Conv&carwash mar apr 2014 web

MARCH | APRIL 2014

Cold Beverages Niche sectors drive gains with Energy Drinks and Flavoured Waters slaking the thirst for sales.

BLASTOFF for Profits – This Manitoba fireworks company changes the game with product and service innovation EMV Compliance at the Pumps

PM41670539

Low Cost Marketing Solutions Carwash Water Reclamation and Regs Winks Bids Farewell to Dene Hargreaves

WHY BUY BIGS? TO ORDER, contact National DSD info@nationaldsd.com 1-877-577-5220

BIGGER SEEDS from the outermost part of the sunflower BETTER FLAVOUR, compliments of your favourite brands BEST QUALITY when it comes to seeds, bags and service

Contents PUBLISHER Brenda Jane Johnstone bjjohnstone@convenienceandcarwash.com

EDITOR Kelly Gray editor@convenienceandcarwash.com SALES Cody Johnstone 416-838-4674 codyj@convenienceandcarwash.com Brenda Johnstone 204-489-5215 bjjohnstone@convenienceandcarwash.com DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Doug Coates, Edge Advertising Keith House, Ad Production EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Ian Burton, PD McLaren Scott Findlay, Core-Mark Int’l Kim Hansen, MI Petro David Hoy, Peninsula Co-Op Andrew Klukas, WCSA Dave Watson, The Chamois & Convenience Store Ltd. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Charles Borchard Barbra J. Bowes John Dounoucos Jessica Gonzalez Matthew Gottfried Kelly Gray Andrew Klukas Denise Wight Andrew Syzek Sean Sportun CIRCULATION James Gordon subscriptions@convenienceandcarwash.com

WEBSITE www.convenienceandcarwash.com PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT No: 41670539 Return Undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department 543 Borebank Street Winnipeg, MB R3N 1E8

17

Water Reclamation and Regulation.

Environment Canada states that The Canadian Infrastructure Report Card 2012 suggests a possible need for as much as $80 billion to replace aging water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure that is already appraised as being in ‘fair’ to ‘very poor’ condition.

FEATURES 06 Making it Personal After more than 40 years in the industry, Dene Hargreaves calls it a day.

09 Winks Welcomes Barry Rideout.

11 Cold Beverages Strong segments like Energy Drinks and Flavoured Waters are heating up this category.

17 Water in the Wash Charles Borchard and Denise Wight discuss the carwash water Reclamation and Regulation environment.

24 Lottery Sales A new merchandising program at Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has grown scratch tix sales by 10 per cent.

27 EMV Compliant? Five steps to an easier roll out.

32 Employee Lateness HR expert Barb Bowes looks at a plan to get employers and workers on track for timeliness 35 BLAST OFF Fireworks is shooting for the moon with a range of 550 profit producing products.

38 Crime Prevention through better store design.

43 Keeping Fuel Dispensers at Peak Performance.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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Publisher’s Message

Upcoming Events

Welcome to the March/April issue and the prospect of warmer spring weather.

March 31 – April 2, 2014 International Carwash Show Chicago, IL www.TheCarWashShow.com

Its no secret that right across the country this has been one of the most brutal seasons in memory and its had an impact on C-stores with higher than average heating and energy costs.

In fact, a store’s operational expenses stand out as a leading cause of margin shrink. Consider that the average C-store in Canada shells out in excess of $100,000 each year to keep the lights on and maintain the property. For many small stores its not uncommon to find lighting bills alone exceed $6000, a number that typically represents about 42 per cent of a store’s energy cost. Now BC is looking to dramatically ramp up these costs with an initial 9 per cent increase coming this April and further large increases coming over the next five years. This will serve to place a shadow on stores that are already struggling with significant declines in margin.

We ask that you pay attention to the efforts of the WCSA as they work to lobby BC Hydro and the BC Government. In this issue we have included the Association’s energy survey and we suggest everyone fill it out and return it so the WCSA and its partners can get to work on this critical challenge.

This issue also features our annual Cold Beverage report. One thing that stands out is that as carbonated soft drinks decline beverage innovation is stepping in to fill the void. Canadians might not be drinking as many soda’s as they once did, but we are still a thirsty bunch. Our message is to pay attention to the cold vault and reserve more of this expensive space for winners such as those in flavoured waters and energy drinks.

This issue also sees us pay farewell to an industry personality who comes to retirement. One of the most well-liked and respected members of the trade, Dene Hargreaves has decided to put on his fishing gear full time and turn his management chair at Winks over to Barry Rideout. We would like to take this opportunity to say how much we have enjoyed working with Dene over these many years and wish him all the best as he moves forward with new projects.

Here’s to warmer weather and a snowless season where customers can actually get out to their neighbourhood convenience stores.

Brenda Jane Johnstone Publisher

May 14, 2014 NACDA Ontario Children’s Charity Golf Classic Eagle Nest Golf Club Maple, Ontario www.nacda.ca June 3 – 5, 2014 UNITI expo Stuttgart, Germany www.uniti-expo.com June 10 & 11, 2014 NACDA Maritime Children’s Charity Golf Classic Fox Creek Golf Club Dieppe, NB www.nacda.ca July 3, 2014 WCSA 5th annual Charity Golf Tournament Glen Eagle Golf & Country Club Cochrane, AB wcsagolf@convenienceandcarwash.com andrew_klukas@shaw.ca 204-489-4215 August 28, 2014 NACDA Quebec Children’s Charity Golf Classic Hillsdale Golf & Country Club Mirabel, QC www.nacda.ca

Convenience & Carwash would like to introduce you to our new advertisers.

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4 March | April 2014

2014 Annual WCSA Charity Golf Event Registration is Open!

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN TO START PLANNING FOR THE 2014 GOLF SEASON AND WE HOPE THAT YOU CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE WESTERN CONVENIENCE STORES ASSOCIATIONS 5TH ANNUAL GOLF FUND-RAISING EVENT.

This year’s event will be held on Thursday July 3, 2014 at the beautiful Links of Glen

Eagles in Cochrane Alberta, just outside

Calgary’s Northwest city limits. The course has been described as having an irresistible combination of interesting

holes, stunning elevation changes,

mountain vistas, plenty of risk/reward

opportunities while remaining highly playable. And the views from GlenEagles

are as good as you’ll find in and around Calgary.

Once again, Brenda Jane Johnstone of Convenience & Carwash Canada magazine is organizing this event, with proceeds going to support expansion of the association’s efforts to strengthen the industry.

You can register at: www.convenienceandcarwash.com click on the WCSA link.

Please register early, this tournament sells out every year!

If you have questions please email: wcsagolf@convenienceandcarwash.com or give Brenda a call at: 204-489-4215.

For individual retailers, registration includes WCSA membership to the end of 2014.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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Making it Personal FOR OVER FOUR DECADES, DENE HARGREAVES HAS EARNED HIS PLACE AT THE INDUSTRY TABLE BY RESPECTING OPERATORS, UNDERSTANDING THEIR BUSINESSES, AND MAKING PERSONAL CONNECTION A CORNERSTONE OF HIS APPROACH. This year will see the retirement of a man who has been a pillar of the convenience retail industry for the last four decades. From being an entrepreneur in the supply channel to assisting Entrepreneurs in his current position as Director of the Winks Affiliate Program at Mac’s, Dene Hargreaves has spent more than 40 years helping both retailers and suppliers maximize their earning potential in the ever-changing C-Store environment. This year Dene will start a fresh chapter in life, spending some much-earned time with family and friends, and maybe a bit more time fishing.

“It all started back in the 70’s when I started with Woodward’s,” he says, mentioning the iconic department store chain that was famous for its food floor in cities like Calgary and Vancouver. “Woodward’s was a great place to get your feet wet in food retail thanks to its legendary customer service and products selection”.

In 1975 Dene took this experience and, teaming up with Keith Watts, opened a brokerage business that would go on to introduce a great many well-known brands to Western Canada. For example, he brought in the first frozen English Muffins in 1975 and then expanded it to include a full bakery line.

