SERVICE STATIONS - CHANGES & CHALLENGES AHEAD - LATEST UPDATES ON E10, ELECTRICAL VEHICLES (EV) & THE REVALUATION CHALLENGE FACING THE FORECOURT ...
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JUNE 2019 SERVICE STATIONS - CHANGES & CHALLENGES AHEAD LATEST UPDATES ON E10, ELECTRICAL VEHICLES (EV) & THE REVALUATION CHALLENGE FACING THE FORECOURT SECTOR
CONTENTS
Welcome to 04. E STANDS FOR ETHANOL
Forecourt &
08. Grow your retail business with DCC Oil Ireland
(Emo Oil & GreatGas)
10. Take control of your cash cycle with Premium Cash
Solutions (PCS) complete end to end solution
Michael Griffin
Irish Petrol Retailers Association
Retail News 14. Creating Community, Inver’s 3rd Dealer Conference and
First Inver forecourt Excellence Awards Gala
20. Is it time to get plugged in?
Dear Retailer 22. Fresh Start At Newly Refurbished Top Oil Mallow
Welcome to the latest Issue of IPRA Forecourt and Retail News. It has been a very 24. IPRA Fuel Retailers Exhibition
busy 6 Months. We had our Forecourt Expo in CityWest in March and we had the
pleasure of introducing Micheal O’Muircheartaigh as our Guest of Honour and 28. Trends in sales of petrol and motor diesel
feedback was very positive. I wish to thank all of the exhibitors and retailers who
supported this years event . 32. TSG - LEADING THE WAY IN EV CHARGING
Fuel prices have seen steady increases in the past 3 Months. We expect further 36. Commercial Rates Update and Future Plan
increases on Fuel prices as a result of Carbon tax. We would hope that the
Government take into account the recent steady upward price movement when they
are looking at carbon tax increases. There is only so much the consumer can bear.
A huge issue facing our Members is the large increase in Rates as a result of the
Valuation office revised Methodology for the Rating of Service Stations. We think
the system is totally unfair and needs to be revised and a more equitable system
introduced. Our Members have been levied with up to 500% increases. This increase
will put them under severe pressure and may lead to closures.
The IPRA have scheduled a meeting with Declan Lavelle (head of the Valuation
Office) in early June and we will present him with a revised proposal which was
agreed by our members at a meeting in May. We also have plans to investigate the
possibility of going to the Competition Authority in Europe for redress. We will
keep you posted.
We are looking for new members and if you know of any petrol station owner who
is not a member please put them in touch with us as we will need additional support
to tackle the Rates issue going forward.
Michael Griffin
CEO
Published by the IRISH PETROL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION
F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
E STANDS FOR ETHANOL
Fortunately, Ireland doesn’t use any palm oil diesel (many
European countries do, because it’s cheap and easy for oil
companies to process it and because Europe’s renewable energy
legislation does a terrible job at distinguishing between good
yield-increase ethanol and bad deforestation palm diesel).
B7 is used cooking oil
Biodiesel made from genuine waste catering oil is a terrific
thing as it diverts the waste from landfill, incineration and urban
drains. Over two thirds of Ireland’s progress towards its goals
for climate action in transport is accounted for by used cooking
oil alone. EU legislation even allows countries double count it
when calculating their progress towards their renewable energy
targets: use one litre and count it as two. It’s a very popular
choice.
But it may not all be genuine. There’s a limit to how much used
cooking oil can be collected. Ireland imports 90% of what it
uses. Europe as a whole imports 75%, amounting to more than
New E5 and B7 labels recently appeared on petrol and diesel pumps deposits deep underground. Unlike fossil fuel, biofuels carbon emissions
could plausibly be sourced from the countries which supply it.
across Ireland with hardly a mention. Behind them is the intriguing don’t add to the total amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. From
story of one of the world’s great efforts to stave off climate change. a climate perspective, introducing E10 is the equivalent to taking one in
The E stands for ethanol, B stands for biodiesel while 5 and 7 are the twenty cars off the road, instantly.
More palm diesel?
Virgin palm oil costs less than used cooking oil, traceability to
percentages to which they are blended in our petrol and diesel. E10 is
far flung towns across the world is near impossible and cooking
being introduced in several European countries this year and Ireland may Ethanol doing the heavy lifting up fresh oil to make it seem used is a low-tech process. Even
well be among them. The Irish government’s Biofuels Obligation Scheme requires fuel
if it is genuinely used, it may not be genuinely waste, as most E10 and E5 cost much the same to produce, they come from the same
suppliers to include 10% biofuels on average in the petrol and diesel they
places in the world use it for animal feed, heating and cooking fuel or refineries, they can be mixed in the same storage and pumping systems
Transport driving climate change supply. They meet the requirement currently by including 5% ethanol in
in their own biodiesel sectors. In 2016 the European Court of Auditors and they both perform safely and effectively in all petrol vehicles no
Worldwide the transport sector is proving to be obstinate when it comes petrol and 7% biodiesel in diesel. And by a quirk of the EU regulation
raised huge concerns about the potential for fake used cooking oil its matter the age or model. Most drivers are not necessarily unaware of
to cutting carbon emissions. In developed countries transport has become which allows biodiesel made from waste used cooking oil to be counted
report on the EU system for monitoring biofuels. what the E5 label means and this won’t change with E10.
the biggest emitter of fossil carbon and the only sector where emissions twice on paper, this adds up to 10% overall.
are still increasing. By some estimates peak oil use on the road may not
arrive before 2040 while parity between fossil energy and renewables These two biofuels – ethanol and used cooking oil – represent the totality
New limit on UCO Better petrol
The predicament didn’t go unnoticed in Brussels. In 2021 a new EU Ireland will be joining a major club of E10 countries across the world.
