairman Michael Sutton who died on 8th May aged 66 following a short illness.
The son of founder Alf Sutton, Michael has been chairman of the logistics and supply chain company since 1987.
Working in the business since he was 19, Michael held a number positions before succeeding Alf as managing director in 1978 at the age of 30. During his time Michael oversaw the expansion of the group into new markets and territories across the world.
Not satisfied with maintaining the company’s position as a leading road haulier, Michael significantly developed the company’s portfolio of services, which now serves the chemicals, gases, food and fuels markets across the supply chain.
Still very much a family firm, Suttons’ current CEO is Michael’s eldest son John Sutton. His youngest son Robert Sutton is the Group’s IT director, and other family members sit on the Group’s board. Together the family issued a joint statement:
“It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of our chairman, Michael Sutton on May 8, 2015. He was a much-loved and respected leader, as well as a beloved father, grandfather and uncle. His presence, guidance and humour will be greatly missed.
“In the meantime, we would like to assure you that the family are determined to continue to run Suttons in the spirit that both Michael and Alf have done in the past.”www.suttonsgroup.com
Ben Carter, operations manager at Turners (Soham) receives his prize from Mabanaft’s marketing manager Martin Cook
Ben Carter, operations manager of Turners (Soham) Ltd and Brian Nelson, corporate sales manager of LCM Environmental were the winners of an iPad mini 2 in the ‘Guess the Price on MabaLIVE’ competition.
On each day of FPS EXPO 2015 participants were invited to predict the MabaLIVE ex-rack price for kerosene at Grays at a pre-specified date and time; the ones to guess closest to the actual price were the winners.
Martin Cook, marketing manager for Mabanaft said: “Turners is a long-standing partner of Mabanaft. They use MabaLIVE to track prices and buy fuel on a regular basis therefore Ben had a good appreciation of the oil market. Brian, on the other hand, doesn’t usually purchase fuel so he just took a guess and got it right! We’d like to congratulate both Ben and Brian on winning and hope that they enjoy many happy hours on their iPads.”
FPS EXPO is a key event in the Mabanaft calendar and the team felt that this was one of the best shows yet with a very up-beat and positive atmosphere. Martin said: “We felt sorry to bid farewell to Harrogate knowing that we would not be returning next year. That said, we are excited about ringing the changes, and look forward to seeing everyone at the new Liverpool Exhibition Centre in April 2016.”
For more information on MabaLIVE, Mabanaft’s free online price information and fuel ordering service, please call 0207 802 3300, email sales@mabanaft.co.uk or visit www.mabalive.co.uk.
OFTEC is calling for a ‘more joined-up carbon reduction and energy policy’ which still includes renewable technology incentives but also offers ‘more affordable measures such as a boiler scrappage scheme’
“Evidence strongly suggests that the government is using the wrong vehicle to encourage people to cut CO2 emissions,” says Jeremy Hawksley, OFTEC’s director general.
“A more realistic, pragmatic solution is clearly needed if the country is to significantly reduce its carbon footprint,” says Jeremy.
“Latest statistics from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) show just 11,149 new renewable installations have been completed since the RHI launched in April 2014 – that’s less than 1,000 per month.
“The RHI scheme has failed to attract sufficient support, barely achieving in a whole year the number of installations required each month for DECC to meet its ambitious 2020 carbon reduction targets, says OFTEC which calculates that around 10,800 installations would be needed every month to reach the government’s goal of 750,000 installations by 2020.
“The high upfront costs of installing renewable technologies, which are typically between £9k and £14k, are prohibitive for all but the wealthy few,” says Jeremy.
“Even with RHI incentive payments, most people simply can’t afford to take up the scheme, even if they want to. Exacerbating the low take up of the RHI is also the complexity of both the application process and the practical issues involved in installing renewable technologies.”An overhaul of RHI and a boiler scrappage scheme
Before the election, OFTEC wrote to all parliamentary candidates in rural areas – where most off-gas grid households the RHI targets lie – urging them to support an overhaul of the RHI.