By 1980 Dene took over the company under the name Daytimer Distributors Ltd. and became the master agent within Alberta for innovative new products such as Mug Root Beer (Canada’s 1st 12 oz root beer), Nalley’s Potato Chips (Canada’s 1st kettle cooked chips) and Texas Pride (Canada’s 1st near-beer).

The company really started to expand with the opportunity to ship to all major wholesalers for brands like Everfresh, Clearly Canadian, Evian, Gatorade, Snapple, Dad’s Root Beer and Stewart’s. In 1996 Dene sold his Daytimer business to Leading Brands, taking on the role of Brand G.M. with Leading Brands until 2000.”

6 March | April 2014

His dedication to the retail world is strongly embedded in his veins, and while many people look forward to early retirement, Dene found he was not ready to spend the entire day out on the lake. So when confectionery company Triple C Imports sought more presence in the US market, Dene worked with them to help get product into major US retailers such as Target and Walmart.

When Mac’s Vice-President Western Division Kim Trowbridge contacted Hargreaves in 2002 to work on a program that would help independent operators he jumped at the opportunity. “I’ve always been an entrepreneurial sort of individual,” he says, “so this sounded like something that I was born to do”.

At the time, Trowbridge could see that many of the small independent operators in the chain were having a tough time working within the constraints of the corporate environment. The objective was to create a program that could offer them business knowledge and supports with the goal being greater profitability, without taking away the retailers’ ability to make decisions within his/her own business. Over the next 9 months, working together with Dave Clark and Karen Allen, Dene set the foundations for Winks Affiliate program. The program officially launched in June of 2003 with 1 retailer and 12 Supply Partners. Today there are 550 retailers taking advantage of the program that utilizes some 75 Supply Partners in Western Canada. In 2012 the program expanded into the Ontario market (which now has 116 members) as well as other CoucheTard divisions in the US. According to Dene, the real power of Winks is that it is a support group, not a buying group.

For example, Winks reaches out to independent retailers in rural areas where suppliers traditionally have sidestepped visits because

of distance and geography. “Eighty-five percent of our retailers fall into the rural category and we have been able to make a difference to stores in places like High Level, AB or Williams Lake, BC, providing them with knowledge of industry trends and products that meet the needs of their customers.” Winks can also act as a liaison between Retailers and Supply Partners for promotional support and customer service, and if they choose they can also get involved in training programs where staff can learn about food safety, security or keeping age restricted products out of the hands of young consumers.

“IT NEVER MATTERED From colleagues and IF YOU WERE business associates to DEALING WITH DENE the numerous IndepenFROM ACROSS THE dent retailers that Dene DESK OR WHEN HE has taken under his wing these 40 years, CASUALLY SHARED over Dene’s easy manner EMAIL PHOTOS FROM has touched many. For HIS LAST FISHING example, Old Dutch Foods’ Director of Key EXCURSION. HE WAS FAIR, PATIENT Accounts, Western Dave Gorgenyi suggests AND ALWAYS FORE- Canada, Dene’s patience and respect are two disFRONTED ANY tinct attributes behind his ability to make NEGOTIATION WITH a difference. “After you get to know Dene RESPECT.” it’s clear where these developed within his gentle personality. They come through his strong entrepreneurial mindset and through his love for fishing and the outdoors.

“It never mattered if you were dealing with Dene from across the desk or when he casually shared email photos from his last fishing excursion.

He was fair, patient and always fore-fronted any negotiation with respect,” says Gorgenyi, who notes that Dene’s love for the convenience business and his encouragement for the independent business

retailer have been strong development pillars for the success of the Winks program.

Barry Rideout will take over Dene’s chair at Wink’s, and will now carry this success forward.

Rideout suggests that Hargreaves set the bar high with a solutions-oriented business model built on relationships and trust. “He made a real difference on the front line with a personal connection to so many. In fact, when I began working with Dene I was most impressed with the level of trust built up between supply vendor and the stores. Now there is an environment where people are looking out for each other. This is something we want to maintain and continue as we move forward,” he says, commenting that he and Dene are working together now to create a seamless transition.

Working closely with both Hargreaves and Rideout is Tricia Deeprose, a woman who has been Dene’s administrative assistant for the past seven years. “I’ve actually worked for Dene at three different times over 21 years,” she says, telling that he first hired her at age 21. “He is a boss that values our ideas and opinions and treats everyone like a team member.” she says.

“Dene has always maintained a strong passion for the business and the people behind the stores. He is not all that corporate in his approach. In fact, he goes to personal pretty quickly and his level of connection is such that the members understand right away that he is there to work for them. For Dene it’s about people first.”

Barry Rideout agrees. “Dene has laid a strong foundation at Winks, and our affiliates can expect our approach and commitment to each individual operator to continue.

From the beginning, he set a path where our goal at Wink’s has been to help each store operate to its best potential and make more profits in the process. This is the legacy on which we will continue to build.”

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8 March | April 2014

Winks Welcomes

NEW DIRECTOR Last December (2013) Barry Rideout took tiated. Our goal will continue to be an effort his place as the new Program Manager at to make the Winks program even stronger,” Winks, the affiliate support program operated he says, noting that as people see the benby Mac’s Convenience Stores. Mr. Rideout efits of membership in the organization more replaces Dene Hargreaves, a much respected people join in. “Our strong membership has and knowledgeable industry veteran who had attracted a growing number of suppliers. As been behind the group since its inception in deals improve from suppliers more retailers 2003. get involved. Together this creates Rideout comes with consider“DENE HAS DONE an equation where there is substanable experience. Up till his apA GREAT JOB AND tial benefit for all parties.” pointment he had been overAccording to Barry, the Winks I SEE MY ROLE AS seeing Mac’s group of beverage FOLLOWING IN THIS program is one where C-store operalcohol shops in Alberta (Alberta PATH OF SUCCESS ators are provided a range of assisoperates the only fully privatized tance without taking away their abilHE INITIATED. liquor distribution system in Canity to remain independent. In fact, OUR GOAL WILL ada). Before this he was Northern CONTINUE TO BE AN Winks lets independent entrepreAlberta Market Manager for 7/ EFFORT TO MAKE THE neur stay independent while they Eleven, a company with which he WINKS PROGRAM capitalize on the program’s network started at age 18 as a frontline EVEN STRONGER,” of offerings – including training prostore worker. When he left ‘Sev’ grams, store designs, food service he oversaw a group of 80 Alberta programs, promotions, equipment, outlets from Fort McMurray to Innisfail. and volume rebate incentives.

Now he is bringing his skills and expertise He reports that he is now mentoring closely to work for the 680 affiliates under the Winks with Dene Hargreaves who is expected to fully banner. He reports that people will likely see leave his post by the end of June to take on little in the way of change. his new retirement duties as avid fisher and “Dene has done a great job and I see my relaxation pro. role as following in this path of success he iniCONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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THE BIGGEST SECTION OF THE COLD BEVERAGE CATEGORY IS FLAT. SALES AND PROFITS ARE COMING FROM AREAS SUCH AS DISPENSED BEVERAGES, WATERS AND HEALTH BRANDS. IS YOUR VAULT READY FOR CHANGE?

Finding the Heat in Cold Beverages

Cold beverages are worth in excess of $200 million to Canada’s C-store operators.

This number represents an impressive amount of flavoured waters, energy drinks, and carbonated colas. More impressive still is the fact that cold beverages represent just shy of 20 per cent of the industry’s gross profit stream on about 10 per cent of sales. This means operators need to pay

attention to this category with an eye toward where to push to continue the gains.

Overall beverages are described as being flat or in decline (+0.9% increase to 2016- Euromonitor) in its largest areas such as carbonated soft drinks. In fact the Canadian Beverage Association reports that soft drink consumption in Canada is down 30 per cent over the past 10 years. The opportunities lie in sectors such as flavoured waters, energy drinks and goodfor-you beverages where the gains have been strong (+5 %–Wells Fargo).

