Blue Rhino
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| Blue Rhino | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | Business Unit of Ferrellgas NYSE: FGP |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Billy Prim |
| Headquarters |  Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA |
| Website | www.bluerhino.com |
Blue Rhino was cofounded in 1994 by Billy Prim and Andrew Filipowski, both North Carolina businessmen, with the goal of building a national brand of propane tank exchange that would capitalize on the growth in gas grill sales and year-round grilling. At the time, propane tank exchange was viewed as a commodity and a large number of consumers got their tanks filled by various vendors.
A national distribution network was constructed and retailer partnerships were established. Today, the distribution network maintains a presence in all fifty states, Puerto Rico. As of 2006 Blue Rhino no longers sells propane in Canada. The company was named Blue Rhino after the strong, tough, interesting and fun-loving animals Prim had admired on a trip to Africa.
In April of 2004, Blue Rhino was acquired by Ferrellgas, the nation's second largest propane retailer and Fortune 1000 company, for approximately $340 million USD. The venture provided Ferrellgas with a presence in the growing propane tank exchange market, and Blue Rhino's headquarters remained in Winston-Salem, NC.
Blue Rhino is also a leading designer and marketer of barbecue grills, outdoor heaters, mosquito elimination appliances and other outdoor appliances.
Blue Rhino is also the organization behind Rhino-Power, a carbon dioxide cylinder that is able to be exchanged at retailers across the country. Rhino-Power has a variety of uses, but is primarily used as a propellant for both paintball guns and construction tools.
