DOVER FUELING SOLUTIONS: Embracing the Transition, Energizing the Future

COP27 has highlighted again the speed of innovation and reinvention required if society is to avoid climate disaster and take a greener path forward. Importantly, governments continue to adopt new pledges that will mean change for business, and those that are able to adjust and take part in a transition will be those that thrive.

 In the UK, for example, all new HGVs sold need to be zero emission by 2040. Conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned from sale by 2030, and even hybrids will be restricted from 2035. Clearly, from a transport perspective, the transition is gathering pace. Whether its electric vehicles (EV), hydrogen power, or another form of fuel, the industry must adapt to a new environment.

 Investing in EVs or another fuel source is just the first step for consumers, but for businesses there must be ancillary roll out. A network of fueling stations must be updated, new types of fuel must be developed, infrastructure must support consumers, and companies must be able to thrive

 Kurt Dillen, VP Business Development at Dover Fueling Solutions (DFS), has a vision of how the network of the future will look and the company – a world leader in technology and services for the fuel and retail space – is constantly innovating alongside its customers to achieve growth.

 “In the future, you will wake up and your phone will tell you that your car needs charging. Your phone will then direct you to the nearest charging station while ordering you a sandwich and coffee. When you arrive, your car will charge quickly while you collect your favourite food, and tech at the station will recognise you and your car, taking payment automatically. There will be no queues, there will be no waiting,” he smiles.

 THE BEST BRANDS

 An industry veteran of 35 years, Belgium-based Dillen explains that DFS is made up of some of the best brands globally including Tokheim, Wayne, Fairbanks, ProGauge, OPW Fuel Management Systems, ClearView, AvaLAN Networks, and more recently LIQAL. Since 2016, these inventive players dominate the sectors in which they operate, allowing the group to drive change. “We have a presence in all regions around the world and we are operational globally with factories in the USA, Brazil, Europe, India, and China. We have development resources all around the world, in every region and every time zone,” he says.

 As the automotive sector is transformed, change in the fueling network will come in three lanes: Digitisation, energy source, and retail focus. The entire experience will shift and DFS will be at the heart of this switch, globally.

 “We have Tokheim, Wayne, and OPW FMS within our portfolio and they have all been in existence for more than 125 years,” says Dillen. “Now is a dynamic time as the transition towards other energies and technologies is underway.

 “There is transformation with technology. The traditional dispenser that moves fuel from a big tank to a small tank in your car has been around for hundreds of years and it works, but there is major innovation around payments, smart data, loyalty. Data is money as data gives knowledge. With knowledge you can improve your business. The second transition underway is in clean energy and EVs. Electric cars are already on the road, and trucks, buses, and heavy duty vehicles are now also converting.”

 Embracing change, DFS is already busy innovating to bring improvement, both in terms of customer journey and experience, and environment.

 CLEAN TRANSITION

 In October, the company displayed its all-new hydrogen dispenser at the 2022 Hydrogen Technology Expo in Bremen, Germany. With digital interface, intuitive user experience, reliable performance, and low cost of total ownership (TCO), the DFS Hydrogen dispenser is an essential element for fuel stations looking to support the green energy movement.

 In September, DFS announced an exciting new high-powered ultrafast charging system for EVs in Europe – the Power UX™ 180 EV Charging System. Compact and powerful, the system can be placed on any forecourt, and in different locations, allowing for more EVs to charge at one time. 100km of range should be achieved in just 10 minutes of charging, and installation is suitable for fuel station, workplace, or high traffic environments. Launched at international mobility trade fair, eMove 360, in Germany, the Power UX™ 180 EV Charging System is an enabler of the energy transition.

 “DFS is committed to offering products and solutions that support our customers diversified energy requirements,” said Soren Powell-Holse, Product Marketing Director of EMEA. 

 “In the last two years, we have become very interested in the clean energy transition,” agrees Dillen. “Europe is ahead and China is moving fast, and the US is slightly behind. The plans from European governments and the rules being put in place for a clean environment provide massive growth potential in that area. Our engineers have to develop new technologies, new solutions, new devices, and that makes it very interesting for all the people in our company. We are now innovating and developing new technologies for the future, and that is exciting.

 “We have a big project in Europe. We are releasing a complete range of new products, where we have merged ranges from Tokheim and Wayne, selecting the best of the best, simplifying our supply process. It’s about optimising operational efficiency and optimising performance of our products,” he adds.

 DIGITISATION THROUGH CLOUD

 Away from refueling, digital solutions remain a big opportunity for expansion. Again, it’s all part of a smooth customer journey – the way people pay, what is quickest, what is cheapest, how is data stored and processed securely. Multiple DFS brands have software and systems that contribute to a growing digital footprint, and Dillen is keen to push this in the future.

 “We have been investing heavily in solutions and cloud technology as we see that offering having great value for our customers. They need to know what is going on at their sites and they need to know who is buying and when, and this is why we need data. We invested in our own DX cloud for which we partnered with Microsoft Azure as a cloud provider. All the technologies we can provide are now linked with the DFS cloud to provide data and information.