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12 March | April 2014

“AS THE COFFEE TREND CONTINUES TO GROW, MILK 2 GO IS LAUNCHING A NEW ICED COFFEE FLAVOUR THAT PROMISES A GREAT TASTE, PROVIDES 1 1/2 SERVINGS OF MILK PER BOTTLE AND OFFERS A SINGLE SERVE ON THE GO OR HOME CONSUMPTION SOLUTION,”

Indeed so strong have these gains been that the list of top ten US beverage companies now includes three water brands, a sports drink label and a healthy lifestyle drink.

“Beverages are at a crossroads,” says industry consultant Andrew Raphael of MNP. “Those that move forward will be the ones that ask how they can move beyond their brand.

‘How far can I stray from the plan in order to innovate?’ must be a question businesses are asking themselves,” he says commenting that when one looks at the beverage universe it is highly populated with new product innovation that seeks traction in the market.

Towards this end Saputo are broadening their Milk 2 Go line with a new Iced Coffee flavour that will stand alongside their already highly popular Milk 2 Go brand. Milk 2 Go is the number one RTD milk beverage in Canada and offers an assortment of 10 flavours where chocolate is the leader.

“As the coffee trend continues to grow, Milk 2 Go is launching a new Iced Coffee flavour that promises a great taste, provides 1 1/2 servings of milk per bottle and offers a single serve on the go or home consumption solution,” says Brand Manager Terry D’Agostino. She reports that Milk 2 Go is typically skewed to teens while the new Iced Coffee addition will be targeted to women aged 18 to 34. “Ready to drink coffee products are ones that are showing tremendous gains in market where we are seeing Nielsen ScanTrack® report a 15 per cent increase in the US,” she says noting that Milk 2 Go Iced Coffee will be available in April.

At 7/Eleven they are tweaking their Slurpee program with some low cal entries they rolled out in 2012. Offering 30 per cent fewer calories that their traditional frozen bever-

age, the new Grape and Orange flavours are targeted to addressing the obesity challenge. Slurpee Lite uses sucralose in the formulation.

Couche Tard sites in Quebec have long been at the forefront with their La Slouche ice beverage program that has relied on packaging and flavour innovation to make them market leaders. Already they had raised eyebrows with an ice beverage that looked like a blood bag (Sang Froid), now stores offer La Slouche Pizzaghetti, a drink that promises to marry the flavours of pizza and spaghetti. Who could not notice the bright machines in store that have pictures of noodles and meatballs and slices of pizza behind dispensing nozzles that push actual strawberry or kiwi flavours into cups. The chain

reports characteristically strong sales.

Both 7/Eleven and Couche Tard (and others) are taking advantage of the opportunities with-in dispensed beverages where profits are high.

In fact the Canadian Convenience Stores Association annual State of the Industry Report tells that stores reaped $84.5 million in sales of dispensed beverages.

This represents only 4 per cent of sales but earns in excess of 10 per cent of profits with a gross margin of more than 87 per cent.

When it comes to easy uncomplicated liquid refreshment more and more adults are turning to what they view as the simplicity of water. In reality, water has become anything but simple with bottlers turning on the taps with a range of enhanced

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KARMA WELLNESS WATER PRODUCED USING H2O FROM VERMONT, UTILIZES A PROPRIETARY TECHNOLOGY (KARMACAP) TO KEEP VITAMINS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS PROTECTED AND SEPARATE FROM WATER UNTIL IT’S TIME TO DRINK.

THE HANDS DOWN LEADER IN THE WATER CATEGORY IS NESTLÉ WHERE THE PORTFOLIO INCLUDES BRANDS SUCH AS PERRIER, SAN PELLEGRINO AND NESTLÉ PURE LIFE.

14 March | April 2014

and flavoured entries.

The hands down leader in the water category is Nestlé where the portfolio includes brands such as Perrier, San Pellegrino and Nestlé Pure Life.

“The last couple of years has seen a strong trend toward sparkling or carbonated waters,” says Nestlé Waters Canada spokesperson and Director of Corporate Affairs John Challinor. “We’ve had Perrier for 150 years, but in the past it was really a brand that existed in fine dining and foodservice. Now it has become mainstream and is present in C-stores and gasbars where an increasing number of consumers see it as being healthful and more fun than still water,” he says, commenting that they are expanding lines with more flavours in carbonated waters. For example, the San Pellegrino brand will see another flavour this year with San Pellegrino Clementina available in early fall. Expect flavour additions from Pure Life Sparkling as well as Nestlé continues its leadership of the water segment.

According to Challinor, more C-store customers are coming in to stores and looking for real refreshment beyond just a quick drink.

Towards this end, water co’s are coming forward with larger packaging beyond single serve. “We see this as a growing opportunity for C-stores to establish themselves as refreshment destinations that go beyond what they have traditionally offered.”

Enhanced water is another growth area of cold beverages that deserves attention.

New is Neurogenesis Happy Water. This water from BC proclaims it contains a small amount of Lithia and other minerals and offers a drink that is high in alkaline. The claims also suggest that Lithia improves moods, something that likely got the originators of 7Up feeling pretty good (7UP was launched in 1929 as Lithiated Limon Lime Soda).

The company points to a variety of studies that suggest Lithia helps lower suicide rates and battles depression, reduces crime, and slows the progress of ALS. With claims like this I wonder why municipalities are not pumping the stuff right to our kitchen taps.

Still, consumers can get in on the good feelings at C-stores across Canada.

Other companies have seen the light and are working to increase their presence in the enhanced water sector. For example, A Lassonde offers Karma Wellness Water. Produced using H2O from Vermont, Karma utilizes a proprietary Technology (KarmaCap) to keep vitamins and other essential ingredients protected and separate from water until it’s time to drink. This packaging has an airtight seal between the cap and base, as well as UV protection, ensuring freshness and delivering maximum vitamin potency. Available are five varieties dedicated to powering the mind, spirit, and body.

Protein drinks are another hot category, says Michael Nederhoff of CytoSport the company behind Muscle Milk, a nutrient replacement product that is growing in popularity.“ The entire category grew by 12% in 2013 with Muscle Milk gaining #1 brand share position and having all 4 of our skus ranking in the top 5,” he says.

Also powering the mind

and body are fruit juices, another key area retailers can win market share with customers looking for healthy refreshment. Here, A Lassonde is a market leader with a wealth of varieties and package assortments.

According to Anissa Mostefaï Brand Manager–A. Lassonde Inc. they are seeing C-stores looking to them for larger package sizes such as 960ml in tetra pack. “These are almost the same price as a single serve and are good alternatives to something like large ice beverages where added sugars make it a less healthy choice. Our Oasis juices are 100 per cent fruit juice with no sugar added.”

A Lassonde will launch new flavours over the coming months. Already the company offers 18 flavour varieties such as new Peach Mango, and Blueberry Pomegranate. New as well will be Oasis Cherry Grape, and Peach mango in plastic 473ml.

What all these new products spell out is that operators that seek to refresh their beverage category need to take control of the cold vault.

Yes, customers want to find well-known carbonated soft drinks in store. But, do operators need to allocate so much space (typically more than 70 per cent) to a segment of cold beverages that is offering such poor returns? The smart money is on variety, good-for-you selections and cold beverages that show Canada’s C-stores are focused on becoming refreshment central.

FIN I S H E V E RY W O R K O U T R I G H T

POST WORKOUT PROTEIN GRAB-N-GO NUTRITION SUSTAINED ENERGY GREAT TASTE

HOT N

EXPAND WITH THE CATEGORY LEADER IN CANADA • The Protein Drink category grew to $6 million in Canadian Convenience in 2013 • Category dollar sales have hyper growth of +12% • Muscle MLK™ ranks #1 in dollar sales, with a 46% dollar share after its first full year in market • All 4 Muscle MLK SKU’s rank in the Top 5 in dollar sales MC

Source: Nielsen Last 52 Weeks Ending 12/14/2013; Canada Convenience.

CytoSport® products complement a smart eating and hydration plan. ©2014 Cytosport, Inc.

EW

CATEG ORY!

Water Reclamation and Regulation This article is collaboration between Charles Borchard and Denise Wight, the VP of Operations and Director of Corporate Accounts for New Wave Industries PurClean/ PurWater respectively. Between us we have 50 years experience in the car wash business and 35 years in water treatment for car wash.

