The Litro brand was launched in the summer of 2009, when the first two such stations opened at the 139th kilometer of the A2 (Sun Highway). The launch of the new station design, using simpler lines and a different color scheme than the standard Rompetrol gas station was the first visual change implemented by the new management of Rompetrol, which Kazakh state-run KazMunayGas finished acquiring in 2009.
At the time, the new owners of Rompetrol said they planned to replace the brand they bought from businessman Dinu Patriciu with Litro. They later changed their mind about this.
Rompetrol invested EUR1.3 million in the new gas station concept and the four stations operating in pairs at the 88th and 139th kilometer on the Sun Highway cost about $13 million. In all, Rompetrol spent more than EUR10 million on Litro.
The representatives of the group did not comment on the decision to drop the Litro brand by press time. The Litro name has already been removed from the four gas stations.
KazMunayGas introduced a new station concept last year, and opened the first such facility in Mogosoaia, near Bucharest. Rompetrol officials have recently announced they have a $100 million investment budget for this year, $30 million to $40 million of which going to the Petromidia refinery, the main asset of the group, while the rest will be invested in the retail network.
Rompetrol’s filling station network will expand by 15 new stations from the current 400 in 2014, while 60 gas stations will be getting a facelift.
Besides a change of look for a number of its gas stations, Rompetrol also started a significant rebranding process, with the Kazakh owners set to drop the name with a 40-year tradition in the local oil industry for the companies that make up the group. At the time they revealed the decision, its owners said the Rompetrol brand would be kept for the gas stations but the visual identity would change.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)