Jeremy Hawksley continues: “With the election now behind us, a full review of the domestic RHI is now essential. We believe it should be replaced by a more joined-up carbon reduction and energy efficiency policy that would encourage far greater consumer buy in. This would still include renewable technology incentives but also encompass more affordable measures such as a boiler scrappage scheme to incentivise the switch to high efficiency condensing boilers. There is still clearly a strong demand for these greener, cheaper to run boilers with sales for Q1 this year up 7% on the equivalent period in 2014.
“These simple changes would make carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures accessible to many more households – especially the elderly and fuel poor – which now are excluded from the RHI because of the high upfront costs of renewables.” www.oftec.org.uk
Gulf Aviation is now supplying Jet A1 to Wizz Air gaining another a new airport – Belfast International – to its ‘increasingly expanding portfolio’
Gulf Aviation has secured a contract to supply Jet A1 fuel to Wizz Air at airports across the UK.
Under the new contract, Gulf Aviation, a part of Certas Energy, will now supply Wizz Air with fuel at Aberdeen, Belfast International and Edinburgh airports. This is the inaugural airline Gulf has supplied at Belfast International Airport, which brings Belfast into the company’s growing regional distribution portfolio.
David Dykes, supply, logistics & commercial aviation manager for Gulf Aviation, commented: “The Wizz Air contract is a major achievement for Gulf Aviation in itself, plus it brings a new airport – Belfast International – into our increasingly expanding portfolio. We pride ourselves on our commitment to safety, and our focus on delivering excellent customer service, which we believe makes us stand out from the competition during the tender process. We look forward to working in partnership with Wizz Air in 2015 and hopefully beyond.”
Wizz Air is a low cost carrier established in 2003. Since its inaugural flight in 2004 Wizz Air has grown substantially and now offers over 380 routes in Europe and beyond.
Gulf Aviation delivers aviation fuels and lubricants to a wide range of customers throughout the UK, including private flying clubs, helicopter operators, air taxis, charter and management companies and regional airports. Its turnkey operation allows it to focus on its customers by building relationships built on trust, service, and quality.aviation.gulfoil.co.uk/
www.tankstorage-event.org.uk/
Over 1600 movers and shakers and key decision makers from the oil distribution industry world attended the two-day event which included 12% of delegates from European countries and 3% from non-European countries as far afield as Australia.
Depot manager Angelo Colleta at the open day
Last week Barton Petroleum held an open day at the company’s Oakley depot near Bedford.
The open day was organised to celebrate the completion of a brand new office at the site from where the company has serviced customers since 1989. The new offices, which feature sales and administration areas and driver facilities with its own entrance together with a dedicated training room and board room, give the depot much more room to expand.
The next stage in the depot’s development will be the replacement of tanks which is due to take place over the summer.
Barton Petroleum was joined at the event by several suppliers and service providers from both local and national companies. www.bartonpetroleum.co.uk
Aerial view of Portland Port – a naval dockyard for over 150 years, Portland Harbour is now a thriving and successful commercial facility
A storage facility adjacent to one of the busiest shipping trade routes in the world is soon to become available.
Since 2001, Portland Port located on the south coast of the UK has leased its bunker storage, pipeline and berth facility to Aegean Marine Petroleum Network. Later this year the facility will return back to the open market with the opportunity for a new tenant to occupy and manage the facility. The tanks were fully refurbished by Aegean who also built a new jetty to receive tanker deliveries; the facility has since been professionally managed and maintained to a high standard.
Approximately 40,000cbm of storage is available, split between four tanks of approximately 10,000 cbm each. The storage tanks are set deep in to the Isle of Portland, originally built by the Royal Navy and used for storage of the same products. The tanks are surrounded by Kimmeridge Clay, with each cylindrical tank measuring 300 metres in length and 7 metres in diameter. Two tanks are currently dedicated to holding marine fuel and the other two for marine diesel, along with a thermal fluid heating system used to heat the tanks.