may not be reached before 2050. of Ireland’s climate action in the transport sector to date. Ireland is not
regulation comes into force under which no Member State can have E10 has been the standard fuel in the USA for several decades, and it
alone in this. Worldwide ethanol is actually the number one climate
more than 1.7% of its transport energy derived from used cooking oil and powers all petrol car models, ages and engine types there, without
Thankfully, electric vehicles are finally gaining a foothold but even under action measure in transport, surpassing by a huge margin all other
similar. This will limit the potential for fraud though it doesn’t make the exception. Despite some older cars not having been warrantied for it
the fastest imaginable growth rate of electric vehicles they will not begin measures combined, including electricity. While many policy thinkers
cooking oil biodiesel that is sold any more credible. There should be a when there were originally sold, time has shown that they all run on the
to outnumber petrol and diesel cars for another three decades. That’s deliberate on exciting new public transport concepts, future super-fuels
much greater reward for the heroes who collect and process genuine used fuel safely and efficiently. Ethanol is an oxygenator, making petrol burn
because consumers still overwhelmingly opt for conventional vehicles and electromobility, ethanol is quietly doing the heavy lifting.
cooking oil domestically in Europe and no special incentive for imports leaner and cleaner. They are now rolling out E15 in America. France,
and even when they do it choose electric it will take a couple of decades
from regions where the used oil is not actually a waste, quite possibly Finland, Belgium, Germany and Brazil all use E10 and higher blends
to replace the fleet. By the time electromobility catches up, the fleet size - Peace of mind climate action made from fresh palm oil and not easily traceable. and, like the USA, they have only positive experiences to report.
and the energy needed to propel it - will have doubled. Long story short: There are some fossil emissions associated with the process for
Conventional road fuels have a long future ahead. producing biofuels but so long as these life-cycle emissions are lower
Under the new 1.7% limit Ireland will have to cut back dramatically in its James Cogan is a regulatory affairs manager at Ethanol
than the emissions of the fossil oil they replace then the biofuel is still
imports of used cooking oil biodiesel. Europe (www.eerl.com). Ethanol Europe is an Irish
UN points to biofuels better than oil. Ethanol made by fermenting the sugars in European cereal
organisation founded ten years ago and now the
The United Nations scientific panel on climate change, having understood and beet crops has very low life-cycle emissions and is much better than
the phenomenon, advised world leaders in its 2018 Special Report on oil under any circumstances. It’s a peace-of-mind solution and could be
E10 for UCO operator of the Europe’s largest, newest and most
To compensate, and enable fuel distributors continue to meet the innovative biorefinery. In 2019 it will make over
Global Warming that in order for dramatic climate change to be avoided used effectively to a much greater extent than today. Europe has huge
requirements of the Biofuels Obligation Scheme, it is possible we will half a billion litres of ethanol along with 350,000
they should be supporting both biofuels and renewable electric transport agriculture yield increase capacity, its farmers are suffering from long
see the introduction of E10 petrol in 2019 or 2020, with the percentage of tonnes of high grade GMO-free protein animal feed
in roughly equal measures for the coming decades. That’s because term depressed crop prices and ethanol represents a modicum of security
ethanol rising from 5% to somewhere closer to 10%. and a number of other high value biobased products. The organization
biofuels allow the conventional fleet to reduce its fossil emissions. for them.
employs dozens of Irish professionals and service companies at its
From the petrol retailer, exchequer and consumer perspectives the only offices in Dublin and production facility in Hungary, under the name
From a chemical point of view the tailpipe emissions of biofuels, though Not all biofuels are so virtuous. Biodiesel made from palm oil is actually
thing that will change is that label on the petrol pump, which will be E10 Pannonia Bio.
cleaner, are broadly similar to those of conventional fuel. The reason they worse than fossil oil, because of the climate harming smoke and methane
instead of E5.
are better for the climate is that the carbon dioxide component has been generated during the burning and draining of forests to make way for new Contact: James Cogan, jcogan@eerl.com, Tel. 01 538 4550
recycled recently from the atmosphere and not sucked up from fossil oil palm oil plantations. 6 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, D02 XE61
4 5
Energy you can
depend on.
Everything we do at Emo is rooted in Emo is part of DCC Energy, the leading
the principle of dependability. That oil and LPG sales, marketing and
means you can depend on us to boost distribution business in Europe. DCC
your profitability by providing a reliable Energy has total oil sales of almost
delivery service, and quality fuel at 13 billion litres annually throughout
great value prices every time. Ireland, UK and mainland Europe.
Platts Pricing Benefits You Retail Network Ireland, UK and Europe
For increased accuracy and value, Emo’s DCC Europe Retail Volume
pricing model is linked directly to Platt’s Own and Dealer Sites Total Million
commodity pricing. Operate Supplied litres
So instead of offering Wholesale Schedule Ireland 19 108 127 150
prices which can increase at random over the UK 40 1,300 1,340 1,000
term of a contract, our prices follow the daily France 315 60 375 2,000
movements of the commodity market only.
Sweden 330 60 390 330
Platts is the world’s largest agency for oil Denmark 139 66 205 1,000
commodity price assessments, and is the Norway 142 108 250 600
benchmark supplier to the oil industry. This
985 1,703 2,687 5,080
means fairer, keener pricing to you.
Most importantly this offers the peace of mind FUEL CARD SERVICES DCC ENERGY TOTAL OIL SALES
of knowing that every order of Emo fuel you 1 Billion 56,000 13 Billion
place will be as competitive as the previous Litres Customers Litres
one. This sets Emo apart from some other Marketing fuelcards under Annually Ireland, UK and
competitors in the market place. various brand names Mainland Europe
Emo Oil Limited
Clonminam Industrial Estate,
Portlaoise, Co Laois.
P 057 867 4789 E info@emo.ie
F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Grow your retail business “I am very happy with the relationship I have with Emo Oil. They have been with us every step
of the way and are always there to help. The site has evolved over the past 19 years and Emo Oil
with DCC Oil Ireland has played a large part in this. I am delighted with the new Emo branding. Every improvement to
the site through the years has been embraced by customers and has benefitted the business.”
