2014 // march ncpga - ndpropane.org for higher prices, transport issues, ... mike groom...

1www.ncpga.org

17 // National TrainersConference Photo Recap

What You’ll See at the Next NCPGA Meeting

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O f f i c i a l P u b l i c at i O n O f t h e n O r t h c a r O l i n a P r O P a n e g a s a s s O c i at i O n

NCPGANEWS

2014 // MARCH

The Perfect Storm

Photo by Rachel Jessup

3www.ncpga.org

Published for North CarolinaPropane Gas Association 5109 Hollyridge DriveRaleigh, NC 27612p. 919.787.8485 f. 919.781.7481www.ncpga.org

DIRECTOR of PUBLISHING Krystie Dovenmuehler

COPY EDITOR Carrie Bethel

LAYOUT & DESIGN Jeremy Davis

SALES MANAGER Marc Lucia

To submit editorial or request information —email [email protected] p. 919.787.8485

For information regarding advertising please contact Marc at 800.572.0011or [email protected]

Published byE&M Consulting, Inc.1107 Hazeltine Boulevard Suite #350 Chaska, MN 55318 p. 800.572.0011 f. 952.448.9928 www.emconsultinginc.com

Please note: Editorial and contents of this magazine reflect the records of the North Carolina Propane Gas Association (NCPGA). NCPGA has done their best to provide useful and accurate information, but please take into account that some information does change. E&M Consulting, Inc., publishers and NCPGA take no responsibility for the accuracy of the information printed, inadvertent omissions, printing errors, nor do they endorse products and services. We take no responsibility regarding representations or warranties concerning the content of advertisements of products/services for a particular use, including all information, graphics, copyrighted materials, and assertions included in the advertisements. The reader is advised to independently check all information before basing decisions on such information.

FEATURES

DEpARTmEnTS

NCPGANEWS

2014 // MARCH

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New Auto Tank Designed With Space-Saving, Weight-Reduction Features

President’s LetterExecutive Director LetterCode ComplianceWhat You’ll See at the Next NCPGA MeetingBuild Your Business: Network with You Local Homebuilders AssociationROUSH CleanTech Continues Rapid GrowthInterview with Tim Rice, Immediate Past PresidentSupplier ProfilesPay Cash for Everything

Newscast Photo Recap

Farm Show Photo Recap

National Trainers’ Conference Photo Recap

Boon Hill Propane and 2014 Spring Meeting

4 NCPGA News | March

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We’ve all been told to be careful what we ask for. I think this winter is a good example of that, during the past several years we have asked for a normal winter or cold weather but we had no idea we would get this kind of year. We didn’t ask for higher prices, transport issues, shortages, allocation and record cold temperatures in the north and midwest. I guess in our business we have to take the good with the bad. Several articles have been written about this winter, calling this situation “The Perfect Storm”. If this is the perfect storm as an industry we need to be better prepared for any type of winter season, the good and bad. We must prepare for the worst and wish for the best.

We are in the middle of an unprecedented demand for propane and as you are all acutely aware, propane supply is very tight. Across many regions we are hearing that many companies are running out of gas and are unable to supply their customers. Unfortunately, desperate times sometimes leads to desperate measures, and all of our members must be vigilant. As propane suppliers and NCPGA we must ban together to get the word out to the general public and our customers that the recent price increases are a result of higher wholesale cost alone, with supply and demand issues.

As you may have seen in local news stories, due to the extreme weather and propane supply shortages many media outlets and some government agencies have referenced price gouging. We need to provide talking points for us to share with our customers in case they are questioned about the recent spike in propane costs. We must let them know that there is no price gouging going on, but simply higher cost means higher prices to the consumer and propane companies are not a producer of propane, we purchase our supply from various producers and suppliers. Along with many other propane providers and associations, we have to continue working with various governors and agencies to communicate the impact of these rising costs to both ourselves and our customers.

The NCPGA staff and board members take our responsibility for your safety and service very seriously, and we Thank You for your patience during these difficult weather conditions.

Ken DyeNCPGA PresideNt

NCPGA Members: What A Winter!!!By Ken dye, NCPGA President

John R. Jessup, Executive DirectorDave Donahue, Director of Code Compliance

and EducationBrenda Cole, Office Manager

Jon Carr, Lobbyist, Legal Counsel

5109 Hollyridge Drive • Raleigh, NC 27612Ph. 919-787-8485 • Fax 919-781-7481

Ken Dye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PresidentDavid Briles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President-ElectCyndi Kibler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vice PresidentJeff Wade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SecretaryJeff Ruffner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TreasurerTim Rice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediate Past President

DISTRIcT DIREcToRS

District 2. Scott Prewitt . . . . . . . . . . . . . SwannanoaDistrict 3. Greg Eanes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GreensboroDistrict 4. Keith Barker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CharlotteDistrict 5. Billy Foust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MebaneDistrict 6. Stewart Chance . . . . . . . . . . . . . St. PaulsDistrict 7. Alex Jernigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . SmithfieldDistrict 8. Donnie Bullock . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth CityDistrict 9. J.C. Burnette . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chocowinity

commITTEE chaIRS

Advisory Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim RiceConvention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Angi HarrisEducation/Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald GodfreyFinance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George LipfordGovernmental Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F. Ray MooreMembership Services . . . . . . . . . . . .Clayton PridgenNC Young Gassers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Stewart ChancePromotion & Public Relations. . . . . . . . Jaime AlbertiPublication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike GroomTechnologies/Innovations . . . . . . . Armistead MauckSuppliers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lora Marti

NoTIcE

As the official publication of the NC Propane Gas Association, the NC Propane Gas News carries authentic notice pertaining to the activities of the Association. In other respects, statements of fact and opinion are made on the responsibility of the authors and contributing writers alone, and do not imply an opinion on the part of the Board of Directors, the Officers, or the Membership.

