Fuelling it forward - Delta’s new diesel service filling the tank

It’s midday on a Wednesday and a few days after Delta Agribusiness has officially taken over a bulk diesel fuel distribution business and 24-hour refuelling site in the Lockhart area. Jamey Anderson has just travelled a 120km round trip to Mangoplah to deliver on-farm. He’s taking a quick break at the depot to chat to me before heading out on the road again for the afternoon. “There’s been a really high level of interest. We’ve got a broad range of deliveries onto different farming operations from dual purpose farms, to grazing properties, to broadacre cropping businesses. The fuel requests typically range from 2,000 to 20,000 litres,” Jamey says, ensuring that farming enterprises of all sizes and types receive the capacities they require, exactly when they need it.

With specialised local knowledge, Jamey will be a familiar face as he drives the new prime mover and attached tanker throughout the region, having already been based in the Delta Lockhart branch working in seed and merchandise sales for the past eight years. “Being originally from Urana and now living in Lockhart, I already know a lot of farmers through social interactions in the local area, so I’m looking forward to now getting out on-farm,” Jamey says. Delta Agribusiness Group Fuel Business Development Manager Chris Brown says Delta Ag had been investigating the inception of a fuel site at Lockhart for some time, before this opportunity arose, to take over the existing Greenline Industries fuel distribution business and 24-hour refuelling site. “Having a local driver and a local knowledge is really important. Jamey knows the region and he knows the local farming community,” Chris Brown says. “We probably initially realised the potential to develop a bulk diesel facility in the southern region two years ago, then Greenline opened its facility and we didn’t move forward with it at that stage. Now we feel we have the advantage in managing it because we have great relationships with our existing client base and it is equally a great add on to their existing farm businesses, and also in enhancing our rural agribusiness offering,” Chris says. “We have local connections and we feel it’s a great service to add an advantage to our customers. It’s also going to be really significant that we have bowser access 24 hours a day, with customers currently able to use their card attached to an existing Delta account with the 30 day payment terms, or for those who may not be regular Delta account holders by simply using credit card for payment.

“We’ll also have various remote sites where we can refill which will also extend our delivery area significantly. In the coming weeks we will have fuel storages of 80,000 litres ready at Yerong Creek with the same 24-hour access arrangements and we are planning on another bulk storage facility at Ardlethan increasing the bulk storage capacity to supplement our existing retail outlet.”

As demand increases, Jamey expects the hours of operation for the on-farm delivery service will also be heightened to ensure farmers receive fuel as they need it. “I guess it’s like the saying goes: ‘Delta delivers’!” Jamey smiles, as he starts to pack up for the next trip. The new fuel service offering in Delta’s southern network, which will span from Lockhart to Yerong Creek to Coolamon, Temora and Ardlethan, complements the existing delivery capabilities and storage in Young, Grenfell, Cowra, and Elong Elong regions.