February 2018 magazine

TexasPropane Volume 74 No. 2

February 2018

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

Growing Gallons with Commercial Mowers

New Texas Consumer Site Launches

Are You Ready to Take the Next Step?

Pinnacle Propane is committed to maintaining the legacy you’ve built.

Have you considered selling your propane business but concerns for your customers and employees are holding you back?

At Pinnacle Propane, our values of Customer Service, Integrity, and Safety emphasize providing the best possible experience for our customers and employees.

As a Texas-based company, we focus on providing local service to our customers in the communities we do business and empowering our employees via competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package.

As you think about next steps, let us work with you to develop a fair purchase plan and a seamless transition so that you can relax and enjoy the results of your efforts.

Matt Terry Director, Acquisitions (210) 560-5418

Bill Webb Senior Vice President, Acquisitions (936) 329-1440

For more information and a confidential assessment of your business, whether retail propane or cylinder exchange, and wherever you are in the United States, call us today.

Pinnacle Propane is now part of the SHV Energy family. SHV Energy is one of the world’s leading propane distributors and has over 16,000 employees and operates in more than 20 countries. As part of the 121 year old Dutch privately owned SHV Holdings, SHV Energy is committed to working sustainably with communities, stakeholders and policy makers.

www.pinnpropane.com

Pinnacle Propane is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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TexasPropane February 2018

8408 North IH 35 Austin, TX 78753 (512) 836-8620 or (800) 325-7427 (512) 834-0758 fax E-mail: info@txpropane.com www.txpropane.com

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

TPGA staff Bill Van Hoy Executive Director bvanhoy@txpropane.com Jackie Mason Education & Marketing Regulatory & Legislative Affairs jmason@txpropane.com Debbie Simpson Executive Assistant Membership Meeting Planner Publication Coordinator dsimpson@txpropane.com Propane Service Corporation

Debbie Simpson (800) 392-0023 dsimpson@txpropane.com Publisher

Kim Scheberle Account Manager/Managing Editor Sail House Publishing (512) 346-0892 kscheberle@austin.rr.com Joanne Pantaze Advertising Sales 512-273-2639 jpantaze@pvco.net Kiki Pantaze Art Director (512) 924-7566 kpantaze@pvco.net

Features Growing Gallons with Commercial Mowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Negotiation Checklist to Ensure a Successful Outcome. . . . . . 12 New Texas Consumer Site Launches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Tell ‘em What You CAN Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Departments Highlights from Headquarters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 TPGA Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 People in Propane. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Inside the Industry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Tell Us Something Good. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Safety Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Legal Beat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Classified Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Propane with Purpose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Highlights from Headquarters

Grow Gallons with Commercial Mowers Bill Van Hoy TPGA Executive Director This issue of Texas Propane, and a few subsequent issues, will arm you with the information that you need to discover segments of the propane industry where you can grow your gallons. This month it is propane-fueled mowers, and the feature article starting on page 6 gives you background information, mowers that are available, sales tactics and more.

The next meeting of the TPGA Board and its committees will be in Austin, March 6-7, 2018. We hope that you will join us for an enthusiastic discussion on a

variety of topics, and a lively dinner on the evening of March 6.

Make sure that you put the 2018 Crossroads Propane Expo+Conference on your calendars! This event provides an exciting opportunity to join propane marketers from across Texas, and is the leading source for current and timely information for the propane industry in Texas. The expo will connect you to other leaders in the propane industry and key partners to explore a range of new ideas, technologies and equipment.

AFFINITY PARTNERS BASYS • Lone Star Energy Group

2018 CROSSROADS SPONSORS Golf Tournament Targa Resources Convention Bags Enterprise Products Lanyards Keyera Energy President’s Cocktail Reception Bishop Energy Casino Party Quality Steel • Westmor Industries

New Members

marketer Mid Coast Propane Beasley, TX SUPPLIER VERTRAX North Haven, CT REJOINING MEMBER MARKETER Ozona Butane Sanderson, TX

2017-2018 TPGA Board of Directors President: John Walter, Schneider Distributing, 800-901-9109 President Elect: Jack Walzel, Tri-Co Propane, 254-642-3885 Secretary: Harris Baker, Pinnacle Propane, 512-306-0073 Treasurer/Finance Chair: Josh McAdams, McAdams Propane, 936-598-7444 District 1 Director: Jim Vines, Cooper Propane, 903-785-5242 District 1 Alternate: April Welch, WelchGas, 903-577-1446 District 2 Director: Josh McAdams, McAdams Propane, 936-598-7444 District 2 Alternate: Open District 3 Director: Jeremy Gentile, Hill Butane, 409-296-2001 District 3 Alternate: Open District 4 Director: Mark Peterson, Buster Brown Propane, 281-689-3946 District 4 Alternate: Allen Wells, Baygas, 281-332-2660 District 5 Director: Open District 5 Alternate: Open District 6 Director: Omar Garcia, Mr. G Propane, 956-581-1063 District 6 Alternate: Open District 7 Director: Steve Smith, Smith Gas, 830-393-2533 District 7 Alternate: Sharon Seal, Bell Hydrogas, 210-533-7103 District 8 Director: Jack Walzel, Tri-Co Propane, 254-642-3885 District 8 Alternate: Rodney Sladek, Fayetteville Propane, 979-836-7044 District 9 Director: Bill McCullough, Butane Gas, 800-242-69010 District 9 Alternate: Brad Quisenberry, Gene Harris Petroleum, 888-336-4474 District 10 Director: Josh Nowlin, McCraw Propane, 9003-583-7481 District 10 Alternate: Sam Fox, McCraw Oil, 469-261-1148 District 11 Director: Steve Adams, Hardwick LPG, 254-647-3402 District 11 Alternate: Lane Worthington, Sunoco, 325-835-3031 District 12 Director: John Gordon, Bob’s Fuels, 325-647-3619 District 12 Alternate: Laci Jo Stone, Schneider Distributing, 800-901-9109

