Carolina Propane

What Carolina Propane does

Carolina Propane is a privately held, family-owned regional propane distributor headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina, founded in 1975 (per company history) and operating for over 50 years. The company delivers propane fuel and provides tank installation, equipment, and professional services to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across eight Central and Lowcountry South Carolina counties (Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Lexington, and Bamberg). Core operations consist of bobtail truck delivery to customer-owned tanks ranging from 120 to 1,000 gallons, supported by a Degree Day/Automatic Delivery system that uses historical usage patterns, weather data, and wireless tank monitoring to schedule refills when tanks reach approximately 30 percent capacity.

The company monetizes through three revenue streams: usage-based propane fuel sales (the primary stream), one-time sales of propane appliances and equipment (Rinnai tankless water heaters, Real Fyre logs, Traeger and Wilmington grills, Bayou Classic cookware, propane furnaces, generators, ranges, dryers, fireplaces, and outdoor heaters), and professional services for tank installation and gas line work. Multiple pricing programs — Automatic Delivery, Budget Payment Plan (11 equal monthly payments plus a settle-up), Pre-Buy (minimum 600 gallons locked-in price), Price Cap (up to 3,000 gallons capped), and Budget Fixed Price — allow customers to manage cost volatility. Customer acquisition relies on direct-to-consumer channels including a website, MyFuelPortal, iOS and Android mobile apps, phone sales, and a referral program offering $100 credits to both referrer and referred friend.

Customer segments are horizontally diversified across residential homeowners (heating, water heating, cooking, drying, generators, outdoor living), commercial and industrial businesses (fleet fueling, forklift propane, restaurants, hotels, warehouses, standby generators), and agricultural operations (grain drying, irrigation engines, poultry brooding, greenhouse heating, flame weed control). The company maintains memberships in the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) and the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), participates in LIHEAP, and holds a Preferred supplier relationship with Rinnai. No public revenue figures, funding rounds, or M&A activity are disclosed.

Name

Carolina Propane

Legal name

Carolina Propane

Website

https://carolinapropane.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Carolina Propane is a privately held, family-owned regional propane distributor founded in 1975 and headquartered in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It delivers propane fuel, tanks, and appliances to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across eight Central and Lowcountry South Carolina counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Propane Distribution and Supply

NAICS

Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (424710)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAOAKAJ

Propane (LP) Gas Line Installation & Conversion

Home & Personal Services/Plumbing, Electrical & HVAC Services/Gas Line Installation, Inspection & Repair

Keywords

• Propane delivery services
• Residential propane supply
• Commercial propane supply
• Agricultural propane supply
• Propane tank installation

Headquarters

HQ city

Orangeburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Propane Fuel Sales: Primary revenue from selling propane fuel to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers. Propane is delivered via bobtail trucks and dispensed into customer tanks. Revenue is generated through fuel consumption based on usage.
2. Propane Equipment and Appliances: Sales of propane-powered appliances including tankless water heaters (Rinnai), gas logs (Real Fyre), grills (Traeger, Wilmington Grill, Bayou Classic), cookware, and related equipment. Includes installation services for tanks and gas lines.
3. Tank Installation Services: Installation of propane tanks (above ground and underground) ranging from 120 to 1000 gallons, gas line installation, connections, and leak testing services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Carolina Propane is a full-service propane distributor delivering bulk propane fuel via bobtail trucks to residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across Central and Lowcountry South Carolina. The company sells and installs propane tanks (120–1000 gallons), offers automatic and will-call delivery scheduling supported by tank-monitoring technology, and retails propane appliances, grills, and cookware. It also provides professional tank and gas-line installation, leak testing, and customer account management through the MyFuelPortal platform.

