Transform regular fuel into premium grades with the Wayne Helix™ 6000 Additive dispenser

It’s no secret the balance between attracting (and retaining) customers while controlling operational costs is a constant battle for fuel retailers. One method of attracting customers is to offer a broader range of regular and premium fuel grades. Now, Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS) has just made this customer enticement less expensive and more practical for fuel retailers — because no additional underground fuel tanks are necessary.

The Wayne Helix™ 6000 Additive dispenser allows a retailer to offer premium-grade fuels onsite, using regular fuel as the base. The dispenser works on a simple principle referred to as additive dosing, which is typically done on the terminal rack by the oil company. For example, oil companies take a standard 95 octane petroleum fuel product and boost it with additives to yield 97- or 99-octane premium-grade fuel. They apply the same process to diesel fuels. According to DFS Director of Product Marketing, Søren Powell-Holse, “The concept of dosing fuels with additives is already proven. The Helix 6000 Additive dispenser uses the same principle, but on a smaller scale and at the point of sale. This form of dosing technology is exclusive to DFS — no other fuel dispenser manufacturer is offering it.”

Dosing is controlled by the dispenser calculator to ensure the dosing matches the flow rate for the correct proportional blend of standard fuel to additive. Additive can be added from 500 to 3600 parts-per-million, providing a range of fuel blend options. The Helix 6000 Additive fuel dispenser can deliver one or two additional grades on top of its regular specifications. To ensure accurate dispensing and compliance with trading standards, the additive is injected into the fuel before metering out for each nozzle. The system is compatible with VR Stage II recovery to ensure no harmful vapors are released into the environment. The flexible design allows it to work with both suction and pressures systems making it a viable option for most retailers.

At the forecourt, the fuel dosing technology and hardware is relatively unobtrusive; it appears to be a normal fuel cabinet. The additive system is designed to blend seamlessly with the Helix 6000’s overall innovative and sleek design. Housed within the dispenser cabinet is a 40-litre additive tank, pump, meter and a tank-level monitoring system. The additive tank is typically capable of dosing up to 400 fillings of premium fuel before needing to be replenished. A Helix 6000 Additive fuel dispenser can house up to two additive modules, yielding three fuel grades from a single standard fuel product.

Ballenoil Oil Company in Southern Spain is one of the fuel retailers that has already converted 40 of its retail operations to the Helix 6000 Additive fuel dispenser. Jorge González, Ballenoil’s Technical Support Manager, noted that to maintain a competitive edge in the market, Ballenoil needed to offer additional fuel grades. Yet, it discovered adding additional underground tanks was cost prohibitive. Instead, Ballenoil elected to implement a pilot program, featuring the Wayne Helix 6000 Additive dispenser.

“We initially thought about adding new tanks,” González said. “But we found the Helix 6000 Additive option was really the best solution. We’ve seen a spike in customer traffic and are quickly recovering the cost of the new pumps through additional margin.” Ballenoil is in the process of converting additional retail locations, starting with those that have the most dated fuel equipment.

The ability to offer several fuel grades can help generate retail traffic. The sale of premium grades, however, offers additional benefits. Premium fuel commands additional margin. Further, onsite dosing using the Helix 6000 Additive system can be more economical than tying up cash in large purchases of premium grade fuels. Early adopters of the technology report seeing increased profits as a direct result of the Helix 6000 Additive dispenser.

Since its debut, the Helix 6000 Additive dispenser has gained traction in several countries, including Spain, Ireland and Australia. It offers an economical means of offering more fuel grades at retail without significant investment.

To learn more, contact your local Dover Fueling Solutions sales representative at: doverfuelingsolutions.com/contact-us.

For more information on Dover Fueling Solutions please visit www.doverfuelingsolutions.com.