 “We are launching the DX cloud technology globally with features around stock management, advertising opportunities, and POS capabilities. More and more data and application handling will happen in the cloud. It’s not just the dispenser, it’s everything that is happening in the shop, in the car wash, on the forecourt – all the components are becoming smarter, and everything is connected to the cloud. It’s a journey for our customers and our company so we are eager to do this.”

 Customers are happy to engage with DFS when it comes to updating forecourts and supplementing technology thanks to the historic brands that stand behind the blue and white façade.

 At every turn in the road, with every innovation, DFS has stood behind its customers, keeping consumers moving. Traditional fuel pumps from the group have been installed all around the world, adorning sites from New York to Beijing and Cape Town to Reykjavik. Currently, Dillen estimates there to be 750,000 fueling stations worldwide, which the company splits into thirds across its Americas, EMEA, and Asian markets.

 “We are active in all countries around the world and we have solutions and market share for everyone. Our biggest markets are North America and Europe,” he explains.

 “We are the market leader in Europe for fuel dispensing, and we are the market leader for solutions. With POS and payment devices, looking at Europe, we are very strong. We see growth opportunities in Africa with a fast-growing population and we are already a market leader there. We are the number two player in the US and we are one of the two major players in the world. In Latin America, we are the market leader. In Asia, we are strong in China.”

 The Dover Corporation, owner of DFS, is a NYSE-listed multinational with more than 24,000 employees across 17 operating companies, generating around $8 billion. This powerful position allows for a customer-centric focus that few can match. It also allows for the swift overcoming of industry and economic hurdles.

 POWERFUL PRESENCE

 “The last few years have been amazing, and many people are surprised about that because of COVID,” smiles Dillen, talking about a purple patch for DFS since the start of 2020 where many companies struggled in tough market conditions. “COVID did have an impact on the business, but the fuel business has been seen as essential. Our focus was always around our need to provide fuel and energy to the people. Because of this, we were not interrupted. Globally, we didn’t slow down and investment into dispensing and solutions continued.”

 He highlights a major operation in the USA which helped the company to flourish, utilising its extensive reach in the digital space, updating technology to make life easier for consumers.

 “We have been delivering fantastic growth and we had one sector that was fantastic. In Europe, we have been paying with EMV (Europay, MasterCard, and Visa) chip cards for a long time, but the US was behind. We had to upgrade the entire network, all stations, with EMV card capability. That’s around 120,000 stations that needed upgrading – average around six payment devices per site – that is a lot of business. This gave us a tailwind as it needed to be done before a deadline.”

 When it comes to the instore experience, DFS is a frontrunner and, as the model changes, so too will its offerings.

 “The technology evolution is never standing still but now, with new energies, the industry has never been so dynamic, and we have to develop many things. The industry and the government don’t know how the picture will look in 2030, but we are working towards the targets and that is very interesting,” states Dillen.

 The challenges that have been felt by the business include supply chain issues that emanate from the pandemic and other economic factors. Cost, timings, and logistical issues are seemingly unabating as manufacturers hunt for reliable chains.

 “2022 is the year where supply is our biggest concern – it is difficult,” admits Dillen. “We are specialised in supply and we work very closely with our suppliers to ensure success. If a supplier cannot find a component, for example, we will step in and assist to help buy whatever we can and help solve problems. We can bring our size to get priority in component supply.

 “Shipping is an issue and it remains hard work,” he adds. “We have been lucky and we have not stopped production because of any shortage, but it is a lot of work and requires new solutions every day.”

 Even with these difficulties, the innovative nature of the business has allowed it to thrive, remaining in demand as the unending need for energy increases. As the speed of the transition accelerates, DFS will support its supply chain and roll out solutions that support Net Zero aspirations set out at COP27, while keeping in mind the network of the future, whatever that might look like.  

 “We are involved in multiple projects with multiple customers to bring these new energies to sites. In the future, we see gas stations becoming hubs for energy. Whether it’s traditional fuels, hydrogen, EV charging – the hub will be there offering everything required including new shops, quick service restaurants, other retail ideas, and it will become a place to gather while solving problems. It is making our industry super interesting during this period,” says Dillen.

 In the UK, it is Longer-term, hydrogen fuel systems will supplement EVs rather than replacing entirely, and most vehicles on the road are expected to be emission free by 2035.

 “Our goal is to become product leaders in every region, for each part of our business,” says Dillen, speaking of DFS ambition for market leadership globally across all of the sectors it plays in. Currently so close behind another player, and only lacking in terms of market share in the USA, this is very achievable with so much change and disruption on the horizon.

 “We are innovators and product leaders and we are investing a lot in development. We want to bring IP so we can offer the best solution to our customers, so they can grow. We are investing a lot and supporting our customers in the transformation (digitalisation and energy), and we are customer centric. We think with our customers, and when they are successful and growing, we are happy. We exist to grow the business of our customers,” Dillen concludes.

 DFS holds the vision of enabling the evolution of consumer experience in fueling and convenience retail, and right now that vision is being realised.