In Conversation
Continued from page 21
News In Brief
Jean-Marc Durand, the new general manager at the Total Lindsey Oil Refi nery (TLOR), says that the UK
has ‘a strong fi ghting spirit with a willingness to compete and tackle processes that are diffi cult’
November 2017 and January 2018 with diesel
at Kingsbury, but we always use such events as
a learning opportunity to improve our future
performance.
“We do try our best to protect contracted
customers with six business managers ready
to respond to their changing needs and any
problems that arise.
“You need to work hard in the UK’s inland
market, it’s very competitive and there’s no
room for complacency.”
What was the response to last year’s
customer survey?
Very encouraging!,” said business manager
Elaine Trocha who reported that many
respondents had also given useful written
feedback.
We very much appreciated being
awarded a 3.4 score out of 4, with 98% of
respondents satisfi ed with our service and
97% happy to recommend us to others.
Every customer received a thank you
letter, whilst those with a query to be answered
were contacted individually by a business
manager.
The need for online portals was
mentioned by many respondents and by Q3
2018, we intend to launch our own online
information platform enabling customers to
log on and manage their account. Trials are
due to start shortly in both the UK and France.
Does the spirit of optimism remain?
We have every reason to be optimistic,” said
Jean-Marc.
It’s been a tough period but we’re
more robust and fi nancially balanced, with
6 Suttons Tankers has acquired
Bullard Ltd, a UK transport company
specialising in the chemical waste
and fuels sector. Equipment, drivers
and customers will be managed by
Suttons with the company’s founder
Simon Bullard remaining in a key
account management role.
suttonsgroup.com
6 Ledbury Welding & Engineering
has secured a ‘record order’ with
a leading supermarket chain which
plans to introduce pop-up retail fuel
fi lling stations.
lweltd.co.uk
6 Currently delivering to addresses in
central London and in Paris, Zebra
Fuel, which was set up in 2016, has
a fl eet of specially adapted vans
to dispense diesel fuel directly into
a customer’s vehicle with plans to
also deliver biodiesel, petrol, electric
charging and hydrogen. Zebra
expects to be operating in four
European capitals by 2020.
zebra-fuel.com
6 Demand for new diesel cars
fell 25.6% in January. SMMT
chief executive Mike Hawes said:
“The ongoing decline in new
diesel registrations is concerning,
particularly since the evidence
indicates consumers and businesses
are not switching to alternative
technologies, but keeping their older
cars running.”
smmt.co.uk
6 Electric cars currently represent
1.8% of the total new car market
in the UK says Next Greencar.
nextgreencar.com
6 Motor Fuel Group (MFG), which
is to acquire MRH, has added the
Esso brand to its network through a
supply deal with Greenergy. Simon
Davis, MFG’s fuels director says it will
take until May to rebrand the former
BP sites to Esso. The MFG network,
which saw 10% growth over the
last year, will install up to 200 EV
charging points by the end of 2018.
motorfuelgroup.com
dedicated teams running the refi nery, selling
products and ensuring excellence in both
safety performance and availability.
How does refi ning in the UK compare
with Europe?
The UK market is much more competitive
meaning you must be excellent every day.
A very open market with many importers,
product can come from anywhere. For
customers it’s a brilliant market, for refi ners
it’s a more diffi cult market. To compete in
this market we must be a robust organisation,
which we are.
What’s better in the UK and how do you
see the future?
Defi nitely, the engagement and commitment
of TLOR’s workforce which continues to enable
us to innovate, optimise and create positive
solutions to improve our refi nery.
There’s a strong fi ghting spirit with a
willingness to compete and tackle processes
that are diffi cult. Our people are committed to
delivering results and continuously improving
our operations.
The world is changing and we must
change and adapt with it. Total is a world
class energy company and will remain so in
the future. Supplying energy will be an even
greater responsibility in the future. Total has
successfully shifted its energy mix towards
renewables.
Renewables are supplemented by oil &
gas. Substitutes are needed which means
refi ning is part of the solution. Oil and gas
brings the fl exibility for renewables, so we are
a key actor for the future.
Fuel Oil News | April 2018 23