Big run on L.P.G. conversions

Press, 20 July 1984, Page 4

Big run on L.P.G. conversions

Christchurch firms which convert vehicles to run on liquefied petroleum gas may have to take oh extra staff to cope with a big increase in conversion orders since devaluation was announced. With petrol, prices expected to rise as much as 10c or 12c a litre because of devaluation, the companies have been flooded with inquiries from motorists wanting to know the cost of converting to L.P.G. “The phones have just gone silly,” said the contractor in charge of conversions at Wharenui Garage L.P.G. Services, Mr Malcolm Kerslake. “We have taken six confirmed orders in the last two days, compared with about nine in the last two months. “The staff situation is not

too good and we will probably have to take on more if the demand keeps up,” he said.

The manager of the Christchurch Gas Company’s L.P.G. Centre, Mr Vincent Matthews, said that even more conversion orders were expected when the price of petrol actually went up. L.P.G. is now 43c a litre, or 70 per cent of the price of petrol. Whether L.P.G. would become cheaper compared with petrol was as yet uncertain, said Mr Matthews. “The Government may wish to keep the price of L.P.G. on a par with petrol. We hope it will not rise in price at all.” If L.P.G. does not rise in price it may become as cheap as 50 per cent of the price of petrol.

It now cost about $1470 to convert a vehicle, but this would increase as stocks of conversion equipment at pre-devaluation prices ran out, said Mr Matthews. “We supply equipment to various firms throughout the South Island. Yesterday morning we took two reasonably large orders, so the rush to convert must be happening everywhere.” Mr Matthews said he did not expect any more bulk supply problems. Although the recent dispute over the crewing of the new tanker Tarihiko was not yet settled, there was still enough L.P.G. at the Dunedin bulk depot to last until after August. Several local supply outlets now existed and these were able to cope with an increase in demand for L.P.G., he said.