ASPEN fuel why so expensive

[geoff]

So to the lads that use this what % do u charge the client for using it?

Thanks

 

Say you use 5l in an average day as a climber & 1 groundy team,an extra £10 would about cover it,out of a job you might expect to pay say £450-550,so no great deal of difference on the overheads.

[Dan Earp]

Ah k as im only currently doing private work at weekends etc til i take the big step

[Chris Sheppard]

So to the lads that use this what % do u charge the client for using it?

Thanks

 

On a typical day's arbing I'd have thought the cost difference for the day between petrol and aspen would only be £5-£10 for the whole job, tops - there's not that many days when we'll do 5l of fuel on an arb job unless the big saws come out or we're ringing everything up.

 

Out in the woods, now that's a different matter altogether. Each man will use a fair bit of fuel and be earning little enough as it is.

 

I've never bought Aspen myself, but have used it a few times, mainly in hedgecutters but also in saws a bit. Liked the smell, but can't say I've ever really noticed the fumes using ordinary fuel much unless it's been a particularly still or murky day.

 

EDIT: was too slow typing

[Old Mill Tree Care]

On a three man hedge cutting day we consume 4.5-5 litres of fuel and the same on a big dismantle when the bigger saws start running.

I use aspen in hedge cutters and big chainsaws as thhe operator will be standing in a cloud of gas if there is no wind.

Myself and previous experienced employees can all report that we fell better and clothes don't stink after a day using it.

As much as possible I try to tell clients that we use bio fuels and most appreciate this and are happy with the cost.

It's also useful to make a big deal of it within your environmental policy, if you have one.

[treequip]

 

So unless you guys get behind it and significantly increase UK volume I doubt you will see a reduction in price. ( unless the government can be persuaded to reduce the fuel tax, they are being lobied)

 

 

I disagree, If the industry got behind this and increased your sales for you, what guarantee is there that the benevolent multi national fuel company will reward our loyalty and dedication with reduced prices?

 

Or will they perhaps behave like a multi national fuel company and cream in the profits?

 

Or should Anglo American perhaps drop the price to encourage use, let's face it no one is going to start buying it in the vain hope that the manufacturer will drop the price as sales volume increases so the only way it's going to gain any momentum is for the price to come down.

 

Your tax argument wont hold water either, AFAIK Alkylate fuel pays the same tax as petrol. Unlike petrol where about 70 percent is tax, the higher price of Aspen means that the a tax reduction across the board Aspen would still leave Aspen double the price of pump.

[Rob D]

I disagree, If the industry got behind this and increased your sales for you, what guarantee is there that the benevolent multi national fuel company will reward our loyalty and dedication with reduced prices?

 

 

There isn't any guarantee but the likelihood is they would reduce prices to further increase sales.

 

Let's face it no one here would be buying the stuff out of loyalty and dedication - if we buy it it's for our own reasons.

 

And ref the tax argument what GardenKit is saying is that if the government reduced tax only on Aspen because emissions are more environmentally friendly then the price would come down relative to pump fuel....

[Mike Hill]

Jump on the Ferry from New Castle to Bergen when it restarts next year,spend a weekend in Sunny Bergen and return with 205L of Aspen for £300.

[treequip]

 

There isn't any guarantee but the likelihood is they would reduce prices to further increase sales.

 

That's not how multi nationals operate is it? Duty to the shareholders and all that.......

 

 

 

And ref the tax argument what GardenKit is saying is that if the government reduced tax only on Aspen because emissions are more environmentally friendly then the price would come down relative to pump fuel....

 

So a tax break for Aspen or alkylate fuels in general? A discount for a specific brand would be an unfair market advantage, but a tax break for alkylate would be good, I was in Norway recently where you can get a 205l drum for about what we pay for regular unleaded here, I am sure statoil can send it to the uk cheap enough. The point about tax and aspen is that the tax is a lesser percentage of the overall cost because is costs so much more so it can't come down to pump fuel costs by way of tax relief.

 

So do you disagree that reducing the price is the best and perhaps only way to increase the dealer network and promote sales? If it were available locally and the price were more reasonable I would use it.

[treequip]

Jump on the Ferry from New Castle to Bergen when it restarts next year,spend a weekend in Sunny Bergen and return with 205L of Aspen for £300.

 

Or I might get "my man in Bergen" to put a drum or two on the boat unaccompanied

[Dan Earp]

Say you use 5l in an average day as a climber & 1 groundy team,an extra £10 would about cover it,out of a job you might expect to pay say £450-550,so no great deal of difference on the overheads.

 

Since i may give it a trial the 5ltrs is almost £20, guess ill have to pop £25 down as extra since i have to drive ober an hour away