BP tanks up for gas station expansion
The leading foreign oil company in Poland, BP, has revealed plans to invest around $70 (zł.231) million to expand its network of gas stations over the next four years.
The oil giant aims to increase its current total of 293 stations to nearly 400, largely through franchising.
"We estimate that the network will grow by more than one-third over the next four years," BP's Poland spokesperson, Dorota Adamska, said.
"Roughly 70 percent of them will be opened in the franchising system, while the remainder will be our own gas stations," she added.
The top Polish refiner and retailer, PKN Orlen, recently announced plans to restructure its retail network in the face of competition from firms including BP. The British concern is aiming for a quick start off the line and hopes to have opened a further 15 new stations by the end of the year in a bid to gain further ground in the sector.
"Our share of the domestic retail market currently stands at 11 percent. We are interested in increasing this share, maintaining the leading position among foreign entities and second among all oil companies in Poland. There are a lot of opportunities," said Adamska.
Currently BP's total value of investments in Poland amounts to over $800 (zł.2,638) million. The company's Polish arm is aiming to boost fuel sales by four percent this year after achieving consolidated 2004 sales of $1.71 (zł.5.7) billion.
BP has been in Poland for 14 years and is now one of the country's top 40 companies, employing a workforce of 3,000.
The oil giant aims to increase its current total of 293 stations to nearly 400, largely through franchising.
"We estimate that the network will grow by more than one-third over the next four years," BP's Poland spokesperson, Dorota Adamska, said.
"Roughly 70 percent of them will be opened in the franchising system, while the remainder will be our own gas stations," she added.
The top Polish refiner and retailer, PKN Orlen, recently announced plans to restructure its retail network in the face of competition from firms including BP. The British concern is aiming for a quick start off the line and hopes to have opened a further 15 new stations by the end of the year in a bid to gain further ground in the sector.
"Our share of the domestic retail market currently stands at 11 percent. We are interested in increasing this share, maintaining the leading position among foreign entities and second among all oil companies in Poland. There are a lot of opportunities," said Adamska.
Currently BP's total value of investments in Poland amounts to over $800 (zł.2,638) million. The company's Polish arm is aiming to boost fuel sales by four percent this year after achieving consolidated 2004 sales of $1.71 (zł.5.7) billion.
BP has been in Poland for 14 years and is now one of the country's top 40 companies, employing a workforce of 3,000.