You will be able to tell what Charles wrote because it is as squared off and boring as his font selection, Helvetica. Denise focused primarily on regulation in Canada and her contribution will be as exciting as her font selection Cambria italic.

Water is the lifeblood of the planet, without it, life would cease to exist. That being said, one of the most glaring problems facing the world today is access to fresh water. Water is considered a ‘renewable’ resource, it makes it back into the hydrologic cycle so it can be used again and again; however, pressure on the resource is growing. Pollution of surface and groundwater further reduces the supply. The availability of and access to fresh water supplies has been highlighted as among the most critical natural resource issues facing the world. 31 countries are facing sever water stress, over a billion people have no access to clean water, by 2025 researchers are predicting water will be shipped around the globe like gas is today, through pipelines and tankers. In spite of all this, water use continues to increase. Between 1972 and 1996, Canada’s water usage increased by 90% while the population increased only 33%. Water consumption has tripled in the last 50 years. US water consumption has increased six-fold since the 1900’s, twice the rate of population growth. The problem is

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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compounded when we take a look at the erything from how the exterior of your developed a means to collect revenue ageing infrastructure. The infrastructure building will look, to how your restto help offset needed improvements. supporting water utilities across globe rooms will be configured, to how many These were called impact fees. These are being stressed beyond their limits. It’s lights in your parking lot to how that fees were calculated to charge the estimated that $335 billion is needed to fix light is capped to prevent “light poluser that would have the most need the outdated systems in the US alone. The lution” in the night sky. Car washes are for water and sewer services the most US’’s drinking water money. Often car system is so troubled, washes were tarthe American Society geted. Water recof Civil Engineers gave ENVIRONMENT CANADA STATES THAT THE CANADIAN INFRASTRUCTURE lamation systems it a grade of D , in its REPORT CARD 2012 SUGGESTS A POSSIBLE NEED FOR AS MUCH AS were developed to 2013 Report Card of $80 BILLION TO REPLACE AGING WATER, WASTEWATER AND STORM counter these fees.

America’s InfrastrucWATER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS ALREADY APPRAISED AS BEING IN Water and sewer ture., that is up from districts would of‘FAIR’ TO ‘VERY POOR’ CONDITION. 2009’s D minus! EPA ten set aside most estimates that in the or sometimes all biggest municipalities over 30% of the no different. Since this article is about the impact fees based on the car water pipes are 40-80 years old, and, 10% water regulations we will stick to the wash customer having a water recof those are older than that! Our wastewa- swamp that is the sticky morass of rules lamation system, these system were ter is a D as well, so not only do we have concerning water and waste water. often never used. Nowadays while difficulty treating the fresh water that there are still impact fees, the water Back in the day when municipalities we have for human consumption, we also and water and sewer districts were and sewer authorities are also charghave a difficult time cleaning the water starting to get concerned about their ing by the volume of water you take in that we use to be released back into the ability to deliver water and process and calculating from that your sewer environment. Environment Canada states waste water for their customers, they discharge, these rates are sky-rocketthat The Canadian Infrastructure Report Card 2012 suggests a possible need for as much as $80 billion to replace aging water, wastewater and storm water infrastructure that is already appraised as being in ‘fair’ to ‘very poor’ condition. It has been estimated that Canadian municipalities currently face some $31 billion to repair and maintain the existing capital stock, and an additional $56.6 billion for new infrastructure. According to the 2011 Municipal Water Pricing Report produced

by Environment Canada, water and sewer rates have risen 25% on average since 2006 and will continue to climb. Not only are rates going up but municipalities are switching over to volumetric charges vs. flat rate charges which means customers will be charged for every liter or gallon of water used and sent down the drain.

What does this mean to carwash operators? Water and sewer bills will continue to skyrocket. The use of water reclamation can save an operator anywhere from $8,000 to over $20,000 a year in water and sewer costs.

If you ever built anything that required getting a permit from a government entity, you have been exposed to the multiplicity of sometimes contradictory and always confusing regulations. These regulations will control ev-

18 March | April 2014

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*Contact PurWater for information, municipal rebates / incentives may apply

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA 

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20 March | April 2014

LAST YEAR IN CALIFORNIA A BILL TO REQUIRE NEW BUILT CAR WASHES TO RECYCLE THEIR WASH WATER WAS INTRODUCED. THIS ULTIMATELY BECAME A LAW THAT REQUIRES THE CAR WASH TO REUSE 50% OF THEIR WATER.

ing. So while any “reclaim system” may get you by the impact fees, you are going to want one that works consistently and provides a high quality wash to keep your operating costs down.

An easy solution to this problem is water conservation; do more with less. In the carwash industry this means ensuring there are no leaks in the equipment room or wash bay, using zero degree nozzles, using high efficiency Reverse Osmosis systems in conjunction with RO reject recovery, eliminating the use of water softeners (they typically dump over 750 liters or 200 gallons of brine water per regeneration) replace old equipment with more environmentally friendly equipment, and implementing water reclamation systems. All of these efforts will save water usage but implementing a properly designed water reclamation system can save 80-85% on water and sewer bills, AND, can qualify for rebates from local municipalities.

Last year in California a bill to require new built car washes to recycle their wash water was introduced. This ultimately became a law that requires the car wash to reuse 50% of their water. The law maker who carried this bill reached out to the Western Carwash Association, who helped him understand that simple is good, and that they could support it if it was not punitive or business crippling but achievable and actually helpful. As a resident of California I can tell you a law that is not punitive or business crippling but achievable and actually helpful happens so rarely that it is noteworthy. As stated this was a very simple law, it certainly could have been worse, for example they could have put water quality restrictions on this reuse water like the state of Wisconsin does. Or they could have required the water reclamation equipment to be state approved, which includes a renewal every three years, again as required in Wisconsin.

When the WCA asked me to, I spoke with Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s legislative aide about this bill I cited the Wisconsin examples as what not to do when trying to write a good law.

Some municipalities are realizing that water conservation can be the key to their sustainability as well. According to

Renee Chu, a Water Consultant for Toronto Water, water conservation lessens the burden on water and waste water treatment plants, saves on electrical usage as well as saves them both short and long term costs. It also helps improve the water supply reliability. It is for this reason that Toronto Water has created the Water Capacity Buyback Program. The Water Capacity Buyback Program is for commercial and institutional organizations that significantly reduce their water usage by implementing water saving equipment such as water reclaim systems. The process is fairly straight forward, a water audit is performed by Toronto Water, they determine what processes are eligible and provide an estimate of water savings, you implement the water saving processes, and they verify the implementation and then present your organization with a check for up to 30 cents per liter/ $1.13 a gallon of water saved per average day.

These rebates can range anywhere from $2,000 to over $15,000 depending on car wash volumes and water saved, they can help defray the capital cost of equipment.

There are similar programs in the US, San Antonio’s water municipality SAW’s has one of the most progressive. The Commercial Large Scale Retrofit Program offers incentives, in the form of rebates, for SAWS General Class Customers instituting new water saving processes or installing new water saving equipment. The Commercial Large Scale Retrofit Program is easily adaptable to any proposed retrofit project, including water reclamation systems for carwashes. The main goal of the Commercial Large Scale Retrofit Program is to shorten the payback period associated with large water saving projects, thus making their implementation more feasible from an economic standpoint.

Pays $550 per acre foot saved per year for 10 years up to 100% of costs, most of our rebates have been in the $15,000 to $20,000 range.

In an earlier article I touched on a site discharging the overflow from the car wash to the ground via the storm drain and how the requirement for the water quality needed to be higher than just letting it run out of your last separator tank. This required the reclaim system to not only filter the water for reuse but also filter and control the

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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Carwacs Toronto Booth #40 9

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22 March | April 2014

volume of water being discharged. In parts of the Northeast where septic systems are common and you are limited by the size of your leach field as to how much water you can discharge car washes are constantly struggling to meet both discharge volume and quality standards find attached an example of these quality standards for an area of Long Island. I will point out that there are a multitude of these areas and the standards are ALBERTA’S PLUMBING different based the area’s CODE PROHIBITS THE on soil absorption USE OF RECLAIMED capabilities and WATER AND REQUIRES the watershed, THAT CARWASHES the area stream, OPERATE WITH river or ocean POTABLE WATER AND where the water DRAINAGE TO SANITARY eventually ends up.

