One reason I use Aspen

[Dan Earp]

To recycle the plastic cans, couldnt you give them back to the delivery driver if you order a batch for delivery to yourself. I found a dealer just over an hour away, i then gave aspen hq a ring and found that they could deliver to myself for £20. Id sooner pay for that, than losing half aday just to drive there and back, and if they could take the emptys aswell then thats killing 2 birds with one stone.

[Rob D]

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?.

 

 

 

All good points Andy - the disposal of the empty cans is an issue...

 

 

Maybe they do need to re think how the fuel is supplied and distributed... a hard one I think!

[hazzygawa]

Well I have just used my first 5l of aspen.

Only in my hedge trimmers, one did not need adjusting and the other 4-mix I could not get running sweetly, it was running all over the shop.

I was very impressed with the fuel and now I need some more!

I found the price of the fuel could be split between jobs and I felt a lot healthier up in the conifers.

 

I can't justify buying a huge container load but perhaps 15-20l. I am based nr Daventry northants. Can I get that thru the post?

[GardenKit]

Good points about the cans, they got me thinking.

 

Andy's point about volatility.. I have noticed that the cans are always very clean, I often cut them up for storage bins. However, I thought I would do a little test. This could be classed as stupid, but I did it anyway with no problem. I held my lighter to the neck of a just emptied container!

 

There was no 'whoosh' as you would get with petrol, just a very gentle ignition and a low yellow flame slowly burning from the neck. I believe this is due to the lack of solvents in the fuel.

 

I let the container burn. It took an hour or more for a 5 litre container to very gently burn away. There was no smoke and virtually no smell. The residue was like hard candle wax, and believe it or not, water was constantly puddling under the burning container.

 

This backs up what Anglo have said about the cans releasing only CO2 and H2O when burnt.

 

I dont suggest burning as a preffered disposal method, but it would appear that storage of empty containers present very little risk or environmental impact.

 

I will post some pics later.

 

The cans are made of High density polyethylene.

[Andy Collins]

Thanks Garden Kit, that's that issue cleared up then. I'll be honest, I'm being overly pedantic about it. Would I ask such questions about engine oil, no I wouldn't! Why? Because oils and fuels generally dont make a claim about being environmentally firiendly, healthier or anything other than better for your engines. Aspen fuel does make these claims, so has to be holier than thou over every angle IMO, and this also can help to justify their price.

of course, I can't hold Aspen responsible for my storage issues, risks of theft or anything else, but that's another point. If this product is available at enough outlets in every ones location, it will sell better and this helps bring prices down a little.

Aspen, here's a couple of outlets, local to me, central for many others in Mid Suffolk, one is a chainsaw shop/chipper hire shop, Chipper-tech 01449616665, a local tire and garden equipment unit Fieldens 01449675071, and a general hardware store Lawes of Bacton 01449781452.

Here's the deal, if you can get any one of these outlets to stock your products, a) I will buy it and b) I shall make a donation of £20 to the forums charity, the Children's Trust. If you fail to engage any of the three above named, I hope you will donate an equal sum. I think it's fair to draw a line under this, say Dec 24th 2012.

Aspen, do you accept my challenge?

Edited October 20, 2012 by Andy Collins

[GardenKit]

I should really shut up now, Andy, and wait for AAoil to reply, but I have to say, I think thats a very noble challenge.

[Rob D]

I doth challenge yee ..... yep I reckon ya can't say fairer than that!

 

 

 

[Andy Gentle]

I should really shut up now, Andy, and wait for AAoil to reply, but I have to say, I think thats a very noble challenge.

 

Agreed:thumbup:.

Look forward to the reply as well!

[GardenKit]

the burning Aspen can. See, no smoke!

[alex_m]

Andy - Tripp Batt in Stanton stocks aspen (as well as stihl and husky with very good prices if you haggle!) probably the closest to where you are at the moment.