February 2010
Tedeschi: New England, New Site, New Fuel Brand |
ANDI user Tedeschi Food Shops is bringing its “home grown” products to another Falls River, Massachusetts location. This will bring the New England retailer to a total of 190 sites. The new location will also be offering the Tedeschi Fuel Brand, a new program that is the result of a very successful rebranding effort. As mentioned in Allied’s 4th Quarter 2009 e-News publication, changing brands can be a rather complicated process. But sites using the ANDI controller to manage their forecourt can rest easy knowing that, in most cases, only a minor software change is required. On the ANDI, this means simply swapping the code board. Changing the graphics for in-pump card readers from one brand to another is even easier. For ANDI environments, simply replace a few files on the point-of-sale. The process is even EASIER with the popular NeXGen controller! Read NACS Online article Tedeschi Food Shops Open 190th Store for more information. |
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December 2009
Love’s Shatters Building Record |
Rome wasn’t built in a day but it would’ve come close if Love’s had a say in the matter. ANDI and NeXGen user Love’s Country Stores had their newest location up and running in 120 days, eclipsing the old record by 8 days. Known for high fuel volume at their 24/7 travel stops, Love’s uses Allied’s forecourt controllers to drive everything from the fueling points and in-dispenser card readers to the Petrovend OPTs and tank gauges. Read the article Love’s in 120 Days for more factoids on the newest location and their plans for 25 more. |
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November 2009
Road Ranger’s Free at Last |
NeXGen user Road Ranger is now experiencing the freedom that comes with selling its own brand of fuel and is even assigning product names such as “Mustang,” “Stallion,” and “Thoroughbred.” Allied’s NeXGen controller gives Road Ranger the freedom to set those product names as well as other site configuration from the comforts of one’s home or office. Knowing they have NeXGen controlling the forecourt also gives Road Ranger the freedom to focus on other aspects of site management. Read the CSP article Mustang Rally to learn more about Road Ranger’s sovereign decision. |
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October 2009
It's EPP for KT |
ANDI user Kwik Trip is moving forward with the Gilbarco Encrypted PIN Pad (EPP) at 164 of its locations in the first phase of a significant rollout. The EPPs will be setup for TDES encryption, allowing for the removal of the Gilbarco Security Module (GSM). In addition to the EPPs, KT will also be installing Allied’s PCI compliant Generic Gilbarco software. All of these steps will bring the company into compliance well in advance of the July, 2010 deadlines implemented by the PCI Security Standards Council. Read the CSP article Kwik Trip Selects Gilbarco FlexPay EPP for PCI Compliance for more information. |
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September 2009
Allied and Gulf Expand Custom Parts Portal |
Allied Electronics and Gulf Oil have agreed to expand the successful Parts Portal to over 1300 Gulf Oil jobbers, dealers, and distributors. The Allied Parts Portal is an advanced ordering system that can be customized to a company’s purchasing needs. In this case, Allied was able to give the entire Gulf network 24 hour access to a section of Allied’s E-Store designed exclusively for them. Here, they will find low prices on thousands of key items necessary for running their businesses. Read the Convenience Store Decisions article Allied and Gulf Expand Custom Parts Portal and then contact Steve Cullen at Allied Electronics for information on your very own custom built Parts Portal! Allied and Gulf Press Release |
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August 2009
More NeXGens for the Midwest |
NeXGen user Thorntons continues its Midwest expansion with the addition of new stores in Nashville, Chicago, and Champaign. This will bring Allied’s PCI-compliant NeXGen controller to 165 Thorntons locations. Coupled with Allied’s powerful ANDI_DGS (diagnostic) utility, each NeXGen will give the independent retailer the ability to remotely access and even troubleshoot the forecourt for each location. Read the CSP article Thorntons Growth for more information about Thorntons site increase. |
100 Feet Quite a Distance for QuikTrip
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It’s amazing how far some companies will go to save a few pennies. QuikTrip only had to go 100 feet! The popular chain which owns 529 stores in 9 states is moving a store from Kansas directly across the boarder about 100 feet away into Missouri in a move projected to save customers money on several products including fuel. The forecourt at the new location will include 16 fueling points which will be controlled by either Allied’s popular ANDI controller or the even more powerful NeXGen controller, which is currently being rolled out to several QuikTrip locations. The ANDI and NeXGen controllers are both PCI-compliant. Read the CSP article QuikTrip Moves from K.C....to K.C. for more information about QTs latest move. |