SEWER. THEY FEAR It is common CONTAMINATION OF sense that when WATER COULD BE A you use recycled HEALTH RISK FACTOR water in a car wash that at the points where the reclaimed water and the site’s fresh water intersect that you put in a means to prevent the reclaimed from contaminating the fresh water. In most cases this is a simple check valve, in some provinces in Canada it requires a break tank and repressurization pump.

A break tank has a fill valve through which fresh water keeps filled and when you need fresh water delivered within the car wash the fresh water repressurization pump delivers it. This is yet

Education is the key, we in the carwash industry need to work with local municipalities to educate them on the benefits of an environmentally friendly carwash, it not only benefits the carwash, it benefits the municipality. We hope that this information is helpful please contact us if you have questions about water regulations for your local area. Charlie can be reached at cborchard@purclean.com and Denise at dwight@purclean.com

another example of bad regulation The good news is there are many programs similar to Toronto Water’s and SAW’s; the bad news is other many municipalities are not near as progressive.

While some parts of the US and Canada mandate the use of reclaim in carwashes (Quebec City, most of Florida and California comes to mind), other parts actually prohibit it. Alberta’s plumbing code prohibits the use of reclaimed water and requires that carwashes operate with potable water and drainage to sanitary sewer.

They fear contamination of water could

be a health risk factor as they compare carwash reclaim water to toilet bowl flushing. In realty, carwash reclaim water is NOT wastewater as it does not contain discharge water from toilets, urinals etc..

In fact, with a properly designed reclaim, the treatment of carwash reclaim water greatly improves the quality of the water, making it safe for human exposure and discharge to the environment and putting less of a burden on the local municipality for the treatment of that wastewater.

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Scratch’n Win Ticket Merchandising…What’s Old is New Again.

Scratch ‘n Win ticket merchandising has been done in glass-top displays on your counter for the past 20 years. This method has served retailers and consumers well but unfortunately, not much has changed. New and innovative merchandising and display of products can have a profound impact on customer behavior and affect your bottom line by increasing sales. Recognizing this, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries is introducing an exciting new retail display for Scratch ‘n Win Lottery Tickets. New vertical acrylic merchandisers give customers a fresh look at lottery products.

Recent testing at some retail locations showed that stores with the new display increased their Scratch ‘n Win sales by over 10% compared to other retailers.

Scratch ‘n Win sales at these locations also surpassed growth of the lottery network as a whole.

24 March | April 2014

THERE ARE SEVERAL BENEFITS TO THIS NEW DISPLAY: • Customer Attention – The vertical display offers something new to the retail environment.

• Customer Service – Available tickets and their prices are clearly identified on a customer-facing 4 x 4 inch display.

• Checkout Speed – While in line, customers can easily see available products and plan their purchase prior to reaching the register. Lottery transactions will be sped up.

• Faster Inventory Control – Easily load your Scratch ‘n Win products and access them for individual sale from slots on the cashier-facing side. Tickets no longer have to be torn before being placed out for sale, saving you time.

• Easier Accounting – All Scratch ‘n Win tickets are sequentially numbered and once loaded in the display are sold in order. If you know the ticket number of the first ticket you sold and the next ticket to be sold, you need only subtract to confirm the total number of tickets sold that shift.

• Fits Your Space – The display is modular and can be stacked, and placed side-by-side or at different levels. The height and width of the display is flexible to meet your space needs.

• Plan-O-Gram – These new merchandisers allow for the most popular Scratch ‘n Win tickets to be displayed alongside new or feature tickets.

• Works with Existing Display – The new display works together with your existing glass counter top display, and is an optional add-on.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries will look to offer these new merchandisers later this year.

For more information contact Kevin Semenchuk, Senior Manager Lottery Sales at 204-957-2500 extension 5111 or your Lottery Sales Representative.

As with any of the lottery products you sell at your store there must be care to ensure that purchases are made in a responsible manner and that customers looking to purchase or redeem lottery products must be 18 years or older. If a customer appears under the age of 25 or if you are in doubt about the customer’s age, ask to see identification.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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> Lowest cost of ownership > Easy installation > Roomy hydraulics cabinet > Superior usability with positive feedback grade selects, angled host outlet castings and ergonomic nozzle boots > Best distribution and service network in Canada Security > Better physical fuel protection from a PIN-protected manager keypad, optional meter collar and a variety of cabinet locking options

> Better payment security options, including a secure tribrid card reader, encrypting PIN pad, and full EMV and Interac certified CRINDs > Separate access and security for paper replacement only > More payment options, including RFID, contactless payment and barcode readers

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EMV compliance upgrades are half-way there: are yours?

THE CANADIAN RETAIL MARKET HAS IMPLEMENTED EMV ENCRYPTION IN OVER 50% OF SITES AS OF THIS WRITING. IF YOU’RE IN THE GROUP THAT HAVE NOT YET UPGRADED, THERE ARE SOME SIMPLE TACTICS YOU CAN START USING NOW TO MAKE SURE YOUR ROLLOUT GOES SMOOTHLY. CALL UPON THE EXPERIENCE OF YOUR PEERS AND CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING FIVE CONSIDERATIONS AS YOU PLAN, BUDGET AND EXECUTE YOUR EMV PROGRAM. CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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WHAT IS EMV? • Europay International, MasterCard International, and Visa International formed EMVCo, LLC to manage EMV card specifications for payment systems around the world.

• The objective of EMVCo is to ensure that single terminal and card approval processes are developed at a level that will allow cross payment system interoperability through compliance of the EMV standards.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED? • You will need to upgrade your pinpad, card reader, and payment software.

WHEN IS IT REQUIRED? • Canada Forecourt compliance deadline: End of 2015

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1. CHOOSE YOUR SUPPLIERS AND

PARTNERS WISELY. The suppliers and partners you choose can affect your success in many ways. Your Acquirer will only offer you solutions that are Interac and EWA approved to either the PIN Transaction Security (PTS) 2.0 or PIN Entry Device (PED) 2.1 standard. In addition, VISA requires your POS equipment to be Payment Application Data Security Standard (PADSS) validated. However, only you can call upon your knowledge and experience with relationships.

When evaluating your partners, you should ask yourself questions such as: • Which companies have capabilities and resources that you need for the short and long term?

• Which companies have experience deploying EMV-capable solutions to the Canadian market?

Although talking to each of your qualified technology suppliers separately is a good start, you will also want your POS and dispenser suppliers to connect directly with one another to understand the interoperability and interdependencies of the entire system. Even if you are just starting your upgrade program today, you will be better off with suppliers who have implemented combined system configurations in the field over the past two years.

With a POS upgrade, leave time to verify any changes needed with your other business partners, such as back office systems or car washes. Distributors can help determine the correct firmware required in the dispenser and pay-at-the-pump systems, helping you to have all software and processes in place so that integration goes smoothly during the conversion process.

2. DEVELOP A COORDINATED PLAN.

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28 March | April 2014

Think about how you can control the deployment sequence. Your answers to the following questions will affect the installation resources you need, as well as the project management oversight resources required: • Do you want to deploy some elements of your total solution before others?

• Would you prefer to deploy everything based on geography, site by site?

• Do you have the internal resources to manage the daily details of multiple suppliers and contractors?

A well-informed staff, on-site signage, dispenser screen content, and conventional advertising can make the most of your compliance upgrade.

• Or would it be best to outsource oversight of the details? Suppliers like Gilbarco Veeder-Root offer project management guidance regarding site surveys, parts shipments and contractor work schedules.

Your plan should define the scope of work, the deployment sequence, resources assigned, budgets and schedules.

unless they use it, so be careful not to train too early.

Also consider any changes in your supply channel. For example, does the new POS or dispenser hardware require the same receipt paper? You need to think through the details, consume any inventory that will become obsolete, and create the infrastructure for your staff to order the new supplies in a timely manner.

