Essar’s oil refinery at Stanlow on the banks of the Mersey supplies more than 16% of the UK’s road fuel and the company now has 54 branded retail outlets across the country. Tony McDonough reports

Wirral-based Essar Oil UK is continuing to grow its petrol retail network and has now opened its 54th branded site.

Essar has rebranded its first Shell site to company colours with the commissioning of Oundle Road service station in Thrapston, Kettering. Run by dealer Karl Rashid and his family since they acquired the site in 2008, the station is a thriving business with a successful Londis store, and has been Shell branded for the last 10 years.

In addition to Oundle Road, the Rashid family also own and run Frilford Service Station in Oxfordshire which has a capacity of more than 5m litres.

Major supplier

Essar’s oil refinery at Stanlow on the banks of the Mersey supplies more than 16% of the UK’s road fuel and employs almost 1,000 people and generates annual revenues of more than £4bn. The global Essar Group acquired the then loss-making Stanlow in 2011 from Shell and has since invested £650m turning it into a sustainable and profitable business.

Members of Essar’s Retail Team joined Mr Rashid and staff to celebrate the opening, which included a lucky pump promotion which saw five customers receiving £10 off their fuel purchases.

Mr Rashid said: “I thought long and hard about moving from the Shell brand, with no shortage of offers from other suppliers. However, I was very impressed by the way Essar approached the negotiations, and the fresh new look the branding has given my site is fantastic.

“We have had a really positive response from our customers, who love the new look and are welcoming the fact that, thanks to the competitive offer from Essar, our pole sign price now is considerably lower.  The move is really going to enable me to build the business.”

Exciting times

Essar territory manager Sam Edwards added: “I am delighted to welcome Karl to the Essar family. These are exciting times for us, with a healthy number of other stations due to be opened under our brand by the end of November.”

Every year Essar’s Stanlow site produces 4.4bn litres of diesel, 3bn litres of petrol and 2bn litres of jet fuel. More than 9m tonnes of crude oil and feed-stock processed each year, making it one of the biggest refineries in the country.