Latest news with #servo
News.com.au
11-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Criterion: Convenient or otherwise, changes are coming to a servo near you
Following a successful pilot, Ampol is taking DIY petrol to another level Viva Energy leans on its better-performing OTR brand for its expansion plans An inconvenient truth: illegal tobacco has hurt servo sales As with shoppers at self-service supermarket checkouts, motorists are long accustomed to helping themselves at the bowser – even if they splash their nice clothes with eau de octane 91 in the process. Motoring outside of Hobart recently, your columnist was shocked to encounter a human attendant on the tarmac. Granted, he didn't don a 1950s style cap and bow tie or offer to 'fill 'er up with super' and check the air and water. A nice retro touch, nonetheless. To the dismay of nostalgists, Ampol (ASX:ALD) is taking 'service' out of servos altogether. In a pilot, Ampol has converted 19 existing unstaffed fuel-only outlets under the U-Go banner – and a wider rollout beckons. Servo without a smile Ampol reported that after at least four months of operation, U-Go pilot fuel volumes rose 50%, with an average per-site annual earnings improvement of $300,000 (the same as the conversion cost). Ampol plans to convert 60 sites by the end of 2026, plus around 40 in New Zealand. The company expects this to generate $30 million of extra earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation (ebitda) by the end of 2030. Put in context, Ampol made $928 million of ebitda from its convenience sites in calendar 2024. In effect, Ampol has abandoned using the bowser as a loss leader at its sites that weren't much chop anyway. 'This retail fuel model is not prevalent in Australia, so it provides a lower cost way for Ampol to compete with lower price fuel offers from other independents,'' says RBC Capital Markets. Fill her up (with coffee and Kit-Kats) Ampol's initiative flies in the face of treating fuel as merely an entrée into the riches of roadside convenience: ciggies, choccie bars and – of course – coffee. Fuel margins are always wafer thin and margins haven't been helped by a demand downturn caused by the cost of living. Inside the store, the illegal tobacco trade has severely crimped sales. The country's biggest convenience fuel retailer, Ampol (formerly Caltex) has around 1800 outlets, 890 company owned. Ampol reported a 5% decline in first (March) quarter retail fuel volumes, to 867 million litres. But the company also managed unquantified 'mid-single digit' earnings growth, the result of its 'premium network and market positioning underpinned by improved fuel margins.' Dodgy tobacco stubs out sales Over at rival Viva Energy (ASX:VEA), convenience sales fell 7% to $428 million in the quarter, but excluding tobacco edged up half a per cent. Viva has about 1000 outlets, mainly former Coles Express stores which are being rebranded as Reddy Express. Viva highlights overall sector figures showing sales retreated 15% in 2024. But excluding tobacco, turnover rose 0.5%. Viva notes a potential tobacco recovery as 'a result of stricter penalties and enforcement' of the illicit trade. Don't hold your breath. Viva takes the premium route In contrast to Ampol's robo-servo strategy, Viva is taking its convenience offering upmarket via its SA-based OTR chain, acquired last year for $1.15 billion. OTR stores are known for their impressive fit out and product range. We're not just making this up: Viva says OTR accounts for 25% of its shop sales, with each established outlet generating a $600,000 margin compared with $200,000 for its Reddy Express outlets. OTR is also about spending money to make money: the average wages bill per OTR outlet is $600,000 – three times that of a Reddy Express store. OTR currently has 180 stores and Viva plans to expand this reach by 40 to 60 outlets per year. The OTR purchase also means that 25% of Viva's non-fuel convenience sales are in SA, one of the country's less – er, robust economies. Viva's OTR rollout will be biased to NSW, where Viva is underrepresented. Refining strategies to suit the times Meanwhile, both companies are eking out efficiencies from their barely viable refineries: Ampol's Lytton plant in Brisbane and Viva's Shell refinery in Geelong. The lower Australian dollar provides relief, as US-denominated refiner earnings are converted into the local currency. As for the stores, Ampol says 'lower fuel prices are expected to be a modest tailwind for retail fuel volumes and should temporarily benefit fuel margins.' Viva and Ampol shares have declined 50% and 27% respectively over the last year but have done better over the last month. Arguably, the sell off is a case of a 'tank half full' opportunity for investors - with or without the two-for-the-price-of-one Cherry Ripes lurking at every counter.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Automotive
- Associated Press
ECM Unveils High-Torque, Ultra-Compact Servo Motor with Integrated Harmonic Drive Ahead of Automate 2025
