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TravelCenters of America announces workforce reduction
TravelCenters of America, Westlake, Ohio, on March 7 announced that it reduced the workforce at its headquarters and other locations by approximately 190, or about eight percent of its managerial personnel.
Similar reductions are expected to be made to its hourly workforce, mostly by attrition. (Full Story)
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Congressmen Conyers and Cannon introduce 'Credit Card Fair Fee Act'
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) and Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) introduced the "Credit Card Fair Fee Act," legislation that for the first time, they said, deals with "the biggest credit card fee of all" - the interchange fee. They said the interchange fee amounted to $36 billion in 2006.
"We welcome this effort to stop the price-fixing practices of the credit card industry and create a transparent market-based process," said Mallory Duncan, chairman of the Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC) and senior vice president and general counsel of the National Retail Federation. (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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House committee to ask oil CEOs to talk about energy, global warming
In response to continued opposition to a Congressional renewable energy package from the top oil companies in the world, and the high prices average Americans are facing at the pump, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, announced March 11 that he would seek to bring in the CEOs of the five biggest oil companies in the world to appear before his committee in early April as Congress returns from its Spring recess. (Full Story)
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EIA: gasoline prices hit historic high; diesel prices do the same
Gasoline prices rose in all regions of the country, with the U.S. average retail price reaching its highest point in history, 322.5 cents per gallon, according to the March 12 issue of "This Week in Petroleum," published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). (Full Story)
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In Ohio: Hormone-free milk labeling is subject of four-hour debate
Whenever farmers or milk producers state their cartons are ''rbST-free,'' an acronym for Monsanto's artificial growth hormone recombinant bovine somatotropin, the ag-tech giant wants equal time on the label, according to a March 12 article by Dennis J. Willard in the Akron Beacon Journal. (Full Story)
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In Utah: multi-million dollar law suit against 'Top Stop' alleges gas leak
Residents in Gunnison, Utah, filed a multi-million dollar law suit on March 12 against Top Stop Gas Station, KUTV.com reported. (Full Story)
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Couche-Tard reports continued revenue growth
With the acquisitions carried out in the past 12 months and the sharp increase in the retail price at the pump, Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. said March 12 that it posted solid growth in revenues for the third quarter of fiscal 2008. (Full Story)
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CHS acquires Zip Trip convenience stores; will re-brand as Cenex
CHS Inc., St. Paul, Minn. has signed a purchase agreement to acquire 33 Zip Trip convenience stores, the company announced March 11. The majority of the Zip Trip stores are in the Spokane, Wash., market, and are owned in part by Jopo, Inc., and Jo-By Enterprises, LLC, according to the announcement. (Full Story)
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Tidel shipping new $5 note validation software
Tidel Engineering, L.P., Carrollton, Texas, announced March 11 that it is shipping software on all Sentinels which will accurately validate the new $5 note. The new $5 note begins shipping in mid-March and Tidel said it began shipping Release 2.42 software with all new shipments of Sentinels as of March 3. (Full Story)
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Oil price steadies after record run
Oil prices steadied March 12 after briefly rising to a record of almost $110 a barrel, George Jahn of the Associated Press reported. (Full Story)
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In Ohio: organic producers object to proposed hormone label rule for milk
Restricting milk labels that distinguish between cows given synthetic growth hormone and those that are not does a disservice to consumers trying to make their own choices, consumer groups and some dairy producers said, according to an article by Stephen Major of the Associated Press. (Full Story)
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Tobacco Plus Expo: April 24-25 in Las Vegas
Retailers can register to attend the 2008 Tobacco Plus Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center, April 25-25, by visiting the show's Web site at tobaccoplusexpo.com and clicking on "Attendees" or calling the toll-free registration hotline at 1-888-825-2299. (Full Story)
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Car Care World Expo 2008: April 7-10, in Orlando
The International Carwash Association will hold Car Care World Expo April 7-10, in Orlando, Fla. (Full Story)
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No break in slaying of Pennsylvania retail executive
