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Getting
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The annual. Federation of Petroleum Suppliers (FPS) Expo rolled into Harrogate, with the recession and a fuel duty increase at the top of everyone's agenda.
Words: Ian Tonkin / Images: Torn 1.PP Since the economy went into meltdown, a number of annual shows and exhibitions have been cancelled — most notably the CV Show and European Road Transport Show — so it's testament to the FPS that the Expo has even taken place.
The show provides an important platform for all tanker suppliers, operators and ancillary manufacturers to chat about topics affecting the industry, be they new technology, legislation or distribution techniques.
The effects of the downturn have clearly had an effect on all concerned, and there was a distinctly subdued atmosphere permeating the Harrogate International Centre. Company representatives made their feelings known over the current financial burdens plaguing not only the petroleum industry, but the road transport industry as a whole—the 2p rise in fuel duty chiefly among them.
The consensus regarding the increase was that it was untimely on the government's part. With most operators doing their utmost just to maintain margins, the tax merely compounds a gloomy outlook. Being linked so closely to the UK CV Show, nearly all major truck manufacturers were missing, except for MAN which had a shiny TGS 24.440 6x2 on display in Shell Petroleum livery and operated by Suckling Transport. MAN believes the petrochemical industry is vital to its UK operations, and claims "80% of all fuel delivered in the UK is delivered using an MAN': The recession was a concern, with nearly all tanker manufacturers reporting poor demand, but Terry Morgan, sales director at Cisternas Cobo UK, says despite the fall in new tanker sales, there is a growing demand for refurbished and reconditioned tanks All the main tanker manufacturers at the Expo reported an increasing interest in remounts, which they believed were helping to salvage what little business there is out there.
Despite the pronounced feelings of doom and gloom, there were still quite a few innovative products that certainly made the show worthwhile. Here's a round-up... ei
MechTronic was showcasing its innovative SmartNozzle anti-spill system that fits on any conventional trigger nozzle. It claims this won't impede delivery performance in any way. The device works by monitoring the liquLd level in a tank. When it comes into contact with a fuel it automatically shuts down the discharge system. The SmartNozzle costs £500, which sounds a bit expensive, but in the long run it's cheaper than cleaning up overspills.
This was one of several remounted examples courtesy of Williams Specialist Tanker Services. Using a 2005 OAF CF chassis as a base, the company bolted a refurbished 10-year-old tank on the back. This example costs E75,000, while a new one is in the region of £130,000.
Littlehampton-based tanker-builder Maidment had two examples on a stand, but it was its latest anti-theft device, called MTS 5prox, that attracted the most attention. The device — mounted inside the cab — locks the vehicle while the driver is working outside. It can only be deactivated using a pre-determined code or swiping a key fob on the casing.