ECM's new servo motor delivers 18.8Nm of torque from just 0.57kg-achieving an exceptional torque-to-weight ratio in an ultra-compact footprint. NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS / ACCESS Newswire / May 6, 2025 / US electric motor design software firm ECM PCB Stator Tech , has announced the launch of its groundbreaking new servo motor featuring an integrated 50:1 gear ratio harmonic drive-engineered to deliver unmatched torque density, precision, and compactness. ECM's new 'Eight Ball' motor solution will be on display at Automate 2025 (Booth 6223), alongside the company's growing lineup of 0.5Nm and 2Nm Servo Evaluation Motors available for immediate purchase. ECM's 'Eight Ball' integrates a PrintStator-designed PCB Stator with a 50:1 harmonic drive, delivering an impressive 18.8 Nm of torque in a compact form factor. Setting a New Standard for Compact High-Torque Motors The Eight Ball addresses critical challenges faced by automation, robotics, aerospace, and medtech engineers: space constraints, weight sensitivity, and precision control. Despite its ultra-compact form factor (2.95" x 3.35" x 1.96") and minimal weight (0.57 kg/1.26 lbs), the Eight Ball generates an impressive 18.8Nm of torque-driven by an integrated harmonic drive and powered by ECM's patented PCB Stator motor technology. Equipped with dual encoders for closed-loop feedback, the Eight Ball delivers cog-free operation with pinpoint positional accuracy-making it ideal for robotic arms, precision automation, UAV systems, and medical devices where every gram and degree counts. Innovation in Every Turn By uniting high-torque harmonic drive technology with ECM's award-winning PCB Stator design approach, the Eight Ball offers: Exceptional torque-to-size performance Energy efficiency gains through minimized inertia Reduced raw material usage and system complexity Flexible thru-hole design for seamless system integration ECM's new Eight Ball servo joins a broader suite of next-generation electric motor innovations-delivered through PrintStator SaaS , off-the-shelf PCB Stator Evaluation Motors , and full-service Motor Development offerings. ECM also offers a wider range of PCB Stator Evaluation Motors, enabling businesses to quickly test and validate this innovative motor solution. Servo Motors Built for the Next Generation Alongside the Eight Ball, ECM is also showcasing its versatile 0.5Nm and 2Nm Servo Evaluation Motors at Automate 2025-enabling innovators to fast-track product development with highly efficient, lightweight, and precision-optimized servo solutions. This launch is supported by a technical case study, which explores the engineering challenges that high-torque, space-constrained applications face-and how ECM's integrated harmonic drive and PCB Stator architecture overcomes them. Read the full case study here. 'The Eight Ball is a breakthrough in what's possible for compact, high-precision motion control,' said Brian Casey, CEO of ECM PCB Stator Tech. 'By combining our advanced PCB Stator technology with an integrated harmonic drive, we're empowering customers to meet-and exceed-the most demanding engineering challenges across robotics, aerospace, automation, and beyond.' About ECM PCB Stator Tech The Leaders in PCB Stator Motor Innovation ECM PCB Stator Tech delivers the only full-stack solution for electric motor innovation-empowering partners to design, prototype, and optimize next-generation PCB Stator motors with unprecedented precision and speed. Through our PrintStator Motor CAD platform and patented PCB Stator technology, ECM enables customers to overcome the limitations of traditional motors and rethink what's possible. Our approach unlocks: Compact, Lightweight Design : Ultra-thin motors that use up to 80% less raw materials Unmatched Motion Performance : High efficiency, cog-free precision, reduced noise, and longer life cycles Accelerated Speed-to-Market : Advanced software-driven optimization for rapid prototyping and deployment ECM's PrintStator Motor CAD software enables engineers and innovators to design PCB Stator motors in minutes. From aerospace to automation, HVAC, consumer appliances and medtech, ECM partners with innovators to build electric motors that power the future. ECM's partners include consumer electronics leader Thrustmaster , publicly traded aerospace and technology company L3 Harris , global electronics manufacturer Celestica , marine and rail component leader B. Hepworth, global engineering and manufacturing services firm East West Manufacturing, and consumer electronics startup Nodo Film Systems . ECM maintains offices in Boston (MA), Bozeman (MT), and business development representatives in Europe. Learn more about ECM's PCB Stator solutions and PrintStator Motor CAD platform at and in these videos: 'How Does a PCB Stator Work?' and 'Designing Sustainable Electric Motors.' Contact Information Sam Jones Director of Marketing and Communications [email protected] SOURCE: ECM PCB Stator Tech press release