The storage facility is further complemented by two pipelines (one being heated), 1.2 kilometres in length which connect to a bunker jetty which can accommodate vessels of up to 200metres LOA and up to 13 metres of draft. There are two loading arms on the berth, one for MGO the other for HFO.
Portland’s strategic geographical location is one of the port’s greatest assets with minimal deviation for vessels using the English Channel, along with the large, deep, sheltered inner and outer harbour; making the port an ideal location for vessels of all sizes to take bunkers. The pilotage is short and direct, being only 20 minutes to the anchorages and 30 minutes to all alongside berths. The outer harbour has depths of up 20m (C.D) and the inner harbour has depths of up to 15m (C.D.). The 3.5 miles of extensive breakwater system provides unrivalled protection, which has always given Portland the advantage when ship owners/operators/charterers are looking for a protected location for their vessels to undertake services afloat.www.portland-port.co.uk
The scheme has been revised by a cross-industry team, comprising representatives of UKPIA, the Tank Storage Association (TSA) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA).
Since the original scheme was established in 1989 the industry has changed significantly; the majority of oil companies now contract out their fuel distribution to specialist hauliers, with several specialist tank storage companies now also operating fuel distribution terminals.
“It was felt that the previous scheme needed to be reviewed and updated to take account of these changes,” said Sally Thornley, FTA’s director of standards, audit and accreditation. “This newly launched SLPS builds on the previous scheme and is extended to cover all participating UK fuel distribution terminals.”
The new scheme ensures that common standards are in place for workshops and technicians carrying out inspections on road fuel tankers prior to terminals’ entry. In addition, it provides a new web-based portal for the registration of inspections and a mechanism for terminals to query vehicles’ passes electronically.
The scheme is a requisite for entry into all fuel terminals operated by members of UKPIA and the TSA. The FTA manages the scheme on behalf of UKPIA.
“The redevelopment of the scheme is a credit to all involved,” said Peter Davidson, director safety, commercial & projects.
“The SLPS now well reflects the changes in our industry and it’s more widely adopted by downstream oil distribution terminals. It also sets higher standards, thus providing confidence to terminal operators that road tankers entering their terminals to load fuel are safe to do so.”
www.ukpia.com
www.tankstorage.org.uk
www.fta.co.uk
Mark Binns, chairman, HOYER Petrolog UK
Hamburg- based logistics provider HOYER has reported a thoroughly successful result for the financial year 2014.
Turnover, at EUR 1,107m, was around EUR 20m above the level attained in the previous year (EUR 1,087m) exceeding the family-run company’s expectations. The Petrolog (fuels and bitumen) business units increased its turnover by 1% over the previous year.
The largest percentage increase in turnover (+5%) in 2014 was posted by the Gaslog business unit, which is responsible for transport logistics with industrial gases. This growth rate was almost equalled by the overseas activities bundled in the Deep Sea business unit: around 4% more than in 2013. With 36%, the Chemilog business unit again accounted for the largest proportion of the logistics specialists’ revenues, although it had to endure a slight decrease in its result. This was a consequence of the immense pressure on prices in the market and a barely increased production volume in the chemicals industry.
“Although we expect to see an increase in economic growth in 2015, we are also anticipating a persistently high intensity of global competition,” said Thomas Hoyer, shareholder and advisory board chairman. We nevertheless intend to carry on growing in 2015 thanks to the expansion of our international activities and further strategic collaborations.”
In 2014, HOYER had around 34,000 tank containers, 3,000 road tankers, 24,000 intermediate bulk containers and 2,500 trucks in action around the world for HOYER. The vehicles’ ongoing conversion to motor technology in compliance with the Euro-6 norm was accompanied by the increased use of electronic driving and monitoring assistants. The company employed 5,098 people in 2014. www.hoyer-group.comSEE THE APRIL 2015 ISSUE OF FUEL OIL NEWS FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH HOYER’S OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, ALLAN DAVISON
After a 20-year period of dramatic reduction in the numbers of forecourts, there were 8,609 forecourts at the close of 2014 which was broadly in line with the 2013 figure of 8,611.