NCPGANEWS


I think it’s safe to say that nobody saw the events of this winter coming. Pricing was favorable, American made propane was plentiful and we were all ready for a cold winter. In January, we hosted the National Trainers’ Conference with about 50 trainers from around the country at the NCPA Training Center. Joining the trainers were many state association execs from California to Virginia. It didn’t take long to realize that something unprecedented was taking place. As Conway terminal hit $5.00 a gallon they started getting texts and emails from Governors and state emergency personnel and reporters. It felt like a logistics war room as we tracked ships filled with propane being routed to the North East and Florida. We became familiar with terms such as “Arctic Vortex”, “Injection Allocation”, “unprecedented”, and “historic” being used to describe what is being called the “Perfect Storm of 2014.”

In addition to answering all the questions the best we knew how we also asked for and received Hours of Service (HOS) waivers from Governor McCrory’s office. The Governor’s office

and staff have been very responsive and supportive of our situation. At last count we had 3 state and regional waivers and two states of emergencies declared by Governor McCrory. Local NC newspapers and TV stations called the NCPGA office wanting to know what is going on with propane. We also fielded calls from customers, the Attorney General’s office, NC Department of Public Safety, Department of Agriculture and the NC Poultry Federation to name a few.

In the midst of this there was a very timely NPGA winter board meeting that I attended in early February. The agenda focused squarely on the critical issues at hand. I can assure you that NPGA is working hard addressing all the issues that have been brought to them, including short term plans to get product where it needs to go and long term fixes to prevent this from happening again. Also discussed were the creating a strategic propane reserve, addressing exports, amending the Jones Act, DOC investigation of price gauging, FERC involvement with pipeline priorities, and even asking the President of the United States to declare a national state of Emergency.

The message below has been crafted with the help of NPGA and Michael Meath of Strategic Communications. Please feel free to use it in communication with your customers and local media. NCPGA will be developing other messages for

print and radio as we work to restore confidence to our customers that were affected by this perfect storm. If you need help crafting other messages to your customers please feel free to call me. Your association staff is here to support you in any way during this unusually difficult time.

Message to customers“the propane industry is in an extremely rare and unusual position right now . A number of separate events have combined to have a serious impact on our transportation and infrastructure system, which has made it difficult to get fuel where it’s needed as quickly as possible . three key factors have contributed to our current situation . First, an unusually wet harvest season and bumper corn crop in the Midwest last fall meant farmers used a lot more propane than usual for crop drying . second, with the growth of shale energy, the country’s existing pipeline and rail system network that normally carries propane has been used to move shale gas as well . And third, record cold temperatures have increased the demand for propane this winter . All of these factors have contributed to increase the cost of product we buy for you .

We are working with federal and state agencies to help mitigate the problem – focusing especially on the transportation and storage network that is needed to move and store propane during the winter months . the industry is participating in daily briefings with the department of energy, and secretary Moniz has spoken directly with several marketer CeOs .

At “place company here”, we are working closely with our customers to help them get through this difficult time . We encourage customers to be safe and conserve energy where possible by turning down their thermostats, closing off unused rooms, and being extra cautious when using portable space heaters . together, we’ll get through the next few weeks until the weather warms up . Until then, contact your propane supplier if you have any questions about automatic delivery, budget payment plans, or equipment upgrades .”

This is Not The New NormalBy John Jessup, NCPGA executive director

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I received a call from the North Carolina Department of Insurance the other day. Dan Dittman wanted to discuss some confusion over § 143-139.3. This statue reads as follows:

§ 143-139.3. Inspection of liquified petroleum gas piping systems for residential structures.

if the test required under the North Carolina state Building Code for a liquified petroleum gas piping system serving a one or two-family residential dwelling is not performed by a qualified code enforcement official, as defined in G .s . 143-151 .8(a)(5), the contractor who installed the system shall verify that the system complies with the test requirements and shall certify the results, in writing, to the code official . (1993, c . 356, s . 3 .)

What this statue states is that when doing a pressure test on propane gas lines, if the AHJ did not witness the test, then you, as the installer shall document the results. In other words you need to provide your Gas Check or similar forms to the code official. There is nothing out of the norm there, right? What prompted the call was this statute is written for Residential Dwellings not Commercial Properties.

Mr. Dittman and I looked over the state statutes and codes but could not find any similar provisions for Commercial Properties. What does this mean? When it comes to pressure tests on Commercial Properties, the AHJ may require that their code official witness the test.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance, In the North Carolina Administrative Code and Policies, is given the authority to administer and enforce the building codes.

203.1.1 Commissioner of Insurance. The Commissioner of Insurance through the Engineering Division shall have general supervision of the administration and enforcement of the North Carolina State Building Code. This includes all sections of the code pertaining to:• Generalbuildingrestrictionsandregulations;• Plumbing;• Heatingandairconditioning;• Electricalsystems;• Fireprotection;and• Naturalorliquefiedpetroleumgassystems.

[General statute 143-139 (b)]

At our March Board meeting we will have representatives from the Department of Insurance speaking at one of our morning sessions.

