Brdo pri Kranju, 12 May (STA) - The energy company Petrol celebrated its 80th anniversary at an event at the Brdo pri Kranju estate on Monday, announcing EUR 150 million in development investments for this year, more than half of which will go for energy transition projects.
The ceremony was addressed by President Nataša Pirc Musar, who said the anniversary was a celebration of a part of Slovenian history, joint efforts for progress, independence and sustainable future.
She said Petrol plays an important role in the ongoing energy transition as an engine of sustainable transformation and its sustainable transition is more than just a business opportunity, it is also a responsibility.
Petrol, which evolved from a small fuel retail into a leading energy group in the region, is a "story of decades of breakthroughs, expansion and growth made possible by people", CEO Sašo Berger stressed in his address.
"It is the story of the knowledge, courage, responsibility and vision of our nearly 6,000 employees in Slovenia and the region who have built the group with dedication over generations," he said.
"For 80 years, Petrol has been unstoppable because we have dared to look beyond the horizon of each generation and because we have never given up on challenges."
The CEO is also upbeat about the future. One of Petrol's key priorities this year is to prepare a revised development strategy until 2030.
"We will continue to strengthen our role as an integrated partner with an excellent customer experience and innovative solutions," he said, announcing EUR 150 million in development investments for 2025, more than half of which will be dedicated to energy transition projects.
Today's ceremony was attended by economy and environment ministers Matjaž Han and Bojan Kumer as well as Petrol's business partners and business associates from Slovenia and the region.
Petrol's history dates back to 1945, when the state-owned Jugopetrol was founded. In the 1950s, the first proper petrol stations were built and the company started building its network across the country. A new era began a decade later when the first oil tanker docked in the port of Koper and oil was piped to storage tanks in Sermin.
After the oil crisis of the 1970s, the company was among the first in the region to introduce self-service service stations. Petrol was transformed into a public limited company in 1996 and listed on the stock exchange shortly afterwards.
At the turn of the millennium, it began its transformation into an energy conglomerate, marketing electricity alongside natural gas and offering energy and environmental solutions. It expanded its network of service stations and other services to Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
It is also present in the countries of former Yugoslavia through energy investments. Today, the company operates nearly 600 shops in Slovenia and other countries, more than 560 electric charging stations with more than 1,000 charging points and 250 energy and environmental systems. Petrol supplies almost half a million vehicles per day.
Last year, the group posed record results, with revenue reaching EUR 6.11 billion and net profit EUR 145.9 million. In recent years, CEOs have changed frequently. In the last five years and a half, the group has seen three managements change. Berger took over after Nada Drobne Popovič stepped down in the autumn of 2023.
