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LP Gas timeline (2000-09): An onerous decade

October 25, 2021 By    

LP Gas is celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2021. To commemorate the milestone, LP Gas editors have combed through magazine archives from the past eight decades to create a timeline marking the industry’s history through our own pages. Here we present the 2000s. You can also access these decades: 1940s1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s1990s and 2010-present.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, attack, the industry feared its pipelines were vulnerable.

Following the Sept. 11, 2001, attack, the industry feared its pipelines were vulnerable to terrorist-related attacks.

Terrorism fears (2000s)
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack, fears heighten and propane retailers are on high alert for potential threats and incidents such as bobtails in transit carrying propane. Many of LP Gas’ stories during the decade discuss how to ramp up security, secure storage facilities and train drivers to report suspicious activity.

Hand-held computers make headway (2000)
Hand-held computers begin to make their way into bobtail drivers’ hands, maximizing the accuracies and efficiencies of routes and billing procedures, LP Gas’ James Guyette writes.

Pursuing a global market (2000)
As interconnectivity grows between individuals and corporations with the rapidly growing technology and web sector, U.S. equipment manufacturers begin to take a stake in the global marketplace, primarily focusing on Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Russia.

NPGA relocates (2002)
The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) votes 84-12 to relocate from Lisle, Illinois, to its current home in Washington, D.C. The move aims to help NPGA respond quickly to legislative issues and communicate industry positions, actions and initiatives to the media and government players.

Hurricane Katrina (2005)
Category-five Hurricane Katrina batters the Gulf Coast, causing more than 1,800 deaths and $125 billion of damage in August. Mississippi-based Blossman Gas takes a direct hit, with 12 of its 75 employees losing their homes due to the storm. Nonetheless, the retailer rallies to help neighboring towns in the Gulf Coast recover in the aftermath.

Propane Days (2005)
NPGA hosts its first annual Propane Days on May 10 in Washington, D.C. The event brings 300 propane industry representatives from across 36 states to hear perspectives from the Departments of Energy, Transportation and Homeland Security, as well as meet with elected officials.

The Great Recession (2008)
The recession is taking its toll on propane retailers at the time of LP Gas’ 2008 State of the Industry report. According to the magazine’s annual survey for retailers, for the first time in six years, less than 50 percent of retailers expect to have more customers and less than 30 percent see higher profits for the year ahead.

Environmental debate (2009)
With climate talks intensifying rapidly, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) invests $6 million to ramp up its green energy message in the latter half of 2009. Shortly into President Obama’s first year in office, it becomes clear that clean energy is a priority, prompting PERC to focus its efforts on promoting propane’s usage in the initiative.

Featured image credits: Cover 1: Robertshaw Thermostat Co.; Cover 2: Impco Carburetion; Cover 4: Photos courtesy of LP Gas Hall of Fame inductees and their families, and background photo by Istockphoto.com/Herbert Bias; Cover 5: LP Gas staff; USGirl/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; balipadma/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; spawns/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; Logo/background: Olha Huro/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Social media image credits: Cover 1: Robertshaw Thermostat Co.; Cover 3: Impco Carburetion; Cover 5: Photos courtesy of LP Gas Hall of Fame inductees and their families, and background photo by Istockphoto.com/Herbert Bias; Cover 6: LP Gas staff; USGirl/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; balipadma/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; spawns/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images; Logo/background: Olha Huro/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

About the Author:

Carly Bemer (McFadden) was the managing editor at LP Gas magazine.

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