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

District 13 Director: Open District 13 Alternate: Open District 14 Director: Open District 14 Alternate: Open District 15 Director: Don Heinrich, Slaton Gas, 806-828-6501 District 15 Alternate: Open District 16 Director: Open District 16 Alternate: Open Past President: Ben Wood, Northwest Propane, 972-247-6121 Past President: John Kelly, Kelly Propane, 940-586-1208 Past President: Todd Dorris, Roadrunner Energy, 830-278-5317 Past President: Doug Maclay, United Propane, 972-225-2347 Vice President: Allen Wells, Baygas, Bay Gas, 281-332-2630 Vice President: Matt Terry, JP Energy Partners, 210-560-5418 Vice President: John Gordon, Bob’s Fuels, 325-647-3619 Sr. Vice President: Mark Peterson, Buster Brown Propane, 281-689-3946 Sr. Vice President: Bill Collins, Collins Propane, 972-442-1078 Sr. Vice President: Joe Green, Green’s Blue Flame Gas, 713-462-5414 Assoc. Supplier Service Director: Rusty Walker, Marshall Young Insurance, 817-645-9155 Assoc. Supplier Service Alternate: Don Hankins, Alamo Corporate Group, 817-615-8393 Assoc. Producer/Marketing Gas Director: Jimmie Grant, Martin Gas Sales, 713-851-6155 Assoc. Producer/Marketing Gas Alternate: Anna May Etheredge, Bishop Energy, 940-665-4672 Assoc. Manufacturer/Distributor Director: Mark Smith, Leran, 512-318-1840 Assoc. Manufacturer/Distributor Alternate: Jim Diehl, Squibb Taylor, 214-357-4591 Assoc. At Large Director: Tracy Wells, Gas Equipment Company, 214-638-8018 Assoc. At Large Director: J.R. Anderson, Gas Equipment Company, Nominating Chair: Doug Maclay, United Propane, 972-225-2347 NPGA Director: Jim Bishop, Bishop Energy, 940-665-3457

ANNOUNCING A NEW LOOK T h e p r o pa n e i n d u s t r y i s e v o lv i n g , a n d s o a r e w e .

1994

2015

FUEL YOUR PROFITS WITH LOWER WORKERS’ COMP PREMIUMS Endorsed by:

*Dividends are not guaranteed and past dividends are not a guarantee of future dividends. The Texas Department of Insurance must approve all dividend plans

Call your agent to get a quote or call Curtis Heptner, Master Agent H (940) 397-2771 H Curtis@certessentials.com

Featured

Growing Gallons See Mowers Think Houses

One midsize landscaper 6 mowers = 12 houses

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Not many of the 4,500 registered landscape contractors in Texas understand the value of switching to propane-powered mowers as well as Benchmark Landscapes, a commercial maintenance and design company that serves the Austin and San Antonio areas. Over the last five years, the firm has boosted profits and productivity by converting its entire 120-mower fleet away from gasoline.

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Featured

with Commercial Mowers

By Pat Hyland February 2018 •

Texas Propane

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Featured

Propane retailers nationwide are discovering that the commercial landscape market is a timely opportunity to tap a large, underserved off-season demand. In fact, a 2016 market research study found that more than one-third of contractors are considering propane for their fleet in the next three years.

Like all business owners, landscapers want to know one simple thing: what real difference will propane make to their bottom line? Momentum gained in the commercial mowing market in recent years offers proof that propane pays off with lower operating costs, reduced fuel loss and lower labor expenses.

Propane is consistently less expensive than gasoline at the pump, cutting contractors’ largest expense.

Propane mowers also cost about 30 percent less per hour to operate than gasoline and require less engine maintenance. And propane equipment’s secure, closedloop fuel system saves money by virtually eliminating the opportunity for spills, fuel theft and the need to sacrifice work time for trips to the gas station.

Combined, those savings offer landscapers savings that can be passed on to customers during the bid process for a unique competitive edge.

support their own corporate sustainability efforts. Homeowners, too, are more attuned to the potential impact of engine emissions.

Compared with gasoline mowers, research shows that propane reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15 percent and carbon monoxide emissions by more than 40 percent. Landscapers can leverage that advantage when marketing to new, environmentally conscious clients to grow business.

In Texas, 18 counties in the Houston and Dallas/Fort Worth metro areas qualify as “non-attainment” in meeting federal ozone standards. But busy landscapers with cleanburning propane mowers in those counties can keep working while their gasoline competitors must shut down when air pollution exceeds EPA thresholds. It’s a big reason why the switch away from gasoline is common among large landscape firms in major metropolitan areas in Central Texas.

Additionally, responsible contractors say they appreciate that reduced exhaust is better for the health of their workers who walk behind the mowers all day.

Reduced maintenance. Because propane burns cleaner, propane commercial mowers typically have a longer engine life and extended oil life. Additionally, propane does not contain ethanol now found in gasoline so there is decreased corrosion of engine components.

Reduce Fuel Loss. Propane equipment has a secure, closed-loop fuel system. This saves money not only by drastically reducing fuel theft, but by virtually eliminating costly, harmful spills.

It’s widely known that, at the end of the day, gasoline cans rarely return full (no matter how many lawns were mowed). With propane, there is little opportunity to steal fuel, which can translate to real savings.

For contractors using a traditional gasoline- or diesel-fueled mower, spilled, wasted, or mishandled fuel is a common occurrence. In fact, refueling landscape equipment results in 17 million gallons of spilled gasoline in the United States each year. These spills can kill grass, impact the environment, and ultimately cost a contractor money. Propane is a contained fuel source.

Reduced Labor Expenses. Keeping employees productive is every landscape contractor’s biggest task. It’s critical to help contractors understand that propane-powered mowers help their business by minimizing downtime-related labor expenses. Re-

There are 20,000 propane commercial mowers in use nationwide that account for more than 15 million gallons of fuel sales each year

Why Propane?

Green. For landscape professionals everywhere, fuel choice is fast becoming a decision about both profit and sustainability. As they consider ways to run leaner and compete in a competitive, price-sensitive market, they are recognizing that using propane can help distinguish their brand and instantly bump profit margins.

Since propane burns cleaner, there’s growing evidence that being a “green” landscape business is good for business. Commercial clients increasingly seek environmentally friendly methods to

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Featured fueling gasoline-fueled equipment requires crew members to spend valuable time traveling to an off-site fueling station. This can cause hundreds of hours of unproductive time, because it forces employees to make an extra stop. With propane’s convenient, on-site refueling or cylinder exchange cages, employees can spend more time working and less time at the gas station.

Stable Fuel Costs. According to the PERC Propane Mower Incentive Program survey, operating cost is the primary factor that will influence a contractor’s decision to purchase a propane-powered mower. Since a contractor’s primary operating cost is fuel, it can determine whether their business will be profitable or not.

Gasoline’s relatively volatile price has landscape contractors researching affordable alternative fuels like propane. Since a contractor buys propane in the off-season for commercial landscape, the price they pay for fuel may be even lower than average.

And because a local propane provider can offer fuel on a monthly, or even yearly, fuel contract, your customers can secure a fixed-rate price. This not only minimizes price volatility commonly experienced with gasoline, but it also helps contractors project their annual fuel costs, alleviating anxiety about unforeseen spikes in price at the pump.

The Basics

Mowers typically burn 800-1,000 gallons each year

add about 1 million gallons of off-winter season load.

Eliminating constant refueling trips to the gas station is a big draw for small, medium and large fleets. Landscapers rely on their propane provider to help them choose between convenient cylinder exchange and on-site dispensing options.

