Two young (age 32) family men, Raz Karchov and Ran Nahmani, approached us in early April for consultation on establishing a business in Arad. They are now setting up a garage for conversion of motor vehicles from gasoline to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and an LPG filling station, situated at the entrance to the Arad Industrial Zone.

The higher vehicle fuel prices climb, the more attractive gasoline substitutes become. Although a petroleum by-product LPG is far less polluting than gasoline and diesel fuel. Its advantage to the consumer is its price - about half that of other fuels, resulting in 50% fuel savings.

The company markets kits for conversion of motor vehicles to LPG use and decided to set up an LPG conversion center in Arad, with an adjoining LPG filling station. The enterprise is expected to employ about eight persons - four at the filling station and four at the garage.

The business encouraged Ran to return to Arad and make his home there.

Economic Development Unit assistance included a get acquainted meeting, informing the entrepreneurs of all available assistance, including municipal business licensing procedures. They were referred to the Nes Fund - the Jewish Agency's Negev Business Loan Fund - for business establishment financing. They passed the Fund's review and were accorded support. They were then referred for long-term business mentoring during the first few months of business establishment.

We wish them the best of luck.