4. PREPARE YOUR CUSTOMERS. 3. PREPARE YOUR STAFF. EMV compliance will involve new hardware, software and supplies. Employee training will be critical for a smooth rollout. Leverage your suppliers to provide training for on-site employees, as well as your operations staff.

This should include an overview of available Help Desk services, reference documents and other resources.

Training should prepare your staff to explain the changes to your customers and instruct them in the new transaction flow. The timing of the training is important also. Studies show that students soon forget material

Since EMV has now been in the marketplace for several years, your customers have become familiar with the changes in the payment process. Many have even come to expect the added security that EMV brings to their fueling transaction. Your regular customers may still be caught off guard with the new payment transaction procedures, though. A well-informed staff, on-site signage, dispenser screen content, and conventional advertising can make the most of your compliance upgrade.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA 

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Commercial DEF Dispensing Solutions

OPW 19DEF Series Nozzles For DEF Dispensing in Commercial Fleet Applications When you’re responsible for ensuring the safe, reliable and affordable dispensing of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) for on-road, off-road, commercial and industrial heavy-duty trucks, farming or other diesel powered vehicles, you rely on the most trusted name in dispensing nozzles – OPW. The global standard for more than a century, OPW nozzles are built to

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perform better and last longer* than any other brand to deliver unprecedented peace-ofmind, ROI, and performance. The NEW OPW 19DEF Series Automatic Nozzle is specifically designed for your commercial and industrial fleet operations, offering unmatched reliability with the features you want.

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The OPW 19DEF Series Nozzles are for commercial and fleet DEF applications and are not to be used with flammable liquids. *OPW internal lab cycle testing results with DEF as of August 2013.

Discover how OPW offers to meet your DEF and other retail fueling needs, contact us at:

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30 March | April 2014

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5. START EARLY. Starting early is the best way to control your schedule and costs. Avoiding the last minute rush as the end of 2015 deadline nears puts you in control of your timetable and avoids higher costs as demand outpaces technician availability. Starting early will not only help you avoid paying installation contractors overtime, it will also affect your customers’ perception of your business. Consumers prefer businesses that are proactive about security, well-managed, organized and up-to-date.

Make sure your EMV compliance program positions your business as a leader. Common sense and sound advice will lead you to choose your partners and suppliers wisely, develop a coordinated plan, prepare your staff and customers, and start early!

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by Barbra J. Bowes

Give an Inch, take an Inch!

Strategies for Managing Employee Lateness If you are running a larger organization with multiple employees and several different shifts, then one or two employees arriving late might only cause you to feel a pinch. However, those individuals operating a small service related business could face a head-on crash if someone is late and/or fails to show up. That’s because customers won’t wait for you to open up; they’ll simply move on to the next supplier.

That’s why if you’re like me, the word “late” presses my so called “hot button” which in turn can send me off on a tizzy. I abhor an employee who is continually and

32 March | April 2014

chronically late for work, late to submit reports, late to respond to customer needs and late to communicate with their colleagues or their boss for that matter. It’s almost as if they live by another clock as there just isn’t any sense of urgency in anything they do.

Yet, as a business owner, if you don’t address an employee’s lateness, it can cause a general decline in morale amongst your staff especially if the latecomer is perceived as receiving preferential treatment. After all, people resent having to wait for colleagues who are late and they resent being directed

to “fill in” until the late employee arrives. Resentment can build to a fever pitch especially if their colleague becomes a “ chronically” late offender and even more so if the managers are perceived to do nothing about it.

Every business owner has experienced employee lateness at some point, so, why does lateness continue to be such a problem in a small business? The answer lies in the fact that most managers do not like to deal with conflict and so they hesitate to discipline their employees. Perhaps they’re fearful of losing valuable skills that can’t be easily replaced.

On the other hand, the employee may well outrank the manager in terms of tenure and therefore, the issue is not dealt with. In other instances, the tardy employee may be a family member and/or is perceived to have political connections at a higher level.

Since recruiting and hiring a new employee is very time consuming and can cost approximately three times the designated salary, managers must deal with the employee behaviour as quickly as possible. The following tips will assist you to manage lateness effectively.

Define what late means to you – first of all you need to define what late means in your workplace. Does late mean five, ten, fifteen minutes or half an hour late?

What will you tolerate before you “blow your cool”?

Next, think about how many late situations will be tolerated within a six month timeframe.

a policy on attendance is a must. Plan to incorporate your philosophy regarding work ethic and attendance and document it in a policy.

Be sure to inform each new employee of your expectations regarding attendance, tardiness and lateness.

Adopt a five step disciplinary process – document a set of progressive disciplinary steps starting with a conversation and moving on up to termination. Advise the employee of the steps to be taken in the process.

This is called “progressive discipline” and will apply to any employee misbehaviour.

Identify and define a set of

consequences that match the nature of your business and be sure to inform employees about them.

Prepare a script – since most managers are somewhat fearful of a disciplinary

meeting, a good strategy is to prepare a brief script in terms of what you want to say. Write down your ideas and then remove any extraneous words. Next, put each of your comments on a separate line so that if you have to glance at this during the meeting, it will be easy to follow. Do a few “practice runs” so that you don’t stumble in your delivery.

Arrange for a frank discussion – set a meeting with your employee and have a heart to heart conversation.

Direct their attention to the pattern of lateness. Specify the dates and times. Many employees don’t understand that even if they are front line

staff, they play an important role in business success.

Help the employee to understand how their behaviour is affecting your business as a whole.

Engage the employee in problem solving – take a problem solving approach and ask the employee if there’s anything they wish

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Create an attendance policy – small businesses usually don’t have a large number of human resource policies but

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

33

to share regarding why they are being late. Ask how you might be able to assist with their situation. Be firm by indicating to the employee that lateness will not be tolerated. Outline the consequences should their lateness continue.

Coach for timeliness – employees who are chronically late are also often poor at managing time overall. They may pack too many things into their schedule prior to arriving to work. Work on helping the employee to develop realistic timelines with respect to tasks such as dropping children off at daycare.

Sometimes it benefits both parties to have a more flexible schedule.

Monitor and document – while it feels like a nuisance, monitoring and documenting a lateness situation over a period of time is critical. That’s because employees these days have become much more litigious. And believe me,

when a disgruntled employee lays a complaint against your business with the government labour department and/or the human rights commission, it means a full out investigation. Who needs that? Date the documents; describe your meetings and the decisions. Keep your documents in a safe and confidential location.

Proceed to formal discipline – if an employee has had sufficient warnings and verbal disciplinary meetings, you will need to be firm and move to the next steps in the process. Stay focused and consistent in the application of your process and be sure to follow up each and every time there is lateness.

Provide written confirmation of your meetings and keep a copy in your files.

Be patient – it’s also very important for managers to realize that dealing with employee misbehaviour and especially chronic lateness is not going to get

“fixed” over night. Behaviour change takes time. Employees need to be willing and managers need to be patient.

Be a role model – employees follow a leader’s behaviour and so managers must act as role models in terms of being prompt with their own attendance.

As well, managers must keep their cool whenever they are dealing with a disciplinary problem. Be very careful not to over react and if you are confronted with a tense situation, take a moment and count to 10! Stay positive and keep in mind that helping a tardy employee to rectify their behaviour most often reaps good rewards.

Barbara J. Bowes, FCHRP, CMC, CCP is president of Legacy Bowes Group. She is also an author of five books, a radio host and professional speaker. She can be reached at barb@legacybowes.com

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34 March | April 2014

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Sky-Rocketing

by Kelly Gray

Profits

LOOKING TO DEVELOP A NEW REVENUE STREAM? LAUNCH YOUR PROFITS WITH BLAST-OFF FIREWORKS, A CANADIANBASED FIREWORKS IMPORTER AND DISTRIBUTOR.