Hurdling Market Barriers

Early barriers to entering this market centered on equipment availability and limited product awareness across the entire marketplace (equipment dealers, end users, and the propane industry). Since 2012, PERC has worked with equipment and engine manufacturers to identify market needs and fill gaps in product lines. New, dedicated propane engines and expanded model applications now include popular stand-on and wide area walk behind units in additional to the traditional zero-turn applications.

As the product mix has grown, new training programs have been implemented for outdoor power equipment dealers and small engine repair professionals to help build awareness, comfort, and confidence of propane within the sales and distribution channels.

81% of Texas propane mower incentive recipients choose propane because it is more environmentally-friendly. That said, there is new competition for propane. More and more green-minded landscapers are expressing interest in electric mowing equipment.

However, mower manufacturers have yet to make a battery that will provide for a full day of mowing without recharging. Charging times can range from as little as 30 minutes to 6 hours.

If propane had just 10 percent of the landscape contractor gasoline business, Texas market share would add about 1 million gallons of off-winter season load.

Forty percent of the Top 100 Lawn & Landscape companies doing business in the United States are buying and using propane models. There are about 20,000 propane commercial mowers in use nationwide that account for more than 15 million gallons of fuel sales each year, according to the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).

Propane now owns a 5 percent market share of U.S. commercial mower sales.

Most mowers require two to four cylinders each. On average, a 43.5-lb. cylinder tank needs to be refueled every six to eight hours. Mowers with two 33.5-lb. tanks need to be refueled every seven to nine hours, according to research done by PERC. Propane commercial mowers typically burn 800-1,000 gallons each year; more in regions like Texas with a longer cutting season.

Texas contractors operate 7,500 to 10,000 mostly gasoline units over a typically robust mowing season of 35-40 weeks each year.

Those numbers don’t include the many large land owners (ranches, camps, corporate campuses, etc.) that do their own maintenance.

If propane had just 10 percent of that Texas market share it would

Available Equipment

Today, more than 150 propane mower models are available from top brands. The automotive-style, closed-loop EFI system February 2018 •

Texas Propane

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Featured

available in Kohler EFI models optimizes air/fuel settings to maximize performance and efficiency. Landscapers can also convert equipment using multiple EPA- and CARB-certified conversion kits.

Factory Built Landscapers can buy machines that are already outfitted for propane power from a host of industry leading OEMs, including: • Bob-Cat (OEM & dealer conversion) • Exmark • Jacobsen • R&R Products • SCAG • Toro • Walker • Ventrac Mower Dealer Conversions Aftermarket conversions remain a critical component within the commercial mower market. Some equipment manufacturers offer delayed conversions through their dealer network. They include: • Bob-Cat (w/ Alliance Small Engines) • Gravely (w/ EnviroGard/Lehr) • Ferris (w/ Propane Power Systems) • Husqvarna (w/ Propane Power Systems) • John Deere (w/ EnviroGard/Lehr) • Snapper Pro (w/ Propane Power Systems) • Spartan (w/ Propane Power Systems) & Wright (w/ EnviroGard/Lehr) True Aftermarket Conversions Some landscape contractors prefer to buy the fuel system conversion kits and install them in house. That way they can re-

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

move the kits and make them easier to sell to the ranchers or farmers who buy them in the strong resale market for used mowers. Here is a listing of EPA-certified conversion kit manufacturers, which can also be found on the PERC website at www.propane.com: • Alliance Small Engines (Kawasaki) • EnviroGard/Lehr (Kawasaki) • Hendrix Industrial Gastrux (Kawasaki) • Propane Power Systems (Briggs & Stratton Commercial and Vanguard Engines) • Carb & Turbo (Honda GX 390) To help propane marketers and commercial mower users find a nearby equipment dealer, PERC recently created an online tool with a unique ZIP code search feature to locate equipment dealers that sell propane-powered mowers. Equipment dealers are asked to list relevant information such as the brands carried, services offered, training completed, etc. The Propane Equipment Dealer Point is available at https://www.propane.com/commercial-landscape/ find-a-propane-equipment-dealer/.

To date, more than 500 equipment dealers (35 in Texas) are registered on the site. More than 3,200 visitors utilized the Dealer Point tool thru 2017.

Incentives

PERC also offers incentives for landscape contractors to consider making the switch. Through the National Propane Mower Incentive Program, applicants are eligible to receive to $1,000 per qualifying new mower purchase or $500 per qualifying aftermarket conversion of a gasoline to propane mower with a cap of 25 incentives per year per end user. The program has helped place more than 4,500 propane commercial mowers into the field, including 355 in Texas.

The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) also offers an incentive. ProCOT provides $1,000 per factory-built or mower conversion with a lifetime cap of 7 incentives per qualifying user.

If you couple the two programs together, a qualifying commercial mower user can receive $1,500 - $2,000 per mower to cover the incremental cost to upgrade to propane.

Nine out of 10 participants in Texas said would likely choose a propane-fueled mower again.

Mower Market Sales Tactics

Every landscaper interested in reaping the benefits of propanefueled equipment needs a reliable propane provider partner to help set it up and make it work. Likewise, marketers must forge partnerships with equipment dealers and aftermarket conversion

Featured Target Market Example Users Landscape Contractors

ABC Pest & Lawn Cleanscapes Benchmark Landscapes

Local Governments

City of Austin City of Temple

School Districts

Austin ISD Bonham ISD

Colleges & Universities

Austin Community College Texas State Technical College St. Edward’s University University of Texas at Austin

Golf Courses

Multiple golf resorts outside of Texas

Large Farms & Ranches

Navasota Valley Goat Ranch

kit suppliers to sell as a team and provide opportunities for demonstration whenever possible.

Here are other tips offered by the growing number of propane dealers having success in this promising market: 1. Build an understanding of the local market. Identify the key professional landscape contractors and outdoor power equipment dealers. Take note of the brand(s) they’re using and/ or selling. Get involved with the local chapter of trade associations representing landscapers like the Texas Nursery & Landscapers Association (TNLA).

2. Develop a strong relationship with an equipment dealer. You may be the fuel expert, but they know the equipment and local contractor marketplace. Sell as a team with a complete solution (mower + fuel), not as an individual with only 50% of the equation.

3. Identify an in-house market lead for both sales & service. Have one contact or key-person responsible for the marketing, sales, and relationship building.

4. Know when they buy. A majority of the participants in the Texas mower incentive program bought in March, April & May. 5. Take care of your customers and listen to their critiques – good and bad. In a highly competitive market, you’ve got to be more than a fuel provider. Stay involved with the customer from start to finish.

6. Remember – it’s more than just a mower fuel. Look at the opportunities in the professional landscape contractors fleet vehicles, building/garage heating and hot water, portable generators, etc.

