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Blue Rhino is an American propane tank exchange brand serving the outdoor living market. It is owned and operated by Ferrellgas, which is the second-largest marketer of propane in the United States based on retail gallons sold. Blue Rhino is sold at approximately 65,000 locations found in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

History
Blue Rhino was founded by American entrepreneur Billy D. Prim. Prim grew up in the small town of Boonville, North Carolina, about 30 miles west of Winston-Salem, and developed an interest in business while watching his father and grandfather lead the family’s farm supply company. Prim planned to attend North Carolina State University. But when his father died unexpectedly, Prim left school as a freshman to take care of his mom and two younger sisters. The family sold the business and Prim returned to school, pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Wake Forest University.

Prim’s first big step in the business world came when he founded American Oil & Gas Co., a regional petroleum marketer, in Boonville. It included a retail propane operation, a chain of convenience stores, and a trucking company, and it would serve as a launch pad for his national aspirations.

In 1989, after hearing about several successful overseas cylinder exchange ventures, Prim decided to set displays outside some of his local convenience stores. In the coming years, he added hundreds of sites across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. In 1993, he drew the attention of a local Walmart manager who needed a place to send grill customers for propane. Discussions with Walmart and Lowe’s turned to the possibilities of a national program.

Prim grew the brand through relationships with big box retailers and a nationwide network of independent distributors. Blue Rhino grew from just a handful of locations to about 29,000 selling locations in 49 states and Puerto Rico when it merged with Ferrellgas in 2004. Later that year, as Prim began his transition out of the propane industry, he founded Primo Water.

Prim was inducted into the LP Gas Hall of Fame on April 22, 2023, in ceremonies held at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Tennessee. Hosted by LP Gas magazine, one of the propane industry’s two trade publications, the event preceded the National Propane Gas Association’s 2023 Southeastern Convention & International Trade Show. It was the 10th class inducted. James E. Ferrell, Chairman and CEO of Blue Rhino parent company Ferrellgas, was inducted with the inaugural class in 2012. The event was postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Uses
Blue Rhino propane tanks have a variety of uses. These include:
 * Grilling
 * Patio heaters
 * Fire pits
 * Portable generators
 * Mosquito-elimination devices
 * Lawn mowers
 * Camping
 * Turkey frying
 * Tailgate parties
 * Smokers
 * Recreational vehicles (RVs)

Blue Rhino merges with Ferrellgas
On April 20, 2004, nationwide propane retailer Ferrellgas announced a merger agreement with Blue Rhino, which was then traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol RINO. Terms of the all-cash transaction called for the payment of $17 in cash for each share of Blue Rhino stock outstanding on the date of the closing of the transaction, an amount worth approximately $340 million. Blue Rhino boasted approximately 29,000 selling locations in 49 states and Puerto Rico at the time.

"Propane tank exchange has been and will continue to be the fastest growing portion of the retail propane industry," James E. Ferrell said that day. "This transaction will enable us to combine the strong winter cash flow of Ferrellgas with Blue Rhino's summer and fall grilling season. It turns out to be the perfect match."

Home delivery added to traditional exchange option
In 2021, Blue Rhino introduced home delivery service in a number of U.S. markets, giving homeowners the opportunity to purchase or exchange for a Blue Rhino tank from the convenience of home. Customers receive their new tank in 48 hours. Deliveries are not made on Sundays or major holidays and customers do not need to be present for the delivery. Blue Rhino home delivery markets include: Atlanta; Brooklyn, New York; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Jacksonville, Florida; Long Island, New York; Miami; Oklahoma City; Minneapolis-St. Paul; Mobile, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; Phoenix; Richmond, Virginia; Springfield, Massachusetts; Tampa, Florida; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

30th anniversary celebration
In a press release dated February 14, 2024, Blue Rhino announced plans for a year-long 30th anniversary celebration. “Birthdays are to be celebrated with family, friends, and loved ones,” Chet Reshamwala, Vice President & Head of Blue Rhino, said in the release. “Our community of family and friends are the millions of Americans who energize their backyard memories with Blue Rhino. Blue Rhino is proud to be a part of your backyard celebrations, and we are excited to celebrate this special occasion with fans all year long.”

30th anniversary celebration plans include giveaways and a nationwide sweepstakes that allows fans to enter to become an honorary Chief Grilling Officer. The company is promoting the important milestone with a special collector's edition commemorative tank sleeve and a dedicated Blue Rhino 30th Birthday website.

Key charity partnerships
Blue Rhino is the official propane exchange of Operation BBQ Relief, a charity of competition chefs who serve grilled food and hope in disaster areas. Founded in 2011 in the wake of the devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri, Operation BBQ Relief has since served millions of meals while deployed during dozens of disasters across the country. Blue Rhino supplies Operation BBQ Relief with propane for cooking and heating during deployments and fundraisers. Parent company Ferrellgas supplies propane in larger tanks as the charity's official propane.

Another key charitable partner is the International Rhino Foundation (IRF). The IRF manages, facilitates, and funds conservation initiatives for some of the most threatened rhino populations throughout Africa and Asia. They focuses on scientific research, anti-poaching, habitat and population management, conservation breeding, community development and capacity building, demand reduction, and legal training and support to fight illegal wildlife trade.