The NACS/PEI show in Chicago is over and what a great show it was. It was the best show we at Flint Loc have ever done. And I truly appreciate the amount of time people spent in our booth. My only regret is that we were so busy I didn’t have a chance to talk with everyone who stopped by!

Flint Loc at NACS 2011

So who or what is a NACS? I realize that some of you readers, who are not in the fuel industry, may not be familiar with NACS. Here is a short history from a recent NACS press release. (Courtesy of Jennifer Nichols, Advertising Manager at NACS.)

“Founded in 1961 as the National Association of Convenience Stores, NACS (nacsonline.com) is celebrating its 50th anniversary as the international association for convenience and fuel retailing. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 146,000 stores across the country, posted $575 billion in total sales in 2010, of which $385 billion were motor fuels sales. NACS has 2,100 retail and 1,600 supplier member companies that do business in nearly 50 countries.”

(The other acronym in the show title is PEI. This is the Petroleum Equipment Institute. They are a non-profit trade association that I will blog about in the very near future. We’re very proud to receive an endorsement from PEI this year.)

The trade show began for us almost a month before the actual show kicked off when our banner ad went live on the special trade show mobile ap that NACS offered. I blogged about this in my last post and many of you took advantage of it. Jennifer from NACS informed me that from the first day we went live, August 29, through the end of the show our banner got 46,568 hits! Wow! Many of these hits resulted in click-throughs to our website. In addition to the banner I also got a lot of great comments on our :30 commercial that was running on hotel room TVs and city busses during the show. Gilbarco also put a dispenser in our booth (Courtesy of Daniel Fishel at Gilbarco.) that played our long-form video on it’s monitor screen. Remember you can see our long-from video right on our home page.

I was also impressed with the number of attendees that read the feature article about the Pump Alarm in the September issue of NACS magazine. This article really opened up a lot of dialouge with many of you who stopped by and no doubt contributed to the visits our booth received.

Trade show week began on Sunday morning with the usual suspects, Rick and myself. This time we were joined by Cory Carnahan, a new technician at Flint Loc, and our head-honcho, Burky.

Burky

We had a breakfast meeting with our sales reps from across the country. These meetings are great because we get to hear how things are out in the field. One aspect of this that is very significant for us is that fuel theft techniques can begin regionally and spread across the country. When the reps inform us that a new method is being tried by theives in one part of the country we can attack the problem and develop preventative measures before it spreads. This is also very effective as we continue to develop and offer tools to continue the fight against skimmers.

And finally, I really want to thank all of you who took advantage of our NACS/PEI special. And much thanks to everyone who came by. I know with over 1300 vendors you all had a lot of choices, thanks for choosing Flint Loc.

Until next time,

Have a great day and…..GO RANGERS!

THE NEW WAREHOUSE

That venerable ole barn that Flint Loc called home, and was built before most of our parents were born, has finally been out-grown. We’ve needed the extra space for quite some time and finally found a 15,000 square foot warehouse in Duncan Falls, Ohio, just up the road from our original location. We found many available spaces further from home but we didn’t want Burky to be to far from his well water. And neither did we.

We have experienced a great deal of growth this year and a significant upgrade in space was required. It will take a while to settle into our new home but production of the Pump Alarm will go on without interruption. I’ll post some pics here once the space is up and running.

TECH CENTER

A couple months ago we launched a Technical Center on our website. Here, once you have authorization, you can access all of our current dispenser and tech manuals and take a test to get certification as an approved Flint Loc Pump Alarm technician. Even if you’re not a technician there is still a lot of valuable information in those manuals so go check it out. To get an authorization number go here, http://flintloc.com/sign-in.php?msg=req and request one.

NACS MAG – SEPTEMBER 2011

The NACS article on fuel theft can be found here 11-NA1-009 FuelTheft 8.17 as it appears in the September issue.  It is an excellent article, well written by Jerry Soverinsky.  After you read it send me a comment at this post.

NACS TRADE SHOW REMINDER

It begins October 1st at the McCormick Place in Chicago.  Registration is still open, visit nacsonline.com for more information.  This year NACS is providing an app for your smart phone to keep track of vendors and events at the show.  You can link to it here. http://m.core-apps.com/nacsshow2011 It is very easy to download and install.  With the app you can view our :30 promo clip on your smart phone and of course will be on the big screens at the show.  Try it out. 

You can also view the clip here, https://files.me.com/mitchives/wunimq.mov.  (This clip will only be available at this link until October 2, 2011.) The full Flint Loc promo video is available on the home page.

