Berico President Will Berry talks about the company’s roots, how it celebrated employees for the 100th anniversary and what the future holds for Berico’s propane business. Berry is a fourth-generation team member.

Read more:

• Berico celebrates 100 years
• LPG Spotlight: Berico Fuels

Transcription

“The company started as a coal company back in 1924 by my great-grandfather. And the story told is that as coal would come through town off of the railroad, it would spill over. So it started in a wheelbarrow and then he’d take some coal and start delivering. Eventually became a legitimate business. He had 13 children. And so as the story is told, every time they have a new child, they add a coal truck to the business. And so there’s a cool picture in our office about the 13 coal trucks. And then out of that next generation, my grandfather took over and brought us more into the fuel business. Helped us get into the terminal position from a wholesale fuel and then the next generation was my father and then a partner who was outside the family, John Fuquay. They helped us branch out and get into the propane business, expand also into lubricants.

“And then I joined the organization in 2011 and we’ve branched out to where we’re growing our lubricant business, our HVAC business, and then the fuel, and then propane has exponentially grown.

“A large tribute goes to our great staff. We have a very strong management group with their family to us honestly, and a great group of about 115 employees now. Our employees are, you know, family to all of us. They’re super fantastic. Have a lot of trust in what we have. And to say that in this day’s time is a challenge, right? But I truly mean that. We’re very blessed with the folks that we have, and we want them to feel that, we want to treat them that way because we recognize the assets that they really are to us. It’s super hard to find great people, and so once they’re on board, we want them there forever.

“We had a big employee event at a local venue in Greensboro and had a great planning committee for over 18 months and invited our employees, their families and a few really strong customers to help us celebrate.

“We did an acquisition in 2007 that was kind of the shot in the arm, and really put us into the educational platform of how to run a propane business and be successful, treat customers, and then with that, we’ve grown what we call both organically and through a few other smaller acquisitions. You know, it’s about a third to a half – our fuel and propane business, which we have three locations and bulk plants, about half of our business. And then, you know, lubricants and wholesale fuels and HVAC.

“We always have our eye open for acquisitions. We’ve grown organically through marketing and a great team and customer referrals. So studying that, and then our cheese is always moving. So started as a coal company, fuel oil was a predominant heating fuel. Now propane. So we just have to keep our pulse on the market and where it’s going. Also, keep an eye on what other industries that might be a good fit for our company.

“Through SEPA, the Southeastern Propane Association, they have their technical school kind of in our backyard, and so we sent techs there and partnered through that. And our vice president of fuel and propane operations is a big part of that sits on many committees and has helped cultivate the growth of that technical school. So we’re in big support of that, and see the power it has, especially for our industry, and the lack of educational opportunities technicians, drivers, things like that, have, and to have that in our backyard is very special.”

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