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July 2009
Kwik Trip Goes Soft |
Bye-bye bubba, hello soccer moms. Even though Allied’s ANDI and NeXGen controllers won’t be available in earth tones any time soon, Kwik Trip hopes to attract a different demographic by softening the overall look of its stores to include a fresh fruit display, coffee bar, revamped graphics and lighting throughout its 354-store chain. Kwik Trip uses the ANDI controller at its sites and is currently rolling out Allied’s PCI software which also contains support for the new Gilbarco Encrypted PIN Pad (EPP). Kwik Trip is also testing with Allied’s NeXGen controller. For more information about Kwik Trip’s new look, read the CSP article Whole Foods Feel. |
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May 2009
Thorntons Expands E85 |
NeXGen user Thorntons recently opened their seventh location with environmentally friendly E85 dispensers. Depending on the dispenser manufacturer, NeXGen has the ability to support up to 48 such dispensers. Thorntons integrated a home grown point-of-sale system to the NeXGen and communicates to NeXGen via Ethernet, a popular option among NeXGen users. This not only keeps valuable serial RS232 ports available for other devices, but also allows for up to 11 additional virtual connections via the Ethernet port. And because NeXGen is accessible across the site’s LAN, remote diagnostics and troubleshooting are also easily employed. Read the CSP article Thorntons Opens New Locations for more information on the retailer’s newest convenience store. |
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April 2009
Costco Fans Flames as First to Fix Hot Fuel
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Allied customer Costco will be the first to address a hot button issue by modifying its fueling points to compensate customers for the lower energy value of hotter-than-average gasoline and diesel. The company is also saying it will not buy temperature-adjusted fuel wholesale and then sell non-adjusted fuel to customers. Costco uses Allied’s ANDI site controller in its U.S. and Canadian markets and is currently testing the popular NeXGen controller with plans for a future rollout. The company employs the ANDI’s loyalty and price-per-gallon discount functionalities as well as a custom car wash kiosk developed by Allied specifically for Costco. Read the CSP Article Costco’s Hot Fuel Fix for more information on the retailer’s landmark decision. |
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February 2009
PCATS Treasures Jack Dickinson |
Jack Dickinson, Allied’s Manager of Engineering and Development, was recently elected as Treasurer to the PCATS Board of Directors for 2009. The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards (PCATS) was founded in 1995 to develop and standardize on efficient, open site architecture designs allowing for better network and system integration. Allied Electronics has been an active member of PCATS since its inception. Read the NACS Connect 365 article PCATS Announces 2009 Board of Directors for more information. |
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December 2008
Love’s Gets Bumped Up the List |
This holiday season, Forbes magazine made its list of “America’s Largest Private Companies” and checked it more than twice. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores was among several Allied customers to make the list which included high rankings by Flying J, Cumberland Farms, and QuikTrip. Love’s utilizes Allied’s new Generic Travel Plaza software with the NeXGen and ANDI/SSC platforms. This software includes support for the Petrovend OPT which is widely used at travel plazas throughout the country. Check out the CSP article Love’s Makes the List for more information about Love’s and the Forbes list. |
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November 2008
XProtean POS Provides PCI Protection |
One of Allied’s many valued point of sale (POS) partners, XProtean Inc., recently achieved PCI compliance. As users of the PCI compliant NeXGen forecourt controller, XProtean’s customers and vendors can be assured that their credit and debit card data are fully protected. PCI compliance is especially critical because the XProtean POS connects to NeXGen across the store’s LAN using NeXGen’s resourceful Ethernet capabilities. XProtean employed the services of Coalfire Systems, the same company that certified the ANDI and NeXGen forecourt controllers in January 2008. For more information on XProtean’s PCI audit, read the CSP article XProtean Solutions Achieve PCI Compliance. |
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September 2008
Pantry Sticking to the Southeast |
The Pantry has over 1600 c-stores spanning 11 states in the southeastern part of the country, and won’t be looking too far for that next acquisition. Regardless of the next site location, Allied’s popular NeXGen controller is just a click away thanks to the lightning quick Ethernet connection. NeXGen’s Ethernet capabilities have made it a wise selection for The Pantry, allowing for remote diagnostics and software downloads via Allied’s extremely popular Allied Communicator. The Pantry is in the midst of a full scale NeXGen rollout and relies heavily on NeXGen’s Ethernet capabilities to keep the project manageable. Read the CSP Daily News for an article on the thought process behind The Pantry’s Within Our Geography decisions. |
