THE CYLINDER EXCHANGE MARKET
TAKING A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS

It is estimated that there are now 30 million gas grills in operation in the United States. By the year 1998 the market is expected to be at 36 million gas grills. Our market survey shows that each grill will consume 2.5 twenty pound cylinders per year. Therefore, in 1995 there will be 75 million cylinders consumed. By the end of 1998, the American public will be using 90 million cylinders per year. By even the most conservative estimates, this represents an enormous market potential waiting to be served.

The "backyard barbecuer" or end user, of the twenty pound cylinder is the American public. They are accustomed to convenient shopping at the corner convenience store.

In most areas of the United States, the only way for your customer to fill his or her twenty pound cylinder is to take it either to a pump station, which is not always convenient, or take it to a bulk plant, which is the epitome of inconvenience because of location (most bulk plants are located out in the country), and long waits while the secretary in the office finds someone to fill the cylinder. Furthermore, bulk plants are usually only open to the public on Saturday mornings!

Since the L.P. Gas industry has historically considered the twenty pound cylinder a captive market, they have not addressed the market with any plan to make it easier or more convenient for the customer to purchase the product.

Therefore, there is a substantial untapped market for the retailer who is willing to offer this much-in-demand product at customer convenient locations, during customer convenient shopping hours. Those hours are weekends and evenings, exactly the times when most fill yards are closed!

It is the intent of DiSanto Jet Gas, Inc., as a distributor of twenty pound propane grill cylinders to make this product available to the "backyard barbecuer" through our ever-expanding network of convenience stores.

The retail customer needs only to bring his empty twenty pound cylinder to your convenience store and exchange it for a full cylinder. All in all, a much simpler process than going to a bulk plant and waiting in line on a Saturday morning.