(Emo Oil & GreatGas) Paul Dunne, Dunne’s Service Station, Portlaoise
Commercial director Jason Flannery outlines the benefits Growing the Emo Dealer Network, is high on the list of priorities
and Jason believes that offering customers the benefit of clear and
All of our Retail offerings benefit from our Fuelcard business as our
network has one of the largest suites of fuel cards accepted in the
of DCC Oil Ireland’s offering to retail site owners. transparent Platts pricing means that dealers can enter into a supply market, we have expanded this suite during 2018 and have further
agreement with Emo in the knowledge they have entered into a fixed additions planned for 2019. We will continue to grow our Fuelcard
One of the biggest global players in the industry, DCC operates forecourt operators looking to secure supply with a trusted distributor price contract that will only be influenced by market changes. business as a strong fuel card network will bring further benefit to our
nationally under the brand names Emo Oil and GreatGas. Offering of quality fuels. ” Dealer and Unmanned customers.
a range of flexible business models, Emo Oil has in excess of 100 “Emo Oil can also offer dealers an alternative model, (DOCO),
dealer sites across Ireland and is also the largest operator of unmanned “in addition to offering low price fuels, Emo Oil offers flexibility to whereby the company owns the stock and the dealer becomes an Agent “We are a true energy company and we put our customers first,”
forecourts, operating 19 under the GreatGas brand. dealers enabling them to choose from a range of models to suit their of the company for fuel retailing, while at the same time continuing to said Jason.
individual requirements. Emo’s dealer model (DODO) is especially operate the rest of the business as normal. Jason said: “With a number
Commercial director Jason Flannery remarks that “2018 was another popular as it enables dealers to choose from Schedule less Rebate already in operation and more in the pipeline, there is a growing interest “We offer the right fuel, at the right price with a convenient and flexible
strong year for the company with the addition of 12 new dealers under or Platts Plus pricing, each generating a tailored investment plan in this hybrid offering as it leaves the management of fuel stocks, retail retail model and for me that makes us the best in the business,” he
the Emo brand. We have also seen growth in the independent market depending on the actual dealer’s needs. pricing and ROM 1 reporting with the company. The new Emo brand concluded.
and have signed supply agreements with a number of independent is attractive and has been well received by our customers.”
“We were very conscious of
partnering with the best oil company
to suit our needs. We chose Emo
because it is a strong, contemporary-
looking brand. But more importantly,
our agreement with Emo allows us
buy fuel at very competitive prices
week in, week out. We can then pass
this benefit on to our customers.
We’ve seen an increase in sales and
received great feedback from regular
and new customers.”
Sarah Butler
Killeen’s Service Station, Wexford
For more information on Emo’s dealer
offering please contact:
Paddy Daly - 087 365 5525
Business Development Manager (East)
Sean Kelly - 087 052 3471
Business Development Manager (West & Midlands)
DJ Cunningham - 086 607 3751
Business Development Manager (South)
Richard Irvine - +44 7834 964884
Business Development Manager (North)
Fuelcard Enquiries - 1800 33 66 33 / 057 867 4820
8 9
F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Take control of your cash cycle 2. Closed cash handling EFFICIENCY
By automating the process, a closed cash system requires minimal
it is integrated with the POS system, the correct cash amounts
are always received and returned. This eliminates cash shrinkage,
with Premium Cash Solutions (PCS) administration and less staff time. SafePay eliminates 90% of the discrepancies and reconciliations from the daily cash process. It’s
a proven fact that retail business owners who rely on technology
time currently spent on manual cash management. When your
complete end to end solution staff members are not spending large amounts of time on cash as part of their loss prevention strategy see lower overall shrinkage
than those who don’t.
management, they can better focus on developing your business,
increasing sales and improving the customer experience.
4. A Better Experience for ALL
With SafePay, cash is never handled manually, and correct change is The complexities of manual cash handling and the insecurity of
always given, therefore unexplained cash differences and the task of improperly stored cash can cause your employees stress. Many
dealing with them are a thing of the past. Cashiers no longer need to employees feel stressed when dealing with money, cashing-up,
have responsibility for cash at the till or back office administration. setting floats and dealing with discrepancies. Plus, there are the
Closed cash handling establishes a single, secure, controlled routine dreaded extra hours at the end of each shift spent reconciling tills.
for the whole store and automates counting and checking. With SafePay, at the end of the day, an employee simply takes
the ink-protected cassette with the daily earnings into the back
3. Reducing SHRINKAGE office where it’s inserted into the SafePay back office safe and
To combat avoidable losses, retail business owners should consider mechanically emptied without cash exposure.
investing in a cash management solution in a bid to increase visibility
and accountability. SafePay eliminates cash shrinkage completely, It’s not only employees that benefit. With reduced time spent on
as the till drawer is replaced with a note and coin recycler. A cash handling, waiting time at queue lines is reduced and staff
cash recycler that collects and dispenses cash will help you curb are freed up to be more attentive to customers offering improved
shrinkage by reducing the risk of human error, ensuring that every customer service.
Euro is automatically secured and accounted for at your POS. As
“Initially I purchased SafePay for security reasons, however, the additional benefits were seen in store immediately.
There was no need to change tills, the cash is processed swiftly without discrepancies, saves us time daily and our
coin and note orders have reduced significantly too. Since installation, I haven’t looked back.”
Sandra Smyth, Spar Chapelizod
“The installation of the SafePay system took my business from the brink of going under and has facilitated it’s return
to a profitmaking operation, where staff feel secure and confident in their employment. Having suffered 13 over the
counter robberies in 18 months, urgent action was required. The SafePay system combines cutting-edge technology,
backed by a very supportive technical support team and there’s also the added bonus that it eradicates any cash
discrepancies with wrong change and is self-reconciling! This is definitely the way forward for retail in Ireland.”
Declan Brady, Maxol Santry
PCS supply, install, maintain and advise on a wide range of cash
handling solutions to the retail, forecourt, hospitality, leisure and
convenience store sectors with clients like Circle K, Maxol and “Cash in” on the benefits of the SafePay 4 step solution for safe, fast and controlled cash transactions
Spar. The SafePay closed cash handling system is a 4-step solution
to delivering safe, fast and controlled cash transactions.
