One reason I use Aspen

[Andy Gentle]

Thanks for the reply Gardenkit. I will look into plastic can recycling in our area to see if they will take them.

Can the cans not be re-used, the packaging/manufacture no doubt adds to the cost?

Also the manufacture of 1000's of plastic cans must have a fair environmental impact, even if recyclable?

[GardenKit]

Sorry Andy, that question really is one for Aspen, any replies I made would be guesses. Good questions though.

[likeitorlumpit]

You see- Andy has hit nail on head.

Given a cheaper product and easier supply chain I suspect everyone on here would use Aspen. At the moment the cost and difficulty of obtaining supplies/ storing supplies make it a non starter.

I would need about 5 cans a week just for 2 stroke. My nearest supplier is 15 miles away. It costs £16 for 5 litres. Storage of a pallet load just gives me a massive risk assessment headache. Disposal of the cans again becomes an issue as we have no plastic recycling.

Aspen should get one of the multinationals on board- say BP- then this would roll

[GardenKit]

As a firm Aspen believer it is good to see comments such as likeit has made, i.e 'Given a cheaper product and easier supply chain I suspect everyone on here would use Aspen.'

 

This at least validates the product, leaving the negatives as price and availability.

 

There has been a general trend throughout this, and other, threads to brand Aspen (the company) as the big bad brother. Comments such as 'Aspen should do this or that if they want us to use their product'

 

The trouble here is that the UK sales are not governed by Aspen, as they are not marketing their product direct to the UK. Neither do Stihl market Motomix to UK , and Husqvarna ceased to market their own branded Aspen in this country.

 

Why? Simply because the Uk market is not yet receptive to the product, possibly due to awareness of the product, benefits etc. The actual volume is insufficient at present but the potential is huge.

 

This forum is possibly doing more to create awareness of this product than any other media, because its where you guys talk. How many of you have first heard of Aspen here?

 

Aspen is imported into the UK by Anglo American Oils in Dorset. Despite the grand name, they are in fact a small family business who distribute specialist fuels such as race fuels.

 

They have seen the need for Aspen in the UK and have put themselves out on a limb to import it. The stocking commitment to them is huge, yet it still represents only a small part of their business.

 

Of course they want to increase the distributor network, but how to do it?

They have for several years put regular adverts in the Ag and Hort dealer trade publications. It was from there that I made first enquiries.

 

I have recently seen that they are advertising for a sales person to promote Aspen. The employment of such a person in a small business is a considerable invesment, yet even one person will struggle to cover the country.

 

Therefore I feel it is completely reasonable for Anglo to ask for your nominations of potential dealers. It is in all our interests to work with Anglo.

 

I am baffled why many dealers will not take on the product. I have made good money from Aspen in the past year, It has brought me new customers and helped increase sales of machinery.

 

Keep up the good work Anglo American.

[Daniël Bos]

One thing I reckon would be a major advantage is to have 25l cans available like they are in more civilised countries (read, the whole of Western Europe).

 

I'm not sure why they're not?

[Rob D]

I am baffled why many dealers will not take on the product. I have made good money from Aspen in the past year, It has brought me new customers and helped increase sales of machinery.

 

 

Very good post - it's looking at the additional benefits of supplying a good product. Someone comes to you to buy Aspen and then they also see that you sell other good products.

 

 

Why won't dealers take on the product? - I think you need a proper rep to go round to dealers to look at taking on new products. All the larger companies do this and it's a strategy that seems to work.... I have the same problem with what I sell.... I think you need to get out there and promote your products directly to dealers and demonstrate them.... (Something I'll be looking at doing once the new Granberg mill has been put into production).

 

 

But as you say it's a big commitment taking on someone full time when you're a small business....

[Rob D]

One thing I reckon would be a major advantage is to have 25l cans available like they are in more civilised countries (read, the whole of Western Europe).

 

I'm not sure why they're not?

 

 

I'm sure they sell large drums of it? But more like 100l.

 

But would 25l be an advantage? - I love the 5l containers as they're so handy... otherwise you just end up decanting from the 25l can into a 5l can.

[treequip]

As a firm Aspen believer it is good to see comments such as likeit has made, i.e 'Given a cheaper product and easier supply chain I suspect everyone on here would use Aspen.'

 

This at least validates the product, leaving the negatives as price and availability.

