Western Refining Acquires 31 Sites in Arizona From Reay's Ranch
Carwash Buyer Arrested for Money Laundering
L.A. Hydrogen Station Certified to Sell to the Public
Tesla To Offer Battery Swap in Central California

WESTERN REFINING ACQUIRES 31 SITES IN ARIZONA FROM REAY'S RANCH

EL PASO, TX. — Western Refining has acquired 31 locations in southern Arizona from Reay's Ranch, expanding the company's operations in the state.

The sites include service stations and convenience stores which will be rebranded to Western Refining's Giant brand. The locations are operated under lease arrangements.

The acquisition is expected to add an additional 30 million gallons of volume annually; the stations will be supplied by Western's refinery in El Paso, TX.

Western said the addition of the new Arizona locations are expected to increase the company's overall retail fuel volume by approximately 10% and merchandise sales by approximately 15%.

"The addition of these stores to our retail network is consistent with our strategy to grow retail within the supply reach of our refineries with minimal capital investment," stated Jeff Stevens, Western's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our retail team has a track record of efficiently integrating new locations into our network and growing sales volumes. We look forward to continuing this with these additions."

With the addition of the Arizona sites, Western now operates 261 retail locations in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.

CARWASH BUYER ARRESTED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING

LOS ANGELES, CA. — An investor who purchased Downtown Car Wash, located at 811 W. Olympic Blvd., here, has been arrested for money laundering.

The purchase of Downtown Car Wash had made local news as it was the only remaining tunnel car wash in downtown Los Angeles. The car wash was purchased for $25 million and was slated for demolition; the property was to be converted to a mixed-use project that would include a hotel and condominiums.

Morad Ben Neman, who purchased the carwash, was arrested on charges of money laundering for international drug cartels. He was named in a Department of Justice indictment charging that Neman and three others involved with his company, Pacific Eurotex Corp, laundered over $350,000 in cash for an undercover agent.

Local reports say it is not clear how plans for the carwash property will be affected by the indictment. The car wash is currently continuing to operate at the site.

L.A. HYDROGEN STATION CERTIFIED TO SELL TO THE PUBLIC

LOS ANGELES, CA. — A hydrogen fueling station, located at Cal State Los Angeles, has become the first station of its kind in California certified to sell fuel to the public.

The service station opened on the campus last May as part of the Cal State L.A. Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility. It produces hydrogen on site and is capable of using solar and wind power for hydrogen production.

The certification, called California Type Approval, allows the station to sell hydrogen by the kilogram to drivers of fuel cell vehicles.

The current hydrogen-powered vehicles in use today in California hold approximately six kilograms of hydrogen, powering the vehicle for approximately 300 miles.

"This is a milestone in the commercialization of hydrogen in preparation for the next generation of electric vehicles that will be powered by hydrogen," said Michael Dray, technical operations manager at the Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility. "It's equivalent to getting the first sticker from the state government to sell gasoline by the gallon."

"Our hydrogen station is playing a crucial role in helping situate California as a national leader in zero emission vehicles," said University President William Covino. "The station also provides an ideal opportunity for Cal State L.A. students, faculty and staff to collaborate on cutting-edge research and technology initiatives with government agencies that will contribute to improving air quality in Los Angeles and beyond."

TESLA TO OFFER BATTERY SWAP IN CENTRAL CALIFORNIA

HARRIS RANCH, CA. — Electric car manufacturer Tesla Motors Inc., has announced that it will open a battery swap facility here in central California for drivers of its Model S sedan.

The battery swap facility will be located near the Tesla supercharger stations, where Tesla drivers can stop to recharge their vehicles as they travel on Interstate 5 between northern and southern California.

As the recharging process can be a lengthy one — taking approximately one hour — the battery swap program will allow drivers to swap their drained battery for a charged battery. Tesla Motors says it takes approximately three minutes to swap the battery pack in their vehicle, allowing drivers to get back on the road quickly without waiting an hour to refuel.

The cost of the battery swap will be "slightly less than a full tank of gasoline for a premium sedan," according to Tesla.

Originally published in the April 2015 issue of O&A Marketing News.
Copyright 2015 by KAL Publications Inc.