Sep 13, 2022 | Petroleum
In recent months, gas prices in the U.S. have surged to record highs, causing more people to attempt to steal fuel. Thieves are getting more and more bold, sophisticated, and aggressive. Therefore, we are encouraging our customers to develop a security plan to help prevent fraud. No single solution will completely prevent attacks, but careful procedures can significantly reduce the opportunity.
According to motorbiscuit.com, “Mostly, gas thieves were able, on occasion, to steal around $50-60 worth of fuel. But as the price of gasoline and diesel fuel have risen in such huge leaps, it is becoming a more desirable commodity. That means there is a vast market for it, regardless of how it was obtained. The majority of convenience stores that sell fuel; Shell, Exxon, Mobil, and Chevron have the most stations in the U.S. In most cases, cashiers or store employees are involved in the theft.” Taylor, T. “Thieves Are Stealing Thousands of Gallons of Gas: Here’s How They Do It”, April 11, 2022, accessed September 1, 2022, Thieves Are Stealing Thousands of Gallons of Gas: Here’s How They Do It (motorbiscuit.com)
How to Prevent Fuel Theft
Encore 700 Pulser security cover kit protects against gas theft at the pump. The Encore 700 Pulser Security kits include:
- 2ea covers
- 8ea star drive with pin security pan head self-driving screws
- One kit is needed per dispenser
This should be a good solution for the pulser tampering that has been happening.
Next Steps
Do you want to stop fuel tank theft from your dispensers? Northwest Pump has the solution to get you covered. Protect your dispenser by purchasing one today so your dispenser can’t be broken into! Reach out to our sales team by emailing us at sales@nwpump.com, or call 1-800-452-PUMP to get started.
Aug 12, 2022 | Petroleum
FuelCloud is a fuel technology company that builds fuel management systems designed for the future of business. The platform combines flexible, lightweight hardware with powerful cloud-based software that gives managers the data they need to make better decisions about their fuel. FuelCloud is a great option for winemakers looking to save their fuel.
How does FuelCloud benefit winemakers?
Automates tax refunds: FuelCloud automates the completion of federal and state fuel tax refunds for off-road fuel use. California’s state fuel taxes are among the highest in the US — wineries could be recouping thousands of dollars if they’re not already filing tax refunds, or taking the pain out of completing the refunds they do every year.
Decrease fuel slippage: FuelCloud’s hardware is easy to install on any tank, so fuel managers can protect their most remote tanks from theft and detect leaks or inventory discrepancies faster.
Easily manage seasonal fuel access: Do more drivers need fuel access for just a few weeks during harvest? Add, edit, or remove fuel access for drivers and vehicles with a few clicks on FuelCloud’s web portal, available on any internet-connected device. You can even activate or deactivate tanks on a month-by-month basis to get FMS when you need it.
Are you ready for the future of fuel management with FuelCloud?
Next Steps
If you are looking for a fuel management system to save fuel for your winery, reach out to our sales team here, email us at sales@nwpump.com or call 1-800-452-PUMP to get started.
Jul 1, 2022 | Petroleum
FlexWorks, by OPW Retail Fueling, is a completely integrated underground fuel transfer and containment system. Designed to provide the highest level of dispensing performance, installation efficiency, and containment protection. OPW FlexWorks piping consists of highly engineered components that are designed to operate in unison to ensure long-term system integrity and performance. FlexWorks offers a high degree of flexibility to meet virtually any underground piping requirement.
OPW developed FlexWorks Piping in response to customer feedback. You asked and they delivered! The OPW FlexWorks piping is more flexible, lighter, and has reduced memory. Additionally, it can also be replaced without breaking concrete.
What Makes This Pipe Different?
- Eliminates the hassles- installation time and potential leak points of rigid pipe installations.
- Fast and easy installation- results in less installation labor, time, and cost.
- No adhesives- heat assists, curing problems, or electrofusion welding of joints.
- Easy to bend- no special fittings to install in order to make bends.
- Eliminates burdensome cutting, fitting, and cleaning.
Features & Benefits
- Increased Pipe Flexibility – the force required to bend the pipe has been reduced to facilitate piping layout. This makes installation quicker and easier, especially in cold weather.
- Pipe Weight – has been reduced to facilitate shipping and handling.
- Pipe Memory – inherent pipe memory has been reduced significantly to facilitate the connection of pipes inside sumps.
- Redesigned Profile – enhanced leak detection performance.
- Enhanced Kynar Pipe Liner – fluoropolymer chemical structure makes it dense and permeation resistant.
Next steps
If you are interested in OPW’s FlexWork piping, contact us by emailing sales@nwpump.com or calling us at 1-800-452-PUMP. Click here to find a local branch near you!
May 31, 2022 | Petroleum
Industries across the globe are struggling to overcome a backlog caused by lost time, a shortage of materials, and severe weather-related impacts and the fuel industry is no exception. While fueling businesses are eager to proceed with plans to build new gas stations or upgrade existing ones, it may be a while until they see their plans come to fruition.
Major equipment with the longest lead times is fiberglass piping and fiberglass tanks. There are many manufacturers that make tanks for stock and only to order. The result of these activities is creating longer lead times at the manufacturers, some of which are extending out to 18-24 weeks from date to order. Compared to the late 2020-early 2021, it only took 8-10 weeks for fiberglass tanks to arrive.
How did we get here?
- During the beginning of the pandemic, the surge in purchases of plastic products, when manufacturers anticipated less of a demand.
- Overwhelming shipping volumes domestically and internationally, resulting in port bottlenecks.
- There was a nationwide shortage of resin, which is used in fiberglass fittings, piping, tanks, and glues.