Dan Dittman: Engineering and Codes Enforcement Services, Chief Mechanical Code Consultant and Chief Energy Code Consultant

Chris Noles: Deputy Commissioner, Department of Insurance.

They will be coving the duties of The Department, recent changes in the State Statues that will affect the propane industry as well as answering any questions you may have. If you are unable to attend, just send me an email with your questions and I will be sure to pass them along.

The registration for the 2014 CEPT classes has been sent out. The forms can also be downloaded from our website. In our first ever winter classes, held in February; we had 8 students in our Basic Class and 5 for Bobtail. This year classes will be in Raleigh as well as Statesville. Look for registration for our Bulk Barn, Basic Electric and Fuel Piping Technicians Prep Course soon.

Statesville, Courtyard by Marriott, 1530 Cinema Drive, Statesville, NC 28625 April 7 & 8: Basic Principles and PracticesJune 16-18: Propane delivery 2 .2 (Bobtail)September 22 & 23: Basic Principles and PracticesSeptember 29–Oct. 1: Propane delivery 2 .2 (Bobtail)

NCPGA Training Center, 5109 Hollyridge Dr., Raleigh, NC 27612April 21 & 22: Basic Principles and PracticesMay 19-21: Propane delivery 2 .2 (Bobtail)July 21-23: Vapor distribution 4 .3August 18 & 19: Basic Principles and PracticesAugust 25–27: Propane delivery 2 .2 (Bobtail)November 3 & 4: Basic Principles and PracticesNovember 17-19: Propane delivery 2 .2 (Bobtail)

— HoTelS —

Confusion Over § 143-139.3By david donahue, NCPGA director of Code Compliance and education

Statesville:Courtyard by Marriott1530 Cinema Drive

Statesville, NC 28625Ph: (704) 768-2400

Raleigh:Comfort Inn and Suites6209 Glenwood Ave.Raleigh, NC 27612Ph. (919)782-1112

// Feb Basic Principles and Practices CETP Training attendees!

// Feb Basic Principles and Practices CETP Training attendees!

9www.ncpga.org


New Autogas Tank Designed With Space-Saving, Weight-Reduction Features

January 10, 2014. In his 42 years in the propane industry, Jessie Johnson has shaped his mind to process how propane equipment and technology are supposed to work.

But then something comes along that forces him to rearrange his thoughts and accept a new way of thinking – something like a conformable propane autogas tank made from aluminum, scheduled to arrive in the United States this month.

As vice president of sales and marketing for Blossman Gas, Johnson is tasked with uncovering new opportunities that could benefit the progressive Mississippi-based propane retailer, its Alliance AutoGas network, as well as the industry. His research led him to a New Zealand company called Propane Performance Industries (PPI) and managing director Andrew Rodwell.

“I thought I had seen and heard everything,” Johnson says. “When [Andrew] started describing what he was doing with the tanks, I had to step back and think about what he was saying. It was so different from what I was used to.

“The whole concept of an autogas tank being aluminum and conformable really stretched our imagination.”

oN ToP DowN uNDeRPPI’s big breakthrough came in Australia, first with the aftermarket and then with an OEM.

In 2009, General Motors’ Australian division approached PPI about incorporating the tanks in a popular six-cylinder family and fleet vehicle called

the Holden Commodore, Rodwell recalls.About three years later, the first LP gas-powered Commodores hit the Australian market, and more than 4,000 of them are in operation today, he adds. PPI continues to ship more than 200 28-gallon tanks a month to Australia.

// A conformable tank design is adaptable to the available space under the vehicle floor, resulting in major efficiency gains in mass, usable fuel volume and range,” the Society of Automotive Engineers in Australia said in recognizing GM Holden on the project.

The technology that allows the notable fuel-tank flexibility was borne from the American space industry and acquired by PPI, according to Rodwell.

While the tank in the Commodore fits under the vehicle floor, its variations in size and shape allow its installation in creative spaces, depending on the application.

“The market in America is a fleet market initially, so the product is capable of being used in any application whatsoever – police, UPS-type delivery fleets, food delivery companies, school buses, long-haul trucking,” Rodwell says.

The tanks are designed to increase fuel capacity by filling in a space more efficiently, as well as reduce weight,

especially when they replace multiple-ganged steel tanks set up to achieve a particular fuel capacity, the company says.

Rodwell cites one example, with an OEM light truck customer, in which the aluminum tanks provide 12 percent more fuel capacity and 28 percent less weight than three combined steel tanks. Weight reduction with aluminum is typically about 30 percent less when compared to a single steel tank, according to the company.

“[In instances] where the steel tank system has to be three individual tanks with hoses and pipes welded between them, ours is a single tank, one integrated unit, and you don’t have the air spaces that exist between tanks that sit side by side,” Rodwell says.

He compares tank configurations to a briefcase – rectangular in shape, flat and wide. Like a briefcase, a tank can sit on its base as an edge mount, flat as a horizontal mount or on its end as a vertical mount. A taxicab company owner, for example, could gain about 30 percent more trunk space for luggage, with no loss in fuel capacity, by standing the tank on its edge behind the rear seats of the vehicle, Rodwell says.

The company lists tank configurations with 9- and 12-inch heights. Depending on the width and length required, the range in capacity is significant. In the US shipment, tank sizes range from 17 gallons water capacity (30 inches long, 15.5 inches wide, 12 inches high) to 98 gallons (70 inches long, 34 inches wide, 12 inches high). Rodwell says PPI can build tanks to any length.