7. Think beyond the traditional landscape contractor.

Professional landscape contractors are certainly important to this market, but there are other areas within the marketplace that could benefit greatly by using propane mowers. School districts, universities, municipalities, public parks, and privately-owned land (ranches, camps, etc.) all represent significant opportunities 8. Use incentives and/or grants as the deal closer, not

the lead. While the Propane Mower Incentive Program offers a financial incentive for end users to convert, a positive ROI can be realized by virtually all contractors even without an incentive.

The financial and environmental benefits are powerful messages, use those as the lead in your sales pitch.

9. Use your resources. PERC provides a wealth of resources and tools to help you capture opportunities in the professional landscape market. Take advantage of these when they’re made available.

10. Don’t give up after the first try. You may not seal the deal on your first pitch. Gasoline prices are low and fuel expenses may not be top-of-mind at the moment, but that can change in the blink of an eye. Plant the seed, check in often, and remind them what you have to offer as a fuel partner.

Available Marketing Materials

Finally, here is a complete listing of all mower assets (print and digital collateral, sales training) available from PERC, all of which can be found on the PERC website at www.propane.com: • Straight Talk Videos • Case Studies (several case studies all downloadable via the catalog) • Mower Calculator (web tool, spreadsheet, and app available) • Propane Equipment Dealer Point • Propane Mower Incentive Program (flyer) • 2016 Market Research • The Cut newsletter • Gallon Growers Toolkit • Mower – Dispensing Propane Training Materials • Commercial Landscape Talking Points Reference Card • Commercial Landscape Sales Cheat Sheet

See

Inside the Industry for upcoming Mower Events February 2018 •

Texas Propane

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Featured Sales Focus

Negotiation Checklist to Ensure a Successful Outcome

By Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter”

ing process and to never allow yourself to enter into a negotiation phase until you have sold first and have not been successful at least twice. By going through the selling process first, it will give you the opportunity to uncover the real benefits the customer wants.

Want to go into negotiations with the best selling skills possible? Want to increase your sales motivation and your profits? Make sure you’re following this checklist on every negotiation.

1. Never negotiate with anyone who is not qualified to negotiate. If in doubt, ask how they’ve handled a similar type of negotiating in the past. Listen for names, dates, etc. that will provide clues as to their level of responsibility. When you negotiate with someone who is not qualified to negotiate, you’re at a huge disadvantage.

At no time should you put anything on the table they could then pass along to someone else. If you do find yourself negotiating with someone who is not qualified, you should shift your approach to only looking to obtain information.

2. Never put things into writing unless you’re prepared to live with them. Once an item is put into writing, it becomes an anchor either for you or the customer. This is especially critical when

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negotiating with a professional buyer who will use anything put into writing as leverage. Keep in mind a few simple rules. Are you prepared to have whatever you put into writing shared with the competition?

Are you prepared to have a competitor use your information to secure a better deal? If you do put anything in writing, it must include specific expiration dates and include information that could be interpreted in several different ways to give you the ability to control how the information is used.

3. Always have room to give something the other person will deem as a perceived benefit. This is why it is so important to sell first and negotiate second.

By selling first, you have the opportunity to ask questions and validate the key benefits for which the customer is looking.

During the negotiation phase, a customer will attempt to mask the benefits they desire, making it harder to determine exactly what the customer wants. This continues to emphasize the importance of the sell-

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

4. Know when to walk away and be confident in doing so. To execute this requires the “walk away point” being shared in advance with others in your company to ensure accountability is in place if and when this tactic has to be used. If you enter into a negotiation without knowing what your walk away point is, you will be destined to give away more than you should in a final negotiation. Sharing with your superior what the walk away point is will give you the confidence you need to do so. If your superior is not in agreement with you as to what the point is, there is little chance you will actually walk away. Instead, you will allow yourself to get “nickel and dimed” into a price lower than you can afford to offer.

5. Know at least 5 things the other person wants that you can offer. Again, this is why it is so important to sell first and negotiate second. By doing so, it will be possible to know in advance of the negotiation phase what can be offered. Negotiations are lost when one party does not have the ability to leverage things the other party wants. When you don’t know in advance what the other person is looking for, the process becomes nothing more than extortion.

6. Know at least 5 things you can say that will discount what the other person is offering (price not included). Never negotiate on price. Negotiate using other items, such as technical performance, operational efficiencies, etc. that will provide the leverage needed to avoid a price-oriented discussion. The most successful

negotiations are those where you have a balance of information both in terms of what the customer is looking for and in how you can discount things they might try to offer you. Having your responses developed in advance will allow you to be far more confident when you’re negotiating and need to respond quickly. Do not go into a negotiation without first having developed the answers you’re going to provide to questions you may be asked.

Likewise, be sure to know what questions you’re going to ask.

7. Always treat the other person with respect and dignity. Negotiate over things and services, not personal matters.

Never allow the negotiation to become personal in nature. This even applies to those situations where a close personal relationship may exist. A quick rule to keep in mind: If the relationship is so good, then why is anything being negotiated anyway? If a negotiation does become personal in nature, do not hesitate to step away and arrange a follow-up time to resume negotiating. By adhering to this you can minimize the potential the negotiation winds up being emotional. Should either you or the other party become emotional at anytime during the negotiation phase, then it is absolutely essential you stop negotiating immediately.

8. Never enter a negotiating process until both sides are clear on what is being negotiated. At the start of a negotiation session, it is appropriate to state exactly what is up for discussion. By doing this up front, it’s possible to avoid a waste of time and, more importantly, inadvertently negotiate things that don’t need to be discussed. How can you negotiate anything if you don’t know what is being negotiated? Keep in mind a negotiation that is only dealing with price is not a negotiation — it’s a “blank-check” discussion where the only thing that can happen is you lose money. This is another reason why it is so important for us to spend as much time selling the customer before entering into the negotiation phase. By spending as much time as possible attempting to close the sale via the selling process will allow you to identify specifically what the other party is looking for. Never attempt to enter into any negotiation process without first being able to identify with the other party exactly

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADVERTISE IN TEXAS PROPANE Magazine?

For Advertising, contact: Joanne Pantaze at 512-273-2639 or by email at jpantaze@pvco.net

A re Y ou

GAMBLING W ith your insurance?

Other propane owners have come to our agency to cover their insurance bets: 1) Most tell us they have no idea what companies insure their industry and are surprised to learn there are multiple options available; 2) Many have discovered a gap in coverage after meeting with us; 3) Some have grown frustrated with the lack of timely response and personal service from their current agent.

WWW.MARSHALLYOUNG.COM

“We chose Marshall Young as our insurance agent because of the personal service, value and the ability to meet all of our insurance needs. When we need anything we get immediate and personal service with just a phone call.”

