Being Proactive has Benefits when Selecting Fuel-Storage Equipment
Any retail-fueling location that has been in operation for a significant length of time likely sits on top of fuel-storage, piping and containment equipment that hasn’t seen the light of day for 10, 15, 20 or more years. In this scenario, the simple fact is that even the most robust piece of equipment that was installed at the turn of the 21st century will eventually need repairs or replacement.
Additionally, while the underground equipment is the same, the world around it has changed in three very notable ways:
- Fuel-storage equipment has evolved, becoming more advanced, reliable, safe and cost effective. So, just like when someone buys a new computer, they don’t purchase a 10-year-old model, the same thought process should be applied when buying storage-system components.
- Federal, state and municipal regulations aimed at improving the safety of fuel-storage systems have changed, meaning that the components at the retail-fueling site could be out of code and will need to be upgraded or replaced.
- The motor-fuel menu has expanded beyond regular and unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel. Today’s reformulated gasoline and diesel, and the growing menu of alternative fuels, may not be compatible with storage-system components that are two decades old.
Being proactive in the care of fuel-storage systems will help fuel-site retailers enhance their operations and OPW has full lines of underground storage, piping and containment systems that are ideal for the job.
Be proactive, not reactive
Taking all of this into account,it is better to be proactive when it comes to your underground fuel-storage equipment. Specifically, upgrading a location’s system by replacing old equipment with the current platform of equipment that is available today is the way to go. This means avoiding dated equipment specs that may be cheaper to purchase, but may also, in the long run, contribute to unnecessary business delays or disruptions.
The capabilities of storage-system equipment now are much more advanced than they were in the 1990s. Today’s components are more feature-rich than past iterations, while also having a lower total cost of ownership. When all is said and done, the true beneficiaries of fueling sites run by operators who are proactive in the outfitting, operation and maintenance of their fuel-storage systems are their customers. If the site is down because of a leak or equipment breakdown, or the fuel flow is slow due to a malfunctioning pump, the odds increase that the disappointed driver won’t return.
OPW Retail Fueling, based in Smithfield, N.C., has created many standard-setting fuel-storage products over the years. Most recently, these advances include the Watertight Wonders family of tank sumps (featuring both conventional and no-drill technology); double-wall spill containers; conduit-less dispenser sumps and turbine enclosures; and rigid entry fittings (REF) or hybrid entry fittings (HEF) for use in installations where conduit-less construction is not an option. OPW has also made advances in the creation of underground components that can be reached, repaired and replaced with no need for the expensive and time-consuming breaking of forecourt concrete. These advances include flexible piping systems, testable overfill-prevention valves and emergency shut-off valves.
By being proactive in the care and upgrade of their fuel-storage systems, fuel-site retailers will be doing themselves and their customers a great service. Getting ahead of any potential problems is a much better way to run a business than reacting to breakdowns after they occur, which can end up being more costly overall.
This post is sponsored by OPW Retail Fueling