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Prague (22 October 2008) – This year, the company completed the main part of the re-branding of its Benzina plus petrol stations, with 147 of its standard Benzina petrol stations also undergoing modernisation. Benzina began this extensive modernisation project, which is without question the biggest of its kind in the Czech market, in 2006. Reconstruction of the network cost a total of CZK 1.3 billion. “Paradoxically, Benzina’s 50th birthday is a celebration of its rejuvenation. Now I can declare officially that our company has definitely broken away from the past and consummated its modernisation,” says Martian Durčák, Company Executive, about the reconstruction.

Thanks to the modernisation, Benzina has expanded its offer of premium fuels to include VERVA 100 high-octane petrol and VERVA Diesel. It has increased the quality of its accompanying services, shop facilities, and dining possibilities throughout the network. A new generation of Sazka’s IVT gaming-entertainment terminals, allowing on-line betting at more than a hundred Benzina plus petrol stations, is now available for the first time. About half of the 110 carwashes at Benzina, which network has the most top-notch facilities of this type on the Czech market, have been reconstructed or modernised.

Next year, the company is planning to introduce a new premium fuel. It is also planning the further development of its gastro concept, which is already very successful, with income from food services already attaining 25 to 30 percent of shop-related income. Other services are also to be improved. At his time, Benzina is working on implementing a new cashier system, which should lead to faster check out, simpler and clearer receipts, and, in the case of Benzina cards, invoicing. Expanding cooperation with debit/credit card operators who are connected to international systems will provide greater comfort in particular to professional drivers, as it will be possible to pay with the same fleet cards at home and abroad.

In the mid-term, i.e., until 2012, Benzina would like to attain a 20 percent share in the fuel market. At this time, it holds a 13.4 percent share, and within two years it should be 15 percent. It would like to increase the number of petrol stations by a third, from the current 333 to 440.
 
Benzina pays close attention on an ongoing basis to the quality of the fuels it sells. The standard high quality of all of the types of fuels it offers is confirmed by the results of independent inspections. By the end of September of this year, the Czech Trade Inspectorate (Česká obchodní inspekce) carried out testing of a total of 200 samples of fuel from the Benzina petrol stations, and all the results were perfect, with not even a single sample showing any deficiencies,“ said Václav Loula, Benzina’s Director of Quality.

Premium diesel VERVA Diesel recently confirmed its unique quality in independent testing. Sulphur-free high-octane petrol VERVA 100, which is sold at more than 90 petrol stations of the Benzina plus network, is now supplied in “super clean” quality, i.e., with parameters that will not be compulsory under new Czech legislation until next year.

BENZINA, spol. s.r.o., a part of UNIPETROL group, is a company with the most widespread network of petrol stations in the Czech Republic, operating more than 330 at this time. These petrol stations provide not only high quality additive fuels and premium fuels to satisfy their customers’ driving demands, but also other Benzina goods. In addition to sales at its own petrol stations, Benzina also provides bulk deliveries of motor fuels directly to its business partners and other business entities. (complete article)