DCC plc, the parent company of Certas Energy, has completed the acquisition of the Esso Express unmanned retail petrol station network and the Esso Motorway concessions in France.

The deal was announced on August 28 last year, but required approval from the European Commission, which was granted in March.

The £84m deal was to buy Esso’s 274-strong Express unmanned retail petrol station network, its 48 motorway concessions in France, as well as contracts to supply about 75 dealer owned dealer operated sites.

The Express Network has a 4.2% share of the retail market in France, and the motorway sites represent 11% of the national motorway network and hold 8% of the motorway fuels market.

At the time of the deal the company said that on completion of the acquisition DCC Energy would operate 672 retail service stations across Europe and supply in excess of 2,000 dealer owned service stations.

Tommy Breen, chief executive of DCC plc, said: “It represents a significant further step in DCC’s strategy to build a larger presence in the transport fuels sector and provides DCC with an excellent platform for growth in the French market.”