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May 2008
A Year of Milestones at QuikTrip |
Allied customer QuikTrip opens its 500th store this month as the Tulsa based company also prepares to turn the big 5-0 later in the year. QuikTrip integrated its home grown point-of-sale system with Allied’s Generic ANDI software to implement its price per gallon discounting and other loyalty programs. The company has also started installing the popular NeXGen controller. Read the CSP article 500 at 50 to learn more about QuikTrip’s high operating standards and plans for future expansion. |
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May 2008
The Pantry Begins 1,600-Store Retalix Rollout |
The Pantry recently began rolling out the Retalix/NeXGen solution to more than 1600 stores across the southeastern United States, which will render The Pantry as Allied’s largest NeXGen user to date. Citing the need for a “consistent, unified technology platform,” The Pantry will be including Allied’s NeXGen controller as part of its site architecture. NeXGen will be connected to the store’s LAN and will include connections to the Retalix Fuel Server as well as the PWM Electronic Price Sign and other forecourt devices. Read the CSP Article The Pantry Begins 1,600-Store Retalix Rollout for more information about the rollout. |
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March 2008
Allied Love's WRA |
Allied customer Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores recently finished its rollout of the Warren Rogers Associates (WRA) Fuel Management System, referred to as the “PetroNetwork.” The ANDI/SSC is Love’s controller of choice in more than 140 travel stops in 31 states and uses Allied’s popular Generic ANDI software. The WRA device connects directly to the ANDI and captures fuel sale details and meter total details which, in turn, are passed along to the point-of-sale. This is powerful information to have, particularly for high volume locations such as truck stops and travel centers. Read the CSP article Love’s Rolls Out PetroNetwork System for more information on Warren Rogers’ fuel management services. |
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February 2008
Thorntons has High Hopes on High Margins |
Nothing against men ages 18 to 35 looking to purchase fuel, but Thorntons’ core demographic may soon be taking a back seat to women and high-income consumers looking to purchase everything from sandwiches to gourmet coffee. Thorntons still takes its gasoline business seriously, though, as the company takes advantage of the latest in forecourt technology by utilizing Allied’s NeXGen site controllers. Thorntons employs its own point-of-sale which communicates to NeXGen across the store LAN. Read the CSP Daily News article Thorntons Still Looking Beyond Gas to read about how the company and its young CEO plan on persuading customers to purchase more than just fuel. |
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January 2008
ECRS Among Top Retail Software Manufacturers |
Allied integration partner ECRS placed fifth among the nation’s top forty-five retail software manufacturers in the 2007 RIS News Software LeaderBoard. ECRS also claimed top prize in several other key categories. ECRS utilizes several of Allied’s Generic ANDI systems and is also actively testing with the popular NeXGen controller for some upcoming projects. See how Allied’s line of controllers streamline the integration, performance, and support of ECRS’ Open Fuel Server (OFS). |
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November 2007
Stewarts to Sell Line of Prepaid Products |
Allied customer Stewart’s Shops recently teamed up with point-of-sale vendor Pinnacle to be the first to use its Palm POS to employ a line of electronic prepaid products. Fuel will undoubtedly be among the prepaid product offerings which is why Stewart’s relies on Allied’s popular Generic ANDI software for fast and seamless forecourt functionality. When prepaid cards are used at the dispenser payment terminal, the ANDI software will make it possible for the Palm POS to track such data elements as the card’s dollar balance and remaining uses! Click here for the CSP article on Stewart’s latest marketing decision. |
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October 2007
Pinnacle Palm POS Achieves PCI Compliance! |
As the deadline for PCI compliance looms, Allied POS partner The Pinnacle Corporation recently passed the audit deeming the Palm POS certified in the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS). Users of the Palm POS can rest assured that unprecedented security measures will be in place with regards to sensitive cardholder data. Many of Allied’s customers employ the Palm POS with Allied’s ANDI and NeXGen platforms, both of which are also undergoing PCI compliance certification. Click here for the NACS Online article Pinnacle Palm POS Achieves PCI Compliance.