Don’t forget, if you make it to the show, stop by our booth and say “Hi”.   Make sure you check back to this blog later in the week.  I’ve got an announcement to make regarding Flint Loc and the Petroleum Equipment Institute.

Until next time, have a Great Day.

Dave

This quote, courtesy of Jerry Soverinsky (NACS Magazine, September 2011), refers to the wide-spread problem of motorists who fill up at a non pre-pay pump and then “drive off” without paying.  Because in a tough economy made even tougher by high fuel prices station owners are seeing more and more drive-offs at honor system stations. The thieves also realize that investigating gas drive-offs is a low priority for local law enforcement officers making this now more than just a crime of opportunity.

Unfortunately there is nothing Flint Loc can do to prevent drive-offs. The stations themselves must convert to pre-pay pumps. This will curb that problem and should be implemented quickly because station owners are also dealing with other, more sophisticated attacks on their dispensers…like skimming. And this is where Flint Loc can be of service.

Without giving too much away, Skimming, is the practice of stealing a fuel customer’s credit card information electronically from the dispenser. Most skimmers need to access the inside of the dispenser to accomplish this and that is where the Pump Alarm steps in.  Every bit of Total Control Monitoring that the pump alarm employs to stop fuel theft - the 105 db alarm, the power shut-off, and the intrusion notification system, are all in play when that dispenser is tampered with, thus doubling the value of the pump alarm for station owners.

In fact a 60 day study is now underway by a major player in the fuel industry to use the Pump Alarm specifically for skimming. When the study is complete I will be sure to bring you the results.

In other Flint Loc news the National Sheriffs’ Association posted this announcement (NSA Endorsement_Flint Loc) in their magazine recently. And Flint Loc is now a member of PEI, the Petroleum Equipment Institute, which I will write about in this blog soon. So check back in a couple weeks and don’t forget about the NACS show in Chicago beginning October 1st.

For those of your affected by hurricane Irene, all of us here at Flint Loc wish you the best.

Dave Jacobs

Thanks again, for everyone’s support.  Don’t forget to come see us at the NACSSHOW October 1 – 4, at the McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

Dave

The 07/16/2011 Press Release:

Sheriff’s Endorse Flint Loc Fuel Theft Deterrent System.

Philo, Ohio 07/16/2011

As gas prices rise so do the incidents of fuel theft.  The results are increased costs in loss and damage repair for station owners and an added burden on law enforcement.  On June 21^st 2011, at the conclusion of the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) Trade Show and

NSA-ENDORSED Badge

Conference in St. Louis the NSA  awarded an Endorsement to Flint Loc, LLC  for their fuel theft deterrent system,  the Pump Alarm.

Trade Show Host Sheriff James W. Murphy, of St. Louis City County, called the Pump Alarm “…the best new product that he’s seen,” and that was prior to the NSA’s official Endorsement. The National Sheriff’s Association requires a third party company (Secure Systems Group Ltd) to complete all the due-diligence on companies being considered for Endorsement before the board makes any final approvals.  Details on the National Sheriffs Association and other endorsements can be found at www.sheriffs.org.

The Flint Loc Pump Alarm stops fuel theft by shutting down power to the pump, stopping the flow of unmetered fuel on any intrusion of the dispenser.  The Pump Alarm also sounds an alarm alerting station personnel and sends an “intrusion notification” email to any email address programed into the system.

The Pump Alarm is the product of W.H. “Burky” Burckholter and his team at Flint Loc.  Burky is a veteran of  the fuel dispenser business.  He was the owner and operator of Holly’s Pump, a fuel dispenser repair and rebuild service since 1983.  In 2006, Burky was approached by a national

The sheer number of gas and diesel dispensers across the U.S. make monitoring of service stations by  local law enforcement a tough job.  And while many service stations are equipped with video cameras monitoring the pumps, thieves working in teams can easily

distract the attendant from the closed-circuit monitors while a partner renders the pump metering system inert.  Once inside the dispenser housing the thieves can disable the fuel flow meter and pump as much gas as they can hold (often into concealed tanks) without incurring any additional expense.

“Retailers are reporting losses as much as 1500.00 per month per station,” reports the website, gastheft.com.  Various reports in company newsletters and blogs claim that almost  4 billion dollars in revenue is lost to the fuel industry because of theft.  Although these figures are not yet cited in NTSB statistical data, all agree that the losses are significant.

