Refuels is one of the largest and most experienced mixed fuels recovery companies in the UK, and are committed to providing their customers with a safe, reliable, and efficient service. We discover more about their history and the range of services they offer to the vehicle recycling industry.
In 2006, now directors Mike Taylor and Derek Thompson joined forces when they realised there was a misfuelling problem in the UK. This problem resulted in thousands of litres of this mixed petrol and diesel being either disposed of illegally and/or consigned to waste, resulting in a charge to the industry. Having been in the bio-fuels industry, they quickly realised that the mixed fuel could be recycled back into road fuel, and as a result, Refuels was created.
In 2006, their customers were garages and independent mobile fuel drain operators nationwide who drained fuels from wrongly fuelled vehicles. This material was collected in oil drums.
Refuels went on to buy Ultra Evac Ltd, which, in 2006, was the largest independent mobile fuel drain operator servicing the South East of England with 13 vans. Refuels approached the AA, who were aware of the problem, and had a mobile solution offering but were hampered by the need to have a 24/7, 365 days per year disposal solution.
During 2007, Refuels came up with a novel solution to the AA’s problem; an above-ground petrol storage tank. With input from the Head of Petroleum at the London Fire Brigade, the foremost expert to the Petroleum Industry with regards to DSEAR, H+S, Environmental and Operational Procedures, he contributed to and had editorial license on the APEA’s ‘Bible’, “Design, Construction, Modification, Maintenance and Decommissioning of Filling Stations together with the National Technical Manager, Industry and Waste Technical Services in the Environment Agency. Refuels was granted a Regulatory Position Statement which enabled them to roll out their unmanned 24/7, 365 days per year disposal service.
In 2008, Refuels placed 5 of its tanks on the ground to support the AA’s pilot project. During this time, Refuels grew its core business (drum collections), where it was capturing circa 40% of the UK market.
At the end of 2008, the AA decided to launch its “Fuel Assist” branded business across the UK by increasing its fleet from 5 to 70 misfuel vans. Refuels grew its tank network from 5 to 21 tanks across the UK in support of this expansion.
In 2010, the RAC contracted with Refuels to allow its 40 mobile “Fuel Patrol” vans to use the Refuels’ tank network.
In 2012, on the strengths of Refuels’ pilot, Refuels developed its own state-of-the-art mobile fuel drain van as a business offering to Roadside Recovery businesses and garages. Effectively, Refuels coach-built and supplied customers with van(s).
In our 16 years of operation, Refuels has become the largest mixed fuels recovery company in the United Kingdom, offering solutions to ELVs, fuel hauliers, retail forecourts, mobile fuel evacuation operators, insurers and the roadside recovery industry, recovering millions of litres every year.
Refuels’ fuel uplift customers include, but are not limited to, Morrisons, Tesco, Asda, Hoyer Group, DHL, Sainsbury’s, Turners of Soham, Certas Energy, Wessex Petroleum Group, Greenergy, Mabanaft, Prax Petroleum, BWOC, Essar Oil (UK) Limited and P66. Growth within this sector is organic, based around a positive experience surrounding working with Refuels.
With their knowledge of “all things unwanted fuels” and their experienced team, Refuels continue to evolve whilst retaining their mantle of ‘best practice service provider’.
Today they are working alongside some of the major End of Life centres. Not only are they picking up from their depots/locations. They offer national coverage of ‘drop off’ points to allow their ELV customers to conveniently and safely offload/decant mixed fuels on a 24/7 basis; this is the only nationwide service available in the UK.
Whilst profitable growth is an essential part of their business strategy, they consider HSSE to be paramount in everything they do. Hence, all our operations conform to applicable HMRC, Environment Agency, Hazardous Waste and Dangerous Goods requirements.
To find out more about Refuels, please visit www.refuels.co.uk or call them on 0333 3239555.
