Main Street Business

I recently caught up with Heather Canetto of Herrington Fuels Inc., which is located just south of Hillsdale, NY, by the old Roe Jan School. Talking with Heather I learned not only about the ins and outs of her business but also about the family legacy that she’s continuing in the greater Hillsdale area. Heather spoke of the importance of their entire staff and the community that they service, along with the ever-evolving industry and how that has shaped their business. 

When was Herrington Fuels founded and what were the circumstances surrounding that?

In the 1860s, my great-grandfather Edmond Herrington, along with his father and brother in-law, started Bullock and Sons in the Hillsdale railyard, where Ed Herrington Inc. is located today. At the time, everything was brought in by train: lumber, feed, farm supplies, and coal. As the times and needs changed, Bullock and Sons became Ed Herrington Inc., and home heating transformed from coal heat to fuel oil and diesel for trucks. 

Fast forward to 1972, my grandfather Richard Herrington, who had two children, split the business into two businesses. My father, Ed Herrington, took over and ran Ed Herrington Inc., while his sister Mary Herrington Kuhn and her husband, Casey Kuhn, took over Herrington Fuels Inc. and ran that business. My aunt and her husband ran the business successfully until 1998 when they sold it to Fredrick and John Canetto. 

Fred and John kept the Herrington’s name, and with amazing foresight they added a service department. They continued and grew the Herrington Fuels legacy of keeping the homes within the Taconic Hills School district fueled and heating systems up and running. 

So Herrington Fuels is no longer owned by the Herrington family?

If you thought that to be true, you’d be wrong. One good marriage put the business back into the Herrington family. In 2002, I married John, and once our kids were in school, it was time for me to go back to work. Fred and John gave me the opportunity to come to work for the business, putting the fourth generation of Herringtons back in the mix at Herrington Fuels Inc. 

How has the business grown?

The growth of the business has been organic. It has grown in parallel with the needs of our community as they called for the continuation of fuel delivery with consistent service, maintenance, and installation of new heating and cooling systems. From 1998 through 2011, Herrington Fuels Inc. added more office staff and a larger service crew. In 2011, we identified the need to stay competitive with new home heating systems, so we added propane to our fuel mix. Our service technicians all underwent hours of training while we purchased new propane and delivery trucks. 

Tell us about your products and services.

Our product mix is constantly evolving and becoming not only more efficient but also cleaner. We now deliver biofuel and renewables, and we have added heat pumps and mini-split installations to our HVAC mix with service for those too of course. 

Despite all of the changes that have taken place in the past 20 years, we’ve remained small. John is adamant that if a customer is out of heat, especially in the dead of winter, our service technicians need to promptly be at that customer’s house. Our service territory is a fairly small radius, about 25-30 miles that encompass Chatham to Millerton (north to south) and Sheffield, MA, to Claverack, NY (east to west). 

What about your staff?

None of this would be possible without the Herrington Fuels Inc. family. We have been so fortunate with all of our amazing employees – from our current ones to everyone who’s been with us over the years. We truly have a dedicated, hard-working, and loyal crew. 

Our office staff are there to answer the phones – and yes, you actually get a real-live person who answers the phone when you call our office! Those same personnel are the faces that greet you when you stop by our office, and they also answer all of the emails and text messages that come in. It is a non-stop day that starts at 7:30am. The ladies in the office keep us all on task. 

Our drivers, both full- and part-time, are busy year-round with our fuel and propane dispatchers. Degree days are calculated, trucks are filled, and fuel is delivered, whether it be bringing on-road and off-road diesel to fuel the fleets of local businesses as well as the tractors of local farmers or delivering biofuels and propane to local homes. Newer dispatching software and tank-monitor technologies have made us more consistent and efficient. Both our drivers and dispatchers also know how to maintain our fleet of trucks. 

To round off our “village,” which is 15 in all, we also have a staff of technicians in our service department. They are constantly busy keeping up with the ever-evolving technology and education on how to install and service a very long and diverse list of products. 

What’s on that list?

We install and maintain everything from boilers, furnaces, water heaters, and pool heaters to fireplaces and fire pits. We also install propane piping, tanks, heat pumps, mini splits, and air conditioning and do duct work. When it comes to servicing our customers, we offer both heating system and air conditioning cleanings. To round it off, we offer 24-hour service. 

You called it a village, what do you mean?

In the true sense of the word, it takes a village – and our business is no different. I am filled with so much gratitude and awe over how committed our crew is to the business and the services that we offer. Not only is this bunch committed to the work that they do here, but they are also an asset to our community. We have past service members, current fire fighters and auxiliary members, church consistory members, and my favorite, dedicated mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and grandpas. 

What does the future hold for Herrington Fuels Inc.?

We will continue to evolve as well as stay true to our strengths. We solve problems, find solutions and serve up comfort. Our industry is full of competition with companies that offer the same products and services. Being a problem-solving resource for our community and customers has always been what makes us successful. 

Moving forward, the biggest and most immediate challenge as an industry is not from direct competition, however. The biggest challenge is actually the approach that New York State is currently taking regarding climate action. We are hopeful that New York State pauses the “all-electrification” efforts and sees the value that a combination of biofuels, renewable gases, geothermal, and heat pumps can collectively achieve in their environmental goals. And doing this while maintaining and growing an essential industry that keeps New York State warm, safe, and affordable. As I recently heard someone say, “Let’s plan, not ban.” 

Our main short-term goal is to stick to what has proven to be successful: provide reliable, quality service for both heating and cooling months. During the heating season we continue to offer heating system maintenance and cleanings while also being there if an emergency arises in the middle of a freezing cold night. We always offer prompt deliveries of fuel and/or propane so you can stay warm and comfortable. As winter cycles to summer, we are always there to upgrade and install new HVAC systems or maintain existing air conditioning and heat pump systems to keep our customers cool on those 90-degree days. 

For John and me, it has been a blessing to run this business with the Herrington Fuels Inc. crew, for the customers that we serve and in the community where we both grew up. It’s all about comfort. •

Herrington Fuels Inc. is located at 9018 NY-22, Hillsdale, NY 12529. You can reach them at (518) 325-6700 or online at herringtonfuels.com.