By Brian richesson, editor in Chief, LP Gas Magazine

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“Rather than a round cylinder, think of it more like a rectangle with rounded corners,” says Gary Shepherd, director of the motor fuel division at Stanford LP Gas in Midland, Mich.

“The technology itself is nice – the physical mass of the tank is less, so when we add our fuel, our payload, you are actually starting out with less total weight added to the vehicle,” Shepherd says. “That’s always a good thing from an engineering standpoint.”

In addition to helping fleets convert fuel systems to propane, Stanford LP Gas designs and builds brackets for fuel systems. It is assisting PPI with tank evaluations and prototyping to see what sizes work best in different types of vehicles.

“One of the obstacles we’ve worked for years to overcome is how to maximize the use of available space for fuel,” Shepherd says. “We already have quite an advantage over natural gas, but we just can’t sit on our laurels and not get this activity within our industry where it needs to be.”

Another advantage of aluminum tanks is their inability to rust, Shepherd notes.

“Where we are in northern Michigan, salt is used on the roads, and those metal tanks have a tendency after two or three years to start looking pretty nasty,” he says. “Aluminum is much more resilient to outside corrosive factors than steel. It’s aesthetics. Why are we even worried about that? Because our competition worries about that all the time.”

FiRST uS SHiPMeNTSPPI is planning to ship 120 tanks to the United States and distribute them among seven customers that comprise a range of applications.

“We have customers fitting tanks into police vehicles, light trucks or delivery vehicles, and heavy-duty trucks,” says Rodwell, who forecasts PPI’s annual US tank sales to reach 2,000 in the first year.

Rodwell says the police fleet wanted to remove weight from the rear of the vehicle to improve high-speed handling, aided by baffles inside the tank to reduce fuel sloshing, and add space for equipment.

California-based Alt Gas Technologies is receiving a handful of tanks that it wants to install on long-haul heavy trucks and farm tractors using a propane diesel injection system. The system, called the Diesel Magnum and which can be placed on any piece of diesel-powered equipment, displaces a portion of the diesel fuel with propane or natural gas.

“We have to find space on a truck to put a 50-gallon or so tank, and that’s not always easy,” says Stuart Solomon, the company’s founder and CEO.

“Andrew’s tanks are ideal because we believe [most of them] can be stood up behind the cab of the truck.”

With the farm tractor, Solomon says the conformable tank can be placed on

the roof.

“We’re confident, if they produce the way they are showing

us, they’re the answer as far as space goes,” Solomon says. “They are not going to be as inexpensive as a standard tank, but over time they will probably get production costs down when demand goes up.”

While the concept of aluminum fuel tanks is not new, PPI is building its propane tanks structurally stronger and making them available on a larger scale, Shepherd says. And PPI is boasting compliance with US regulations, including NFPA 58, and constructed to ASME code.

Manufactured in China through a highly automated process, the conformable, aluminum tanks cost about 10 to 15 percent more than a steel tank, but they become more cost competitive when replacing multiple steel tanks, Rodwell says.

Blossman Gas, meanwhile, is receiving an initial order of 30 tanks that it plans to test in various applications and show customers how they might work in their vehicles.

“We look at everything that comes on the market as an opportunity for us to make improvements to our program

– and obviously for the industry,” Johnson says.

Brian Richesson is the Editor in Chief of LP Gas Magazine. Contact him at [email protected] or 216-706-3748.

WHY NOW?Andrew Rodwell, managing director for Propane Performance Industries, believes the time is right for his company’s conformable, aluminum propane autogas tanks to hit the U.S. market for three key reasons.

“There is now a significant gap in the price of LPG versus gasoline, a gap that has been sustained and is expected to continue,” he says. “Gas companies now put mobile filling stations in fleet depots, which helps gives fleet users onsite availability and control of their fuel source. And thirdly and critically, the LPG systems are highly reliable, whether vapor or liquid systems. The injectors, the regulators – all the componentry – is now as reliable as those used on gasoline systems. All of that is giving the market confidence. It means it’s the right time for us.”

// Photos Courtesy of Propane Performance Industries.


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This month, I will give you a preview of a presentation I will be making at the technical session prior to the N.C. Propane Gas Association’s main meeting March 25. The presentation will focus on our inspection database, known as LP GRID (Generic Regulatory Inspection Database).

As you should know by now, all LP-Gas inspections are submitted by an inspector on his computer directly into our inspection database. An inspector may use a paper copy when doing the inspection, but then he enters it into the system later in the day. We rarely receive paper copies of inspections in our office anymore.

During the presentation, I will show you how the inspector sets up to make an inspection of a site we already have in our database. This differs from what he has to do when he finds a site not in GRID.

Once he has the site data ready, the inspector decides which type of inspection is appropriate. Choices include a bulk plant, a dispenser, a truck, or a miscellaneous site inspection.

Miscellaneous sites include:• Domestictanks(residential

and commercial)• Cylindersinbuildings• Unapprovedbulkplantsites• Cylinderexchangecabinets• Observedfueltransfers• LP-Gascargovehiclesinotherthana

normal inspection and calibration• Lunchwagons(Thisisanewone.)

Performing the inspection live and online is an option and I’ll walk you through how it works at the technical session. I’ll also show you how you receive an emailed copy when the entry is complete.

