Simon Storage partners Prax Petroleum in UK expansion
Simon’s Immingham West Terminal on England’s east coast is ideally situated to provide a strategic storage and distribution hub to support Prax Petroleum’s market expansion. One of the UK’s largest independent oil importers and suppliers of automotive and industrial fuels, Prax is well established to meet demand in the South of England from storage facilities on the Thames. Securing a second terminal at Immingham allows the forward-thinking fuel supplier to meet growing demand for its commercial fuels on a wider national scale.
Simon Storage took first deliveries of diesel and gas oil for Prax Petroleum into Immingham West in September 2012. Since then product throughput has risen and in February 2013 the contract with Prax was extended to include storage of biodiesel (B100) for in-tank blending to comply with the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (RTFO). Neil Robertson, Sales and Marketing Director at Prax Petroleum, says: “Immingham provides an optimal distribution point for supplying our customers in the Midlands and the North of England. From a standing start just a matter of months ago we are achieving our sales targets in these regions and increasing fuel supply security for all our customers.”
Under the contract at Immingham West Simon is providing Prax Petroleum with more than 18,000m3 of storage capacity, together with road loading facilities for onward delivery to customers. Situated next to deep water on the south bank of the River Humber, Simon’s Immingham West facility and neighbouring East Terminal offer a convenient and cost-effective location for both exporters and importers, with highly-developed road, rail and waterway transport links and easy access to England’s industrial heartland.
Surrey-based Prax Petroleum is the wholesale arm of The State Oil Group, which was established in 2000 and administers 10 fuel service stations in the UK. Prax has risen to become a leading presence in the wholesale fuels market with significant expertise in commodities trading. The company’s product range includes diesel, gas oil, kerosene and gasoline. In addition to supplying major fleets direct, Prax is an authorised supplier of diesel into the UK’s main fuel card networks. The company is fully compliant with the RTFO, which requires suppliers like Prax to ensure that a specified percentage of the road fuels they supply in the UK is made up of renewable fuels.
In addition to strategically located UK terminals, Simon’s expertise in the storage, blending and distribution of green fuels makes it an ideal partner for Prax Petroleum’s venture north. Richard Sammons, Chief Executive of Simon Storage comments: “Simon provides fuel storage and handling solutions for some of the world’s leading oil producers and distributors. We are able to offer fast-expanding fuel suppliers like Prax Petroleum a fully integrated package from receipt through to redelivery with in-tank or in-line blending of biofuels with conventional hydrocarbons to meet RTFO regulations.”.
Details of the services provided by Prax Petroleum can be found at www.PraxPetroleum.com.
