4Refuel Canada plans expansion, seeks new franchisees

Langley, B.C.–Escalating fuel costs for fleets have been cutting into corporate profits, becoming the second largest expense next to labour, says Jack Lee, President and CEO for 4Refuel Canada.

Lee says his company can offer low risk environmentally friendly solutions to minimize fuel consumption and maximize the productivity of equipment and personnel.

4Refuel’s offerings include Fuel Management On-Line (FMO), Telematics Data Capture and user-friendly reporting from each piece of operating equipment, says the company. The proprietary software was developed by 4Refuel’s affiliate company, U-CON Systems Corp. (www.u-con.ca) A radio frequency tag, about the size of a loonie, is attached to each piece of equipment to capture data. The tag is scanned with a hand held computer and data is sent to U-Con Systems’ data warehouse. Each client chooses from a list of options, then customized reports are delivered. Information such as fuel economy, equipment productivity, idling time and efficiencies is available on-line or it can be emailed directly to the client.

“Our Company has been in business since 1995, and until a few months ago we were primarily an on-location diesel delivery service. Until late 2005, 4Refuel was operating as Mini-Tankers Canada. Today diesel delivery is only part of our business. Now we are 4Refuel. We help companies fight the high cost of fuel with a complete Fuel Management Service, virtually a new growth industry,” he says.

“Fuel Management” is a relatively new concept”, says Lee. “A manager is someone who is responsible for controlling costs and profitability. A Fuel Manager does that with regards to fuel. Today, the growing cost of fuel is destroying a company’s profitability. With 4Refuel as your Fuel Manager, we help our clients control fuel consumption and costs. We deliver fuel directly to the job site, and equipment location 24/7, 365 days a year. We monitor each fill, and with our exclusive Fuel Management Online, we deliver data and reports allowing our clients to make key operating decisions that will save fuel, improve productivity and ultimately, profitability. 4Refuel manages all of this quickly and conveniently, without wasting our client’s time.”

4Refuel, is headquartered in Langley, BC with regional offices in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The company has over 125 employees and Franchised Operators in the system.

“The heart of our company is our network of Franchised Operators”, says Lee. “Each operator has a vested interest in their client’s success and profitability. In addition, we have built a team of Territory Mangers who work directly with our clients and the Franchised Operator to deliver customized Fuel Management solutions guaranteed to meet each client’s specific needs.”

4Refuel’s Fuel Management also offers a risk free, environmentally friendly service, says Lee.

“Safety and protection of the environment has always been a primary concern. As your Fuel Manager, we take the responsibility of safe fuel delivery to wherever our clients need itdirectly to their equipment or fuel storage tanks. Our Best Practices Policies and Loss Control Program have resulted in incident ratios significantly less than other fuel delivery companies. We offer a complete Fuel Management Service. We’re unique.”

4Refuel is currently growing its network of Franchised Operators offering a multi-unit opportunity in each franchised territory. In the past, franchises were awarded on a single tanker truck, per territory basis. 4Refuel has expansion plans to grow its company south of the border starting in California, and has already started plans to expand into the United Kingdom. “There are no limits, and we don’t know how large the potential is for this new growth industry”, concludes Lee.

“The markets identified by 4Refuel in Canada include Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The vast majority of territories come with an existing client base, so new franchisees are not starting from scratch.We are recruiting right now, and to attract interest we have just announced a $5,000 incentive reward program to anyone who gives us a lead that turns into a new Franchised Operator,” says Lee.