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New Flogas MD Henry Cubbon Plans to Grow Lpg Opportunities

If you are going to meet and interview the head of one of our major lp gas supply companies, what better day to pick than when snow is lying on the ground, the outside temperature is below freezing, as it had been for well over a week, and Britain is stuck in the middle of its coldest winter for ten years. You are guaranteed a very warm reception!

Henry Cubbon, appointed as managing director at Flogas UK Ltd just six months ago, is new to the industry but his enthusiasm in all things lpg, if not yet a nerd-like interest, is readily apparent, as is his undoubted cheerfulness at being busy. In fact, like any of his competitors during early January 2009, the company was working very hard to keep all of its customers supplied and happy.

“Flat out” was the term used by Henry, but meeting customer expectations and achieving consistently high levels of customer care are among his top objectives for the company, coupled with an obsession with doing the job safely.

Achievement of both objectives will be helped by Henry’s background and experience. He joined the company in August 2008, having previously been the managing director of Antalis, the paper and office supplies group based at Coalville, for five years and, prior to that, with paper manufacturer Arjo Wiggins. He can also add time with Hawker Siddeley and Barclays Bank to an impressive CV.

But it is from the paper industry in particular that the real synergy comes. Henry can draw parallels although with a completely different industry; it has strong networks, a good deal of camaraderie, is based around large manufacturing centres and has a distribution network serving the UK.

Health and safety is hugely important, as is efficiency in the supply chain. He is quick to say how much he is now relishing working in a growing industry – and how “soul destroying” it was to work in one that was declining.

Not surprisingly, Henry was not to be drawn on conjecture and crystal ball gazing.
“First of all, I have got to get to understand the business and the people,” he said. “I am going to the sites, meeting our people, discussing the opportunities and challenges and pulling together a set of plans that will move the company forward.

“At the same time, we will be going through a tough year, which I aim for us to do and be in great shape at the end.”

Henry also admits to having great respect already for the people around him, to being “stunned by the commitment found in the company”, especially to getting lp gas out to its customers.

Flogas is, of course, a strong national player already, with some 750 staff supporting its network, 80 of them at the stylish head office at Syston, just north of Leicester. It is currently marking 25 years since Flogas entered the UK from Ireland, initially with the acquisition of Portagas in Merrylees, Leicester. Filling plants at Leeds, Newport, Birtley and Glasgow followed and, in 1995, the Rainham terminal was opened following the acquisition of City Mills Marine.

In 2001, the Flogas lpg cylinder business was doubled by its parent company’s acquisition of Alta Gas, and grew further just one year later following the purchase of British Gas LP Gas from Centrica. Development of a strong and supportive supplier network has been maintained since that time.

Since the 1990s, Flogas has been owned outright by its previous shareholder, support services company DCC, an organisation focused on sales, marketing and distribution in the energy, healthcare, IT and food markets and operating principally in Ireland. Flogas is the largest company within the Energy Division of DCC, which is itself – through a sister company – also the largest oil distributor in Britain and Northern Ireland.

Going forward, it is easy to see that Henry Cubbon’s background and expertise equip him to make a substantial contribution towards the work of UKLPG and to help move the lp gas industry forward. He sees further need for lobbying, especially with regard to lpg autogas, for the industry to have greater voice and visibility and for it to have a clearer brand of its own.

Commenting on the Competition Commission findings and whilst saying it is a good thing in principle, he also has a number of concerns, not least those of health and safety and the potential for dangerous situations to arise.

“We need to champion the industry collectively and make sure lpg has a role in the future, and I am supportive of the plans UKLPG has to do this. We are in an industry that should grow, and that means opportunity, certainly for the experienced team that I am heading at Flogas.”

Contact Flogas UK plc on 0116 264 9000 www.flogas.co.uk

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