Hearth & Home Technologies recalled its Heat-N-Glo and Heatilator Corner Unit Series indoor gas fireplaces. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the back of the firebox on both products bows out, posing a fire hazard. There have been two reported incidents involving charring and minor property damage. No injuries have been reported. The fireplaces, fueled by either propane... read more
In the Know is a monthly partnership between LP Gas magazine and Propane Resources. Our focus this month is on propane irrigation engines, addressed by financial consultant and business valuations and sales expert Tamera Kovacs. Q. Propane irrigation engines are being touted as a big opportunity to grow gallons – provided farm customers are within retailers’ service territories. Is that consistent with what you are hearing... read more
Smith Gas Liquids Company, an independent wholesale propane company, added Melissa Fochtman to its wholesale sales team as regional sales representative for its Central Atlantic region. Fochtman has five years of experience in account management, with previous experiences working in the banking and insurance industries. Photo: Smith Gas Liquids Company read more
It has been said that in a contest between a river and a rock the river always wins. Why? Because the river is willing to follow the natural call of gravity – going over, under, around or, eventually, through the rock – to its destiny, which is to ultimately merge with the ocean. The rock is stuck, relentlessly pushing against... read more
The Propane Education & Research Council approved the following funding requests during its July meeting in Park City, Utah, with the principal contractor in parenthesis, where applicable: • $605,000 for a digital strategy designed to strengthen the engagement between propane marketers and the council (Blue State Digital) • $500,000 for a reimbursement program that helps propane marketers incorporate a low-emission... read more
Rutherford Equipment moved its headquarters from Conyers, Ga., to Covington, Ga., to help with business expansion. Mike Rutherford, vice president of sales and marketing, says the company began selling high-end grills and fireplaces about 10 years ago. He says that segment of the business grew in recent years. “Because of the growth in that segment, those products take up a lot... read more
Alliance AutoGas obtained Environmental Protection Agency certification for the Ford Transit’s 3.7-liter propane autogas system. According to Blossman Services, a founding member of Alliance AutoGas, the bi-fuel system conversion on the Ford Transit is atypical in that no intake manifold drilling, cutting or splicing of wiring is required. The Ford Transit is the first engine to employ plug-and-play technology, the... read more
Marathon Petroleum Corp. is purchasing MarkWest Energy Partners LP for an estimated $15.6 billion. According to Reuters, Marathon Petroleum is buying MarkWest through its pipeline unit, MPLX. Marathon Petroleum’s acquisition will create the fourth-largest master limited partnership in the U.S. at $21 billion. According to a press release, MarkWest owns and operates midstream service businesses in several liquids-rich natural gas... read more
The Wisconsin Propane Gas Association named Emma Shultz as its interim executive director after she had served as an executive assistant. Shultz also manages the activities and programs of the Wisconsin Propane Education & Research Council. The council provides educational, training and safety programs for the propane industry, as well as important consumer education on the benefits of using propane... read more
With its public education initiatives no longer restricted by the federal government, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) announced plans to form a consumer awareness task force that will help lay the foundation for a new outreach program. PERC has been moving toward a new consumer education program since the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) lifted a restriction that... read more
