NEWTON, Mass. -- Gulf Oil LP said it has successfully implemented the first phases of a corporate strategy to reposition itself in the marketplace, with the objective of establishing a premium brand status and upgrading the gasoline marketer's look and service to consumers in the Northeast.
The company has grown since 2005, when Gulf Oil's new president and CEO Joseph Petrowski spearheaded new initiatives meant to change the image of Gulf, including image rebranding and direct communication with distributors to enhance service offerings.
"Our new image campaign has not only been [image-nocss] enthusiastically embraced by our dealers and distributors, but also by the motoring public," said Petrowski. "To remain competitive, strong brand recognition and a positive image are fundamental components in attracting people to our gasoline retail centers. But it cannot end there. We sustain that positive image impression by focusing on quality gasoline, competitive prices, and an improved retail experience for the public."
He added, "To our distributors and dealers, we are committed to delivering a level of support and service that exceeds what other oil companies can or will deliver. We are positioning ourselves as a partner with our distributors—a partner that is able to contribute in all aspects of wholesale marketing, finance, and operational development. The long-term success of our current distributors and dealers will be the driver to Gulf's organic growth and the No. 1 tool to attract new premium sites to the Gulf portfolio."
Gulf has begun to implement the new look to its gas stations and added extra amenities such as the Gulf Express convenience store. As of late January, more than 50 sites have converted to the new Gulf Sunrise image, including all of the rest stops on the Massachusetts Turnpike, which provide motorists access to some of the most advanced gasoline dispensers on the market. (Click here for details.)
Another 200 stations are in different stages of transition to the Gulf Sunrise image. The company said it plan additional services, including car wash and bay-conversion programs, for the latter half of 2008.
For more details on Gulf's strategy, click here.
Gulf Oil, Newton, Mass., is one of the Northeast's largest wholesalers of refined petroleum products. Gulf distributes motor fuels through a network of more than 2,400 Gulf branded gasoline retail centers, 12 proprietary oil terminals and a network of more than 50 other supply terminals. It supplies heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and kerosene to these branded retail outlets through both its Gulf brand and, in the seven states of New England and New York, the Exxon brand. Through its unbranded subsidiary, Great Island Energy, Gulf Oil also supplies petroleum products as well as risk management and financial services to industrial, commercial and independent retail firms.
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