Product overview

Carolina Propane is a full-service propane supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of propane products and services for residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in South Carolina. The core offering includes propane delivery and supply (Residential Propane, Commercial Propane, Agricultural Propane) with various delivery programs (Automatic Delivery, Will Call, Pre-Buy, Price Cap, Budget Fixed Price). The company also provides and installs propane tanks in multiple sizes (120-1000 gallons), sells appliances and equipment including Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters, propane furnaces, fireplaces, generators, ranges, dryers, and grain/irrigation equipment, and offers customer programs such as Budget Payment Plans and Refer a Friend incentives. The business operates through its MyFuelPortal customer portal for account management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Propane Bulk propane delivery and service for residential customers in South Carolina, supporting home heating, water heating, cooking, clothes drying, fireplaces, generators, and outdoor living applications.
• Commercial Propane Bulk propane supply and service for commercial customers including restaurants, warehouses, hotels, laundromats, fleet fueling, forklift operations, and standby generators, with volume discounts and customized tank sizing.
• Agricultural Propane Propane services for farms and agricultural operations including grain drying, irrigation engines, poultry brooding, greenhouse heating, weed flaming, and equipment fueling.
• Propane Tank Installation Professional installation of above-ground and underground propane tanks in sizes from 120 to 1000 gallons, including gas line installation, connections, and leak testing.
• Automatic Delivery Program Scheduled propane delivery service using historical usage, weather data, and tank monitoring to automatically dispense fuel when tank levels reach approximately 30% capacity, preventing run-outs.
• Will Call Delivery Customer-initiated propane delivery requiring notification when tank reaches 30% capacity, with three business days' notice for delivery. Minimum delivery of 100 gallons for all tanks.
• Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters High-efficiency propane tankless water heaters providing on-demand endless hot water with greater efficiency than traditional tank units; stocked and installed as a preferred Rinnai supplier.
• Propane Water Heaters Propane-powered water heaters in tank and tankless options, offering faster recovery rates and energy efficiency ratings up to 98%.
• Propane Furnaces High-efficiency propane furnaces with AFUE ratings of 90% or higher for residential heating.
• Propane Fireplaces Gas fireplaces with efficiency ratings exceeding 90%, available in vented and vent-free models with real flame ambiance.
• Propane Generators Backup power generators powered by propane, available in sizes from 5 to 400 kW for residential and commercial applications.
• Propane Ranges and Ovens Propane-powered cooking appliances offering precise temperature control, instant heat, and reliable operation during power outages.
• Propane Clothes Dryers Energy-efficient propane dryers with fast drying times and precise temperature control, converting up to 90% of energy into usable heat.
• Propane Grain Dryers High-efficiency grain drying equipment using propane, up to 50% more efficient than older models with approximately 1,650 BTUs to remove a pound of water.
• Propane Irrigation Engines Clean-burning propane engines for irrigation systems, offering fuel cost savings up to 50% versus diesel and lower maintenance.
• Propane Weed Flaming Equipment Propane-powered flame weed control equipment providing chemical-free weed management for agricultural and residential applications.
• Propane Pool and Patio Heaters Outdoor heating solutions including pool heaters and patio heaters that can raise surrounding temperatures by 10 to 30 degrees.
• Traeger Pellet Grills Wood-fired pellet grills for outdoor cooking sold through Carolina Propane's grills and cookware product line.
• Wilmington Grill Gas grills manufactured by Wilmington Grill, offered as part of Carolina Propane's grilling products.
• Primo Charcoal Grills Lump charcoal grills for outdoor cooking, available through Carolina Propane's product line.
• Bayou Classic Cast Iron Cookware Cast iron cookware for outdoor propane cooking including pots, steamers, boilers, and fryers.
• Real Fyre Gas Logs Gas fireplace logs and inserts by Real Fyre (Peterson) for vented and vent-free fireplaces, providing ambiance and supplemental heating.
• Propane Space Heaters Propane space heaters for unheated areas such as garages, workshops, sheds, and enclosed porches.
• Propane Brooders Propane-powered heating devices for poultry brooding, providing warmth to young chicks in agricultural operations.
• Greenhouse Heating Systems Propane heating solutions for greenhouses, maintaining safe temperatures for plants and animals during winter months.
• MyFuelPortal Customer Portal Online customer account portal for viewing delivery history, tank levels, payments, statements, and managing propane accounts, accessible via web and iOS/Android mobile apps.

Quantifiable outcome

• Propane forklifts produce 19% fewer emissions than gasoline forklifts and 7% fewer than diesel
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supportive, industry and preferred.

• LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)supportiveOthersCarolina Propane participates in the federally-funded LIHEAP program which assists families with energy costs. This partnership helps low-income households in South Carolina access propane heating and cooling assistance.
• 811 Before You DigsupportiveOthersNational safety resource that helps prevent damage to underground utilities. Carolina Propane supports this initiative to ensure safe digging practices and protect gas lines in their service area.
• Propane Education & Research Council (PERC)industryOthersIndustry organization dedicated to educating consumers and developing new propane technologies. Carolina Propane aligns with PERC guidelines and promotes their safety and efficiency resources.
• National Propane Gas Association (NPGA)industryOthersNational trade association representing the propane industry. Carolina Propane stays informed on industry regulations, safety standards, and policy developments through NPGA membership.
• RinnaipreferredTechnology or IntegrationPreferred supplier of tankless water heaters. Carolina Propane stocks and installs Rinnai tankless water heaters as part of their propane appliance offerings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Blossman Gas: Family-owned regional propane distributor headquartered in the Southeast serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers across multiple states. Closest comparable in scale and operating model to Carolina Propane.
• ThompsonGas: Regional propane retailer serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast with residential, commercial, and agricultural propane delivery plus appliance sales. Highly comparable service offering, pricing-program structure, and customer mix to Carolina Propane.
• Heritage Propane: Regional propane retailer now operating under Suburban Propane; historically served residential, commercial, and agricultural customers in the Southeast. Near-identical service profile to Carolina Propane and acquired by a larger consolidator.

Broad incumbents

• Ferrellgas Partners: Large U.S. propane retailer operating across all 50 states, also owner of the Blue Rhino tank-exchange brand. Same residential/commercial/agricustomer segments as Carolina Propane, with national-scale procurement and marketing.
• Suburban Propane Partners: Major publicly-traded U.S. propane retailer (and owner of Heritage Propane) serving residential, commercial, and agricultural customers nationwide. Operates an active acquisition program targeting regional propane dealers similar to Carolina Propane.
• AmeriGas Propane: Largest U.S. retail propane distributor with national footprint serving residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial customers. Direct functional overlap with Carolina Propane but at vastly greater scale; AmeriGas frequently acquires regional independents.

Regional players

• Gas South: Southeast U.S. natural gas marketer serving Georgia and adjacent markets. Different commodity but same regional energy-retail orientation and residential/SMB customer base; both compete for household energy-spend wallet in the broader Southeast.

Others

• Pilot Thomas Logistics: Fuel and propane logistics/distribution company serving commercial and industrial customers across the U.S. Comparable bulk fuel-handling and propane-distribution capabilities, though operates more upstream than Carolina Propane's retail model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Carolina-Propane-Gas-Corp-347745645270298

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carolina Propane