 

There has been a general trend throughout this, and other, threads to brand Aspen (the company) as the big bad brother. Comments such as 'Aspen should do this or that if they want us to use their product'

 

The trouble here is that the UK sales are not governed by Aspen, as they are not marketing their product direct to the UK. Neither do Stihl market Motomix to UK , and Husqvarna ceased to market their own branded Aspen in this country.

 

Why? Simply because the Uk market is not yet receptive to the product, possibly due to awareness of the product, benefits etc. The actual volume is insufficient at present but the potential is huge.

 

This forum is possibly doing more to create awareness of this product than any other media, because its where you guys talk. How many of you have first heard of Aspen here?

 

Aspen is imported into the UK by Anglo American Oils in Dorset. Despite the grand name, they are in fact a small family business who distribute specialist fuels such as race fuels.

 

They have seen the need for Aspen in the UK and have put themselves out on a limb to import it. The stocking commitment to them is huge, yet it still represents only a small part of their business.

 

Of course they want to increase the distributor network, but how to do it?

They have for several years put regular adverts in the Ag and Hort dealer trade publications. It was from there that I made first enquiries.

 

I have recently seen that they are advertising for a sales person to promote Aspen. The employment of such a person in a small business is a considerable invesment, yet even one person will struggle to cover the country.

 

Therefore I feel it is completely reasonable for Anglo to ask for your nominations of potential dealers. It is in all our interests to work with Anglo.

 

I am baffled why many dealers will not take on the product. I have made good money from Aspen in the past year, It has brought me new customers and helped increase sales of machinery.

 

Keep up the good work Anglo American.

 

You are correct, there is nothing wrong with alkylate fuel, it is a good product used widely in plenty of places, I disagree that the UK isn’t ready for it, I asked a local dealer if he would stock it, he said no, his exact response was, "who is going to buy it at that price?" I know all that matters to the vast majority of my customers is price price and price.

 

And there lies the problem, these people are retailers and will sell anything if the margin is in it, I think they won’t take it on because they simply can't see the margin or sales volume (I am sure there are storage issues with retail quantities and hoops to jump through for the petroleum regs.)

 

Perhaps whoever takes the job on will be able to educate retailers but as you say for one man that is a monumental task.

[GardenKit]

You are correct, there is nothing wrong with alkylate fuel, it is a good product used widely in plenty of places, I disagree that the UK isn’t ready for it, I asked a local dealer if he would stock it, he said no, his exact response was, "who is going to buy it at that price?" I know all that matters to the vast majority of my customers is price price and price.

 

And there lies the problem, these people are retailers and will sell anything if the margin is in it, I think they won’t take it on because they simply can't see the margin or sales volume (I am sure there are storage issues with retail quantities and hoops to jump through for the petroleum regs.)

 

Perhaps whoever takes the job on will be able to educate retailers but as you say for one man that is a monumental task.

 

The thing is, the volume is there, I have proved that in my small area.

And the margin is sufficient, but only if the dealer does not discount the product. That of course relies on the consumer paying full wack.

[Andy Collins]

I know I come across hard on this product, but I'm sure many consumers see it the same way. I'm not putting the product itself down, I can't, I haven't used it. But I have spoken to local dealers, big local dealers, if it's just not viable for them to stock it then they won't. This isn't me making it up, but one of the biggest Arb employers and dedicated shops in the areas words. The problems of Anglo-American being a small company are not my problems, surely distribution and a network of dealers is crucial to making their business work, creating a demand for a product is half of it, supplying that demand is the other.

Storage is an issue, whatever anyone says. Not just from a fire safety point of view, but theft also. Id hate to invest in say a pallet load to have some lowlife relieve me of it, at least I don't have that worry with a local service station.

Another thing, which I hadn't considered is the environmental impact of the containers. What is the position with recycling the plastics? I don't mean the disposal points at the local HWRC, I mean the grade of plastics. Generally, plastics in the 1-3 bracket can be fully recycled into new containers, 4-7 plastics are simply dumped at landfill, as they are too toxic to incinerate, or properly recycle. Has this been looked into by AAOC? Howndo you seriously store a pile of empty inflammable cans in the mean time, if the fuel doesnt "go off" it's inflammability factor is going to near eternal, so even when you've emptied you still have a volatile situation, yet another risk assessment I presume.

A final point, slightly Tongue in cheek, would the Dragons Den mob invest in this product? Would it meet their criteria for a viable business? I wonder?.