This company pops! In fact, Selkirk, Manitoba based BLASTOFF Fireworks often bangs, kapows and whistles as well–with a range of 550 products and proven programs to generate solid, high-margin sales. A family business operated by Matthew Bialek, his brother Ryan, his father Randy, and their staff since 2000, the company has grown by developing a line of high quality fireworks that earn retailers a 100 per cent mark-up.

“In a day when margins are being squeezed we offer a solution to retailers,” says Matthew. He points to the products’ visual appeal and ease of merchandising as reasons that both operators and their retail customers sing the company’s praises. Indeed, BLAST-OFF’s programs include guaranteed sale terms for unsold items, free expedited delivery, pre-

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

35

pricing of products, complimentary POS promotional tools, and secondto-none customer service–which, when combined, have earned BLAST-OFF Fireworks a place among Canadian industry leaders in just a few years.

A great example of BLAST-OFF’s dedication to customer service is the company’s specially designed Loan-A-Cabinet storage system. Loan-A-Cabinets are available as an answer to storage and

36 March | April 2014

display challenges in store, creating an optimal retail merchandising solution.

According to Matthew these cabinets are available in countertop, standard floor models and double-wide floor models.

The cabinets handle all storage and civic bylaws, and get noticed by a growing base of customers. “A mom & pop store can situate one of our displays in a very small footprint and realize a far better return per squarefoot than they might with traditional C-store merchandise. This is all part of the simplicity of dealing with BLAST-OFF,” he says, noting again, that no sale is ever final. “If our products don’t sell operators

can simply return them and their LoanA-Cabinet. We take the risk out of the equation.”

Selling well, notes Ryan, are the family packs and ‘Show-In-A-Box’ products.

“The family pack has undergone major changes over the past few years. Packs are a great seller because everything customers require for a top-shelf show is included in one convenient package, from lighting sticks to high-flying finale cakes. Plus, our boxes have unparalleled eye-appeal, and their 100% cardboard– enclosed design makes storage a snap.

The fact that each box is fully-enclosed also limits theft and pilferage loss,” he says. “The Show-In-A-Box products are incredible for people and organizations looking to make a statement without

Matthew and Ryan invite people interested in discovering the simplicity of fireworks excitement to visit www.blastofffireworks.ca for more information. needing to have years of experience in pyrotechnics. The Show-In-A-Box items come ready to go with fully sequenced and choreographed formats, making it nearly as easy as lighting one fuse.”

Today, the large variety of products in packaged and loose formats, their company’s sales model, and a dedication to customer service has helped BLAST-OFF

Fireworks grow beyond what was imagined back in their early days. Now, BLASTOFF employees 20 year-round staff, and up to 25 seasonal / part-time staff on a dedicated, 18-acre site that houses not just sales members, but technical staff that have the experience to make every event pop.

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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“THE PROPER DESIGN AND EFFECTIVE USE OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT CAN LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN THE FEAR AND INCIDENCE OF CRIME AS WELL AS AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE”

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design Did you ever wonder how you could make your business less appealing to criminals? Properties become targets of crime for a variety of reasons. By practicing the strategies outlined in this pamphlet, you can reduce the risk of being victimized.

Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design or CPTED (pronounced sep-ted) holds some of the answers to these questions. CPTED provides a common sense way to

38 March | April 2014

improve the safety of your living environment.

CPTED is a crime prevention approach based on a theory that the built environment influences the behaviour of people.

The proper design and effective use of the built environment can lead to a reduction in the incidence and fear of crime, thereby improving the quality of life.

CPTED involves the design of the physical space relative to:

• The needs of the users • The normal use of the space • The predictable behaviour of the users of the space Crime decreases if the opportunity to commit the crime is reduced or eliminated. CPTED works by eliminating criminal opportunities in and around your property. This can result in your property being a less appealing target.

What can I do to protect my property?

CPTED does not have to be expensive or difficult to apply. It simply involves taking full advantage of your property’s natural surveillance, access control and territorial reinforcement potential.

CPTED Concepts

Natural Surveillance – is a design concept directed primarily at keeping intruders under observation. The primary goal of a surveillance strategy is to facilitate observation; it may also help to create an increased perception of risk to the offender.

Take an objective look at your property. If you answer yes to any of these questions, your property’s natural surveillance needs to be improved.

• Does landscaping or fencing obscure the view to my property from neighbouring properties?

• Are my windows blocked with signage?

• Are there areas of contrast or shadow around my property where intruders can loiter or hide without being seen?

To address any of the above concerns, consider adding additional lighting, reducing or pruning trees and shrubs, removing window signage and altering fencing so intruders can be observed.

Natural Access Control – is a design concept directed primarily at decreasing crime opportunity. The primary goal of an access control strategy is to deny access to a crime target and to create a

CONVENIENCE & CARWASH CANADA

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perception of risk to the offender.

Take a look at your property. If you answer yes to any of these questions, your property’s access control needs to be improved.

• Do people routinely trespass on my property and/or fence line?

• Can people trespass on my property without being observed by others?

• Do people access my property in ways other than I intended?

• Do any existing access routes lack natural surveillance?

To address any of the above concerns, consider better control of undesired movements onto and within your property. Install landscaping, fencing or barriers to increase the chances of an intruder being observed when entering or exiting your property.

When selecting fencing or landscaping materials, consider the maintenance requirements and the impact that fullgrown landscaping would have on your ability to see intruders trespassing on your property.

Keep displays and equipment away from inaccessible windows and doors.

Territorial Reinforcement – is that sense of ownership that a design creates for the space. Encouraging or promoting activity that instills a sense of ownership and expanding the sphere of influence over that space.

Take a look at your property’s territoriality. If you answer yes to any of these questions, your property’s territoriality needs to be improved.

• Do strangers regularly trespass on my property?

• Is my property being used as a short cut?

• Does my property ever have an unlived-in or unkempt appearance?

• Are there seldom-used sections of my property where people loiter or hang out?

To address any of the above concerns, incorporate design elements that help distinguish between public and private property.

For businesses and residences, this can be done through well-placed markers, flowerbeds, low fences, walls, hedges, signage and regular maintenance.

Create an “illusion of occupancy” at home. This is extremely important in deterring thieves. This can be accomplished by making sure your lawn is maintained, your driveway is shoveled and your newspapers and mail is picked up. Use timers to control your

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lights, and have someone check on your property.

CPTED Strategies • Provide clear border definition of controlled space • Provide clearly marked transitional zones which indicate movement from public to semi-private to private space • Create gathering areas at locations with natural surveillance and access control • Redesignate the use of space to provide natural barriers to conflicting activities • Remove signage from windows to provide enhanced visibility into and out of the location • Improve scheduling of space to allow for effective use (parking for nightshift workers closest to the building) • Redesign or revamp space to increase the perception or reality of natural surveillance • Overcome distance and isolation through improved communications • Place vulnerable merchandise in a safe place • Increase the perception of natural surveillance (especially around access control points)

WHAT ABOUT INTERIOR APPLICATIONS? CPTED is equally effective when applied to building or store interiors.

CPTED’s universality results from its ability to help various disciplines do a better job of achieving their primary objective. Designers and merchandisers have discovered that the application of CPTED techniques have reportedly increased sales by as

much as 33% and decreased security problems by 50%.

MAXIMIZING CPTED BENEFITS CPTED provides the opportunity to design in crime prevention and design out crime. For maximum benefits, CPTED should be applied at the design or planning stage when these benefits can be achieved at little or no cost

DON ‘T FORGET ABOUT TARGET HARDENING For maximum crime prevention benefits, target hardening should be applied with CPTED principles.

CPTED’S PROVEN TRACK RECORD CPTED techniques are directed against crimes of opportunity. Where these techniques have been applied to problem settings, crimes of opportunity have decreased by as much as 90%.

