20 years of OMV filling stations: quality and service as key drivers for the market leader in the European growth belt
June 21, 2010 - 10:00 am (CET)
- The first OMV filling station was opened in Vienna Auhof on June 24, 1990
- There are now 2,331 OMV filling stations in Austria and 11 other European countries
- Innovation, demand for high quality and the continual expansion of the service range are integral to the company brand
The success story began in 1990 with the opening of the first OMV filling station in Vienna Auhof. Since then, the filling station network has been expanded into international markets: there are now a total of 2,331 OMV filling stations in Europe that supply innovative and environmentally friendly fuel. The opening of the first VIVA Shop in 1994 started a new era for catering at filling stations. Now, VIVA world of indulgence also sells high-quality coffee and organic products are available as part of the food range. In 2010, market researchers Marketagent selected VIVA as the filling station shop with the best service. The service range is expanded on an ongoing basis.
The first OMV filling station was opened in Vienna Auhof on June 24, 1990. Only a year later, the first OMV filling stations were opened in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany and Italy. They were soon followed by locations in Slovenia and Croatia. OMV next entered the markets of Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, opening increasingly more filling stations along international routes. “With our consistent early-entry strategy we were the first to enter a number of attractive locations. The concept has worked primarily because we expand on an international basis but think locally, and have established our filling stations as multi-functional service centres,” said Harald Joichl, Head of OMVs Filling Station Business in Austria and Germany, in an explanation of the company’s key competitive advantage.
Providing innovative premium products has been a strategy for success
OMV has repeatedly proven its pioneering role in the areas of innovation and environmental protection. As early as 1991, OMV was the first filling station brand in Austria to distribute lead-free fuel nationwide. All fuel has been sulphur-free since 2004.
Thanks to the introduction of the environmentally friendly urea solution AdBlue, OMV has successfully been able to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from truck diesel engines by more than a third and particulate emissions by as much as 80 per cent. The first AdBlue pilot filling station globally was opened in Bavaria in 2003. Out of the total OMV network, AdBlue is now supplied at 94 OMV filling stations and at 20 OMV EuroTruck stations.
In 2007, a new filling station network was opened under the OMV EuroTruck brand name and is specially tailored to meet the needs of haulier companies. The network currently consists of 20 filling stations in Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia and Romania.
From VIVA Shop to VIVA world of indulgence
A major innovation of OMV filling stations has been in the area of customer convenience. “The VIVA range is directly targeted at the needs of today’s mobile customers. At VIVA, customer convenience means a selection of high-quality products, customer-friendly opening hours mostly round the clock, and a range of services that help to make today’s life easier,” said Harald Joichl, in comments about the success of OMV filling stations with VIVA.
The first VIVA shop was opened in Oberwart/Burgenland in 1994. Since 2007, VIVA world of indulgence has been setting new standards in filling station catering services with its comprehensive range of high-quality food, certified organic food and regional produce.
“OMV is the filling station for people and cars. We worked long and hard on the VIVA world of indulgence concept, and it has paid off. According to a recent Marketagent survey carried out in February 2010, VIVA world of indulgence is not only the best-known filling station shop, but is also the shop with the best customer service in Austria,” Joichl said.
Continual expansion of the service range
A broad range of services is also available to OMV customers. Since 2007, for example, it has been possible to send packages to any European destination via all Austrian OMV filling stations with VIVA at any time of the day or night – in cooperation with the Austrian postal services.
Since mid of April 2010, OMV customers in Austria have also been able to carry out banking transactions, thanks to a partnership with Erste Bank und Sparkassen. The special ATMs at every OMV filling station with VIVA do not only dispense cash but also allow customers of the banking group to make deposits and carry out bank transfers.
“People’s needs are constantly changing in today’s modern times. We therefore adapt our services to meet customer needs on a permanent basis. We believe our philosophy is confirmed by the success we have experienced in the past 20 years,” said Joichl.
OMV currently operates 438 filling stations in Austria.
Background information
OMV Aktiengesellschaft
With Group sales of EUR 17,92 bn and a workforce of 34,676 employees in 2009, OMV Aktiengesellschaft is one of Austria’s largest listed industrial companies. As the leading energy group in the European growth belt, OMV is active in Refining & Marketing (R&M) in 12 countries. In Exploration & Production (E&P) OMV is active in 17 countries on four continents. In Gas & Power (G&P) OMV sells approximately 13 bcm gas per year. Through its 2,000 km long gas pipeline network in Austria G&P transports approximately 75 bcm gas annually. OMV’s Central European Gas Hub is with around 23 bcm annually trading volume one of the most important gas hubs in Continental Europe.
OMV is the leading energy group in the European growth belt with oil and gas reserves of approximately. 1.19 bn boe, daily production of around 317,000 boe in Q1/10 and an annual refining capacity of approximately 26 mn t. OMV now has 2,331 filling stations as of Q1/10. The market share of the group in the R&M business segment in the Danube Region is now 20%.
OMV further strengthened its leading position in the European growth belt through the acquisition of 41.58% of Petrol Ofisi, Turkey’s leading company in the retail and commercial business.
In June 2006, OMV has established the OMV Future Energy Fund, a wholly owned subsidiary to support projects in renewable energy with more than EUR 100 mn to initiate the change from a pure oil and gas group to an energy group with renewable energy in its portfolio.
Sustainability
OMV is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, and an active supporter to the values enshrined in its Code of Conduct. These include a strong sense of responsibility towards the social and natural environment, especially in economically weak regions. OMV continuously addresses economic, environmental and social issues related to its business in a responsible manner. The Company reports on its activities in a sustainability report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative Guidelines. This report is published at the same time as the annual report.