One thing to realize is that no inspection form has every possible inspection item listed. We put all of the common items that have problems on the various forms. We also have an item labeled “Other,” where the inspector can add any item he finds in violation.

our list of references includes:• the LP-Gas Code• TheLP-GasLaw• TheWeightsandMeasuresAct• Variousstateregulations• NIST(NationalInstituteofStandards

and Technology) Handbook 44• Title49oftheCodeof

Federal Regulations

Immediately after the inspector submits his report, we can see it in GRID. There are many ways we can sort or filter the inspections so we can focus on certain types of inspections, work from individual inspectors, inspections of certain companies or types of sites, etc. There are also queries we can request from the programmers for more complex questions. During the presentation, I’ll show you some of these capabilities.

Understanding that nobody is perfect and that new information may be available after an inspection, there is an option for amending an inspection report. The inspector can review the inspection and correct anything he entered that may not be quite right. He may have questions for me on how to interpret some unusual aspect of a rule. Or, he may find a typo or a comment he can improve. He has two business days to make these changes.

After that, the action shifts to our office in Raleigh. Inspections with violations that do not involve my review generate a letter to be printed, reviewed, and signed by our director. The

programming automatically determines if it will be a warning letter or a penalty letter.

If an “Other” item has been noted by an inspector or if the inspector tags it as needing review, they show up on a list for my review before additional processing occurs. I’ll show you some of the things I look at during my review and how I may add information to help the inspected party understand how to make corrections.

Many of you have used the extension process to get more time to make your corrections. I’ll demonstrate how extensions are handled in GRID and how the inspector knows when a follow-up inspection can be performed.

Many of you let us know when you have made the required corrections. You’ll see how your inspection is updated to show this and what it means to the inspector in scheduling his follow-up.

Then we’ll touch on some of the other actions taken after it leaves my control. Our director has permissions that I do not have that involve negotiating penalty amounts, creating settlement letters, documenting penalties paid, and what happens when penalties are not paid. I think you will get a new appreciation for how we try to deal with everyone fairly, while still insisting that violations are corrected.

It’s going to be a fast-paced meeting to cover everything mentioned here. Be sure to get your coffee and pastry and be in place by 8 a.m. when the program begins. Hopefully, there will be time for a few questions. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

What You’ll See at the Next NCPGA MeetingBy richard Fredenburg, North Carolina department of Agriculture and Consumer services

13www.ncpga.org

What’s WrongWith This Picture?

// Answers are on page 26.


Asheville (KAVl): Jan Feb Y-T-D

2014 1059 469* 3108*

2013 674 694 4061

Charlotte (KClT): Jan Feb Y-T-D

2014 906 394* 2527*

2013 611 616 3223

Greensboro (KGSo): Jan Feb Y-T-D

2014 968 447* 2785*

2013 687 684 3638

elizabeth City (KeCG): Jan Feb Y-T-D

2014 850 413* 2392*

2013 572 546 2898

Raleigh (KRDu): Jan Feb Y-T-D

2014 872 426* 2530*

2013 636 635 3322

Heating Degree Days

(Source: http://www.wunderground.com/) *up to February 17th Y-T-D begins July 1

Wholesale Prices11/18/13 1.47912/16/13 1.6531/13/14 1.6512/10/14 2.993(Source: http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_wfr_dcus_R1Z_m.htm)

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Jessup snow removal crew

Propane Village

WRAL News interviews Executive Director John Jessup about Propane Supply

WRAL News crew at Dixie Pipeline terminal in Apex, NC.Jessup snow removal crew

Propane Village

WRAL News interviews Executive Director John Jessup about Propane Supply

WRAL News crew at Dixie Pipeline terminal in Apex, NC.

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Over 50 trainers from around the country.

PERC’s Stuart Flatow presents.

Over 50 trainers from around the country.

PERC’s Stuart Flatow presents.


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Scott Eggers, Clyde Hall and Harold FletcherScott Eggers, Clyde Hall and Harold Fletcher Steve Ward and Emerson DeeseSteve Barton, Eric Bennet, Tina Fletcher and Scott EggersSteve Barton, Eric Bennet, Tina Fletcher and Scott Eggers Steve Ward and Emerson Deese

Jaime Alberti and future customerJaime Alberti and Scott EggersAshley Rains and Angela RainsAshley Rains and Angela Rains

Eric Bennett and Clyde HallEric Bennett and Clyde Hall

Clayton Pridgen and Tim Rice

Customer and Robert WhiteCustomer and Robert White Customer and John JessupCustomer and John Jessup

Clayton Pridgen and Tim Rice

Jaime Alberti and future customerJaime Alberti and Scott Eggers

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EBuild Your Business: Network with Your Local Homebuilders Association

Marketers seeking to expand their client base and grow their sales should look into joining the homebuilders association (HBA) in their area. These groups are made up of local builders, suppliers, and associate firms, all looking to improve the business environment for residential and light commercial construction. An HBA also provides educational and networking opportunities for its members.

As an HBA member, you can network with local building leaders, increase your company’s visibility, share ideas on propane products, and establish yourself as an energy expert. Members often learn about building projects before ground is broken, so they can proactively make the case for propane.

Visit the National Association of Home Builders, and search its Find: Local Association page. Local HBAs may require an application, a membership fee, and a sponsor. As a non-member, you may be able to attend a meeting prior to joining, and discuss opportunities with the leadership.

“Sales won’t happen just because you are a member,” Bridget Kidd, director of residential and commercial programs with the Propane Education & Research Council, said. “Start by developing a network of builders, and demonstrating to them the value of propane as a cost-effective source of reliable energy. That’s when the sales come in.”