The Energy Institute’s annual Retail Marketing Survey provides a comprehensive, statistical overview of the UK forecourt market; a market that has seen the number of forecourts almost halved since 1994.
Data is broken down by company, region and forecourt facilities. This year’s report is based on statistics relating to end-2014 and does not reflect changes since that date. These figures are collected from an EI survey with fuel retailers and are cross-checked with numbers from market analyst Experian Catalist.
UK consumer fuel prices experienced the same downward trend as the global market, with petrol dropping from an average of 134.88 p/l in 2013 to an average two-year low of 128.18 p/l in 2014, and from 140.74 p/l for diesel to 133.82 p/l.
Total 2014 road fuel sales for the year saw a 1.77% rise from 36mn tonnes to reach 36.64mn tonnes, with diesel sales once again outperforming petrol. Retail petrol sales remained fairly stable at 13mn tonnes by year end (from 12.99mn tonnes at the close of 2013), while diesel sales rose to 15.16mn tonnes (up from 14.09mn tonnes). Meanwhile, the total number of cars on the road rose 1.95% to a record-breaking 35.89mn.
Site number breakdown by fuel retail brand in 2014 (2013 figures in brackets)
BP – led the forecourt branding field, topping the listing with 1,163 outlets (1,174)
Shell – secured second place, with 1,019 branded sites (1,016)
Esso – close behind, in third position, with 1,012 branded forecourts (1,003)
Texaco – ranked fourth, with 773 outlets (814)
Gulf – fifth, with 508 branded service stations (409)
The supermarket sector accounts for just over 43% of total UK fuel sales
Tesco – 504 sites (498)
Morrisons – 332 (326)
Sainsbury’s – 298 (289)
Asda – 246 (226)
This year’s supplement also includes articles looking at security of fuel supply in the UK and the need for planning to prevent future supply disruption should the number of operating refineries continue to fall. The report examines the latest trends and developments in the fuel retail market, where opportunities for independent forecourt retailers appear to have taken a turn for the better; and how the success of fuel retailers can be defined by the speed at which they respond to changes in the wholesale price of oil.
The 2015 Retail Marketing Survey is available, priced £100, from the Energy Institute. For more information on the downstream sector, including filling stations and retail fuel prices, visit knowledge.energyinst.org/collections/rms
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is writing to members of the new government requesting the opportunity to discuss issues outlined in its logistics manifesto, and its wider ambitions for UK logistics.
In its Logistics Manifesto 2015, FTA said that the freight industry requires better support from government, and set out key issues which need addressing– including a cut in fuel duty; addressing skills shortages and recruiting professional drivers; and ensuring UK’s infrastructure networks (including airport capacity) are capable of meeting freight needs.
Stressing the importance of logistics to the economy
The FTA is urging David Cameron and his new government to recognise the importance of logistics which is crucial to keeping the people of Britain supplied with essential goods they need, adding that to overlook its needs would be failing the industry and the economy.
FTA has said that the new government will have a “real challenge” ahead in ensuring the economy can continue to recover, stating that logistics has a key role to play in this.
“Mr Cameron’s new government needs to ensure that logistics is given the attention it deserves,” said Karen Dee, director of policy
“Its policies must ensure the industry can be as efficient and effective as possible in support of businesses and consumers in the UK. Our objective is to ensure that the UK has a safe, efficient and sustainable supply chain, and we sincerely hope that the new government will support us in these goals.” www.fta.co.uk
As part of its Corporate Giving programme, Brogan Fuels has presented a defibrillator unit to Lochar Thistle Youths AFC who play and train at Heathhall, Dumfries.