National Sales Manager, Dave Jacobs

As Flint Loc’s National Sales Manager, David Jacobs, notes, “It has been reported through our customers that not only is there no more fuel being stolen on their sites, but the bad guys are fleeing once the alarm is set off.

The problem is real and growing which is why Flint Loc’s partnership with the NSA is seen as an aggressive tool for station owners, law enforcement, and ultimately, all of us who buy gas.

You can learn more about the Pump Alarm Fuel Theft Deterrent system at flintloc.com

The Pump Alarm

My family took time off to spend the 4th in Colorado. We had a great time while enjoying the cool weather. We also decided to challenge ourselves and we went on a horse back ride at Glazier Lake at Estes Park.

Up, and up, and up....

It was beautiful, but I quickly realized that our climb, which began at 6,000 feet was approaching 10,000 ft.  As we rode I was thinking of all the commercial airline flights I have been on and it’s usually around 10,000 feet before I can use my cell phone.   I don’t know what it is about that altitude but when we reached the summit my horse informed me that I was now allowed to turn on my electronics.  Smarty pants.

Glacial Lake

The descent was fun in a – hang on tight and hope the horse has good balance – kind of way.  We did make it down exhausted but okay.  I have never heard such silence from my family as we were heading down the mountain. That’s me and three women, two of whom are teenagers!  The group behind us was not as lucky as one women fell off her horse and hurt her knee.  I was told it was not serious.

I’ll tell ya, stopping bad guys from stealing fuel is easier then maneuvering up and down that mountain!!

Today, on the 4th–we are headed to Red Rocks, the concert bowl that is built into the rocks. Going to see Blues Travelers!!

Will send pictures

Have a great day!

Dave Jacobs - Cowpoke

Rick and I are back from St. Louis and this particular trade show held very special significance for Flint Loc. This was the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) show at America’s Center and on the final night we were awarded an official Endorsement by the NSA. This is indeed an honor for us, so much so that we are issuing a press release. If you engage the RSS feed button on this page you will be delivered this press release and all future Flint Loc press releases the moment they are issued. Join us and our battle against fuel theft by becoming an RSS feed subscriber and staying informed.

The National Sheriffs’ Association

Now, a bit about the NSA; the NSA’s roots can be traced back to October 1888, when a group of sheriffs in Minnesota and surrounding states formed an organization, which they named the Inter-State Sheriffs’ Association. The purpose of this association was to give opportunity for a wider, mutual acquaintance, to exchange ideas for more efficient service, and to assist on another in the apprehension of criminals. After a brief 2 year respite from 1938 – 1940 the group reemerged as The National Sheriffs’ Association.

The National Sheriffs’ Association today is headquarted in Alexandria, VA and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of criminal justice and public safety so that they may perform their jobs in the best possible manner and better serve the people of their cities, counties or jurisdictions. (citation: http://www.sheriffs.org/)

NSA Endorsed

It is because of their history, tradition and dedication to law enforcement that we here at Flint Loc are proud to be recognized by an organization like the NSA. We are also proud to stand next to the NSA’s many corporate sponsors including Motorola, Verizon Wireless, Target, Raytheon, and the University of Oklahoma.

NSA Trade Show, St. Louis 2011

But enough self-promotion – on to the show.

St. Louis 2011

Because this show is hosted by the NSA all the vendors brought out their “big guns,” so to speak. That is to say, all the most modern crime stopping devices and technology that the industry has to offer. Sheriffs like that kind of thing.

But the tools of law enforcement are not the only way to combat crime. Information and education is also a key component and here is where the NSA really shines. At the show attendees could attend NSA seminars like, “MACTAC: Multi-Assault, Counter Terrorism Action Capabilities”, “FBI’s Biometric Center of Excellence: The Future of Biometrics” , ” Wireless Solutions Support for Federal, State, & Local Law Enforcement” and Rick’s favorite, “TASER ….. The Next Generation”.

Sheriff James W. Murphy was the convention host. He is the Sheriff of St. Louis City County so his jurisdiction covers the city of St. Louis and surrounding areas. St. Louis has a population of 355,000 which keeps Sheriff Murphy pretty busy.

We were surprised and, once again, honored that Sheriff Murphy found time in his

Dinner with the Sheriff

busy schedule to invite Rick and I to dine with him Monday evening. We were the only vendors at his table, another honor. Sheriff Murphy is good friends with the owner of KEMOLL’S RESTAURANT, located on the 40th floor of Metropolitan Square. Kemoll’s has established itself as one of St. Louis’ most renowned dining establishments through dedicated family ownership and management since 1927. And the food was delicious. After diner we were given a private tour of the entire Kemoll facility and I can tell you it is an impressive operation. And the views from the 40th floor were awesome too.