The fast and simple steps of using SafePay
1. PROTECTION of people and cash
As a business, accepting and handling cash is virtually unavoidable
There are many risks associated with cash handling, such as
and it is a high-risk labour-intensive process from counting, sorting,
robbery, theft, fraud, shrinkages, human error and administrative
reconciling and balancing of tills. This translates into excessive
mistakes. By securing cash you create a safer environment for both
labour costs and losses due to counterfeit fraud, internal theft,
staff and customers. A robbery can be a traumatic experience, so
administrative errors and even robbery.
the security offered by the closed cash handling system SafePay
gives staff peace of mind. Robbery is not only dangerous, but it can
Whilst cash is still in circulation, manual tills are reaching the
also wreak havoc with your profits. When your cash management
end of an era and are being replaced by automated systems that
procedures are lax or non-existent, your risk of robbery increases.
can better manage the journey of cash from the moment it leaves At store opening SafePay At end of day, ink The CIT company collects All cash activities are managed by
SafePay protects cash throughout the entire cycle – from when the is immediately available protected cassette the sealed bag from the the SafePay CashControl software
the customer’s hand until it reaches your bank. By automating the
customer pays, all the way to the bank. There are no gaps in security for customer cash containing cash takings safe. and available at store and head
cash handling processes it is time for businesses to “Cash in” on the
and no weak links. And, by keeping cash locked away and out of payments. is deposited into SafePay office level.
benefits of automation. back office safe and
sight, it removes the temptation of robbery. By creating a ‘cash-
automatically emptied
secure’ store – it is a safer place to work and a safer place to shop.
without cash exposure. www.premiumcashsolutions.com
10 11
Pneumatic Cash
Delivery System
TUBES CONCEALED IN WALLS OR CEILING VOIDS FIRE PROTECTION INSTALLED WHEN REQUIRED
Never miss the action on markets with the
IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT New OMJ
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AND YOUR PEACE OF MIND Smartphone App
JUST A SIMPLE 1-2-3
1. Put the money in a pod
2. Insert the pod into the tube
3. Press the button
h
The new OMJ Smartphone service Key features include:
hoos
enables clients to access a wide range
W
of prices, news and weather while on
Live Rotterdam refined product prices
the move using their smartphone.
Over 5,000 oil and forex price options Platts closing price assessments
are available and the service can be
STATION customised for each user inline with Dow Jones and OMJ news
INSTALLED Your cash is then quickly and their specific requirements.
PATENTED 5 day local weather for your locations
TO YOUR securely delivered to the safe BRAKING
PREFERENCE 14 day European weather
DEVICE
DON’T WALK AROUND WITH Intraday and settlement futures prices
YOUR CASH
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CHUTE IT! SAFE IN
OFFICE
Find out more:
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Telephone
free trial
+44 (0) 28 6632 9999
Email
info@the-omj.com the-omj.com/evenbetter
17 Balbriggan Business Park
Free 24 Hour Telephone Support Balbriggan, Co. Dublin, Ireland
Phone: +353 1 841 3005
www.safelink.ie
F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Creating Community, Inver’s 3rd who opened their first forecourt under the Inver brand in Freshford,.
Freshford now has an incredible forecourt, shop and community hub.
and sports organizations, a fairy trail and sensory walk, CPR lessons
for children and new boats for a rowing club, to name a few of the
Dealer Conference and First Inver Inver celebrated the 3rd year of their Leading Lights community
incredibly worthy nominees.
forecourt Excellence Awards Gala programme by donating additional funding to a recent nominee. Chris O’Callaghan, Inver’s CEO stated, “We are incredibly proud of
Inver’s forecourt partners attending the conference had the opportunity our Leading Lights programme. Our goal was to go right into the heart
to nominate one of the many worthy past recipients. Aman Gill from of Irish communities, to build strong roots between our brand and the
Inver Ballyleague was delighted to accept an extra €1,000 funding for communities our forecourt partners operate in. The feedback is hugely
his nominee, Ballyleague GAA. positive and this initiative has gone beyond our expectations. Leading
Lights is well embedded within the business now and we look forward
Inver’s Leading Lights continues to play a transformative community to continuing to make a difference. We are excited to meet this year’s
role at the heart of Inver’s forecourts, supporting children, education nominees and hear their stories. It is always so inspiring to see how
and families. 2018’s Leading Lights budget of €55,000 benefited many people donate their skills, time and energy to give back to their
over 40 organizations. Amongst the beneficiaries were local schools hometown and community!”
Ch
ris
O
’Ca
llag
han,
CEO Inver present
ing
Aideen & Dave Fitzpatrick, from Inver Ballyneety Simon Cogan, Head of Finance, Inver
Staff from Inver
Inver’s theme for their 3rd Dealer conference was ‘Creating expertise in fuel and
Community’ to recognise their commitment to their forecourt partners biofuels will help our dealer
and their community. Community has always played an integral part partners navigate future changes
of Inver’s business and customer ethos. The welcome Inver forecourt in the industry and remain profitable.’
partners received at the conference and the presentations throughout
the day really reflected that. Chris was also delighted to announce Inver’ partnership with Suresite
and that all Inver forecourt partners would be receiving Suresite Health
Inver’s conference was mc’d by Gina London. Gina’s years as a and Safety guidance and services for their forecourts as part of Inver’s
journalist for CNN really added to the conference as she deftly branded supply offering. Suresite’s presentation gave an overview to
engaged with the speakers, panellists and the audience. Inver’s Inver’s forecourt partners on the latest on forecourt HSA compliance
forecourt partners described the event as ‘very informative and a full requirements.
day of relevant and valuable information.’
