About Us

50 Years of Community Propane Service

Kamps Propane bobtail delivery trucks have been a familiar sight around the central valley for generations.Kamps Propane started in 1966 in the second bedroom of John Kamps’ two- bedroom apartment. Those humble beginnings didn’t last long. Kamps Propane’s success story now includes retail, BBQ exchange and wholesale operations, with over 2.5 million gallons of in-field propane storage. There are now 13 Kamps Propane offices throughout California, a retail company with 2 locations out of state (High Country Propane), along with the wholesale company (KIVA Energy), and  Pick Up Propane.

Wholesale – KIVA Energy

Kamps Wholesale began operations in 1974, selling to marketers and end users such as gold mines and processing plants. The business changed its name to KIVA Energy and expanded it to Western U.S., including Oregon, Washington, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

Kamps Wholesale started with one transport, and the fleet grew through the time when the business changed its name. KIVA Energy now operates over 2o transports along with rail and storage facilities. The company has strategic supply contracts with various gas plants and refineries.

Looking into the Future

Kamps eventually expanded to the San Francisco Bay area, opening sites in Sacramento and Hayward. After operating for years in Hayward, Kamps moved to a different 3-acre site in the city, with three underground 30,000-gallon tanks.

Kamps continues looking at new innovations and upgrading its facilities. Kamps has implemented its Smart System, a bulk propane tank monitoring system that allows Kamps to see the fuel supply level of its customer tanks and also helps Kamps route its trucks most efficiently. Kamps developed the Web-based program with Blue Star Gas (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and The Fuel Web (North Bend, Wash.).

In 2014 the company introduced the first cylinder exchange program for 1lb refillable propane tanks. Offered as the Little Kamper, the new service allows people who use small propane tanks for recreation and outdoor activities to purchase the small tanks at Kamps Propane stores and exchange them when empty for refilled cylinders. The Little Kamper exchange program offers recreational propane users an environmentally intelligent alternative to disposable cylinders.

In 2017 Pick Up Propane opened a new production facility in Jurupa Valley (Riverside County). The 6-acre facility features an automated cylinder refilling system that will help the company deliver the highest quality product to the marketplace. The new facility has built from the ground up with 120,000 gallons of storage and a retail office for Kamps Propane.

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