Refuel with Efficiency: How Ricochet Fuel Distributors Helped Increase Jobsite Productivity with Portable Fuel Tanks

Think about your favorite movie or TV show. What makes it stand out to you? Whether it’s thrilling plot twists or action-packed scenes, it’s easy to forget that it’s often the work that’s happening off the screen — behind the scenes — that sets this experience up for success. The same can be said about an efficient jobsite. People often notice the big equipment getting the job done, but fail to consider the action happening behind the scenes that contributes to keeping things running, such as efficient refueling solutions.  

“Fuel is the offensive lineman of the football team — nobody cares about it until it’s not there,” said JD Holland, senior sales executive at Ricochet Fuel Distributors. “At Ricochet, our priority is to make refueling equipment as stress-free as possible. By pairing that philosophy with a dedication to customer service, we’ve earned a strong reputation in the industry.”

The team at Ricochet expertly sources and matches assets to meet the individualized needs of each jobsite, allowing smooth and efficient equipment refueling. As part of their focus on always offering customers the best fueling solutions, Ricochet continually researches new manufacturers and equipment solutions by attending industry tradeshows and events. It was this drive for continual improvement that led to a unique encounter with on-site fuel tank manufacturer, Western Global. After experiencing the benefits of Western Global fuel tanks, it wasn’t long before Ricochet altered its offerings to include these innovative on-site fuel storage solutions to make refueling even easier.

Experiencing a New Solution

Ricochet has been in business since 1988 and built its reputation by offering fuel solutions through traditional round fuel tanks and wet hosing. This approach offered a mixture of both benefits and drawbacks. Although wet hosing offers the contractor a hands-off approach to refueling a fleet, it also removes the control from the contractor and makes them reliant on third-party drivers for refueling. Opting for traditional round fuel tanks alleviates those concerns. However, this refueling option comes with drawbacks of its own. For example, the bulky design of traditional round fuel tanks makes transportation difficult. Additionally, traditional fuel tanks require a secondary containment pan for environmental protection that needs monitoring and cleaning as it fills with stormwater and debris. Despite these challenges, wet hosing and traditional round fuel tanks have become the status quo in the industry because the benefits of these refueling solutions often outweigh the disadvantages. And so, it was for Ricochet until they won a 500-gallon Western Global FuelCube at a tradeshow in 2015.

“We’d never heard about Western Global’s on-site fuel tanks before that day,” Holland said. “It was one of those situations where we weren’t aware there were other fueling options that could do the job better since we were happy with what we had.”

“A sales manager from Western Global began calling on us shortly after we won the FuelCube,” added Sam Brett, vice president of vendor relations at Ricochet Fuel Distributors. “After a few years, his persistence and constant flow of information took hold, and we were ready to commit to this new fuel storage solution. We’ve probably bought close to 10 truckloads at this point and haven’t looked back since.”

A Better Asset for Customers

When it comes to outfitting customers with the best fuel tank for their needs, on-site fuel storage solutions go beyond just looking at the capacity of fuel the tanks can hold. Ricochet also considers the geography of the jobsite, how much fuel is burned in a month and whether the customer is using off-road diesel, on-road diesel or gasoline. While most of Ricochet’s customers are familiar with standard cylinder tanks or wet hosing to meet their on-site fueling goals, they are often impressed to learn about the added benefits that come with innovative Western Global fuel tanks.

Enhanced Security

One of the perks customers first notice is the added security that comes with Western Global FuelCubes. Traditional fuel tanks have pumps located in areas that are easily accessible for refilling equipment. Unfortunately, that also means these fuel pumps are also susceptible to theft, so additional security systems like cameras and bright lighting are required to protect the fuel supply. Each FuelCube includes integrated anti-theft technology that locks the tank to any user without a key card to unlock the dispense controls. Since each access card is unique, it’s also easy for operations to track details about how much fuel each machine is using.

Easier Maintenance

Traditional on-site fuel tanks require a secondary containment pan that catches rainwater and debris that comes around the fuel tank. This requires added maintenance to frequently monitor and clean the pan from external factors that accumulate. Western Global manufactures its FuelCubes with double-walled containment, which eliminates the need for the secondary containment pan. This also means a third party is no longer needed to come to the site to pump out a secondary containment pan before moving the fuel tank, which translates into more cost and labor savings.

Small Footprint

FuelCubes also feature a smaller footprint than traditional on-site fuel tanks and the stackable square design makes efficient use of tight spaces. This means operations can use multiple FuelCubes, even in jobsites with minimal space. For even more freedom with transportability, operations can consider a TransCube Global fuel tank. This tank features the same cube shape as a FuelCube but offers the added benefit of being transportable while filled with fuel.

Both Holland and Brett have seen first-hand how FuelCubes are changing customers’ experiences around the United States.

“There are some dirt movers we work with who are on a jobsite anywhere from one to four months,” Holland said. “They were originally using standard cylinder fuel tanks with secondary containment pans, and they were frequently calling us to move the tanks based on the progress being made on the jobsite. We put a FuelCube on the jobsite for them to try, and within the first year they wanted to swap all their onsite fuel tanks for FuelCubes because it made their jobs so much easier.”

“And that’s not the first time we’ve had experiences like this,” Brett added. “We also have a large customer that’s on multiple jobsites throughout the country who vowed to only use FuelCubes after we introduced them.”

A Winning Combination  

When it comes to meeting customers’ needs with innovative on-site fuel storage solutions, the team at Ricochet attributes part of their success to a strong partnership with Western Global. One of Ricochet’s goals is to surpass expectations for customers and collaborating with Western Global has certainly helped the company meet this goal as it delivers millions of gallons of fuel to customers across the United States.

“The team at Western Global has always been very professional and helpful,” Brett said. “From providing quotes in a timely fashion and helping answer questions to maintaining inventory and short lead times, Western Global’s dedication to being ready with whatever we need has set both our team and our customers up for success. For example, we were using a pump that Western Global did not have a bracket for, but our contact was able to quickly get one engineered that would fit the bolt pattern and angle the pump required. We were very impressed with this solutions-oriented mindset!”

As they hoped, switching from traditional on-site fuel storage to FuelCubes has helped Ricochet make a big leap forward when it comes to helping their customers achieve maximum efficiency and reliability on the jobsite.

“At Ricochet, we strive to provide quality products and excellent service to match. FuelCubes bolster that image with technology and a design that surpasses the efficiencies of anything else on the market for the ultimate convenience for customers,” Brett said. “You’d be surprised to hear all the calls we get from neighboring jobsites once our FuelCubes hit the ground. Everyone wants to learn more about them and find out how they can help their business reach the next level.”

Just as a convincing stunt double or makeup professional can enhance a character’s performance in a movie, Western Global’s fuel tanks work behind the scenes to improve jobsite productivity.  Western Global has helped businesses like Ricochet challenge the status quo and strive to raise expectations for customers in terms of efficiency and even practicality. As one of the go-to companies for fuel solutions in everything from commercial and construction to government and agriculture, Ricochet sees Western Global’s FuelCubes not only as a benefit for their business but as the beginning of a new standard for on-site fuel storage solutions.

Jeff Lowe is Western Global’s vice president of product marketing.