— John Walter Schneider Distributing

401 N. Ridgeway Drive, Cleburne TX 76033 | 817-645-9155 MEMBER

February 2018 •

Texas Propane

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what is being negotiated. Keep in mind the more things you have to negotiate about, the less the process will focus on price.

9. Use the sell/buy approach first. Only move to a negotiating phase if you are unsuccessful closing the sale first. Minimally, no negotiating should begin until the customer has rejected the close at least twice and the customer has provided you with at least one buying signal. Too many salespeople lose the negotiating event because they failed to sell first.

Professional buyers will always attempt to get to the negotiation phase as soon as possible especially if they feel they’re dealing with a weak salesperson.

10. Never offer up options until after you’re deadlocked on price and the customer has provided you with additional information. This includes providing you with a buying signal and credible benefits as to what the customer desires. As soon as something is offered up to the custom-

er, it becomes very hard to take back and, therefore, you have to be very cautious about putting anything on the table until you know if it is something the customer wants and they’re willing to provide you with other information.

11. Always put the negotiated outcome in writing immediately. Do not leave issues open for further discussion.

The person who puts the outcomes in writing first wins by being able to position things in the manner they want them to be. Putting things into writing first also provides the opportunity to make one final modification with minimal risk. The person who puts the information into writing first is the person who will always have the upper hand. This is particularly true if the negotiation process is going to extend over several meetings. When putting the information into writing, it is acceptable to put the information into writing as you see it. This then becomes your opening position when the negotiation process resumes.

12. Upon reaching an agreement, thank the other party, but do not celebrate! Celebrating the outcome of a negotiation sends the signal to the other party that they have been taken advantage of. Sending this signal will jeopardize the long-term potential of the relationship.

View every negotiation as if it is merely another step in the long-term process, which it typically is. Celebrating the completion of a negotiation will always leave the other party feeling you “won.” It will automatically put you at a disadvantage when the next sales or negotiation event begins.

Mark Hunter, The Sales Hunter, is author of “High-Profit Selling: Win the Sale Without Compromising on Price.” He is a consultative selling expert committed to helping individuals and companies identify better prospects and close more profitable sales. To get a free weekly sales tip, visit www.TheSalesHunter.com. Read the first chapter of his instant-classic “HighProfit Selling” at www.saleshunter.com.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Marketing Minute

New Texas Consumer Site Launches

About the Site

The Texas Propane Gas Association (TPGA) has launched their new consumer-facing site, Propane Texas www.PropaneTexas.com.

The initial launch gives residential consumers a look at propane’s uses both inside and outside the home. The site also includes a companion Texas Find a Propane Retailer tool for their members.

The association plans to continually enhance the site and even add a builder section in the near future.

What is Texas Find a Propane Retailer?

Texas Find a Propane Retailer (FPR) is a retailer locater web directory that provides consumers with contact information for propane retailers in their area. Consumers can search for propane retailers with a drop-down list of counties, type in their county or click on the interactive map.

There was a need for the tool after the Texas Propane Retail Directory was shuttered. That site had been managed by the Alternative Fuels Research & Education Division of the Railroad Commission.

Who can register?

The Texas FPR is exclusive to association members.

How does it work?

It’s important for all members to register since in most cases the association only has their home office on file, and we are unfamiliar

16

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

with each individual marketer’s service area, which is one of the questions on the form.

There are still several members who have not registered for the tool. TPGA members can log onto the Members Only section of the TPGA website to register their locations. Members have until February 16, 2018 to register for the second launch.

Texas FPR displays information for EVERY registered TPGA member retailer location that matches the service area services area.

FPR displays the company name, location and contact information and website. The order in which the results are displayed to consumers is random This is done to ensure fairness in the order in which retailer locations are displayed.

How do I get my company locations included in Texas FPR?

It’s easy! Register by February 16, 2018 1. Submit via the TPGA website • Visit www.txpropane.com • Click on Member Only tab and type in password • Click on location icon • Cut and paste the URL into a different web browser for each location you submit 2. Call us. TPGA can register members locations over the phone Questions? Feel free to contact us by calling 1-800-325-7427.

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AFTERMARKET

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17

Inside the Industry

People in Propane It is with great sorrow that we inform you of the passing of Alejandro Hinojosa, Sr., 79, of Harlingen. Mr. Hinojosa passed away on Christmas Day after a long battle with cancer.

Mr. Hinojosa was born in Monte Morelos, Mexico and moved to Harlingen in 1954 to work at his uncle’s cafe before enrolling in vocational school. In 1962 he married after joining the Army. A year later he borrowed money from his brother to buy a propane truck which he used to launch Hino Gas Sales. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time.

Thurman Jimmie Waldrep, 75, of Franklin, TX, passed away on January 5, 2018, at his residence. Mr. Waldrep was a retired propane truck driver and a resident of Franklin for the past 46 years. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family at this time.

Monday Morning Messenger

TPGA members. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Monday Morning Messenger, the association’s weekly e-newsletter that covers regulatory alerts, updates and reminders, grant notifications, industry events, and other pertinent news.

Ensure your branch managers and those in charge of safety are subscribed.

TPGA provides unlimited subscriptions for members.

TPGA members, please call (800)3257427 if you would like to subscribe.

Double Propane Ag Incentives for Hurricane Impacted Farmers

Last Call for Applications for NPGF Scholarship

The National Propane Gas Association will stop taking applications on February 15, 2018.

Qualifying members children from Texas who apply for the NPGF Scholarship will automatically be entered into the Texas Propane Gas Association (TPGA) Scholarship, as well. That’s right! One application gets applicants into the running for both the national and state scholarship.

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Ensure your employees who have graduating high school seniors or college undergrads know this opportunity exists.

Visit https://www.npga.org/organization/scholarship-fund/ for more information and to apply.

TPGA members, if you miss the February 15 deadline, don’t fret. The TPGA scholarship application round opens February 16, 2018 and will close May 15, 2018.

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

For ag operations that were impacted

by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, or the Wine Country Fires in California, the Propane Farm Incentive Program is offering double incentives on new propane powered equipment for a limited time.

That’s up to $10,000 toward the purchase of new irrigation engines, building heaters, power generators, and water heating systems. Our hope is that these extra incentive dollars will help affected ag operations get back on their feet quickly.

The application is online now. These double incentives are available while incentive funds last or until April 30, 2018.

To apply for the double incentive, eligible applicants simply need to check “YES” to the question on the online application that reads: “Was your operation directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, or the California Wine Country Fires in 2017?”

If you have questions about the Propane Farm Incentive Program, please contact Cinch Munson at 202-302-4495 or cinch.munson@propane.com At any time, you can find the latest information about the Propane Farm Incentive Program, including a list of qualifying equipment, at www.Propane.com/ FarmIncentive.

Mower Gallon Grower Event Texas Recreation & Park Society Expo

Join the Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) on Thursday, March 1st (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) for the Texas Recreation & Park Society Institute & Expo at the Waco Convention Center in Waco.

