Power restored following Storm Arwen thanks to Forest & Garden and Aspen Fuel

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When Storm Arwen brought severe gale force winds to parts of the north east, several communities were left cut-off and without power. One of those determined to help was managing director of Forest & Garden, Gregor McArthur, who responded to a request from his local MP for support in the supply of emergency generators. With the assistance of some industry contacts, and supply of alkylate petrol from Aspen Fuel, Gregor and his team were able to restore power to more than 50 properties.

Hexham-based Forest & Garden offers the sale, supply and servicing of a broad spectrum of two and four stroke machinery, for the landscaping, contracting and construction industries. “As soon as we saw the appeal we offered our services, and the response was a resounding ‘yes please!’” explains Gregor, who is supported by a team of five. “We contracted in some electrical engineers and sourced some additional generators, the vast majority of which would run on Aspen Fuel.

“With generators sitting outside of residential properties, Aspen was the ideal partner for the refuelling programme. As it doesn’t contain all the hazardous hydrocarbons of traditional pump fuel, Aspen provided the power with significantly reduced levels of pollution and noxious fumes which was so important. It’s really accessible can sizes, with a bespoke filler cap, also meant it was safe, convenient and flexible for the residents to store and use.”

When not assisting in recovery efforts, Gregor and his team utilise Aspen Fuel in their workshop. “I’ve used Aspen personally in various blends and formulations for more than 20 years so have seen first-hand the benefits that it can bring to both the operator and the machine. We use Aspen 2 and Aspen 4 for most repair and service jobs we undertake and, where we can, will supply any new machines with Aspen Fuel.”

As an Alkylate petrol, Aspen is virtually free from benzene, sulphur and many other harmful hydrocarbons along with being ethanol-free, meaning Aspen maintains engine performance and preserves the life of component parts which can be susceptible to failure. Gregor concludes, “It’s always good to be able to demonstrate the benefits of Aspen to new audiences. In the recovery work for Storm Arwen, we must pass on a big thank you to the team at Anglo American Oil Company for ensuring we always had supply of Aspen where and when we needed it most.”