Looking refreshed
WITH THE HELP OF ONE OF ITS LONGEST STANDING CUSTOMERS, VALERO
HAS ROLLED OUT A REFRESH OF TEXACO-BRANDED TANKERS IN ITS BRANDED
DISTRIBUTOR MARKET
F
amily-run business WR Kennedy has
been supplying Texaco-branded fuel
in Northern Ireland since 1962. With
its high standards of customer service, the
Ballymena-based business was a natural fit as
the forerunner for the brand refresh.
“The changes are subtle, but it gives a
cleaner, more contemporary feel to the brand
that we know our customers in Northern
Ireland will appreciate,” said managing
director, Terence Kennedy who is pleased with
the look of the refreshed tanker branding.
“We’re always ready to embrace new
ideas, so working with Valero to roll out the
refreshed tanker branding was easy. Texaco
is an iconic brand and we both benefit from
the arrangement, keeping us competitive in
the market.”
“After a commercial business
reorganisation in 2018, we decided a refresh
of the tanker branding was long overdue,”
added Valero’s manager of commercial sales
in Europe, John Davis.
“We also wanted to demonstrate our
long-term commitment to the branded
distributor market by delivering a modern,
contemporary look that was still distinctively
Texaco.
“We’ve worked with WR Kennedy’s for
many years. Their professional and customer-
focused approach is very much in line with
our own.”
FOR MORE NEWS FROM VALERO IN
IRELAND SEE PAGE 13
Supplying the agricultural, commercial and domestic
heating markets in County Antrim from Valero’s Belfast
terminal, WR Kennedy operates 12 tankers. The Kennedy
family – (l-r) Terence, Niall and Bertie – are very pleased
with the brand’s ‘cleaner, more contemporary feel’
20
An exciting period of change
W
atson Fuels has begun the replacement of its 350-strong fleet of trucks with newer, more
efficient and more environmentally sensitive vehicles. The company already has 58 new
DAF rigid trucks, ranging from 12 to 32 tonne, a further 30 were due to be added last
month.
Featuring one of the most efficient engines available on the market, the DAF vehicles boast lower
fuel consumption and drastically reduced NOx and particulate emissions, particularly important as
Watson strives to further increase fleet reliability, reduce down-time, lower running costs and minimise
environmental impact.
Covering nearly 25 million kilometers annually, the roll-out of the new fleet will deliver efficiency
improvements, improve customer service levels and give even greater reliability as the firm adopts a
sector-leading automation programme.
Automation will form the next phase of the firm’s ambitious drive to further enhance service levels,
improve efficiency and refine the customer journey.
“This is a huge investment for the business which heralds a period of transformation for the brand,”
said operations and logistics director, Scott Roberts.
“Having always been seen as a trustworthy and reliable partner to our customers, we want to build
on those qualities, while leading the way in the fuels sector with fleet renewal and the adoption of
an ambitious automation programme – this step is part of a phased approach to what is an exciting
period of change for Watson.
“We have vast experience in the supply of fuels and lubricants to fleets of all sizes; getting this
element right can have a dramatic impact on fleet costs and reliability. Recently teaming up with Esso,
we can now offer the latest Esso Diesel Efficient fuel to help businesses maximise their vehicle fleets.”
“JANE IS
SUCH A
years
FIGUREHEAD
WITHIN
OUR INDUSTRY BEING
VERY WELL-KNOWN AND
RESPECTED.
“YOU ALWAYS SEE HER
AT THE FPS EXPO SHOW
– EVEN IN THE YEAR SHE
WAS ON CRUTCHES!
“JANE IS ALWAYS KEEN
TO LISTEN TO ANY
IDEAS FOR STORIES
AND ACTIVELY TAKES AN
INTEREST IN ENSURING
HER PUBLICATIONS ARE
PACKED WITH NEW AND
INTERESTING ARTICLES.
“WE WISH HER MANY
CONGRATULATIONS
ON HER 20 YEARS IN
THE ROLE AND LOOK
FORWARD TO SEEING HER
IN THE YEARS TO COME.”
WENDI WHITTLE, J SEED
Fuel Oil News | July 2019 7