Between 1,500 and 1,600 city and county park officials are slated to attend.

ProCOT is providing a venue for the propane industry to help promote propane commercial mowers and their business as a fuel solution for mowers. Reach out to a new customer base.

Badges are available on a first come, first serve basis, one per company.

To register to work the booth, please visit www.procot.org and click on the event in the calendar section.

Mower Gallon Grower Event #2 DFW Clean Cities Smartscape Meeting

March is Smartscape month. DFW Clean Cities will be holding SmartScapethemed meeting on: March 27 1:30-3 p.m.

Plano Environmental Education Center

4116 West Plano Parkway Plano, TX The Propane Council of Texas (ProCOT) will be hand to discuss propane commercial mowers and incentives.

Join ProCOT and DFW Clean Cities in March for this event. Stay tuned for more information at www.procot.org.

Northern Italian Historic Villa Turns to Propane Outdoor Equipment

West Coast propane marketers borrowed the idea from gasoline businesses: card locks to dispense propane into cars and trucks 24-hours a day. Petro-Vend developed a card lock unit that dispenses pressurized propane.

To prevent equipment tampering, some LPG dealers are installing a double-lock system whereby customers use a key to open a cover and gain access to the dispenser, then use a card to activate the card lock equipment.

Card locks are a real boon to the LPG motor fuel business because they make it easier for propane-fueled fleets to tank up at night.

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Complete Back-Office Software The propane outdoor equipment is not only making strides in the United States, but also overseas. Greengear Global headquartered in Brescia, Italy is a division of Cavagna Group and is a global manufacturer of propane outdoor equipment.

The company has seen great success

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abroad. Greengear was selected to provide propane outdoor equipment for the Villa Carlotta located in Northern Italy. Villa Carlotta, a historic mansion overlooking Lake Como, is famous for its beautiful gardens.

Villa Carlotta partnered with Greengear because propane is a green alternative to gasoline (petrol) in Europe. Not only is the Villa using propane to manage its 70,000 square meters of gardens and landscapes, but also plans to use propane to heat the museum and greenhouses.

Smarter Interesting Tidbits The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association announced that a total of 1,235,000 outdoor gas grills were shipped in 1980.

NLPGA addressed the need for a decal system allowing owners of propane-fueled vehicles to prepay the $0.04/gallon Federal Highway Tax. New federal minimum wage of $3.35 went into effect on January 1, entitling an estimated 5.6 million workers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act to pay increases.

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February 2018 •

Texas Propane

19

Business Beat

Tell’em What You CAN Do

By Nancy Friedman

One of the most abrupt and shocking forbidden phrases you can say to a customer is, “We can’t do that.” These words close the door on the customer’s request as quickly as does its close cousin — “That’s our policy.” Everyone has heard the “We can’t” phrase before, and we’ve heard it used in situations in which we could

imagine a reasonable alternative.

Telling customers “We can’t do that” doesn’t help them. It’s a dead end. Customers are only concerned with what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T do.

The solution is to remove the “We can’t” out of your vocabulary when speaking with a customer. Instead, offer sugges-

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tions of what you can do for them. We call this a positive alternative.

Consider this scenario in which someone calls their local government asking for help with a problem: Eric: “Good afternoon, county assessor’s office. This is Eric.”

Customer: “Yes, I need to talk with your appraiser. I just received my new real estate tax bill and it’s way too high. Now, I work until a quarter to five, but I’m just a few blocks away. Can someone meet with me just after 5 o’clock.”

Eric: “Ohhh, we can’t do that.”

Here’s a far better way to handle this situation: Eric’s positive alternative: “Well, here’s what we can do. We’re only open until 5, but let me transfer you to Mark Murphy.

He’s one of our appraisers. He could meet with you over the lunch hour, or maybe you could get off work a couple of minutes early tomorrow. I’ll set it up for you. If you’re able to hold, I’ll transfer you to Mark.”

Here’s another example: A man calls a local retailer and asks if they have a particular sales item in stock.

“Yes. We still have three left. We’re open until 5:30 today,” the clerk replies.

“Unfortunately, I’m out of town on business today. Is there any way you could hold it for me until tomorrow morning? I’ll be in to get it.”

The clerk is aware their policy does not allow sale items to be placed on hold, but instead of saying, “We can’t do that,” the clerk responds with the positive alternative: “If you’ve got a moment, I’ll talk with my supervisor and see if we could take a credit card number from you over the phone. That way we could hold it until you pick it up.”

The important thing to remember is that every time someone repeats, “We can’t do that,” a customer likely is lost. The key is to replace that forbidden phrase with a positive alternative: “Here’s what we CAN do.”

Remember this theme, don’t tell them what you can’t do, tell them what you CAN do!

Printed with permission, © ServiceSkills.com.

20

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Tell Us Something Good

TXPGA Disaster Relief Fund Hurricane Harvey Victim Here to Help

Hurricane Harvey unleashed roughly 27 trillion gallons of rain over Texas and Louisiana in just six days last August and devastated Texans with its flooding, high

winds, and tornadoes. The Washington Post reports that it is one of the top 5 costliest hurricanes on record.

People are still struggling in the after-

math of the storm and many thousands have received little to no aid.

The Texas Propane Gas Association (TPGA) created a Disaster Relief Fund to help Texans who use propane. With the support of like-minded state propane gas associations and propane professionals across the nation, TPGA was able to raise nearly $10,000 for this cause.

The TXPGA Disaster Relief Board will be meeting during the March 6-7, 2018 TPGA Board & Committee meetings to further discuss the application process and awards.

Watch for more information later this spring on how to apply.

Donations are still being accepted.

Checks can be made out to TXPGA Disaster Relief Fund and mailed to the association office located at 8408 N IH 35, Austin, TX 78753.

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21

Safety Talk

Odor Complaints, Gas Leaks, and Service Interruptions Safety Meeting 3 Use NFPA 54’s three-minute leak test (www.nfpa.org), or your company’s preferred leak-detection methods. Be aware of any other state and local guidelines that apply, and follow them accordingly.

3 Once you have determined the source and extent of the leak, follow your company’s policy and procedures for ways to remedy.

SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS AND REGULATIONS:

A customer complaint about a gas odor requires prompt attention. A propane leak can exist for a long time without detection. To ensure against potential hazards or downtime, respond to propane odor reports swiftly, and follow your company policy for resolution.

FIELDING ODOR REPORTS: 3 Use your company's policies and procedures when taking a customers odor/gas leak call.This will help you gather the information you need to determine the source and location of the possible leak and help you give appropriate instructions to the customer.

3 If the propane odor is detected inside a building, instruct the

customer to immediately put out all smoking materials and other open flames; do not operate lights, appliances, telephones, or cell phones; shut off the gas if it is safe to do so; and leave the area.

