In the Know: NPGA Propane Expo takeaways

Photo by Allison Barwacz

Q: What were your takeaways from the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) Southeastern Convention & International Propane Expo?

A:

Each year, the NPGA Propane Expo allows us the chance to grow our businesses through education, shared peer experiences and product showcases. After attending this year’s expo and talking with fellow attendees, we walked away with a few thoughts:

1. The sessions were well attended. Great topics presented by experienced, knowledgeable presenters attract better and larger audiences.
2. The outlook on declining volumes is not promising. Autogas was introduced to reverse the decline, but not all retailers see how they benefit currently.
3. Retailers want to take advantage of social media for marketing, but many don’t understand how or what it takes.
4. Cold winters do not guarantee high show attendance. Next year’s show is back in Nashville, Tennessee, which was a very popular destination two years ago. Nashville should give next year’s attendance a healthy boost.
5. Monday saw little activity in the convention hall. A move to different days of the week may be beneficial.
6. Most people we talked to were optimistic about the future but did not show a lot of excitement.
7. The industry has a large group of independent retailers who have prepared to pass their businesses down to the next generation or cash in on the value of their businesses’ volume and customer bases.

Overall, this year’s expo was a good show. When peers share experiences, learn and get to know one another better, everyone benefits.

Tammy Day is director of marketing and communications at Propane Resources. She can be reached at 888-739-6732.