Subscribe to the Propane Energy Update for more on residential and commercial markets.

By Burney simpson, staff Writer at Propane education & research Council

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ROUSH CleanTech, an active member of 30 Clean Cities Coalitions, has grown from six to 80 employees in the past three years. Jack Roush, of Roush Enterprises, opened ROUSH CleanTech in 2010 to specialize in alternative fuel vehicles.

The rapid growth of Michigan-based ROUSH CleanTech has contributed to many corporate fleets adopting vehicles fueled by clean burning, domestically produced propane autogas.

Plus, the company creates a new job at its headquarters or within its supply chain for every 100 units sold.

“ROUSH CleanTech delivers clean and domestically produced fueling options that help companies across the country meet sustainability goals, combat fuel costs and reduce dependence on foreign oil,” says Todd Mouw, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Not only does ROUSH CleanTech specialize in developing clean products, the company’s operations are also environmentally conscious.

ROUSH CleanTech has reduced its waste at a 3:1 rate by using Energy Star appliances and trash compacting. And the 65,000 square foot facility was built with clean building materials, such as recycled carpet and furniture, and low volatile organic compound paints and adhesives.

ROUSH CleanTech currently produces propane autogas fuel systems for light- and medium-duty Ford commercial vehicles, Type A Micro Bird and Type C Blue Bird school buses. For 2014, the company plans to launch propane autogas powered Ford Transit vans and wagons.

ROUSH CleanTech Continues Rapid GrowthByROUSHCleanTech

// For the 4,000 propane autogas units sold in 2013, about 140 million gallons of gasoline and diesel will be displaced over the lifetime of those vehicles.


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Where do you call home and what do you do?

Wilmington is where I call home, and I oversee a propane operation. They call me the Manager of Propane Operations.

What was your very first job?

Working in a tobacco field.

How did you get into your current line of work?

When I was growing up, my dad drove a bobtail. As a kid I rode on the bobtail with him and for some reason I fell in love with the business, and I’ve been in propane for 35 years.

How long have you been involved with the NCPGA?

35 years.

How have you seen the industry change over the years?

Technology, I remember back when I was driving a propane truck, I had to figure out how to figure-eight the hose back into the truck. Basically, the end job is the same but all the new technology has made it a whole lot easier in some ways. Now with regulations and guidelines some things are harder, too, but the technology makes the same job easier to do.

What do you like most about your job?

What I love most about my job is the people I get to interact with, I’m just a people person.

What do you find most challenging about your job?

The most challenging thing is a day like today, when everything unexpected hits all at one time.

What are the skills you use most in your career?

Probably knowledge of the industry and people skills, just talking to somebody and figuring out what kind of problem they have and how I can help.

Give us an idea of what an average day includes.

When I get up, first thing I do is take care of six horses. Then, I’m off to the office and I look over the routing schedule, which I go over with the drivers, and let them know if there’s anything they need to know for the day. Then I sit down with the service techs and go over their orders and discuss their jobs for the day. Then, I mostly sit down and check and answer emails, start any reports that need to be done and I handle all the sales calls and customer situations that come in. In the afternoons, I like to visit customer locations, then come back in the office and fix routes for the next day, check levels, order inventory, and finish any paperwork that needs to be done. Then I go on back home to take care of the horses and relax with the family.

What advice would you give someone just entering the industry today?

The best advice I can give is probably to approach each day as an adventure and every problem as a goal. Treat everybody as you would your own family.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Never be scared to try new things, the market and the way we do business is different than even it was last year, when new things pop up don’t be scared to try it. That’s probably the best thing I’ve ever been told.

What has been your greatest achievement?

I feel like my greatest achievement is always developing a loyal customer, not just a satisfied one, there’s a difference. I think it’s more than developing my relationship with my customer.

What are some things you enjoy in your spare time?

Most of my spare time involves family, there’s 18 of us between my wife and

kids, their spouses, and the grandkids. I love it. We have family cookouts every weekend. I also love golf and I love cooking.

Do you have any other favorite sports/teams?

I do watch golf, but my favorite two teams are the Braves and Panthers.

Is there a gadget you can’t live without?

Besides my computer, I’d also say the range finder in my golf bag.

Do you have any recent books or movies you’ve enjoyed?

Believe it or not, I accomplished both about two weeks ago. TheHatfields&McCoys. I read the book then the series popped up on television. I enjoyed comparing the book to the series.

Are there any places you’d like to visit?

Alaska. That’s the total opposite direction of where my wife would want to go, she wants somewhere warm with a beach. But I’ve always wanted to visit Alaska.

If you could spend ten minutes with someone, alive or deceased, who would it be and what would you do?

I’d take my dad fishing one more time.

What is something funny or unusual that people might not know about you?

Everybody knows what’s funny about me, I’ll tell you something unusual. I started in propane on July 11, 1978. On my first day I bought me an ink pen, and I’m still using it today. I’ve had several cartridges, of course, but it’s the same pen. It’s just a little Papermate but it does the job.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I just think this is a great business. I’ve always wanted to be in it since I was a little boy.

“I FEEL LIKE MY GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IS ALWAYS DEVELOPING A LOYAL CUSTOMER.”