A panel of Inver forecourt partners enjoyed a question and answer
Chris O’Callaghan, Inver’s CEO was the first of many presenters at session with the audience and MC Gina London. They spoke about
the conference. During his presentation to Inver’s forecourt partners, their businesses and their journey with Inver. The panellists comprised
Chris highlighted that Greenergy/Inver currently are supplying over of: Norman Foley, Inver’s first forecourt partner and now operator of
500 forecourts and have over 300 dealer partners in Ireland and the four Inver branded sites; Shane Gleeson who leases Inver’s company-
UK. Chris outlined the many changes happening within the Fuels owned sites in Limerick at Hurler’s and Punches Cross with his brother
industry and assured Inver’s customers that ‘Greenergy and Inver’s Michael; and Paul Lynch sandhi’s two brothers Martin and Thomas
Nollaig & Gena O’Sullivan, Inver Ennis Eilish & Ray Ryan, Inver Ballyroan & Borris-in-Ossory
14 15
F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Gina noted the theme for the day ‘Creating
Community’ was an important concept in today’s
world. She closed the day congratulating Inver
forecourt partners and Inver for genuinely working
as a community stating, “Collectively a tangible
connection had happened within the Inver network,
customers and communities through the success of
Leading Lights.”
Inver’s Retail Manager, Ben Lenihan noted, ‘we
diligently research and prepare all the presentations
for our Dealer Conferences. We like to ensure we
present relevant information to our customers. We
John Mullins & Stephen Hennessy, Inver Castlebaldwin, Co. Sligo
also like to take advantage of opportunities to add
value to their businesses through additional services
like Suresite. It is hugely satisfying to receive such Norman & Alaine Foley, Kieran Ahern, Louise & Eddie Carmody
positive feedback from our forecourt partners during
and after the conference.
Inver’s event continued into the evening with their
first Inver Forecourt Excellence Awards and Gala
dinner. An evening of awards, dining, dancing and
good craic was enjoyed by all. Moreover, their first
Forecourt Excellence Awards were launched on the
night. Inver’s brand is important to the company and
their partners and they were proud to recognize that.
Chris O’Callaghan with Anne & Fergus Byrne, Inver Geashill Oonagh & Pat O’Hare, Inver Johnstown Donnacha O’Callaghan was the MC for the evening.
Inver was honoured to have Donncha, one of Irelands
premier ex Munster and Irish rugby player and
UNICEF ambassador, attend and MC the evening. At
the start of the evening Donncha said, ‘when I was
asked to be your MC tonight, I was delighted to do Phil Bonny, Suresite
so. I am not usually an MC but learning about Inver’s
Leading Lights and the incredible work you are doing
as a network family within your communities, I
wanted to come along and take part.
Having a company like Inver get involved on such a
grassroots level with you and your communities is so
inspiring. It’s all about us collectively taking care of
our own and that is exactly how it should be. I see the
theme of your day was ‘Creating Community’ and I
can really feel tonight you are all firmly connected as
a network family. I look forward to following your
leading lights stories and programmes throughout Eithne & Brian Hanly, Inver Askeaton Tom Ryan & Anne Keyes, Inver Newport
2019 and beyond.’
conference. The video that stood out most for me was Inver’s 10 point
Chris O’Callaghan proudly presented the first Inver Forecourt quality fuel checks. I’ve always trusted their quality fuel, but I didn’t
Excellence Awards to Oonagh and Pat O’Hare from Inver Johnstown, realise they carried out such rigorous testing before their fuel is loaded
Grace O’Donoghue from Inver Barraduff and to Deborah and Ronan into my tanks. I am so impressed with their level of testing. I know
Cooney from Inver Coachford. for sure, all Inver fuels that travel from refinery to my forecourt are
meticulously tested and are as stated ‘Quality Assured Premium Fuel’
Ronan Cooney from Inver Coachford, was delighted to win the
Social Media Award. He noted, ‘there is great support from Inver It was a great day and evening and we are all looking forward to the
in any endeavour they commit to. It was a very informative Dealer next Dealer Conference and Gala Awards evening!”
Inver forecourt panel (l-r): Ben Lenihan, Shane Gleeson, Gina London, Paul Lynch & Norman Foley
16 17
Hurler's Cross advert 2019.pdf 1 29/05/2019 15:04:58
Moving Ahead
Join Ireland's Fastest
Growing Forecourt
Network Today!
M
Y
Y
To Give Your Forecourt
The Inver Advantage Call
www.inverenergy.ie +353 (0)21 439 6950F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
relief of up to €5,000, an SEAI electric vehicle grant of €5,000, a €600 to roll out fast chargers and high-power electric vehicle charging stations
subsidy for a home charger unit and reduced tolls. at 100 locations nationwide later this year. While the infrastructure
is currently free to use, the ESB plans to introduce fees for the use
Despite these supports, sales of EVs face a host of challenges including of the network. Charging for usage can only benefit consumers, as
price, lack of choice and range anxiety in potential users. it will provide an incentive for consumers to charge at home at low-
demand times, encourage competition from other charging providers
Initial Costs and ensure a revenue stream for continued investment.
While it is considerably cheaper to run an electric vehicle - it costs
less than €4 to travel 300 km - these savings have not been enough to Lack of choice
convince buyers to convert. The average cost of a new car in Ireland Consumers choosing petrol or diesel cars are inundated with choice but
is around €28,000, and three of the best-selling EVs, the Nissan Leaf, the same does not exist for Evs and across dealerships there is limited
Hyundai Ioniq and the Renault Zoe, are all priced below or barely above range of models available. As more electric cars roll off assembly
that price point. EVs also have fewer moving parts so maintenance and lines, the improved choice will not only increase consumer options but
servicing costs are much less, considerably reducing the total cost of it will bring prices down and generate a buoyant second-hand market.
ownership. However when the price of Evs are compared directly with
a petrol and diesel equivalent the stark difference is highlighted. The Challenges for Forecourts
current best-selling electric car in Ireland, the Hyundai Kona Electric, Planning at a time of growing competition, razor thin margins and
is a game-changing EV with a usable range of 449 km. But priced diminishing customer loyalty is becoming increasingly difficult for
Is it time to get
at €38,130, it costs almost €17,000 more that the petrol version and petrol retailers. In addition, the advent of a time when pulling up to
€15,000 higher than the diesel. So, while the total cost of ownership pumps and filling your car with fossil fuels is redundant makes the
is significantly cheaper with an electric car, it would take many years future a more uncertain one. However, while the shift to electric cars
will radically change the motoring landscape it will take time and the
plugged in?
of fuel and maintenance savings to recoup the initial investment. It is
likely that the cost of EVs will not achieve parity with conventionally demand for traditional fueling stations will remain. In recent times
fuelled vehicles for at least two to three years. retailers have adapted to changing market conditions and the role of
the forecourt as coffee shop and retail park will continue while the
Range Anxiety move to alternative fuel will provide opportunities for the sector in the
Range anxiety, though largely based on a misunderstanding about provision of EV recharging.