Mystery surrounds the weekend killing of a supermarket executive in Berks County, according to a March 11 article by Kathleen Brady Shea and Nancy L. Petersen in The Philadelphia Inquirer. (Full Story)
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Registration open for PEI Purchasing & Inventory Conference
The Petroleum Equipment Institute announced that registration is now open for its upcoming Purchasing & Inventory Managers Conference, May 16-17 at the Wyndham O'Hare in Chicago. (Full Story)
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Stocks rise on news of Federal Reserve's credit plan
Wall Street rebounded March 11 after the Federal Reserve and other central banks said they will pump $200 billion into the financial markets to help ease the strain from the credit crisis, reported Joe Bel Bruno, Associated Press business writer. The Dow Jones industrials surged about 160 points, the AP reported. (Full Story)
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SafeRack introduces upgraded line of loading-rack gangways
SafeRack, Sumter, S.C., a provider of stronger, safer and easier-to-handle truck and railcar loading-rack and fall-protection equipment for the petroleum, biofuel, specialized chemical, food/pharmaceutical, cement and other industries, announced on March 10 the availability of its redesigned, patent-pending SafeRack G4 Gangway. (Full Story)
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Economist: New York State passes up $1.6 million daily in tobacco taxes
The fiscal toll of the New York State tax department's continued refusal to curb rampant cigarette tax evasion has climbed to more than $1.6 million per day in lost tax revenue, according to a new economic analysis, reported The North Country Gazette. (Full Story)
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Western Refining selects KSS fuels pricing management system
KSS, Florham Park, N.J., a supplier of pricing analytics, execution, and optimization systems to the petroleum industry, announced March 6 that Western Refining, Inc., the nation's fourth largest publicly traded independent oil refiner, selected PriceNet, PriceNet Mobile, and KSS Visualizer to help improve and simplify the fuel pricing process for more than 150 convenience stores in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. (Full Story)
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Seattle area police work to link thefts of hundreds of gallons of fuel
Police in King County, Washington, are investigating a spree of gasoline thefts in which bandits stole hundreds of gallons, the county Sheriff's Office reported, according to an article by Scott Gutierrez of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. (Full Story)
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Midwest convenience store chains find coping with winter is pricey
Casey's General Stores, Ankeny, Iowa, which has more than 1,460 stores in nine Midwestern states, says that in the three months ending Jan, 31, it paid $500,000 more for snow removal than in the same quarter a year ago, the Associated Press reported. (Full Story)
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Oil prices down from last week's record
Oil prices pulled back March 10 as traders booked profits after last week's record highs and amid easing tension between oil producers Venezuela and Colombia over the weekend, reported Pablo Gorondi of the Associated Press. (Full Story)
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Calendar of Events
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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 & 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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NACStech 2008
May 5-7
Grapevine, TX
Gaylord Texan
(800) 966-6227
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NYACS Trade Show & Convention
May 14-15
The OnCenter
Syracuse, NY
(518) 432-1400
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Product of the Week
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Tanknology introduces enhanced Tank Deflection and Deformation Testing System
Underground Storage Tank operators who were early adopters of fiberglass tanks when they were introduced to the petroleum market in the 1970s were attracted to them particularly because they wouldn't corrode, causing potentially catastrophic fuel leaks. However, what some are now finding is that changes to site conditions over the years and the introduction of new chemical additives that unexpectedly weakened the tank s fibers, are sometimes causing structural deformation or deflection of the tanks, which is leaving the operators victim to the very leaks they were trying to avoid. In response to this phenomenon and a need for operators to verify the structural integrity of older fiberglass tanks, Tanknology Inc., of Austin, TX, is introducing the next generation of its proprietary Tank Deflection and Deformation Testing System, which is specifically designed for the unique challenges posed by older fiberglass USTs. The technology system employs a proprietary bottom flatness measurement device that verifies whether the roundness of the tank is within the specified tolerance of the tank manufacturer.
Tanknology, Inc.
www.tanknology.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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