Lincolnshire Co-op’s £1.6m redevelopment of its Whaplode Food Store and Filling Station included major work on the forecourt itself. It was reconfigured to improve the exit and to make better use of space around the pumps, which allowed new customer parking to be created in front of the new, larger food store. A small patch of scrubland on the site was also converted to add further parking. This was done to allow customers to spend more time in the new store, which has double the retail area compared to the site’s old kiosk. There was investment too in forecourt equipment with four new Tokheim Quantium 510 pumps, each with three hoses either side. Other improvements included LED lighting and technology to simplify deliveries of fuel to the site, and the entire canopy was replaced to complete the forecourt’s new look.

The latest addition to the Quantium 510 range is the 510M which Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS) describes as the "next generation of the acclaimed Quantium fuel dispenser family", with more models to choose from, with many new features.

The new Quantium 510M FHR fuel dispenser with full hose retraction, builds on the same look and feel of today’s Quantium 510 fuel dispenser but with the added benefit of an enriched dispenser head. Standard across the range, this allows retailers to easily upgrade from the typical LCD display to a VGA media display by simply changing the screen and the door.

Also in the series is the Quantium 510M SHR with semi-hose retraction, featuring innovative modifications such as double-bump piping to dramatically increase maintenance options.

"With the Tokheim Quantium 510M fuel dispenser range, we have taken the classic and desired design features of the Quantium 510 fuel dispenser and redefined them for the future," says DFS vice president, dispenser business unit, Lise-Lotte Nordholm.

In addition to the more conventional dispensers, DFS has introduced the Quantium 510M AdBlue fuel dispenser and the Quantium 510M liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fuel dispenser. The Quantium AdBlue will be available as a four-hose model, a configuration which is a direct response to customer demand throughout Europe and the Middle East.

DFS is not the only company with new dispensers. Following successful pilot installations (as Frontier Global MPD) in many EU countries, Gilbarco Veeder-Root’s new Horizon-II fuel dispenser series is now available to order, in both suction and pressure-type configurations.

The company says the Horizon-II is the next step in the evolution of the Gilbarco Europe H-frame dispenser series providing new alternatives and more features for a better customer user experience. It builds on the SK700-II platform utilising its highly valued EU hydraulic stack and the Apollo EU electronics.

Meanwhile, one site that opted for Gilbarco pumps is Jet Cranford Street Service Station, on the outskirts of Birmingham, which had new pumps installed at the beginning of this year. Foad Rezaei, director at the site, says: "We previously had Gilbarco Euroline pumps and these had served the site well, but they were getting old. I wanted to replace them with pumps which incorporate the latest technology and features, such as ATC and non-drip nozzles. I did quite a bit of research before deciding on the Gilbarco SK700 model.

"We now offer unleaded and diesel from four pumps, each with four nozzles. The pumps are great quality and very well made, so although they are a fairly expensive model, I felt they were worth the money.

"MDM Services carried out the installation and we had to close the site for two weeks as some electrical rewiring work was undertaken at the same time.

"Feedback from our customers has been very positive. They’re very happy with the speed of the pumps, find them clean and easy to use and like their appearance."

New pumps are pricey so it’s important forecourt retailers get the longest life out of them that’s possible. That means regular maintenance and servicing.

Last month Eurotank Service Group relaunched its fuel pump maintenance business under the name Europump Maintenance.

The company doesn’t work with any equipment manufacturers exclusively so its primary objective is not to sell equipment, but to give its customers a good level of service to maintain any equipment that they either already have on their sites or wish to purchase. Services can be provided on a contract or ad hoc basis, and Europump’s experienced engineers are trained to maintain any type of pump, using in-house refurbished spare parts where possible to reduce the cost of contract and improve lead times.

Consistently excellent

One of Europump’s customers is Top 50 Indie Highway Stops, which operates 11 sites in England. Tony Head, development director of Highway Stops, says: "Eurotank has been looking after our pumps and gauges for seven years and has been consistently excellent in terms of quality of service and work.

"Their personal pride in limiting downtime and being able to offer a ’one-shop’ cover to include tank and pipe work as well is of massive benefit."

Europump advises that regular preventative pump maintenance can have a significant impact on pump uptime, extend life of key components, can improve flow rates and also improve overall wet-stock loss performance.

Stuart Tomkinson, operations manager of Europump Maintenance, says: "We look after some sites that have pumps that are 20-plus years old but because they clean and maintain them well, they experience very few problems."

Clean up your pump island

Dirty fuel pumps are a big turn-off for customers but the Tate Business Group has the answer with HP12 degreaser.
Business development manager, Teresa Morris, explains: "This product has proven to be the best and easiest way of cleaning fuel dispensing pumps, no matter how dirty and unpleasant they are. Extremely easy and quick to use, you simply spray HP12 sparingly onto the pump concentrating on the most dirty areas, leave for 20 seconds or so, and once you see the dirt lift, wipe off with a paper towel or microfibre cloth. It’s that easy. Also because it is so easy, staff won’t see the job as a thankless, almost impossible task, but rather will see it as an easy, quick job that gets immediate results. Time is money, and HP12 saves both."
HP12 is available in six x 500ml spray bottles for £25 plus VAT.
The company also offers Supermafrasol Concrete Cleaner, a highly concentrated cleaning detergent which makes cleaning pump islands and concrete floors as easy and as quick as possible.
"If a pump island or floor is highly stained and black from oil, or fuel stains, a moderately strong solution of Supermafrasol in water sprayed onto the stained surface and agitated slightly with a brush before rinsing it off, will restore the concrete almost to its as new condition," says Morris.
"It is then a matter of periodically using a far more diluted solution to maintain its fresh and clean appearance. There’s no excuse for stained floors again. And, as one 900ml bottle can make up to 50 litres of cleaning solution when diluted, Supermafrasol is also highly cost-effective."

Smarter nozzles coming from the Netherlands

While we are all used to pumps with media screens, what about screens on nozzles? Smarter Nozzle Europe unveiled its new iNozzle One at Tankstation Vakbeurs in The Netherlands late last year. The nozzle has a five-inch screen; as soon as the motorist removes the gun from the nozzle booth, the advertising starts. After refuelling, it automatically returns to sleep mode.
The content on the display is divided into three sections: ad campaign, promotions and fuel. The top bit shows ads. On the middle section, promotions on shop products and car wash can be shown. The logo of the forecourt, the fuel and the pump number are shown at the bottom.
Smarter nozzle says the iNozzle One means an additional source of income for a small investment, with maintenance of the iNozzles and the management of the campaigns and promotions all looked after by the company.
Smarter Nozzle CEO Pascal van Nisselroy says the company is currently preparing test locations for the iNozzle One in the Netherlands. He is not sure when it will be available in the UK because he says their order book is already sold out for 2019/2020, but he hopes to scale up production as soon as possible.

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