LIVONIA, Mich. (November 11, 2010) — ROUSH CleanTech will brave the streets of Atlanta as they roll out another satisfied propane-driven customer at MedTrade, a home medical equipment industry trade show set for November 15-18, at the Georgia World Congress Center.
"ROUSH CleanTech is pleased to have Wright & Filippis join the quickly-growing family of satisfied customers who have switched to propane-powered fleet vehicles," said Joe Thompson, president of ROUSH CleanTech. "Propane autogas is the right choice for any business looking to go green without compromising reliability and economic feasibility."
Headquartered in Rochester Hills, Mich., Wright & Filippis, the largest family-owned medical equipment provider in the country, recently purchased propane autogas vehicles — a combination of cargo and cutaway vans —and will have one on the show floor of the MedTrade Expo.
"A critical service that we provide is home delivery of medical products, including in-home oxygen and other respiratory services," explained Mike Murray, Wright & Filippis' director of marketing and communications. "Our patients cannot live, quite literally, without these services. Finding a viable way to serve our patients while minimizing our impact on the environment has been an important mission for us. Fortunately, we've discovered that propane autogas makes it possible for us to accomplish this."
With more than 975,000 miles covered annually by the Wright & Filippis fleet, distribution and fleet manager Tom Hopkins has put considerable research into choosing the right alternative fuel for the company. Twelve propane autogas vans, about 25 percent of Wright & Filippis' delivery fleet, have been approved for purchase over the next few years in a grant through the Ann Arbor Clean Cities program.
"We have actually been considering the transition to propane autogas for some time now, but could not find the right system at the right price point," shared Hopkins. "I was introduced to the ROUSH CleanTech product in April of this year and felt that it was the ideal solution for Wright & Filippis."
According to Murray, the company has made a concerted effort to reduce its carbon footprint by instituting many "green" initiatives. "We've had an extensive recycling program for several years, and it's important to us that we use our resources as wisely as possible," said Murray. "That's why we've worked hard to develop efficient routes for our vehicle fleet, but moving to propane vehicles is the best-possible step we could take to minimize our impact on the environment. And when you combine that initiative with the long-term cost savings we'll realize, propane autogas just makes sense on every level."
"ROUSH CleanTech's Ford E-series line of liquid propane powered vans and cutaway cargo vehicles are quickly populating fleets across America whose managers are looking for a change in the old way of doing business," said Thompson. "ROUSH CleanTech's proven experience with engine performance, coupled with Ford's reputation for reliability and service, is the right recipe for delivering an alternative fuel vehicle for the business climate today."
Hopkins estimates a boost in the company's bottom line within months of the first vehicle deployment at the end of November. "We feel the clean-burning propane will greatly reduce our maintenance cost and extend our engine life, which will naturally increase the life cycle of the vehicle. It certainly helps that propane autogas is 30 percent to 40 percent less expensive per gallon than traditional gasoline," he said.
The company is working with Ferrellgas to install a 1,000-gallon fueling station on-site at their central distribution facility to increase overall efficiency during the transition.
Hopkins encourages fleet managers to visit the Propane Education & Research Council's Propane Pavilion booth #2923 at the MedTrade Expo to see for themselves propane's benefits. "We feel strongly that it is a practical and proven solution to reduce our operating cost and become more eco-friendly," Hopkins added. "Large fleets outside of our industry like Schwan's have been running propane-powered vehicles since the 70's. It is sustainable technology that works. Currently, there are also great government incentives and grant funding opportunities to assist with the incremental cost of conversion. I would encourage any home medical equipment owner to take a look at the propane solutions that are out there today. I think that each will find that they are a very cost-effective solution that makes sense for their fleets as well."
For more information on Wright & Filippis, visit www.FirstToServe.com. For more information on the MedTrade event, visit www.medtrade.com.
Based in Livonia, Mich., ROUSH CleanTech offers dedicated liquid-propane injection fuel systems for a variety of light- and medium- duty Ford vehicles, including the F-150, F-250, and F-350 truck series, and the E-150, E-250, E-350, and E-450 cutaway van series. Currently offered through authorized Ford dealerships around the country, the ROUSH® CleanTech propane system delivers the same factory Ford performance characteristics, warranty coverage, and serviceability. Customers can reduce operating costs significantly while reducing vehicle emissions. Complete details on ROUSH CleanTech propane offerings can be found online at www.ROUSHcleantech.com or by calling 800-59-ROUSH.
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