Petrom and Rompetrol, the main players on the Romanian petroleummarket whose cumulated market shares account for more than half ofthe local fuel sales, bet on different strategies in terms ofdistribution of refined products in the first nine months of theyear.
As a result, Petrom posted growth on the retail segment, that issales through filling stations, while Rompetrol achieved growththrough its wholesale business in the third quarter of the yearcompared with the same time last year.
"Retail sales went up by 14% compared with the third quarter oflast year, despite stagnating demand on the domestic market. Steadyinvestments in the distribution network made from 2006 through 2008resulted in an optimisation of the filling station network, whichled to us getting some very good results despite the unfavourableeconomic context," Petrom officials explain.
The company owns the biggest filling station network in thecountry and can operate the lowest pump prices because it also hasdomestic petroleum production operations, while the other playershave to import the petroleum they need for fuels.
On the other hand, Rompetrol's retail segment did not go aswell, with the company posting a 10% decline of the amounts sold byits retail business, according to the data it released.
Things were completely different for the wholesale segment ofRompetrol's business, which saw 44% growth in the third quarter of2009 compared with the corresponding period of 2008, while Petromposted a 14% decline of wholesale sales and exports for the sameperiod.
"Rompetrol Downstream posted 9% in overall sales increase in thethird quarter compared with the same time last year, given the over51% decline in sales of cars in the first eight months comparedwith the same time last year. This upward trend was driven by thewholesale segment, which went up 44% compared with 2008," Rompetrolofficials say.
The explanation for this in Rompetrol's case is the expansion ofthe range of services provided to corporate clients such asinstallation of tanks at such clients.
As for Petrom's sales on the wholesale segment and exports, theywent down "because of the low demand for fuel on the domestic andinternational market," the company's officials said.
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