KMG International Group continued for the first four months of the year to consolidate and develop its retail activities in the Black Sea region, by opening 12 new fuel stations, but also expanding the range of products and services offered.

“Rompetrol makes sustained efforts to always satisfy the needs of customers in Romania and the Black Sea region, but also to offer new services and products. During this difficult period, we managed to protect our employees and clients, but also to continue our investments and, implicitly, the creation of new jobs and new sources of financing for local and central budgets,” says Vlad Rusnac, KMG International’s Chief Marketing & Retail Officer.

Thus, the Group’s subsidiaries managed in January – April to open a total of 12 new Rompetrol fuel stations in Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia, own fuel stations, as well as Rompetrol Expres and Rompetrol Partner fuel stations. In the next two months, they set out to complete and open 19 units (Romania – 11, Bulgaria – 1, Georgia – 4, Moldova – 3).

All the Group’s fuel stations in the Black Sea region were open during this period and operated in accordance with the recommendations and decisions adopted by the local and central authorities. At the same time, they were involved in supporting the authorities’ fight against the new virus, through donations of fuel, medical supplies and equipment.

In Romania, Rompetrol Downstream – the retail division, managed to increase its distribution network with 7 new fuel stations, to which are added two new trading points of liquefied petroleum gas. The network operated by the company internally, currently, amounts 395 fuel stations (153 – own fuel stations, 242 – Rompetrol Partner and Rompetrol Express).

At the same time, the company has expanded its range of services and products offered to customers by opening 3 new car washes near its fuel stations in Cluj, Bistrita and Sfantu Gheorghe, implementation in 25 stations of the cashback service as well as by concluding partnerships with the largest online stores – Emag and Elefant.

Thus, together with Emag, 25 delivery points Easybox were installed in Rompetrol fuel stations, and with Elefant, 25 points of sale were created through which new products were introduced in the station’s portfolio (cosmetics, perfumes, books and games).

In order to reduce and optimize the time spent at the fuel station by customers, in conditions of safety and social distancing, the company has a unique concept on the profile market – “ZERO CONTACT”, through which they can request and obtain a fuel supply card Fill & Go (online completion of the application, digital signing of the contract), can refuel directly at the pump and can use online methods of payment of current invoices.

In addition, the Group’s retail subsidiaries proposed to customers in March a revised product portfolio offered by Rompetrol fuel stations, emphasizing the categories of basic-needs products, cosmetics and hygiene products.

Given the measures to limit domestic and international travel and subsequently to establish emergencies in the region, fuel sales through Rompetrol stations have been on a downward trend since mid-March, both compared to previous months, as well as a similar period last year.

Under these circumstances, the 4 retail subsidiaries of the Group managed in the first quarter of the year an increase of over 9% of the volumes sold in retail. In Romania – the main market, Rompetrol Downstream recorded a 12% increase in fuel sales in the retail segment.

“The rapid adaptation in March to the new measures and restrictions generated by the COVID19 virus, the flexibility in diversifying and expanding the products and services offered, the creativity to develop new tools / prevention measures for supplying customers with fuels and products have allowed us a significant reduction of the impact on our activities,” added Vlad Rusnac.

Amidst the spread of the COVID 19 virus, the Group’s subsidiaries have implemented a series of additional measures to protect the health and increase the safety of employees and customers in Rompetrol fuel stations. Some of these measures will be maintained in the next period, in line with the recommendations of the authorities.