Calor Gas needs you – yes, really!

Following the announcement earlier this year that it was ceasing production of its 6kg Lite cylinders, Calor has issued information that it hopes will put caravanners’ minds at rest, as well as hint at the company’s future plans.

The decision to discontinue the Lite gas bottles was because a higher number than expected were failing Calor’s routine quality inspections.

Therefore, instead of increasing production of a product the firm was working to change, Calor increased the number of standard, 6kg cylinders on the market and introduced its exchange scheme.

“We appreciate that this has caused some uncertainty and inconvenience and we apologise for this,” said Alistair Todd, Calor’s Cylinder Asset Manager, “but we are confident that our customers will still be able to obtain a suitable alternative and that, in the long term, we will be able to offer an improved cylinder solution.”

What next?

Calor tells us it is taking a three-pronged approach to addressing this problem, to deliver the products caravanners want and to create a more robust product.

One phase of this is research-based, and the manufacturer is working with representatives from The Camping and Caravanning Club, the Caravan and Motorhome Club, as well as major caravan brands.

In addition, Calor is keen to hear from the caravanning community, from the people that use the gas cylinders on tour.

Indeed, a dedicated email address has been set up. So email [email protected] if you’d like to register your interest and participate in this research.

Research and development

“The second area of focus is to increase this year’s investment in our existing stocks of standard 6kg models to £1 million, our largest investment in this cylinder in recent years,” added Todd.

This increase is to help insure that, while work is ongoing to develop a replacement for the Lite cylinder, sufficient stocks of the standard 6kg Calor Gas cylinders are available across the UK.

Finally, the ‘Stock Finder’ on Calor’s website is being updated, so it’s easier for caravanners to find out where they can buy 6kg bottles.

For now, the advice remains the same. Some 6kg Lite cylinders are still available.

However, if you’re looking to exchange yours and one isn’t in stock, you can get a standard 6kg model instead – and you can switch back to a Lite cylinder if this is available at your next exchange.

To find out more, please visit the dedicated question and answer section of the Calor website.

“We have been supporting caravanners since 1935 and will continue to do so, investing very heavily over the years to ensure that our retailer network carries sufficient stock of all caravan cylinder sizes,” said Todd.

“Calor’s new caravan and motorhome cylinder will be the next in a long line of products that we have developed just for this market.”