Are electric cars finally moving into the fast lane asks EVs, remains a big issue for drivers, particularly those who drive
Good News
Geraldine Herbert or commute long distances every day. For most people in Ireland,
an electric car would be more than capable of meeting their needs. The good news is there are a host of new electric cars on stream. Kia
According to the 2016 census, the average person commutes around will launch their e-Niro this Summer bringing long range Evs to the
Irish motorists have bought more electric cars in the past few months Opting for regular hybrids suggests that many motorists, while
15km to work - even the average longest commute was just 25km or masses. To mark the icon’s 60th anniversary, MINI will launch an
then they did in all of 2018.1,816 new Evs have been registered so far committed to making more environmental choices, are still wary of
a 50km round-trip daily. As congestion increases across the country, electric model while Mercedes will unveil their first all-electric car
this year, an increase of almost 300% compared to the same time in choosing fully electric cars. Despite substantial savings in running
many of us are spending more time on our commute to and from work the ECQ 400 4MATIC in the Autumn. More buyers are considering
2018. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models continue to attract buyers and costs, range, a limited recharging network and uncertain resale value
than we were 12 months ago. As we spend more time in our cars, opting for an electric car and a recent AA Car Insurance survey has
more than 6,801 hybrids have been bought this year alone. are issues of concern.
there is a perception we drive longer - but in most cases we are just found that 1 in 3 motorists now describe themselves as more likely
travelling slower, not covering any more distance, so our commutes than not to purchase an electric vehicle when they next purchase a car.
The term ‘hybrid’ refers to a patchwork of alternatives, from mild Incentives So the Government may still a long way off their target of 500,000 evs
hybrid to a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). All hybrid systems have a regular generally fall within the range of electric cars.
The Government plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars on the road by 2030 but with an increase in the choice of models and
combustion engine, an electric motor and a battery pack and all produce from 2030 consigning fossil fuelled cars to history. For this to work, a the roll out of an extensive and reliable charging network the future
some emissions, so cannot be considered electric cars. With a PHEV, mass transition to electric cars is required and the government needs to The Charging Network
looks green.
the battery can be plugged in directly and charged as you would an EV, support this move with incentives. Norway is a good example of how There are 1,100 public charging points in Ireland, including 300 in
allowing for an electric-only range of up to 50km. More than 90pc of to promote electrics through incentives where in March of this year Northern Ireland. However, EV drivers complain that charging points
Geraldine Herbert is Contributing Editor and Motoring correspondent
hybrids bought this year were conventional or regular hybrids. 58.4% of the new cars sold there were powered only by electricity. are often out of order or are occupied by non-electric vehicles. An
for the Sunday Independent and the founder and editor of Ireland’s
Currently the Government supports the purchase of an EV with VRT extensive reliable charging infrastructure is essential. The ESB intends
first motoring website for women www.wheelsforwomen.ie
20 21F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Fresh Start At Newly
Refurbished Top Oil
Mallow
Top Oil Mallow has recently been redeveloped into a modern forecourt on the go, school lunches, healthy food from the deli or just something
and retail offering. Located on the Cork Road on the south side of to pick up for dinner on the way home from work.
Mallow, County Cork, the Top Oil site services the local community
and commuters travelling daily from this residential side of town. “Top Oil Mallow is very much a local neighbourhood store with a
large number of regular customers. We work tirelessly to promote our
For David Knight, Retailer at Top Oil Mallow, partnering with Top shop as a local hub, giving the customer what they need in terms of
Oil for the redevelopment of the premises was down to the strength convenience, friendly service and good value,” says David.
of the Top Oil brand in Ireland. “I think Top Oil has a really strong,
modern brand,” says David. “Their image The station has also gained notoriety for the
and branding is really top notch and has been quality of food from the deli, with many
Top Oil Mallow now
modernised for the forecourt market we have healthy options available as well as the best
in Ireland right now.”
employs about 20 people breakfast rolls in town! “We have a very good
and services include fuel, reputation in our deli for being a destination
David and his wife Erin took over the business a Spar shop, hot/cold deli for people coming from all over Mallow to get
on the Cork Road in 2007. There has been a and ATM. breakfast,” says David.
retail offering here for decades, so the station is
very much part of the fabric of the local community. There hadn’t been Speaking about the future of the sector in Ireland, David sees petrol
much investment over the years in the premises, so this redevelopment retailers like himself focusing more and more on improving the
and rebranding with Top Oil was well timed. convenience food offering in stores. “It’s only when you are abroad
that you can appreciate how incredibly strong the convenience food
Top Oil Mallow now employs about 20 people and services include fuel, sector is in Ireland,” says David.
a Spar shop, hot/cold deli and ATM. When asked about what makes
the station stand out in the local area, David cites their commitment to “We need to continue to develop our world class standard of food on
excellent customer service and the friendly rapport between staff and the go in Ireland because that’s our strength and continue to evolve it
customers. He also stresses the importance of having a strong value into a really healthy offering to match current consumer trends.”
offer to match the needs of their local customers, whether that’s food
22F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
IPRA Fuel Retailers
“Our research post the event tells its own story; 100% of respondents said and get updates on the sector from our technical breakout sessions. We
they would attend another IPRA Expo and 75% said rated the calibre of had excellent presentations on current Employment Legislation, credit
visitors as good, very good and excellent”, added David. Feedback from card charges, commodity pricing, changes to the dangerous substances
Exhibition
our survey included the following unsolicited comments; legislation and a new camera solution to assist reduce drive offs”.
