According to Orlen, Poland's state-owned fuel conglomerate, this expansion, part of its aggressive growth strategy, will bring the total number of its fuel stations to 3,500 across seven European countries by the middle of this year, as announced by the company.
The company currently operates 3,442 stations, including 1,514 outside of Poland, reflecting a substantial increase of 337 stations since the end of 2022.
Daniel Obajtek, Orlen's CEO, emphasized the strategic importance of this expansion. "We have created a modern concern that is rapidly strengthening its position in the region. Already this year we will realize our strategic goal of having a fuel sales network of 3,500 stations," he stated.
Orlen's growth has been fueled by acquisitions in Austria, Germany, Slovakia, and now Hungary, with the number of its foreign fuel stations increasing by almost a third over the past year. The company's efforts have not only focused on expanding its network but also on upgrading the newly acquired stations to meet its standards, including equipping them with electric car charging infrastructure.
Germany remains Orlen's largest foreign market with a network of 607 stations operating under the Orlen and Star brands, with the company's latest acquisition in Germany including 17 self-service gas stations from OMV. Orlen is also actively rebranding its German stations, with plans to increase the number of stations equipped with electric car chargers to over 430 in the next two years.
The Czech Republic is another significant market for Orlen, where it operates 436 fuel stations, the majority under the Orlen brand.
A major milestone for Orlen in its retail expansion was the acquisition of the Turmöl network in Austria, making Orlen the third-largest operator in Austria's gas station market. This deal also included the acquisition of Austrocard, a fuel card service, and 110 electric car charging points.
Orlen's presence extends to Slovakia with 91 stations, Lithuania with 30, and Hungary with 83 stations. The latest acquisition in Hungary, part of an agreement with Hungary's MOL, is set to significantly increase the Polish company’s footprint in the country.
Source: PAP