BP has announced the launch of a major research collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of Manchester. BP and the universities will work together on materials and corrosion research, as it applies to oilfield applications. The initial investment from BP has been $2 million, with the company intending to match…

BP Products North America Inc. plans to be the first fuel company in the U.S. to deliver price rollback technology that awards instant cents-off-per-gallon savings at the pump to consumers throughout its BP-branded network. As of Jan. 31, more than 350 eligible sites have begun the BP-funded and managed technology deployment process with the remainder of…

The latest technologies being used to manage c-store foodservice programs—from touchscreens and POS ordering terminals to digital signage—are allowing marketers to enhance communications and streamline operations. Touchscreens communicate the menu in a very efficient way. This is especially important as chains look to build incremental sales and make more subtle changes like expanding the number…

KSS Inc. has introduced RackPrice SaaS, a hosted version of the company’s fuel price management software for fuel wholesalers. The new system gives fuel suppliers the option to benefit from a comprehensive, automated fuel price management capability via a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, where the application—and accompanying customer database and information–resides and is managed by KSS…

This week, 7-Eleven is being honored by Point of Purchase Advertising International (POPAI) as the 2009 winner of the Retail Chief Award for Merchandising Excellence. The award will be given during POPAI’s Annual Night of Honors on Thursday, Jan. 21, in Miami Beach, Fla., concluding the 2010 MarketSmart Conference. “I can’t think of a more…

Professional Datasolutions Inc. (PDI) offers a wide array of services to assist customers in taking advantage of PDI/Enterprise, a complete network-centric software system that allows convenience, wholesale petroleum and foodservice operations to do business electronically. It was designed with input from more than 250 PDI customers. When choosing any backoffice software provider, both Quinn Ricker,…

Chief Financial Officer, Certified Oil I joined Certified Oil in 1975. As a CPA, my background was in auditing and taxation. Being in the gasoline business with Certified over the past 34 years has made me use every bit of knowledge and experience I acquired just to keep up with the fast pace and complexity…

Convenience store operators in search of faster cooking times and longer holding times are finding foodservice equipment that can help. But which pieces, at what price points, with what sort of ROIs and in what sort of configuration remain questions that must be weighed and answered. For an industry whose core competency isn’t food, and…

Whether it’s PCI compliance, overcoming high credit card fees or getting more out of a current point-of-sale (POS) system, investing in technology has never been more important for c-stores. With PCI compliance deadlines looming, many operators are still not up to speed on what they need to do, or how to do it. The Payment…

Operators looking for greater energy efficiency should cast an eye on their coolers, where centralized controls, lighting adjustments, basic ongoing maintenance and employee training can save them money. “Coolers are typically an opportunity for improvements in maintenance and operational practices,” said Jerry Lawson, national manager for Energy Star Small Business and Congregations Network, a division…