The next day Sheriff Murphy stopped by the booth and we gave him the full demo of the Flint Loc Pump Alarm System. The Sheriff spent quite a bit of time with us at the booth, chatting with Rick and I, as well as many of the show attendees who stopped by for a demonstration.  At one point the Sheriff pulled me to the side and told me that the Pump Alarm was the best new product that he’s seen in years.

Sheriff Murphy stops by.

The show wrapped up Tuesday night and Rick and I headed home. It was quite a week, Sheriff Murphy’s hospitality, a great dinner at Kemoll’s, meeting all the attendees who stopped by, and ending with that little endorsement thing I mentioned at the start of this blog. Our profile just keeps growing and growing and with the NSA endorsement we’re really gonna have our work cut out for us now. And we couldn’t be happier.

As always, thanks for stopping by and check back soon for all the latest from Flint Loc.

Dave…

With over 5,000 installs nationwide, Flint Loc has stopped Fuel theft when installed in accordance with an authorized manual.

Flint Loc with the help of our customers, is now certifying Technicians around the U.S. This means if you want a certified trained technicians, we will be able to find one that fits your needs. Flint Loc always wants to listen to you, so if there is any area we need to improve upon just let us know!

Thank you again

“Prior to installing the Flint Locs at a high volume cardlock, we were experiencing significant theft of diesel. Since the installation, we have not lost a single gallon due to theft. Going forward, Flint Locs will be part of our standard equipment package.”

Thanks, Terry. Friends, it’s always nice to hear that our Pump Alarm product is doing exactly what it is supposed to do…keep your pumps free from theft.

See you at the National Sheriff’s Show

The next show Flint Loc will be attending is the National Sheriff’s Association show, June 20th-21st in St. Louis. This is a show that we are especially proud to be a part of because we are serious about stopping Fuel Theft and we want to help educate Law Enforcement on the tools available. We are working hand-in-hand with Law enforcement to ensure that your assets and your customers and employees are always safe and protected. We believe “Accountability reduces your Liability.” Flint Loc started out stopping fuel theft but the stories coming back from our customers also show how our great system is at fighting skimmers being placed into pumps. “Please note–I am not talking about the ones placed on the outside”. When someone does intrude into your pump to add a device, the Flint Loc was able every time to alert the owner/clerk/service company that you have a breach. That is awesome and I am glad we are helping in this area as well. Again, back to Accountability!!

Please let me know if we can add anything and also, if you want to come to St. Louis and see us at the show I am happy to get you a badge!!

Thanks Everybody
Dave Jacobs
740-683-5661
www.flintloc.com

The reception wrapped up at 8 o’clock and Rick and I went to see the Terry Fator show. He’s a ventriloquist. (Seriously, he’s hysterical.) Then it was off to bed and a good night’s sleep before the NACSTECH show kicks off in the morning. The show runs Tuesday, 11:30 until 5:00, and Wednesday, 9:00 until 12noon. Stop by and say hello to Rick and I. We have all of our demo tools with us to show you our Flint Loc Pump Alarm Fuel Theft Prevention System. And you can even pick up a Flint Loc coffee mug.

Next stop is the National Sheriffs’ Association show June 18 – 22, in St. Louis, Missouri. We’ll see you there!

On April 19 & 20 Flint Loc will be at the PTP show in New Orleans.

And on May 16 – 18, we will be at the big daddy – the NACS TECH show in Vegas baby!

Flint Loc’s goal is simple: Stop Fuel Theft!!

It really works. Recently I was pleased to receive this news from Susser Petroleum.

“Susser Petroleum (Stripes) had two different attempted fuel thefts in January. One occurred in Texas and the other occurred in New Mexico.

On each attempt, Flint Loc stopped ANY fuel from being stolen and the bad guys drove off with nothing. And, in both attempts, the thieves tried to remove the door panel.”

We are very pleased that Flint Loc was able to stop the thieves and we feel certain that they will not return to steal again at these locations.

Please forward any attempts of intrusion into your pumps so we can keep everybody updated.

Flint Loc: ” Providing security solutions for the fuel industry”.

Thanks for stopping by and see you in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

Dave Jacobs
National Sales Manager,
Flint Loc Pump Alarms
740-683-5661
dave@flintloc.com