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August 2007
Road Ranger to Employ Palm/NeXGen Solution |
With customer loyalty and security in mind, Road Ranger recently decided to move forward with Pinnacle’s Palm POS system and Allied’s NeXGen forecourt controller. Palm’s loyalty features coupled with NeXGen’s lightning quick response times and Ethernet capabilities demonstrate Road Ranger’s commitment to customer service. Click here for the CSP article to learn more about Road Ranger’s future plans. |
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July 2007
Christy’s Bridging the “Gulf” between Retail and Customer Trust |
ANDI user Christy’s of Cape Cod recently made the “switch” from CITGO to Gulf Oil due to Gulf’s 100 year history of providing quality products and services to its customers. Christy’s demonstrated a similar commitment to its customers by choosing Allied’s ANDI Forecourt Controller. As a user of the Pinnacle point-of-sale system and Allied’s Generic ANDI software, Christy’s customers and employees enjoy fast and seamless fuel sales in addition to a variety of features and enhancements. Click here for the CSP article on Christy’s Big Switch. |
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May 2007
Only at Kwik Trip - Do-it-yourself model |
ANDI user Kwik Trip has over 380 sites and millions of customers who know a good thing when they see it. Efficiency and cleanliness are just two of the reasons that keep them coming back. Another might be the lightning quick response times for fuel sales. Kwik Trip is a user of Allied’s popular Generic Gilbarco ANDI software in their station site controller. Click here for the CSP article on Kwik Trip’s uniqueness and feel free to contact Allied Electronics for more information on our impressive line of forecourt controllers. |
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October 2006
Pilot’s Northern Exposure |
Pilot Travel Centers joins Allied’s many other Canadian customers as the company opens its first international location in Ontario. Pilot trusts the ANDI Forecourt Controller with the Petrovend Island Payment Terminal technology to drive all of its high volume sites. Click here for the article Pilot Goes International detailing Pilot’s decision to enter the Land of Maple Leaf. |
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October 2006
Allied Hits Big in Vegas |
Allied’s presence was definitely felt at this year’s NACS Convention in Las Vegas with the unveiling of three new booths. In addition to Allied’s impressive main booth in the Petroleum pavilion, attendees were also exposed to the new Parts and Power Conditioning Sales booth as well as a separate booth in the Technology pavilion. Visitors were greeted with a full complement of friendly management, technical, and sales personnel eagerly displaying Allied’s latest products and services. |
NeXGen design engineer Lou Seitchik was on hand to discuss such products as the NeXGen Forecourt Controller as well as the new Allied Communicator. Already wildly popular with software developers, the Allied Communicator boasts of many features aimed at development troubleshooting and efficiency. All of Allied’s booths at NACS 2006 garnered much attention and will continue to do so in the future as Allied continues to meet and exceed the demands of today’s petroleum industry. |
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June 2006
Casey’s “Solid” ANDI/Retalix Solution |
If business is all about the bottom line, then decisions like the one to use the ANDI Forecourt Controller in more than 1500 Casey’s General Stores locations should make investors dance in their aisles. Increased profits on fuel sales on a per store basis helped bring the company’s yearly earnings to an “all-time high.” Click here to read article about Casey’s Reports "Very Solid" Quarter. |
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June 2006
The ANDI Has Landed |
Wawa Inc. recently announced its plan to open a convenience store on the grounds of the Northeast Philadelphia Airport. Wawa’s customers will enjoy Gilbarco’s contactless card payment terminal technology supported in Allied’s ANDI Forecourt Controller. Allied’s successful relationship with Wawa is evident as the number of retail fuel locations continues to grow. Click here to read more about Wawa’s first airport C-Store. |
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April 2006
Retalix POS is Hy-Vee’s “Best” in the Midwest |
