Aldi: discounter looks set to challenge major players with new European fuel retailing venture

Aldi has entered the fuel retailing market by opening three service stations in the Austrian town of Salzburg, offering heavily discounted fuel. With such a strong brand image and efficient business model, Aldi is likely to extend its petrol retailing presence across Austria and Europe, and may soon pose a challenge to the more established industry players.

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Austrian energy: 62% of foreign approaches are German

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Austrian energy: foreign suppliers to threaten incumbents

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Electricity deregulation: Austrian commercial market gets more fickle

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ENI Agip: expands Austrian presence with Esso network acquisition

Italian oil major ENI Agip has extended its presence in Austria with the purchase of 171 Esso branded service stations, doubling its market share in the country. The deal represents a further shake up of the Austrian fuel retail market, following German discounter Aldi's announcement that it is to expand its network of service stations selling cut-price fuel to 100 sites.

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MOL: one step closer to acquiring Croatia's INA

Hungary-based MOL's long-held ambition of acquiring Croatian firm INA is one step closer to reality now that it has become the largest shareholder in the company, after purchasing many of the shares issued in a free float. Further talks are underway regarding MOL's desire to purchase some or all of Croatian government's remaining share, while Austria's OMV is keeping an unexpectedly low profile.

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OMV / MOL: fueling competition in central Europe

OMV has sold its 25% stake in Rompetrol and is now free to pursue its development aspirations in the growing Romanian fuel retail market. This is fundamental at a time when core regional rival MOL has announced that it will be updating and rebranding its recently acquired Shell sites in Romania by September of this year.

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OMV: focusing on value-added services to drive market share

Through a partnership with Western Union, fuel retailer OMV is set to offer international money transfer facilities across its network in eight Central and Eastern European countries. This is the second recent venture into the financial services space for OMV, and highlights its high focus on expanding and diversifying its service offering to drive customer satisfaction.

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OMV: tight lipped on Balkan expansion plans

Leading figures in Romanian politics are pressing OMV to share the details of its 2004 acquisition of a controlling share in Petrom. While Austria's leading petroleum firm is unlikely to refuse this request, OMV will be keen to keep its long-term business strategy for Romania's incumbent fuel retailer under wraps.

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Petrol: going mobile

Fuel retailer Petrol is introducing a prepaid mobile phone in Bulgaria. This decision could well be a positive move for the company, providing it with a way to increase loyalty at its service stations and grow its brand name.

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