Member Q&A – Tim Rice, Immediate Past President

23www.ncpga.org

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Meet Scott Eggers

Meet Cyndi Kibler

5917 Deep Spring CircleWake Forest, NC 27587

919.270.7132 [email protected]

professionalpropaneservices.com

209 Jacob-Sarah Dr.Vilas, NC 28692

[email protected]

propanetank.com

Your title: Regional Sales Manager Headquarters: Cleveland, Mississippi Services: Quality Steel Corporation manufactures ASME propane storage tanks from 120 to

1990 gallon capacity at three facilities located in Cleveland, MS, Fremont, OH, and Salt Lake City, UT. We are also an authorized distributor of both Worthington and Manchester 120 gallon vertical ASME tanks. In addition, we have a sales relationship with Certified Cylinder in Crossville, TN for the refurbishing of DOT cylinder and sales of pre-owned cylinders. Last, we remain committed to the ASME refurbishing, pre-owned tank sales, and tank conversions that have been unique to the our business for many years. We focus on the individual customer and pride ourselves on building relationships in order to provide the best service possible.

Area of Service Coverage: NC, SC, GA, and FLYears in your industry: 29 Years in energy industry, 15 in propaneYears in your company: QSC acquired AWT in May of 2013 Years in NCPGA: 15 yearsWhere you live: Just outside Boone, NC in the community of VilasWhere you grew up: Boone/Watauga County, North CarolinaFamily: Wife, Teresa and adult children, Jacob and SarahPersonal interests: Spending time with family and home improvement projects that seemingly never

end, and Sunday golf with my wife and friends. I enjoy meetinng new people and relationship building.

Favorite sports teams: Appalachian State, Atlanta Braves, Carolina Hurricanes, and Washington RedskinsInteresting facts: My community interests are very important to me here in Boone. I remain involved

and serve as President of the Watauga Community Housing Trust, Inc. The Boone Area Chamber is another organization I enjoy working with along with participating in benefit events to assist Greenway Baptist Church projects, families in need, and individuals who are in financial hardships.

Your title: OwnerHeadquarters: Wake Forest, NCServices Professional Propane Services, LLC offers personalized safety and compliance

consulting and administrative support in the following areas: Safety & Compliance Internal Audits; DOT, NFPA, and OSHA Compliance; Fire Safety Analysis and Operations and Maintenance Procedures; CETP (Certified Employee Training Program) in-house instruction and testing/certification; General & Customer Safety programs; New employee orientation and initial training; Written safety programs and policies.

Area you cover: NC, VA, SCYears in your industry: 23 yearsYears in your company: 10 yearsYears in NCPGA: 23 yearsWhere you live: Wake Forest, NCWhere you grew up: Richmond, VA, and Durham, NCFamily: Matthew (spouse); Grant, Joshua, Joel (children), Cory (daughter-in-law), Addison

(granddaughter)Personal Interests: Scuba diving, reading, beach tripsFavorite sports team: NC State WolfpackInteresting facts: I love working with the youth at our church, Wake Forest Presbyterian. I have served

as a Sunday school teacher in the past and am currently a middle school youth adviser. I combine my love of scuba diving with my love of history when I go wreck diving off the beautiful NC coast. I will study the history of a ship/boat before I dive the wreck. I like to know what its purpose was, where it came from and where it was going, and why and how it was sunk. Then when I dive the wreck, I can picture what it looked like when she was sailing and look for structures that are still intact.

Other info: I started Professional Propane Services in January 2004 after working in numerous capacities for 13 years with a propane retailer. I saw the need that independent propane marketers had with respect to the many areas in which they have to be in compliant. I understand firsthand what it takes to run a successful business while staying up to date on all of the rules and regulations that govern our industry. I truly understand that owners and managers need to concentrate on the operational aspects of their business and take care of their customers. I love helping people and know that I give owners and managers a peace of mind with respect to safety and compliance in their businesses. I have been blessed with so many loyal customers who see me as a part of their team; so much so that my son, Grant, joined my company in June of 2010. Let us help you get (and stay) in compliance so you can concentrate of serving the needs of your customers!


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When Ashley and Angela Rains of Boon Hill Propane were invited to participate in the Princeton/Kenly Christmas parade, Ashley put his creative talents to work. Starting with a go cart and a 55 gallon plastic barrel, Ashley constructed this unique ride. The Rains’ two sons, Braxton and Brayden showed off the truck in the parade while Mom and Dad followed in the company bobtail.

Boon Hill Propane

// Left to right (back) Angela & Ashley RainsLeft to right (front) Braxton & Brayden Rains

We hope you will join us at our 2014 Spring Meeting, March 23-25, at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons. The deadline to register is March 12. You may register online at www.ncpga.org or by returning your registration form to [email protected]. You may also fax the form to 919-781-7481.

Sunday evening kicks off with a Meet and Greet at 6:00 pm followed by dinner on your own.

Monday’s golf tournament is being held at the world class Grandover West Course with an 11:00 am shotgun start. The non-golfers will tap into their creative side with a “dine and design” experience at a downtown studio. A delicious lunch will be catered by Zoe’s Kitchen followed by a unique painting experience for every level of artistic ability….all while enjoying your favorite beverages. Transportation is provided.

There is a reception planned at 6:30 pm in the Grandover East followed by dinner at 7:15 pm.

The Suppliers will open the Hospitality Suite at 9:00 pm both on Sunday and Monday evenings.

Tuesday morning’s events are all free of charge and begin with a continental breakfast outside the Grandover West. You don’t want to miss the two seminars starting at 8:30 AM.