• The IPRA expo was as always very well organised. With the publication of the Report of the Joint
With the high-profile visitors we had interesting “The IPRA trade show Committee on Climate Action due there was a lot
conversations and expanded our business. of conversation and speculation on the future of
The IPRA Fuel Retailers Exhibition was held on Thursday 14th March 2019 in the Citywest Hotel and Conference presents an excellent
Centre, Dublin. The event was attended by local, national and multinational oil companies, suppliers to • Delighted with the fantastic response our product opportunity for us to
fossil fuels for transport. Many attendees at the
event expressed their interest in installing charging
the retail trade, food companies, service providers, financial and insurance sector and many more. launch received at the IPRA Expo. Huge thank meet both our many facilities at their sites for the next generation of
you to everyone involved.
existing and potentially EV’s and hybrids but a lot of negative feedback was
The IPRA Fuel Retailers Exhibition was held on Thursday 14th March exhibitions and trade shows are still a valuable addition to any businesses
• The IPRA trade show presents an excellent new customers.” heard on this issue due to high installation cost of
2019 in the Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre, Dublin. The event promotional campaign because of the people who attend. Old customers
opportunity for us to meet both our many existing the charging point and no clarity on future charging
was attended by local, national and multinational oil companies, like the face to face contact and catching up with a supplier, potential
and potentially new customers. costs as yet from the electricity providers. While
suppliers to the retail trade, food companies, service providers, financial new clients – depending on the nature of your business, you may need
and insurance sector and many more. to meet with potential customers a few times to win their trust and • The 2019 IPRA Expo in Citywest gave us the opportunity to catch up Ireland has signed up to reduce emissions and clearly transport is a major
with existing clients and suppliers, and also provided an introduction target for the carbon reductions, the uncertainty around infrastructure is
confidence.
to new products, prospective customers and partners. causing concern for retailers.
In our October 2018 magazine we posed the question, “with many
businesses now advertising through websites and using social media to Bloggers, journalists and industry influencers – it is a chance to show
Talking to retailers attending the event, there was an air of optimism
promote their products and services, is there still a role for the large trade your business to key people including potential investors and movers
“There is little doubt that trade shows have changed over the last ten and positivity in the sector. Returns are increasing in the retail forecourt
show gathering?” and shakers in the industry!
years with the advent of social media. Companies are now selective in sector due to a recovering economy and diversification by many
which shows to attend and IPRA believe that a focused and targeted retailers into increased grocery/food and ancillary options. These are key
David Blevings, Media Spokesperson for IPRA said, “The answer is As well as the opportunity to network and see new and innovative
trade show for the retail sector is still important in today’s marketplace. strategies being employed by retailers today as they prepare for the next
a resounding yes; despite the many opportunities to use social media products and services we had many retailers coming to meet our
B2B and B2C marketing has changed and companies are selective and generation of fuel efficient/hybrid vehicles. The IPRA Expo gives the
the focused trade show still offers a cost effective opportunity to get special guest, Micheal O’Muircheartaigh, the legendary Gaelic Games
pick shows that they feel will give them the best return. Our show means retailer the opportunity to meet and greet exhibitors offering everything
your product or service in front of a wider audience and gives exhibitors commentator and have a selfie with the legend himself!”
you can advertise to a wide audience as well as pick up information the modern station requires looking forward to a positive future!
an opportunity to conduct personal business. Even in the digital age,
24 25Is your forecourt ready
to take advantage of
increasing demand for
Adblue? European Adblue®
Euroblue has a solution to suit.
demand will continue
to rise!– The fast growing
AdBlue ®
Using AdBlue®
market in the diesel industry AdBlue is stored in a separate tank to the diesel. The filling cap
is usually found in one of three places depending on car model.
• Bulk storage solutions TheAutomotive
The automotive industryindustry is a constantly changing sector. Improvements Theyin technology,
are located newnext laws
to theanddieselregulations
filling cap, and
in many other
the trunk or
Improvements
factors insure this in technology,
fast movingnew laws is
industry and regulations
always andThe increasingly
evolving. understringent
the bonnet.environmental laws regulating
It is very important exhaust
that the diesel emissions
and AdBlue
• Retro Fit tanks and dispensing options inmany
dieselother factors
engines insure this
is driving mostfast
carmoving industry to
manufacturers is always
incorporate SCRare“Select Catalyst
never mixed asReduction”
this will cause technology
serious damage into theirtodiesel
the engine
evolving.Adblue
models. The introduction
® of environmental
is the consumable laws regulating
fluid required to allow the SCR technology
or catalysttoconverter
work. which will be very expensive to replace.
• Truck and car compatible exhaust emissions in diesel engines has led to the development Using a sub-quality DEF will have the same effect over a period
of SCR (selective catalyst reduction) technology. The SCR of time and so only high quality AdBlue® is only recommended.
• Complete range of packed options system allows diesel engine vehicles to meet emission Vehicles that use AdBlue have a warning light on the dashboard
standards without compromising on engine power. The SCR
• Point of sales promotional stands
AdBlue ®
Usage
technology was initially introduced mostly in large diesel Servicing
which signals whenAdBlue Demand
they are®running low on AdBlue. These
warnings differ between car manufacturers but typically
vehicles like trucks, buses, and agricultural machinery but has happens witch approx.
With increased usage of 1000KM
Adblueleft ® to go. When the AdBlue®
, drivers have turned to the
The European Adblue® market has developed enormously
• 1.5L and 3.5L non-spill options suitable recently been adopted by most car manufacturers. The SCR
since its introduction in 2006. In the early years, the use of runs out, the
forecourt vehicle
sector will losetheir
to service power and will not restart
requirements. untilthere
Currently
system uses AdBlue® as an integral part of its system. tank is topped
for all cars Adblue was exclusive to larger commercial vehicles. Fast are more than up.
