Ascendant Group Limited announced yesterday that its Bermuda Gas subsidiary would be adopting a gas-focused business model. In a statement today, Bermuda Gas has provided additional information about the operational changes undertaken by the company.

“Following a comprehensive review of Bermuda Gas operations, we determined that we need to concentrate on our core propane gas business, commercial and gas services,” said Judith Uddin, the Bermuda Gas general manager and chief operating officer. “Retail appliance sales, parts and repair service businesses have not produced acceptable outcomes for the company and our customers, and therefore we have determined to focus exclusively on our primary business: the sale and delivery of propane gas in bulk and cylinders to our commercial and residential customers, as well as the provision of service to our commercial customers.”

This reorganisation was deemed necessary as the company was expending an increasing amount of its energies and resources on the supply and maintenance of retail appliances. “This has been preventing Bermuda Gas from providing the level of service that we want, and need, to deliver to our customers,” Ms Uddin added. “We intend to deliver enhanced customer service, along with our gas, in the future.”

By redirecting its resources to the supply of propane gas, Bermuda Gas will become a more streamlined enterprise, a move that will affect between 14 and 21 team members. The company expects that some staff members will opt to take early retirement and other affected individuals will be provided with a redundancy package. In addition, professional re-employment services will be secured by the company for these staff members, and the services of the Bermuda Government’s Department of Workforce Development will be available to affected staff.

Bermuda Gas says that it is committed to further assisting some of its service team members to set up as independent contractors or to establish themselves in new business ventures. “One example is that we will offer vehicles to service technicians to assist them to begin new careers as independent service providers,” Ms Uddin said.

Bermuda Gas will honour its contractual commitments, with existing appliance customers to be contacted by the company regarding appliance warranty options.

“However difficult this decision has been for us to make, the change at Bermuda Gas is a necessary step to ensure competitive gas sales and commercial services to our customers,” Ms Uddin added.

Bermuda Gas looks forward to exceeding the expectations of its valued commercial and residential gas customers, and commercial service customers, going forward.