- Shortage of drivers, port labor, and manufacturing employees.
- Plastic manufacturing plants now perform required 2020 preventative maintenance shutdowns, called “turnarounds,” which are taking around 60 days.
Xerxes by Shawcor has the ideal solution for your underground fuel tank needs. Xerxes tanks are rust-proof, made out of fiberglass, and have a cost-effective alternative to steel tanks. Xerxes provides a complete solution for your project’s storage tank needs with a wide range of sizes and accessories. They have an extensive network of equipment distributors and knowledgeable fuel-system installers throughout North America.
Tank owners and system designers of underground fuel systems need tanks that provide secure storage of fuel over time. Xerxes has double-wall tanks that are an excellent solution because they are corrosion-resistant, both inside and out. The underground tanks have a proven record of compatibility with traditional petroleum fuel as well as with new biofuels, which are increasing in use.
These Xerxes tanks are popular among retail gasoline marketers and convenience-store owners. The ability to store two or three types of fuel in a single tank is appealing when an available property is limited and the amount of onsite space needed for multiple tanks is difficult to obtain.
Why Choose A Xerxes Tank?
Fuel compatibility– Tanks are UL-listed for all ethanol-blended fuels, including E10 and E85, and are fully compatible with new diesel blends, including ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel blends.
Maintenance-Free– The tanks do not require frequent inspection for and removal of tank water bottoms, which is a time-consuming and expensive maintenance step that is strongly recommended by the steel tank industry for its products.
30-Year warranty– While the warranty duration for many other storage tanks has been dramatically reduced in recent years, Xerxes continues to provide a 30-year limited warranty, backed by the financial strength of North America’s leading storage tank manufacturer.
Parabeam– Xerxes’s proprietary 3D glass fabric, Parabeam, also enhances the overall structural integrity of the tanks by creating a bond between the tank walls while providing a free-flowing interstitial space for monitoring capabilities.
Next Steps
At Northwest Pump, we highly encourage anyone who needs a tank to plan ahead so there is no disappointment when it is time to install your tank. If you’re upgrading your tanks or purchasing new ones, we can help determine what you need. We offer a complete line of fuel storage tanks in underground and above-ground models.
Plan ahead, and order your tanks now! Contact us at sales@nwpump.com or call 1-800-452-PUMP.
Mar 15, 2022 | Petroleum
Introducing Aquafighter®, the newest and best weapon in the fight for water free diesel tanks. Water is harmful to both the storage system and to the engines that consume the fuel. Elimination of water is the best method to preserve your system and yours, or your customers, mobile equipment. Aquafighter® can help your tank in several ways:
• Ingress from atmosphere
• Free water fall-out
• Condensation in tank
• On delivery from supplier
• Leakage into tank
• Spill bucket drain ports
Developed in Norway in 2015, Aquafighter® is the first product ever to accomplish the 3 indispensable actions that are necessary to achieve complete fuel purity and tank protection at all times over time.
1. De-emulsifies and actively removes water from fuel to 65ppm with 100% efficiency. (Aquafighter® does this without chemically altering the fuel)
2. Captures all free water in the tank, and immediately captures water as soon as it causes de-emulsification.
3. Isolates water in a protective gel to permanently segregate the water from the tank environment as well as from the fuel & holds it until removal from the tank.
Don’t be mistaken, every fuel tank on Earth takes in water from the air because of humidity that is naturally in the air (No, your tank is not an exception, even if you are in the desert). Atmospheric reality leaves no exceptions. Water can also come from the fuel delivery, but even with perfect fuel deliveries water accumulates in your tank daily that contaminates your fuel, damages your equipment, corrodes your tank and grows bacteria.
What’s Next?
If you are interested in the Aquafighter product and water free diesel tanks, Northwest Pump is now a distributor in all West Coast states. Contact us via email at sales@nwpump.com or call 1-800-452-PUMP. CLICK HERE for all our branch locations.
Mar 3, 2022 | Industrial, Petroleum
Whether someone owns a car, rides the bus, or walks, asphalt contributes to mobility. However, before the roads or sidewalks get paved, a facility needs to have the right equipment- mainly the correct mixer to get the job done. Here is a quick guide on everything you need to know about asphalt manufacturing mixers.
How it works
Asphalt is made with a combination of leftover residue from oil refineries and gravel or aggregate. After the crude oil is distilled, the heaver residue becomes heating oil or asphalt. Because of environmental concerns, some asphalt production facilities only work on recycling old asphalt for new roads.
Mixers
Making sure that a mixer has the right qualities is top priority in this business. So, what are these ‘right qualities,’ and why do they matter? First and foremost, these mixers should be durable enough to last even while working with aggregates and high temperatures. Next, a mixer should be easy to maintain. It should go without saying that every second a mixer is not working is costly for the facility, so a mixer that prioritizes speedy and efficient repairs is critical for the long-term use of a mixer- let alone an asphalt manufacturing mixer.
Our Solution
For an asphalt manufacturing mixer, Northwest Pump recommends our line of Sharpe V-series mixers. Not only does Sharpe design these mixers with ease-of-maintenance in mind, but they also pride themselves on their durable machines. The V-Series comes with several shapes, sizes, and other options to maximize this mixer’s efficiency for the job at hand.
Additionally, if a facility needs an asphalt pump, Northwest Pump offers Blackmer’s V Series pump specifically designed for the challenges that asphalt production provides. The V Series deals with rapid temperature changes with an increased jacketed surface area, which means less likelihood of pump & seal failures.
Next Steps
Need an asphalt manufacturing mixer or other mixing solutions? Reach out by emailing us at sales@nwpump.com, or by calling us at 1-800-452-PUMP for more information.