8500 locations across Europe distributing
forward 12 years to today and the situation is very different. Adblue®has at the pump. Thesefor locations however arestations
still
• 5L,10L 20L for light commercials What is AdBlue ? ®
As the EU emission levels allowed, continue to fall in line with
AdBlue
mostly
been
directed
available
towards the
many years
heavy
in service
commercial
with a high traffic of HGVs and Buses but as it becomes more vehicle sector.
Euro 4, 5 and 6 standards, the levels of NOx allowable from
and trucks AdBlue®
diesel is a high
engines has purity
reduced (32.5%) aqueous to
for 0.5g/Kwh urea solution forAs we
0.08g/Kwh.
Passenger cars
widespread with sector is stilldemand
the growing mostly serviceand useby packed
in personal
product (i.e.)
vehicles, demand 10L,across
5L, 3.5L thecans, but as demand
mainstream increases
service network will
use inforward
move SCR Diesel Vehicles.
to beyond Sometimes
2020 these limitsreferred to as Diesel
will continue to fall
increase
further, substantially.
many forecourt Currently,
sites are demand
installing forpumps
AdBlue® is
to service
Exhaust
even Fluid, AdBlue® is a registered trademark of the
further.
German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). The the car sector as well.
serviced mainly by small retail pack or 1.5l, 5l and 10l. These
To keep pace
AdBlue® markwith is athese emission
guarantee requirements,
the product car to ISO-
is produced are
manufactures
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use in all SCR technology
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Adblue counter
is still but as
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growing increases
market and is
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here to new
stayforecourt
with 85% pumps
of allare
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diesel installed to dispense
cars coming equipped
into over 400 diesel models by May 2018, with more to follow
vehicles. AdBlue® directly into cars.
in the coming year. This rollout will drive total European with SCR technology. This percentage will continue to grow
The AdBlue®
Adblue® is stored in
consumption a separate
beyond tanklitres
6 Billion on the byvehicle and
2025. 2.8 as will the quantity of Adblue® used by these ® models.
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Billion
creating
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small commercial vehicles.
(nitrogen oxide) to harmless Nitrogen and water. It is clear that AdBlue is a rapidly growing market and is here
WHY CHOOSE EUROBLUE: to stay with 80% of all new European diesel passenger cars
from 2016 onwards coming equipped with SCR Technology.
Quality Guaranteed: The AdBlue market is already well established within the
Decreased Diesel DEF Injected into DEF Tank agricultural, haulage and transport industry and it is expected to
As a fully licenced and audited VDA Approved Levels of EGR Particulate Filter Exhaust Steam
grow exponentially in the passenger car sector over the coming
manufacturer of AdBlue®, All EuroBlue years. It is expected that total usage of AdBlue® will more than
AdBlue® is produced to ISO 22241 standard triple by the year 2025, with European Consumption increasing
to over 6 billion liters annually.
and independently tested prior to release.
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Renowned as “Easy to do business with” the • 85% of new diesel cars using Adblue
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• EU emission regulations continue to drive use of SCR TechnologyF O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S F O R E C O U R T & R E TA I L N E W S
Trends in sales
Overall, diesel still takes
the lion’s share of the new FUEL SALES PER MONTH IN LITRES
car market in Ireland at 450
of petrol and
MILLIONS
384 391
48%. Petrol is accounting 400 364 360 371 355
for about 41%, with hybrids 350
300
and electric vehicles at
motor diesel
250 276 274 296 288 277 304
just over 9% and 2% of the 200
market respectively. 150
100
cars being imported into the country, the majority 50 88 86 89 83 78 87
of which are diesels.” 0
JAN 18 FEB 18 MAR 18 JAN 19 FEB 19 MAR 19
Indeed, according to the Society of the Irish Motor PETROL DIESEL TOTAL
Industry (SIMI), over 75% of used imports into
Ireland are diesel. The trend continues and by the
end of April 2019, used car imports were already
2.75% ahead of 2018 at 35,717 cars versus
34,761 for the same period in 2018.
In the Irish passenger car market, registrations of
diesel cars for the first four months of 2019 have
seen the most decline when compared to 2018.
Registrations of diesel cars stood at 34,668 by the
end of April 2019, down 22.59% on 2018. For the
same period, 29,808 petrol cars were registered,
down just 0.7% on 2018. This is occurring against
a backdrop of a shrinking new car market, which
is down about 8.5% on 2018.
These losses in the sale of new petrol and diesel
cars can also be attributed to the increase in sales
of hybrid and electric vehicles in Ireland so far
in 2019. Registrations of electric cars are up by
over 300%, equating to 1,730 electric vehicles
registered in the first four months of 2019,
compared to just 424 in the first four months of
2018. Hybrids have also seen a 48% increase in
registrations when compared to 2018.
Overall, diesel still takes the lion’s share of
the new car market in Ireland at 48%. Petrol is
accounting for about 41%, with hybrids and
electric vehicles at just over 9% and 2% of the
market respectively.
Oil consumption figures from the National Oil Reserves Agency Cumulative sales of motor diesel in January, February and March of
(NORA) for Ireland in the first three months of 2019 show a decline 2019 were up 2.45% to 826,321,499 litres, versus 806,564,103 litres
Caroline Kidd is a motoring
in sales of petrol and a small increase in sales of motor diesel for the in the first three months of 2018.
journalist and jury
same period.
member for Irish Car of
“There were some small seasonal fluctuations in sales of petrol and
the Year. She is the editor
In January, February and March of 2019, cumulative sales of petrol motor diesel at the beginning of the year,” says Michael Griffin, CEO
of Changing Lanes,
were down 5.52% to 236,326,638 litres, versus 250,133,615 litres in of the Irish Petrol Retailers’ Association. “But the increases in sales
one of Ireland’s leading
the first three months of 2018. of motor diesel in particular can be attributed to more economic and
motoring blogs. Visit her blog
commercial activity. There also continues to be a large influx of used
at www.changinglanes.ie
28 29You can also read
