Vineyard Propane Merges

Demand for propane my be on the rise but Island shoppers will soon find their options decreased. AmeriGas, the largest propane distributor in the country and one of three distributors on the Island, is set to acquire Vineyard Propane as part of a massive merger with Vineyard Propane’s parent company.

According to published reports, AmeriGas is expected to pay $2.9 billion for Heritage Propane, which owns Vineyard Propane and similar operations in 41 states. The merger was announced in October and is pending review by the Federal Trade Commission.

Vineyard Propane has historically served the majority of the Island’s propane needs with sales of approximately 10 million gallons per year. By contrast, AmeriGas sells about one million gallons locally, on a par with the Vineyard’s third distributor, Island Propane. Both AmeriGas and Vineyard Propane maintain office space in the Airport Business Park.