M&A momentum continues across the propane industry

Ron and Abby Kukuchka plan to travel in their motor home. David Gable was enjoying time at his son-in-law’s beach house in Costa Rica while considering his future plans. Others are settling into new roles within the propane industry.

A propane merger or acquisition signals change for those who have spent years serving their customers and communities and growing their businesses.

For our May M&A issue, we sought to share propane retailer perspectives and the processes that went into those decisions to sell. There’s a variety of circumstances at play. Seven propane retailers who sold in the past 12 months agreed to share their stories, which will appear on our website this month.

▶ Deciding factors

From talking with leaders in the M&A space, owner retirement remains the No. 1 driver for companies choosing to sell. Often, there’s a triggering event that leads owners to that final decision, and there’s no successor in the family.

The 2025-26 winter of extremes – cold in the East, mild in the West – may also weigh on owners’ minds, one way or another, when deciding the future of their businesses.

Recalling the Pennsylvania winter, Ron Kukuchka told writer Bob Sandrick that he doesn’t miss working after he and Abby sold Ace-Robbins last June, before the snow started to fly.

“I didn’t miss it when it was 10 below zero and the wind was blowing this past winter; I’ll tell you that,” Kukuchka shared for one of the seller stories.

The propane market appears healthy, offering attractive returns for companies, including private equity firms, investing in the space. The long list of deals that we reported in the past 12 months bears that out.

▶ NCM on the move

North Coast Media (NCM), LP Gas’ parent company, is preparing to settle into a new home, one that makes more sense to us while we build momentum for the future.

We’re still based in downtown Cleveland, but we’re moving into a new office in the city’s popular Playhouse Square district. It’s a dynamic and culturally rich area about which our team is buzzing. NCM is growing, and this new space will only foster more collaboration and creativity as we work closely with our marketing partners and readers.

Let us know if you’re ever in Cleveland. We’ll show you around our new office and our proud city.

Featured homepage image: Maks_Lab/iStock/Getty Images Plus

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