MANCHESTER, NH – Family owned and operated Rymes Propane & Oil Co., headquartered in Concord, has confirmed that it has reached a tentative agreement to take over Fred Fuller Oil Co., which filed for bankruptcy last week.
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Via Rymes website: Rymes Propane & Oil is pleased to confirm that we have been able to reach an agreement to acquire substantially all of the operating assets of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane. “Above all, we are happy to confirm that all pre-buy customers of Fred Fuller Oil will have their contracts honored as part of this agreement. Many people worked very hard to make this deal happen including Senior Assistant Attorney General Peter Roth, Governor Maggie Hassan, Sprague, and Rymes. We are thankful for their help in forging an agreement that will protect consumers and save jobs,” said John Rymes.
The Rymes family is looking forward to working with the employees at Rymes Propane & Oil and at Fred Fuller Oil & Propane to reassure our new customers that they can once again count on their oil company to keep them warm and to provide superior service at affordable prices.
Below is information posted on the company’s “Frequently Asked Questions” page to help customers understand what to expect:
Governor Maggie Hassan’s office announced Saturday that an agreement had been reached for Rymes Propane & Oil to purchase the assets of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane. For customers of both Rymes and of Fuller, we have provided a list of frequently asked questions below to help you understand the impact of this announcement. If you have any questions that are not answered below, please feel free to stop by one of our local offices or contact us via telephone or e-mail.
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What happened?
Rymes Propane & Oil has agreed to purchase substantially all of the assets belonging to Fred Fuller Oil & Propane. The agreement is subject to approval by the bankruptcy court, and until the agreement has been approved and the transaction has closed, Fred Fuller Oil & Propane will continue to operate as an independent company. Once the deal is approved and completed, Rymes will begin serving the customers of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane, and all operations should continue as normal.
What does this mean for employees of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane?
Fred Fuller Oil & Propane has a very capable team of employees who have proven throughout the years that they care deeply about the customer and that they know how to provide a very high level of service efficiently. Rymes’ goal is to provide the support and financial stability that they need, and then get out of the way and allow them to do their jobs.
I’m a Fred Fuller Oil & Propane customer. What should I do?
If you are a current Fred Fuller Oil & Propane customer, you should not need to do anything. Automatic delivery customers will continue to receive fuel on their regularly scheduled basis, and will-call customers orders will be delivered as usual. Because of the transition, and because this is a busy time of year, we would appreciate it if you place your orders early, rather than waiting for the last-minute.
Does this agreement cover both oil and propane customers?
Yes. Rymes will be serving all customers of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane once the agreement has been approved and completed.
I have pre-buy or a budget plan with Fred Fuller Oil & Propane. Am I going to lose my money?
No. As part of the agreement, Rymes has pledged to deliver pre-purchased fuel to customers of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane that have active pre-buy contracts and budget plans with credit balances.
What about prices?
Rymes Propane & Oil takes pride in providing superior service at affordable prices. If you review pricing within the region over the last few years, you will find that Rymes’ prices have consistently been very competitive. While we do not know where oil prices in general will be in the future, it is our expectation that the price charged to customers of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane will be lower, relative to the market, than they have been recently.
Who is Rymes?
Rymes is a family owned and operated oil and propane provider that was started by Jim and Carol Rymes in 1969, shortly after Jim Rymes returned home from Vietnam. Since that time, the business has grown to serve all of New Hampshire and surrounding areas in Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts. The company is now run by brothers Jim, John, and Tom Rymes, who are actively involved in the day-to-day operation of the business. We are proud of our 45-year tradition of local, affordable, and dependable service, and we look forward to earning the trust of all of Fred Fuller Oil & Propane customers, both current and former.
What is Pay As You Go™?
Pay As You Go™ is a new plan that Rymes introduced in the spring of 2014 to replace our traditional pre-buy plan. Pay As You Go™ offers customers the same fixed, predictable price as a pre-buy plan, without requiring customers to pay for all of their fuel in advance. We are no longer offering new Pay As You Go™ contracts for this winter, but we fully expect to begin offering new plans for next winter, beginning in Spring 2015.