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Innovation >> the patented turbo-sweeping system The patented Haaga turbo-sweeping system was awarded the gold medal and the president‘s prize of honour at the 2009 Inventor Show in Strasburg. Haaga is the only producer of sweeping machines that has ever been awarded such a commendation.

the sleek sweepers with the unique disc brush system The one-of-a-kind Disc Brush System from Haaga

Twice the sweeping capacity with Haaga’s Turbo Sweeping System

Very Low Dust thanks to an intelligent airflow. 4 Year Guarantee on the brushes

Haaga >> only good things are copied: Even our Chinese competitors appreciate Haaga‘s high quality. For this they have been awarded the Plagiarius prize

MI Petro and MPI (403) 266-5558 fwight@shaw.ca www.mipetro.com

By Jessica Gonzalez

Product Lead Support, Aftermarket Parts for Wayne, A GE Business

Quality Parts = Reliability = Peak Performance THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FUEL DISPENSERS LASTING IN THE FIELD FOR 30 YEARS, BUT THE AVERAGE LIFECYCLE OF A DISPENSER IS ABOUT 10 YEARS. So how are these site owners able to keep a dispenser going for so long? While there can be many variables that answer that question, such as weather conditions or traffic at the site, quality replacement parts can play a major factor in the reliability, uptime, and lifespan of a fuel dispenser.

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Quality parts equal reliability, which equals peak performance. So the next time a part needs to be replaced on your fuel dispensers, consider the following: 1. Quality replacement parts should be designed by dispenser experts.

It is ideal to purchase quality parts from someone that is knowledgeable about your dispenser equipment. And when purchasing from the manufacturer of your dispenser, you have the assurance that the replacement parts have been designed by the same engineers that developed the dispenser originally. These experts ensure that each individual part within the dispenser provides the reliability and functionality to help maximize the lifespan of the fuel dispenser.

2. Quality replacement parts should be tested.

When buying a fuel dispenser, it is expected that such valuable equipment goes through rigorous testing. Replacement parts should be no different. A tested part is a quality part.

Reputable part manufacturers will spend the time to test their designs with equipment recommended by the engineers. These tests are done in a regulated facility, as well as in the field, prior to making them available for public purchase. Testing can include extreme weather conditions, software compatibility, industrystandard regulations, and security standards, to name a few. Individual parts also go through inoperability tests prior to being shipped.

3. Quality replacement parts should restore the value of your equipment.

While you may not always anticipate a dispenser part to stop working, overtime it is not uncommon with normal wear and tear. For example, a worn gasket can cause leakage or displays may start to fade after years of direct sunlight. Either way, a failed part means a dispenser is not working at its maximum productivity level. New quality parts can breathe new life into a dispenser restoring the value and quality of the dispenser to help meet the peak performance expected.

4. Quality replacement parts can enhance functionality.

A dispenser can be upgraded with a retrofit kit which is designed to upgrade or improve the functionality. Fuel dispenser retrofits allow the

44 March | April 2014

owner to upgrade existing fuel dispensers to the latest technology or comply with local regulation.

Retrofit kits differ from spare parts, and these enhancements can help bring an older dispenser up to a newer generation pump.

5. Quality replacement parts should be available when you need them.

Malfunctioning equipment can mean lost profit. Easy and immediate access to quality parts is expected.

Most manufacturers have a list of authorized dealers in their network that they can provide to a site owner.

These reputable providers are able to offer parts direct from the manufacturer and in most cases stock everyday needed spares for the equipment in their territory. It is also helpful to find a full line provider which will provide the one stop experience with the broadest offering in the marketplace. This helps to minimize equipment’s downtime to keep site profits in your pocket.

So consider this: while the priority is to get up and running when equipment is down, it is worthwhile to purchase parts wisely. Investing in quality parts designed by experts, include testing, and are easily available will help maximum uptime and throughput for your dispenser. This can assure you that you will be able to reach peak performance from your equipment and maintain a reliable fuel dispenser as a solid piece of equipment that will last in the field.

Maybe yours will see its 30th birthday too!

WHAT’S NEW The Wave Carwash Reduces Chemical Costs Lustra™ Professional Car Care Products has announced The Wave Carwash has seen a reduction in chemical costs by using Lustra’s Ultraflex system. The Ultraflex system is a system of ultra concentrated chemicals and equipment. These high performing, ultra concentrated products allow the operator to eliminate drums and drum dollies and to conveniently store inventory at a lesser cost.

The Wave Carwash opened in 2005. Within five years, The Wave Carwash built three more locations in Washington. The Wave Carwash offers a state of the art, environmentally sound car wash. They reclaim over 75% of the water used in the carwash process.

“Ultraflex has exceeded our expectations. We have seen a cost reduction from 10% to 15% when switching from conventional products to the Ultraflex product line,” stated Dustin Lessard, Operator at The Wave Carwash.

The Lustra Ultraflex system provides the control of chemical usage, foam, scent and color. Ultraflex also provides environmentally friendly chemicals and 100% community recyclable packaging.

Visit www.LustraBear.com for more information.

Macneil Wash Systems Announces New Southeast Regional Sales Manager

MacNeil Wash Systems, a leader in conveyor car wash engineering now supported by its parent company Ryko Solutions, the largest manufacturer of car wash systems in the world, has announced that

Matt Nall has joined its sales team as Southeastern U.S. Regional Sales Manager where he will be responsible for supporting MacNeil’s distributor and sales network.

Nall has an extensive background in the car wash industry that spans over 12 years, and includes distributor channel and sales management with companies such as CSI and ZEP. “Matt’s diverse knowledge of the car wash industry, relationships within the region and familiarity with our distributor network make him a tremendous asset to our organization,” said Anthony Antonis, vice president of sales for MacNeil. “Matt’s hiring is a testament to MacNeil’s commitment to investing in talented individuals to grow market share and delivering value for our distributors and end.

130 International Delegates Attend UNITI Expo ‘Open Day’ in Stuttgart

gave us an opportunity to inform exhibitors of our intensive international marketing programmes and our commitment to bringing a truly global audience to Stuttgart this June, when the doors of UNITI expo open for the first time”.

Robert Åsbrink, Marketing Communication Specialist for Wayne said, “It was extremely beneficial for me to see the venue today and to do it in such a structured format, with people from other companies also exhibiting at UNITI expo.”

Batuhan Kiroglu, Sales Director for Turkish company Mepsan added, “This will be so helpful in our planning

for UNITI expo. The day was really enjoyable as well.”

David MacHale, Marketing Manager for Tokheim concluded by saying “Having seen the excellent facilities of Messe Stuttgart, I am now totally confident that we will have a great show in June.”

The organisers are saying there is still time to book an exhibition stand at UNITI expo, but point out that two of the main halls are now full.

For more information, please visit www.uniti-expo.com For general enquiries, please contact com-a-tec GmbH, uniti-expo@com-a-tec.de, phone +49 7721 98 30 0

Ad Index Air-Serv ............................................................................. 39 BlastOff .............................................................................. 37 Blendco ............................................................................ 23 Bulloch Technologies Inc ................................................ 29 Containment Solutions ................................................... 31 Core-Mark International Inc. ...................................... 8, 12

Four months before the new international trade fair UNITI expo opens its doors to a worldwide audience of visitors from the retail petroleum and fuel handling sectors, exhibitors accepted an invitation from the event’s organisers, to come and see the venue for themselves, prior to the event taking place in Stuttgart from June 3-5 this year.

Commenting on the day’s affairs, Elmar Kühn from UNITI said “It was so important for us to stage this pre event gathering. Most of the people who joined us had never been to the Stuttgart convention centre before and from all the post event comments we received, this pre event planning opportunity was extremely helpful for everyone who came. This special day also

DirectCash.....................................................................OBC eGenuity ........................................................................... 22 Gourmet Chips .............................................................. IBC Leese Enterprises ............................................................ 34 MI Petro/McIntosh Petroleum .................................. 26, 42 MuscleMlk ......................................................................... 15 National DSD ................................................................. IFC OPW Fuel Management Systems ................................. 30 PDQ Manufacturing ........................................................ 20 Petroleum Equipment Institute ...................................... 10 Playboy Energy Drinks ..................................................... 16 Pumps & Pressure ........................................................... 28 PurClean ............................................................................ 19 Scholten’s ........................................................................ 33 The Scan Group............................................................... 25 TurtleWax. ........................................................................ 18 WPMA............................................................................... 40 Western Refrigeration ..................................................... 13 Weston Bakeries............................................................... 41

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