Thursday October 26, 2006 FEATURES Buyer beware: EPA's 'All Appropriate Inquiry' rule takes effect Nov. 1 The saying "buyer beware," is going to be more important than ever on Nov. 1, the date when a new rule issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency takes effect. The new rule is called the "All Appropriate Inquiry" rule. (Full Story) UL to meet with Department of Energy on safety of ethanol dispensers Underwriters Laboratories, the product-safety testing group based in Northbrook, Ill., is to co-sponsor a forum with the U.S. Department of Energy next week to discuss the safety of dispensing equipment for ethanol-based fuel. "We will co-sponsor an E85 Compatibility Technical Forum on November 1-2, 2006, with the US Department of Energy," UL said in a statement posted on its Web site. (Full Story) Sign up for a FREE subscription to NPN, the magazine that has been reporting news and trends in the petroleum and convenience store industry since 1909. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Get The Data That Drives The Petroleum & Convenience Industry Today! To order your print copy or CD version of the 2006 NPN MarketFacts edition, please click here NEWS ITEMS High construction costs and lower gas prices slow ethanol expansion A Jacksonville, Fla., company dropped plans three weeks ago to build a corn-based fuel ethanol plant, citing prohibitively high costs, and it is isn't the only one to do so, The Palm Beach Post reported Oct. 23. (Full Story) Wallis Oil selects KSS for price automation and optimization KSS, Florham Park, N.J., a provider of retail and fuel pricing automation and optimization systems, announced Oct. 24 that Wallis Oil has selected KSS PriceNet to automate and optimize its daily fuel-pricing process. (Full Story) Price Chopper Supermarkets and Sunoco launch 'Fuel AdvantEdge' Price Chopper on Oct. 24 announced the launch of "Fuel AdvantEdge," an exclusive new program in the Connecticut marketplace, in partnership with local Sunoco stations that discounts gasoline as a reward for grocery store purchases. (Full Story) Wallis Oil selects KSS for price automation and optimization KSS, Florham Park, N.J., a provider of retail and fuel pricing automation and optimization systems, announced Oct. 24 that Wallis Oil has selected KSS PriceNet to automate and optimize its daily fuel-pricing process. (Full Story) 7-Eleven says no to 'Cocaine' On Oct. 23, after fielding an inquiry from a reporter for The Mercury News, a daily newspaper in San Jose, Calif., 7-Eleven recommended franchisees remove cans of "Cocaine," a caffeinated "energy drink," from store shelves, according to the newspaper. (Full Story) U.S. gasoline prices reach 2006 low Motorists in the U.S. are paying the lowest price so far this year for gasoline, with the latest pump cost falling 1.8 cents over the last week to an average $2.21 a gallon, the government said Oct. 23, according to Reuters. (Full Story) Wrigley names Perez new chief executive; he is former Nike CEO Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. turned over the leadership of its chewing-gum empire to an outsider for the first time after four generations in the Wrigley family, naming ex-Nike Inc. CEO William Perez on Oct. 23 to replace Bill Wrigley Jr. as chief executive after a turbulent past year, the Associated Press reported Oct. 23. (Full Story) Kellogg Co. names David Mackay chief executive officer David Mackay, president and chief operating officer of Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich., will assume the CEO position effective Dec. 31, according to Kellogg spokeswoman Celeste Clark. (Full Story) Knight Enterprises selling 56 gas stations and commercial properties NRC Realty Advisors, LLC, announced Oct. 23 that it has been retained by Knight Enterprises, Inc., Novi, Mich., to coordinate and execute a sealed bid sale of 56 Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois properties. (Full Story) Gilligan Oil buys 33 Southwest Ohio Shell stations Gilligan Oil Co. in Hyde Park, Ohio, is poised to make a big move on the Southwest Ohio gasoline and convenience-store market, according to The Enquirer. (Full Story) OPEC announces production cut, but oil prices slip further Oil prices fell to an 11-month low on Oct. 20, indicating that energy traders question OPEC's commitment to carrying out a 4 percent production cut, The Associated Press reported. Crude-oil futures traded below $57 a barrel on Oct. 20. (Full Story) Confusion arises over safety testing of E85 fuel station pumps Underwriters Laboratories, the product-safety testing group, said on Oct. 19 that it has no timetable for approving E85 systems for filling stations, an issue that's created confusion around the nation and could slow the spread of ethanol fuel, reported The Detroit Free Press. (Full Story) Tesco's planned distribution center is target of environmental lawsuits Opponents of a massive grocery distribution center on former March Air Force Base property filed two lawsuits this month alleging that it was approved without proper consideration of the environmental impact, reported the Oct. 19 edition of The Press-Enterprise. (Full