AT THE CUSTOMER SITE:

The odor of propane suggests its presence, but cannot signify its concentration. Since you have no way of knowing the potential risk, always follow these precautions: 3 Treat all leak reports as propane gas, until proven otherwise.

3 Keep the area clear of open flames and electric sparks; do not turn on electrical switches, cell phones, or flashlights in the area.

22

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Propane delivery interruptions may occur when: 3 Cylinders or containers undergo maintenance or when they are exchanged or repaired.

3 Any changes are made to the gas distribution lines.

3 There is a gas leak.

3 There is an equipment failure or issue with customer payment.

3 Know the reasons and causes of a service interruption and respondappropriately. It is your job to respond promptly to a service interruption due to an appliance malfunction, a safety shutoff, or a pilot light shutoff.

Discussion Topics . Your customer has just had a propane delivery and 1 calls to report an odd smell. How do you respond? What are the key questions asked and information gathered? . A customer, who has been dispatched to a number 2 of times, once again complains of a propane odor in his kitchen. How do you respond?

LEARNING ACTIVITY imulate an odor complaint call. Have participants take the call S and follow your company’s policies and procedures. Discuss circumstances where immediate action may be required, and the appropriate steps.

Source: Basic Principles and Practices of Propane (PERC) For more information about odor complaints, visit propanesafety.com. © 2014 Propane Education & Research Council

Legal Beat

Summary Judgment Granted in Carbon Monoxide Exposure Lawsuit Alleging Negligent Inspection of Forklift

By Katy Regier lifts every 180 days for a flat labor fee for each forklift serviced. At one point about four months after a specific forklift was checked under the agreement, Blair complained of headaches and “feeling rundown.” His doctor diagnosed Blair with carbon monoxide exposure. Blair checked his house and vehicle and then the Fennell work place. Blair said a digital carbon monoxide detector “went berserk” when the forklift in question was running. The fire department was called and the Fastenal warehouse was shut down for part of a day. Blair and his wife brought a lawsuit against Pennell alleging negligent inspection of the forklift.

The Lawsuit

The Illinois Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for a fork lift service company holding there was no evidence to support the forklift service company agreed through its service agreement or inspection checklist or verbally to undertake carbon monoxide testing as part of service work for plaintiff ’s employer. In the Blair v. Pennell Forklift Service, Inc. case discussed below, the Court analyzed plaintiff ’s allegations that the defendant voluntarily undertook a duty to test carbon monoxide levels emitted by a propane-fueled forklift as part of preventative maintenance services, and negligently inspected a forklift which led to injuries from carbon monoxide exposure. The case turned on the scope of the services

24

contract in place and whether the actions of the forklift service company created a duty beyond the contract language. The legal issues presented by this case are clearly analogous to situations propane suppliers can face related to service work for their customers.

Background

Plaintiff Jerrod Blair (Blair) was employed at an industrial supply company which used propane-fueled forklifts in its Springfield, Illinois warehouse. The employer, Fastenal Corporation (Fastenal) and Pennell Forklift Service, Inc. (Pennell) entered into a preventative maintenance service agreement which provided that Pennell would check Fastenal’s fork-

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Blair asserted in his lawsuit that Pennell breached a duty to “inspect, maintain, repair and service the forklift, including monitoring the carbon monoxide it emitted.” Blair specifically pointed to service work that Pennell did about four months before he was exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide in the warehouse. Blair claimed that Pennell had a duty to ensure that Fastenal employees were not exposed to harmful carbon monoxide emissions.

Pennell asserted, among other things, that the preventative maintenance agreement did not cover carbon monoxide testing.

Deposition testimony and related evidence produced during the discovery phase of the lawsuit supported Pennell’s position on the negligent inspection allegations which centered on whether Pennell had a duty to include carbon monoxide testing as part of the preventative services agreement. Jeff Pennell, the company owner, testified to the effect that his company had been in business for 33 years and he and his employees were experienced in servicing and maintaining forklifts. He testified that the preventative maintenance check “allows the company to

develop a relationship with the customer that might lead to further repair work” but the company “takes a loss each time one is conducted.” Significantly though, Pennell also pointed out in his testimony that it is important for the owner of a propane powered forklift operated inside a facility to monitor carbon monoxide emissions and that OSHA puts the responsibility for such monitoring directly on the forklift owner.

The Pennell service technician, who performed the preventative maintenance check in question, testified that he used a checklist for service work and as far as checking for carbon monoxide issues, he started first with asking the customer if there had been any problems with the forklift. Then he would start the “fork truck,” drive it and if the engine was “running great, not missing, running fine” and he couldn’t smell that it was “running rich” or see it putting out smoke, he would mark on the inspection form that it was “okay.” If the customer said there were problems or the engine was “running poorly” then he would recommend a tune up and emissions check. As far as the particular forklift inspection in question, the service technician said he ran the forklift, the exhaust was coming out of the tailpipe, he didn’t see any smoke, his eyes

were not burning from too rich a fuel and it was running fine. So he marked “OK” on the exhaust/emissions category on the

inspection form. The service technician also testified that carbon monoxide testing was not part of a preventative main-

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February 2018 •

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25

tenance agreement but was instead an additional service conducted on a “repair record.” Notably, the service agreement did not reference using a carbon monoxide tester.

The district manager for Fastenal, who had signed the service agreement, testified he had not requested carbon monoxide testing each time maintenance was provided under the agreement and in fact, had never requested such testing prior to the time Blair informed Fastenal of his carbon monoxide exposure. The district manager also testified that if carbon monoxide was suspected, a test was authorized and a separate fee was charged for the test and stated he had not had any complaints about the forklift in question prior to Blair’s diagnosis.

Pennell filed a summary judgment motion asserting it had no duty under the preventative maintenance agreement or OSHA to test for carbon monoxide emissions and Blair had “no evidence the forklift was emitting unsafe levels of carbon monoxide at the time Pennell serviced it.”

The trial court granted Pennell’s summary judgment motion finding Pennell

did not have a duty to conduct carbon monoxide testing under the maintenance agreement. Blair appealed the decision.

Appeal

The Illinois Court of Appeals (Court) reviewed Blair’s assertions that Pennell voluntarily undertook the duty to perform the carbon monoxide testing and this was established by the service agreement and scope of the inspection report categories. The Court disagreed and pointed out that the agreement indicated the work would include visual inspection, where possible, and operational checks, but nothing was mentioned in either the agreement or the inspection report about carbon monoxide. The Court also stated “[n]othing suggests Pennell would include a test of carbon monoxide levels, which could not be done with accuracy through a visual or operational test.” Nor did the Court find the written agreement had been expanded through a verbal agreement, or otherwise. Instead, the Court stated the focus of the voluntary undertaking duty is what Pennell actually promised to perform and that Blair

could not go beyond the “actual promise and include matters never discussed.”

