OPW Fuel Management Systems, part of OPW Fueling Components, is celebrating 50 years in the fuel controls industry.
Originally founded in 1961, Petro Vend led the way in fuel-control system innovations during its first few decades. Then in 1988, Petro Vend was acquired by OPW Fueling Components but was marketed as the leading fuel-control systems brand. Following the acquisition, OPW also acquired EMCO Electronics in 2002 and combined its fuel-control operations under the newly created OPW Fuel Management Systems business unit.
“Petro Vend always had a good reputation for servicing the customer and providing very reliable, rugged equipment from the very beginning,” said Rich Klima, who began at Petro Vend in 1975 and now is senior project manager for OPW Fuel Management Systems. “I’m proud to be a part of a long heritage of innovation in the fuel-control business. We really moved the dial on several technologies during those 50 years.”
OPW-FMS was there at the leaping-off point as the technological evolution in mechanical fuel-control systems began in earnest. The company has produced many fuel-control innovations in its five decades of existence. From its first offering in 1962—an automated Dollar Bill Acceptor—to other standard-setting products such as the Keegard (1968), Kardgard 1000 (1975), PV8 Hose Retriever (1978), and Aries (1990). The company has also developed several systems that have stood the test of time and remain popular choices among fuel providers, such as the K800 (1991), C/OPT (1996), FIT500 (2003), and FSC3000 (2005). OPW has remained relevant by embracing the latest in technological advances, epitomized by its two most recent innovations, the wireless, Internet-capable iSite automatic tank-gauging system (2007) and PetroLink (2010) fuel-control system.
Greg Miller is one who has a high regard for the Petro Vend and OPW names. For 41 years he has worked for Northwest Pump, Portland OR, since 1959 a provider of petroleum equipment, industrial pumps, and car-wash systems along the West Coast and in Hawaii. In his four decades at Northwest Pump, Miller does not remember a time when he was not recommending an OPW-FMS/Petro Vend product to his customers.
“We’ve been involved with Petro Vend since back in the days when they were selling keylocks in the 1970s, and then we sold the first cardlock system that Petro Vend manufactured,” Miller said. “It’s been a good partnership. We went through a lot of the early pioneering days together, and the cardlock business has developed into a nice piece of business for us and for our jobber customers, as well. The quality’s been good and they have stayed on top of the new technology that becomes available.”
“Today, OPW is the clear leader in fueling solutions worldwide with a solid foundation in fuel-control systems. As we continue to push the envelope with cutting edge new products such as the PetroLink fuel-control system that was launched last year, we are eager to see what’s in store for the next 50 years,” said Phil Carlin, president of OPW-FMS.
For more information, contact 708-485-4200 or go to www.OPWGlobal.com.