Story) In Canada: Irving offers wireless Internet access at eight Big Stops Wireless high-speed Internet service is available at eight Irving Big Stop locations in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, reported Oct. 19 Truck News. (Full Story) In Missouri: debate over tobacco tax heats up as vote nears At 17 cents per pack, Missouri's tobacco tax is second lowest in the nation. Because of this, cigarettes sold in the state cost much less than they do in other places, where the average tax added on is around $1. (Full Story) Village Pantry stores among 16 to be closed by Marsh's new owners Marsh Supermarkets' new owner said Oct. 19 that it plans to close 16 stores before Thanksgiving and will lay off or reassign 10 percent of the corporate staff, reported The Indianapolis Star. (Full Story) Otis Spunkmeyer is acquired by Ireland's IAWS Group Otis Spunkmeyer, San Leandro, Calif., which began making cookies in 1977, has been purchased by IAWS Group, based in Dublin, Ireland. (Full Story) Susser Holdings' initial public offering raises $107 million Susser Holdings Corp., a convenience store operator, raised $107 million with an initial public offering, according to an underwriter, Reuters reported Oct. 18. (Full Story) In Oklahoma: lottery players tend to purchase other items too Retailers are winners in the year-old Oklahoma state lottery, according to The Oklahoman. (Full Story) Rutter's Farm Stores brews a stronger coffee program Rutter's Farm Stores, York, Pa., announced Oct. 19 that it has completed roll-out of a new coffee program at its 51 convenience stores in York, Adams, Cumberland, Franklin and Lancaster counties. (Full Story) Ford and BP open hydrogen station in Taylor, Michigan Ford Motor Company, BP and the city of Taylor, Mich., opened a hydrogen station Oct. 17 that will fuel a fleet of Ford Focus fuel cell vehicles. (Full Story) OPEC ministers discuss production cuts; oil prices inch up Oil prices increased slightly Oct. 19 as markets awaited the outcome of OPEC's meeting to discuss a possible cut of 1 million barrels a day to prop up prices, the Associated Press reported. (Full Story) EIA: Average retail gasoline price continues declining The U.S. average retail price for regular gasoline as of October 16 fell 3.5 cents to hit 222.6 cents per gallon, which is 49.9 cents lower than a year ago, reported the Oct. 18 edition of "This Week in Petroleum," published by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). (Full Story) Merchants Coalition vows to continue fighting Visa, MasterCard fees Merchant groups said Oct. 18 that they would continue to battle Visa and MasterCard in the courts over alleged price-fixing by the card payment systems, Reuters reported. (Full Story) In Detroit: Group fighting foreclosures 'brands' milk to get word out The Homeownership Preservation Foundation, a Minneapolis-based non-profit has launched a grass-roots marketing effort to help prevent foreclosures in the Detroit area. (Full Story) Sheetz to use SumTotal management and training software SumTotal Systems, a provider of talent and learning solutions, announced Oct. 18 that Sheetz, Inc., has deployed a SumTotal learning management system (LMS). (Full Story) PRODUCT OF THE WEEK Petro Vend Fuel Controls introduces new wireless communications capability Petro Vend's new wireless communication option is a perfect alternative to conduit for transferring data between a System2™, K800™ or ART™ Fuel Island Terminal and Fuel Site Controller. Petro Vend's wireless communication option is a convenient solution for sites that can't easily be connected by conduit, and saves money on system installations where conduit installation is cost prohibitive. Applications include sites with obstructions such as water or roads, property with dig restrictions, or sites with reinforced concrete, such as trucking companies, airports, and military operations. And data is encrypted during transmission, so you'll have peace of mind knowing that fueling transactions are always secure. OPW Fuel Management Systems www.opwfms.com CALENDAR OF EVENTS AWMA Fall STEPS Belmont Conference Center Elkridge, Md. November 5-8 www.awmanet.org NACS Regional Grassroots Events Hotel Hershey Hershey, Pa. November 6-8 www.nacsonline.com   Site School Fairmont Chicago Chicago November 9-10 (866) 620-5940 www.opisnet.com/siteschool SIGMA 2006 Annual Meeting Fairmont Hotel Chicago November 10-12 (703) 709-7000 www.sigma.org   Ethanol and Biodiesel Management Westin Galleria Houston November 15-17 (866) 620-5940 opisnet.com/ethbiomgmt/ Fall Pressure Vessel Conference Hilton Houston Post Oak Hotel Houston November 16 (847) 438-8265 www.steeltank.com   For a complete list of industry events, go to NPN's calendar web page.  Published By NPN Group |  © 2006 NPN Group | All Rights Reserved For more information on NPN MarketPulse, contact: Gary Bevers, group publisher M2MEDIA360 Retail Distribution Group Ph: 832-444-7675 Fax: 800-430-3446 Chris Traczek, editor-in-chief M2MEDIA360 NPN Group Ph: 630-739-0280 Fax: 630-739-0321 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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