The Court affirmed summary judgment for Pennell, noting that as no duty existed, Blair could not recover under a negligence cause of action.

The opinion discussed above outlines key issues with respect to service agreements and conduct related to agreements.

As part of risk management efforts, propane suppliers should be aware of the scope of any written agreements in place and potential issues that can arise through course of conduct or verbal assertions related to the substance of an agreement; and also make their employees aware of these issues.

Risk management should be an enterprisewide exercise and engrained in the business culture of the organization. ~ Julie Dickson Kathryn A. (“Katy”) Regier is an attorney with the Sandberg, Phoenix & von Gontard, P.C. law firm in its Kansas City, MO office.

She can be contacted at: kregier@sandbergphoenix.com or (816) 425-9683.

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Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

Calendar February

8 LPG Charity Fund Texas Hold’em Tournament Houston, TX 11-13 NPGA Board of Directors Meeting Santa Barbara, CA 13-15 World Ag Expo Tulare, CA

Index to Advertisers 27 DFW Clean Cities Smartscape Meeting Plano, TX

Bergquist 18

30 TPGA office closed for Good Friday

Enterprise Products 25

Longhorn Propane 28

April

BLT Tanks 23 Cunningham Gas Products 17 D. L. Morrison Welding 25 Gas Equipment Company 21 Lone Star Energy Group 5 Lumbermen’s Insurance Agency 14

5 PERC Council Meeting Atlanta, GA

Marshall Young Insurance 13

Propane Service Corporation 20

15 NPGF Scholarship Deadline

6-8 2018 NPGA Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo Atlanta, GA

16 Deadline to register for the TPGA Member Only Texas Find a Propane Retailer

26 NPGA Benchmarking Council (Groups A-H) San Diego, CA

TPGA Scholarship Opens Online at www.txpropane.com

May

14 PERC Council Meeting Santa Barbara, CA

19 TPGA office closed for President’s Day

3 NPGA Benchmarking Council (Groups I-M) San Diego, CA

March

10-11 PERC Advisory Committee Meeting St. Louis, MO

1 Texas Recreation & Park Society Expo Waco, TX 6-7 TPGA Board & Related Committee Meetings Austin, TX

15-16 TPGA Board & Related Committee Meetings Austin, TX

Meeder Equipment Co. 15 Pinnacle Propane Inside Front Cover Rural Computer Consultants 19 Westmor Industries 17 White River Distributors 26

PetroStar Equipment Resources Purchase & Sale Pre-Owned Propane Tanks 5,000 gallons to 120,000 gallons FOR SALE 15,000 gallon, 250 psi, Eaton Metal Fab (2) 30,000 gallon, 250 psi, Mississippi Tank Contact: Jim Oliver (936) 755-6108 petrostar@pdq.net

Garrett Insurance Agency, Inc Formerly, Southern Star Insurance Agency, Inc Cecil Joiner, Risk Manager cecil@garrettinsurance.com 1-800-545-2565 www.garrettinsurance.com

COMING Next Issue The Clean School Bus Movement & How You Can Be Part of It February 2018 •

Texas Propane

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Propane With Purpose Propane With Purpose

Propane Fueled Thermoelectric/Solar Generators Used in Sensitive Alaska Outback

Reliable, remote, and environmentally friendly power was needed for a study on salmon by the Alaska Department of Fish and Games. To meet these goals the department chose a propane-powered Global Power Technologies (GPT) SolarHybrid (Thermoelectric/solar) unit.

The Kenai River Drainage, south of Anchorage, Alaska, is a proverbial big fish in the minds of anglers the world over. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is serious about protecting its salmon fisheries, one of the state’s most valued natural resources. The department conducted a study of Slikok Creek, a tributary of the Kenai, to determine spawning and rearing habitats of Coho and Chinook salmon, the state fish that’s known as the “king salmon” in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The department set up sites along Slikok Creek with in-stream, passthrough antennae and electronic transceivers, which recorded the travels of adult and juvenile salmon tagged with transponders. Clearly, remote power was a critical ingredient to the department›s research in this far-flung region of untamed wilderness and potentially bitter temperatures. “When I’m running a project like this year-round,” says Mary King, a fisheries habitat research biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, “the last thing I need to be doing is troubleshooting

30

Texas Propane • www.txpropane.com

problems during an Alaskan winter.”

GPT began supplying three sites along Slikok Creek with GlobalSolarHybrid remote power systems, which combine GPT’s superior thermoelectric generator (TEG) technology with solar panels and photovoltaic PV batteries to offer a greener solution with greater reliability.

During periods of below-average insolation values, a sensor mechanism turns on the propane-fuelled Model 5060 TEG, which provides power and recharges the batteries until they are again able to take over operation of the transceivers.

The salmon research operation went very well, thanks to GPT’s steady supply of remote power. “I’m tickled pink with them,” says King. “The GLOBALSolarHybrid systems have cut the fuel expense by more than half.”

At the project’s completion, she estimated that the equipment paid for itself. She touted the ease of moving the battery backup back and forth.

“It’s low-maintenance. Really, I should say no-maintenance.”

TexasPropane T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

2018 Rate CaRd www.tfda.com

The Official Publication of the Texas Funeral Directors Association

TexasPropane Volume 74 No. 1

January 2018

T H E M AG A Z I N E F O R T H E T E X A S P R O PA N E G A S A S S O C I AT I O N

Don’t Be Held for Ransom: Cybersecurity for Businesses

Advertising sAles

Joanne Pantaze 512-273-2639 phone 512-273-2649 fax

Texas Propane is the official publication of the Texas Propane Gas Association and is the only publication geared exclusively toward the Texas propane industry. Each month, Texas Propane reaches about 900 propane industry professionals (including every licensed fullservice propane retailer) providing an effective platform to market your products. Space is limited. Reserve your spot today.

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Color 4-color can be added to any size ad for an additional 30% of space rate.

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Classified Advertising Rates Words Rate per Word 20 minimum . . . . . . . . . .$1/word Pictures and logos can be added for a small additional charge. Call for custom pricing.

Discounts TPGA members receive an additional 5% off all listed rates. All rates are net; no advertising agency discounts available.

Closing Dates Space reservations for both display and classified advertising are due a month before the publication date. For example, a reservation for the February issue is due January 1.

Artwork is due five working days after the reservation deadline.

National Propane Gas Foundation Scholarship Fund Education. Success. Scholarship.

Planning for your child’s college fund?

Apply Now for a NPGF Scholarship Visit www.npga.org/scholarship to learn more about available scholarships.

Applications open on September 15. Completed applications must be submitted by February 15 of the following year.

Successful applicants will be notified by May.