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Bill that would restore tax on oil companies faces uphill battle in Senate
An $18 billion tax package that would withdraw a tax break for the five biggest oil companies has passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, but Democrats in the Senate face a challenge in getting enough support to bring the bill to a vote, according to news reports. President Bush and the oil industry have criticized the measure.
The legislation "conveniently ignores the fact that these companies already are paying record amounts in taxes," said Charles T. Drevna, president of the National Petrochemical & Refiners Association (NPRA), in a statement issued before the House vote. (Full Story)
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Re-conceiving the convenience store
Convenience store operators may be more willing to try out new ideas because they are facing intensified competition not only in their own trade channel, but from other channels as well: witness Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets, and reports that Wal-Mart is developing a small grocery format designed to go up against the Fresh & Easy stores.
Then there are the quick-serve restaurants also fighting for the consumers' "share of stomach." (Full Story)
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Special Announcement
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Get The Data That Drives The Petroleum & Convenience Industry Today!
Order your copy of the 2007 NPN MarketFacts today for the introductory price of only $195 (plus shipping and handling).
To order your print copy and/or CD version of the 2007 NPN MarketFacts edition, please click here
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News Items
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Western Refining reports fourth quarter and record full year results
Western Refining, Inc. on Feb. 28 reported net earnings of $238.6 million or $3.53 per diluted share for the full year of 2007, versus net earnings of $204.8 million or $3.11 per diluted share for 2006. (Full Story)
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Hess to pay $1.1 million fine for environmental violations in New York
Hess Corp. will pay a $1.1 million fine for petroleum storage violations and fund a $300,000 wetlands restoration project under an agreement with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, according to a Feb. 28 article by Karen Matthews for the Associated Press. (Full Story)
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Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets: Off to a not-so-easy start?
So far, 55 Fresh & Easy markets have opened in the West Coast, including six in Orange County, according to a Feb. 28 article by Nancy Luna in The Orange County Register. About 150 more are planned in the West. Yet, despite developing a loyal crop of fans since launching in November, Fresh & Easy faces some not-so-easy problems, critics and industry experts said, according to the article. (Full Story)
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U.S. House votes to end big oil's tax breaks
The House of Representative brushed aside threats of a White House veto and voted 236 to 182 in favor of an $18 billion tax package that would rescind a tax break for the five biggest oil companies and use the revenue to boost incentives for wind and solar energy and energy efficiency, Steven Mufson reported Feb. 28 in The Washington Post. (Full Story)
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Spirit Petroleum and U.S. Bank Voyager offer credit card processing
Vera Haskins, president of Spirit Petroleum, announced Feb. 28 the launch of a partnership between Spirit and U.S. Bank Voyager Fleet Systems (Voyager). The alliance enables Spirit to provide a complete package of turnkey business solutions for its licensees. (Full Story)
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Road Ranger: deal for 11 AmeriStop stores is part of expansion plan
Road Ranger closed on the purchase of 11 AmeriStop convenience stores located in Kentucky and Ohio. NRC Realty Advisors, Chicago, served as financial advisor to Road Ranger in the transaction. (Full Story)
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Gulf Oil upgrades look, service in the Northeast
Gulf Oil Limited Partnership, Newton, Mass., said it has successfully implemented the first phases of a corporate strategy to reposition itself in the marketplace, with the objective of establishing a premium brand status, and upgrading the gasoline marketer's look and service to consumers in the Northeast. (Full Story)
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Sheetz chooses ViryaNet software to help manage field service activities
ViryaNet Limited, Southborough, Mass., a provider of software applications that automate business processes for field service management, announced March 4 that Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store chain based in Altoona, Pa., has chosen ViryaNet Service Hub for Retail to automate its field service operations, including the activities associated with workforce management, facilities maintenance, and store equipment repair. (Full Story)
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Gilbarco Passport system now installed at 1,000 Exxon Mobil locations
A store in Washington, D.C., became the 1000th site on the Exxon Mobil network to have a Gilbarco Passport point of sale system installed on Jan. 28, Gilbarco Veeder-Root said in a statement issued Feb. 29. (Full Story)
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Product of the Week
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PEI's UST Inspection Document Now Available for Purchase
Print copies of the Petroleum Equipment Institute's Recommended Practices for the Inspection and Maintenance of Underground Storage Tank Systems (PEI/RP900) are now available for purchase. This latest Recommended Practices document was produced by the Petroleum Equipment Institute's (PEI) Underground Storage Tank (UST) System Inspection and Maintenance Committee and is intended to provide a basic reference that consolidates information concerning the proper inspection and maintenance of UST equipment. Printed copies of this 34-page document can be purchased on PEI's Web site at www.pei.org/rp900 or by contacting PEI by phone -- (918) 494-9696. Single copies can be purchased for $40 by PEI members and $95 by non-members.
PEI
www.pei.org
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Calendar of Events
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ASD/AMD Trade Shows Las Vegas
Mar. 2-5
Sands Expo Center, Mandalay Bay Convention Center,
Mirage Events Center & Grand Ballroom
Las Vegas, NV
(310) 481-7325
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Southeast Petro-Food Marketing Expo
Mar. 5-6
Myrtle Beach Convention Center
Myrtle Beach, SC
(803) 419-0804
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Liberty U.S.A./PPMCSA C-Store Trade Show
Mar. 13, 2008
Pittsburgh ExpoMart
Monroeville, PA
www.libertyusa.com
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4th Annual OPIS Ethanol & Biodiesel Supply Summit
March 16-18
The Renaissance Hotel
Washington, DC
(866) 620-5940
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Michigan Petroleum Association/Michigan Association of Convenience Stores
Spring Convention and Trade Show
April 1-3
Grand Rapids, Michigan
(517) 622-3530
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Atlantic Regional Energy Expo - AREE08
April 22-24
The Atlantic City Convention Center
Atlantic City, N.J.
(973) 467-1400
E-mail: info@areetradeshow.com
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For a complete list of industry events, go to NPN's calendar web page.
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Published By NPN Group | © 2008 NPN Group | All Rights Reserved
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For more information on NPN MarketPulse, contact:
Gary Bevers, group publisher
M2MEDIA360
Retail Distribution Group
Ph: 832-444-7675
Fax: 800-430-3446
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Keith Reid, editor-in-chief
M2MEDIA360
NPN Group
Ph: 630-739-0280
Fax: 630-739-0321 |
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This newsletter is protected by United States copyright and other intellectual
property laws and may not be reproduced, rewritten, distributed, re-disseminated, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast,
directly or indirectly, in any medium without the prior written permission of M2MEDIA360.
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