FIVE USA STATIONS TO TAKE CHEVRON NAME.Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer The stars and stripes Stars and Stripes nickname for the U.S. flag. [Am. Hist.: Brewer Dictionary, 8567] See : America of USA Petroleum may soon fade as the independent retailer plans to fly the Chevron flag at five stations in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County. With gasoline gasoline or petrol, light, volatile mixture of hydrocarbons for use in the internal-combustion engine and as an organic solvent, obtained primarily by fractional distillation and "cracking" of petroleum, but also obtained from natural gas, by prices mounting, consumers aren't the only people fuming fuming /fum·ing/ (fum´ing) emitting a visible vapor. fum·ing adj. Producing or emitting smoke or vapor, as for certain concentrated nitric, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids. at the pump. Mark Conant, president of Agoura Hills-based USA Petroleum, said the price of gasoline for independent retailers has been rising for about a year and a half and that USA can no longer afford to retain its own identity. ``Historically, USA has remained independent, but the pricing for independents has been terrible,'' Conant said. To improve USA's profits, the privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. will rebrand rebrand Verb to change or update the image of (an organization or product) stations throughout the county with Chevron signs and gas. Conant said he was unable to disclose which USA stations will adopt the Chevron brand because negotiations are still under way. Few independent gas retailers have survived California's costly standards in fuel formulation. The major gas players now rule the retail sector, said Bob Van der Valk Van der Valk was a British television series made by Thames Television for the ITV network. It starred Barry Foster in the title role as Dutch detective Commissaris Piet van der Valk. , manager of fuel supply and marketing for regional gas supplier Cosby Oil. Swelling gas prices make it virtually impossible for independents to supply fuel at their own stations. ``(Conant) threw in the sponge,'' Van der Valk said. ``Another nail is in the coffin for independent gas retailers.'' While companies like Chevron have their own pipelines to tap, independent retailers buy fuel on the spot market. As the cost of gas rises on the spot market, independent retailers are forced to raise the price of gas for consumers. ``We have a supply that reflects the prices that are charged by the major companies,'' Conant said. A couple of months ago, the USA station at the corner of Parthenia Street and Tampa Avenue in Northridge was forced to shut its pumps down for 10 to 15 days because the price of gas was too expensive for the station, said Harry Gulati, the station's manager. With major swings in the cost of oil hurting USA, the rebranding of its gas stations will hopefully eliminate those fluctuations, Conant said. ``We'll make more profit, because today we're losing money,'' Conant said. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) To improve USA's profits, the company will rebrand stations throughout the county with Chevron signs and gas. Dean Musgrove/Staff Photographer |
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