Allied customer Hy-Vee, Inc. continues to serve its customers by rolling out the “best solution” to hundreds of grocery stores in the Midwest. Many of Allied’s customers are enjoying the benefits of the Retalix/ANDI forecourt controller solution and its growing list of popular enhancements. A recent article in the CSP Daily News Hy-Vee Deploys Retalix POS Applications discusses why the decision to go with the solution was an easy one. |
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March 2006
A Cup of Coffee, A Sandwich—and GAS! |
Wawa believes bigger really is better as the company plans to sell fuel at all of its new stores in 2006. Of course, this means that Wawa will be utilizing the new RFID and electronic price sign functionality recently supported by Allied’s ANDI Forecourt Controller. Click here to read article about Wawa’s big plans for the coming year. |
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December 2005
Costco Hopes to Shine with Allied’s New Car Wash IPT Interface |
Allied recently developed an interface for a Car Wash Island Payment Terminal. Costco’s Seattle market will be the first to enjoy the new implementation. Click here for the Costco Coming Clean press release. |
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November 2005
Circle K Meets NeXGen |
Allied recently completed the first install of the new NeXGen Forecourt Controller with new customer Circle K. The Tampa area location will be the first to enjoy the benefits of NeXGen’s open architecture design, lightning quick response times, TCP/IP connectivity, and a host of other features. Circle K plans to roll out the NeXGen solution into hundreds of domestic locations within the year. A Canadian implementation is also on the horizon.
Allied’s “Circle K” project included certification on the ADS Network via the Conoco Phillips Network Interface, a comprehensive piece allowing Circle K to fully utilize NeXGen’s TCP/IP capabilities. Allied is very excited over the new relationship with Circle K and looks forward to the installation and support of the newest advancements in forecourt control technology!
For more information regarding NeXGen, or contact Al Magro at 800.223.3619 or Sales@AlliedElectronics.com. |
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October 2005
Acorn Nuts About Foodservice |
ANDI user Acorn Markets continues to seek out ways to become the mighty oak in a forest of competition. A recent article in the CSP Daily News discusses Acorn’s new approach to marketing high quality products in rural communities. For the complete story, Acorn Nuts About Foodservice. |
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June 2005
NACStech highlights self-service |
ATM Marketplace News lauds Allied’s Helix PIC and NeXGen products as two highlights of NACStech 2005. Click here for the complete story NACStech highlights self-service. |
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May 2005
Flash Foods Introduces New POS Solution to Over 180 Stores |
Less is more as Flash Foods rolls out new, space efficient, NCR hardware containing the Pinnacle Palm POS application. Allied’s ANDI Forecourt Controller solution provides even more stability to the fuel operation. Such an ambitious rollout demonstrates the strength and integrity of the ANDI/Palm/NCR solution. For the complete story, Flash Foods Completes Rollout of NCR POS Technology. |
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March 2005
Palm POS Continues to Support ExxonMobil Payment Network |
Allied’s partnership with Pinnacle and their Palm POS platform provides a reliable branded card processing offering. Flash Foods Inc. is a valued user of the Allied Network & Dispenser Interface ANDI Controller and is presently in field trials with the latest EMV4 platform. For the complete story Palm POS Continues to Support ExxonMobil Payment Network. |
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January 2005
Hy-Vee Grows as Shoppers Save Money |
In today’s hyper market, customer convenience and customer retention go hand-in-hand. Featuring Allied’s loyalty and price per gallon discounting technology, Hy-Vee Gas proudly announces the grocer’s 47th 24-hour gas station! For the rest of the story, Hy-Vee Opens Another Gas Station. |
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September 2004
Casey’s Teams Up with Industry Leaders to Reach Milestone |
Allied’s partnership with Retalix Ltd. has significantly strengthened the market presence for both companies. Casey’s General Stores Inc. is a valued user of the ANDI Forecourt Controller and recently completed its 650 th rollout! For the complete story, Casey's Tech Milestone. |
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