Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Old business-BBD9000

The BBD9000 is in operational test mode currently. Several board members have successfully purchased fuel at their convenience, outside of 'normal' business hours.

Scenarios are being tested- e.g., can a member buy fuel if their membership is not current?
Debugging will be complete by end of June.

Sales have increased from 2007 to 2008:
5 weeks around June 2007 (221, 233, 205, 168, 265 gallons->1092/5= 218.4 gallons per week)
Last 5 weeks, June 2008 (225,330,300 215,337 gallons -> 1407/5= 281.4 gallons per week)

That's a 28.8% increase in volume. Considering the price has increased from $3.25 per gallon to $4.75 per gallon, (46% increase)
sales have increased over 40%.

We expect this increase to grow faster with the expansion of hours for the membership to buy fuel, enabled by the BBD9000.

Finally we discussed providing the service for running the BBD9000 for other coops and biodiesel sellers in the area. We have learned how to maintain a database of members and keep track of sales, etc.
We will set up a virtual domain and website and administer those things for our clients. We can lease or sell BBD9000 machines, or help other groups assemble their own.
Ilya had purchased circuit boards with Baltimore Biodiesel enscripted on them and will be working with Rich to populate them.
Ilya has purchased a swipe machine and computer and estimates the cost of a new BBD9000 to have decreased to somewhere around $1700, including a wireless modem.

Considering fuel pumps that are used at gas stations cost upwards of $10,000 each, the BBD9000 is a really attractive alternative.

A business development committtee was proposed. Their job will be to make a plan for distribution and production fo BBD9000's in the future.

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