Richard Fredenburg, Department of Agriculture, will update you on the inspector’s new technology. As David mentioned in his article, two representatives from the Department of Insurance, Dan Dittman and Chris Noles, will discuss the duties of the department and the recent changes in the state statutes affecting the industry. The General Business Meeting will follow the seminars.

If you need a copy of the Spring Meeting Registration Form or have any questions, please call Brenda Cole at 919-787-8485.

For information on the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons, go to: http://www.sheratongreensboro.com.

The Meetings and Convention Committee has yet again put together an entertaining and informative meeting. We hope to see all of you in Greensboro!

2014 Spring Meeting

25www.ncpga.org

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Of course, that’s not realistic for most of us unless we win the lottery. So it is important that we maintain a good credit rating. It just makes life a lot simpler to have a good rating as opposed to a bad one.

The better our credit score, the lower the finance charges that we have to pay on that debt. More favorable finance terms are often available for consumers that have good credit too. Good credit does come with a serious challenge. As we climb the credit score ladder, there comes a point where we find ourselves being “rewarded” with access to even more credit, particularly as our income grows.

Those of us who are not good at managing this balancing act can find ourselves in a bit of a “pickle”. That is why it is good to establish some rules that will help you keep things in check.

Here are a couple of guidelines to think about.

• Saveapercentageofeachpaycheckin addition to your retirement savings.

• Avoidreducingyoursavingsgoalforthe purpose of taking on more debt.

• Itiscommonforconsumerstofinance cars, houses, furniture, appliances, etc. At some point it makes sense to stop taking on additional debt until one of the old ones is paid off.

• Employthestrategyofusingahomeequity line to pay off debt when it is appropriate because interest on this debt may be tax deductible.

• Payoffyourdebtaggressivelyifpossible (the debt with the highest finance charge first). It could add up to huge savings.

• Don’tfallintothetrapatthe department stores where they give

you an immediate discount if you apply for one of their credit cards. It may be tempting, but unless you can go straight home and cut it to pieces, don’t do it.

• Ifyouhavechildren,helpthemunderstand this process too. It will serve them well as they get older.

• Usecreditforlargerpurchasesanduse cash for groceries, eating out and other daily expense items.

• Applyforcreditsparingly,because if you have too many inquiries, it may look suspicious and you may have a lot of explaining to do or even be denied.

• Evenifyoucanbuyacarwithcash,it is sometimes less expensive to finance it and then pay it off the next day at the bank. Car dealers make more profit on financed cars than they do when you pay cash. That’s why they always want to know if you will be paying cash or financing. It lets them know what they can negotiate down to.

Undoubtedly you will miss a payment once in a while. It happens to everyone. It will benefit you if you call the creditor and tell them what happened. It will be a matter of record and it shows how seriously you take the matter.

We know what happens when you have good/great credit. But, did you know that bad credit can impact your ability to get a job, rent a house/apartment and possibly increase your insurance rates? Think about it. Sometimes this could indicate poor character and maybe an inability to make good decisions. Why would an employer, landlord or insurance company want to take unnecessary risks, when there are others who do not expose them to such risks?

You are not the only one who can mess your credit up. Identity theft and fraud is a growing problem. You can check your credit for free once per year. Even if you have a freeze on your credit (I covered how to do this in a previous article), you should check with the three agencies once per year. You can also go to www.annualcreditreport.com to streamline the process. If you see something that is incorrect, you can dispute it. The agency must respond within a short time frame that is usually about 30 days or less. They have to delete the information if they are unable to verify it. There may be some negative information on the record that is correct. Remember, bankruptcies and delinquent payments can only stay on the record for 10 and 7 years respectively.

Derek Carawan is a LPL Financial Advisor and LPL Registered Principal / Securities offered through LPL Financial/ Member FINRA/SIPC and may be reached at, www.carawanfp.com, 919-870-8181 or [email protected] . Carawan Financial Partners is located in Raleigh, NC.

These views are those of the author and should not be construed as investment advice. All information is believed to be from reliable sources; however we make no representation as to its completeness or accuracy. Please consult your Financial Advisor for further information.

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax or legal planning advice. To determine which investment(s) may be appropriate for you, consult your financial advisor prior to investing.

Pay Cash for EverythingBy derek Carawan

Wouldn’t it be great if we could pay cash for everything? We wouldn’t have to pay finance charges or worry about our credit rating.


What’s Wrong With This Picture? // Answers

Do I really need to say it? OK, I will. But only because there is a change to the code concerning this.

Section 6.4.4.3 changed with the 2014 edition. Gone are references to combustible weeds and long grass having to be separated from containers. Also gone is the reference to loose or piled combustible material. Now the code says, “Combustible material shall not accumulate or be stored within 10 feet of a container.” Clearly, this tank is not safe from receiving a massive heat load from this wood if it burned.

Photo supplied by Randy Renfrow.

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Best & Langston ...................................................................................................................................................Back Cover

Cates Energy Services .............................................................................................................................Inside Front Cover

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Gardner Marsh Gas Equipment Co., Inc. ................................................................................................Inside Back Cover

Gas Equipment Co., Inc. .....................................................................................................................................................09

Gregory Poole Bus Sales ....................................................................................................................................................05

Petroleum Tank Corporation ...............................................................................................................................................16

Rutherford Equipment .........................................................................................................................................................19

NCPGANEWS

North CarolinaPropane Gas Association 5109 Hollyridge DriveRaleigh, NC 27612

2014 // march ncpga - ndpropane.org for higher prices, transport issues, ... mike groom...

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