Fracking a ’game changer’, says Pete George as new Top 50 listing published

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Fracking is a game changer and the UK’s refining model is in a period of flux with only the strongest destined to survive, Pete George, managing director of UK & Ireland marketing for Phillips 66 told the audience at last night’s Top 50 Indies dinner.

He stressed the need to partner with a financially strong fuel brand that not only has a focus on fuel quality and long-term security of supply, but also the ability to suit individual needs.

“This is clearly a time of accelerating change in consumer behaviour, the UK’s refining model is in a period of flux and frankly only the strongest will survive,” he said.

The annual Top 50 Indies dinner, was held at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, and featured former football referee Graham Poll as the after-dinner speaker. The event coincided with the publication of the latest Top 50 Indies listing, which saw MRH (GB) once again at the top of the table with

381 sites, more than 170 ahead of its nearest rival, despite having added just four sites since 2013, compared with 52 in the previous year.

Rontec also held on to its position at number two with 208 sites, helped not just by its acquisition of 36 Esso sites in the south west, but also by combining its Snax 24 network which was previously listed separately.

Thus Euro Garages remains in third place with 179 sites - up from 120 sites last year, including the package of 48 sites it bought from Esso in January. Its network growth of 59 sites makes it the most expanded company in this year’s Top 50, and there’s plenty more development to come.

Another notable performance in terms of expansion came from Petrogas UK which almost doubled in size from 23 to 42 sites; with 12 of the sites coming from the Co-op, the rest from independent retailers.

Another major ‘grower’ was Spring Petroleum which added 16 sites to last year’s total. Platinum Retail, the highest new entrant last year added four new sites, giving it 14 in total, and moving it up the list from 32 to number 15.

However despite all this activity, the only change to the top 10 was the inclusion of Petrogas; and the only new additions to the Top 50 as a whole were Javid Iqbal and Rusdene at 49 and 50 respectively.

The only name to slip out of the Top 50 was Lawrence Garages, which was 50th in last year’s listing, but has since sold two sites to Petrogas.

Alfred Jones saw the greatest decrease following a review of its network - it currently has eight sites compared with 18 last year, and is 30 positions lower at 44.

Overall there were 22 climbers, eleven companies holding firm, and 15 moved down. The prevailing comments revealed that they remain in acquisitive mood.

2014 (13) COMPANY NAME

1 (1) MRH (GB)

2 (2) RONTEC/SNAX 24

3 (3) EURO GARAGES

4 (5) MOTOR FUEL GROUP ▲

5 (4) PARK GARAGE GROUP ▼

6 (11) PETROGAS GROUP UK ▲

7 (9) SPRING PETROLEUM ▲

8 (8) MPK GARAGES

9 (7) HKS RETAIL ▼

10 (10) BROBOT

11 (12) SYNERGIE HOLDINGS ▲