Business View Caribbean | August 2022

36 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 9, ISSUE 8 company that goes beyond gas. We want to move from being just an LPG company to becoming an energy company that helps Aruba transition its energy infrastructure.” As the world grapples with high petroleum product prices, Arugas imports have also soared in price, exposing the island of Aruba to the adverse effects of high energy prices. Although most propane supplies are now considered non-petroleum products due to the production process, prices remain tied to those of the oil barrel. For Arugas, this inflated cost of LPG coupled with high transportation costs would be passed on to the consumer. The gas for domestic use is government regulated and partially subsidized. This helps cushion the LPG price for the general public. According to Harsveld, “Aruba is a small market, so we cannot negotiate better import rates.” Over the next three to five years, Arugas plans to transform from an LPG company into an energy company that cuts across energy lines – both renewable and non-renewable. One of the fundamental focus areas is helping transition transportation from expensive gasoline to more affordable propane on the island. “All gasoline cars can be relatively easily converted to LPG, so that’s a major growth area for us as a company,” says Harsveld. For Croes, the next few years will reinforce what works and transition what does not. “It is important to point out that Arugas would not be where it is today if it were not a very consistent and dependable company. Our domestic and commercial clients expect the best of us, and that is what we continue striving for by providing the best customer experience possible. Our focus over the next years is to ensure that all our clients continue getting the best experience possible. We want all our customers to feel that at Arugas, we take care of their present and future needs.” PREFERRED VENDORS/PARTNERS n Fast Delivery Services www.fastdeliverydc.com n Amtrol-Alfa | Worthington Industries www.amtrol-alfa.com | sales@amtrol-alfa.com n Carib LPG Trading Ltd. www.cariblpg.com