PETRODA MALAWI

AFRICA PETRODA MALAWI

A mission to become the leading marketer of petroleum products

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Fuelling Malawi’s Development Petroda Malawi is nearing 20 years of operation and continues to supply petroleum products to consumers and commercial enterprises across the country Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh Hyland

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he last decade has seen Malawi ready itself for economic development thanks to the implementation of important economic and structural reforms, moves which have resulted in a period of much needed sustained growth.

A relatively new democracy, the country is basing its development strategies on five-year plans, the latest covering 2017 to 2022 with the next elections set for May this year.

While these political and economic structures are establishing themselves, the landlocked nation is still very much underdeveloped, an economy reliant on agricultural activity and vulnerable to external shocks.

OILCOM: PETRODA’S PARENT Petroda is solely owned by the Nahdi family, who have established several OMCs under the trading name of OILCOM. The company is headquartered in Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, and has expanded operations into Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Kenya, the DRC and in Malawi through Petroda.

As well as retailing fuels and other petroleum products like lubricants, OILCOM engages in transport services through its fleet of more than 400 tankers and also supplies aviation fuel at major Tanzanian airports.

Moreover, the Petroda brand has been expanded into other countries, for example in Zambia (from 2005) where it has built and runs several retail outlets and depots.

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Encouraging progress has been made in the realm of human development with promising trends seen in life expectancy and fertility rates, although poverty and inequality present a challenge which economic diversification needs to solve.

Access to fuel will play a vital role in spreading any such development.

Malawi is home to several oil marketing companies (OMCs), enterprises which ensure both domestic consumers and commercial organisations are able to purchase petroleum products and keep themselves mobile.

Petroda Malawi commenced operations as the country’s fifth OMC in 1999.

It is has grown steadily over the years and now manages a network of around 30 refuelling stations and

three depots, selling refined white petroleum products and motor vehicle lubricants to customers nationwide.

Its major storage bases can be found in Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city, and Blantyre in the south of country.

The company operates several filling stations across both of these cities, with around half of its network found in the surrounding, more rural areas.

As well as retailing quality diesel, petrol and paraffin fuels, Petroda also sells engine oils, transmission oils, industrial oils, heat transfer oil, cutting oil, greases for automotive and industrial applications, brake fluid and many other types of lubricants.

Commercial customers can benefit from the PETRODA Petrol + card, an account-based system which facilitates the purchase of all products and services across the Petroda network.

AUTO & TYRE LIMITED

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uto & Tyre Limited, Malawi is a subsidiary of Carbon Retail Limited, a pan-African tyre retail and distribution company, with operations currently spanning Zambia, Malawi, DRC Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Cote D’Ivoire and Sudan.

We are one of the largest distributors of Sumitomo Rubber Industries in Africa, a manufacturer of Dunlop, Falken and Sumitomo tyres.

Our company’s vision is to become Africa’s most admired, technologydriven tyre retail and distribution business.

Our tyre shops aren’t just in the business of fixing and selling tyres, they are also the place customers rely on when they need to get back on the road efficiently and reliably. A car is a lifeline for those who need to commute to jobs, transport kids to school or conduct their day-to-day business.

By emphasising and continuously improving customer service practices, we turn our customers’ purchases and repairs from a hassle into a reassuring experience, ensuring that they always come back to us when an essential part of their daily routine breaks down.

We also educate our customers on tyre maintenance and safety through regular workshops geared especially towards transporters, minibus drivers and owners, enabling them to get the maximum life and safety out of the tyres they use.

We have state-of-the-art tyre fitment Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx centres in each of the countries that we operate, all equipped with the latest equipment and operated by highly trained technicians.

Our endeavour is to provide good quality tyres at a reasonable price with excellent tyre related services to all our customers, ensuring customer delight.

T +265 997 301607 E santhosh@atlmalawi.com E santhosh.pp@carboncorp.net

www.carboncorp.net

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

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Companies can set limits on spend and keep track of purchase data, the cards also coming with unique pins and security settings to counter any possible fraudulent activity.

Supplying the network of stations are Petroda’s branded fleet of fuel trucks and tankers, vehicles which distribute petroleum products all over Malawi and neighbouring countries.

Virtually all of these transported fuels and lubricants derive from imports, and the development of a national oil

producing industry carries the potential to dramatically transform the way in which the country’s OMCs operate.

Early signs are promising.

Exploration work carried out last year in Malawi’s stretch of the oil rich Great African Rift Valley has unveiled high prospects for discovery.

At the moment the area is divided into six prospecting blocks with companies such as Efora Energy, Hamra Oil, RAKGAS and Pacific Oil and Gas all active participants.

PETRODA MALAWI’S VISION AND MISSION Petroda Malawi has been a mainstay in the country for almost 20 years, operating under the guidance of its stated vision and mission.

VISION: To provide excellent and quality service to our customers and adequate returns to the employees, shareholders on the capital employed based on sound business values.

MISSION: To be the leading marketer of petroleum products in Malawi.

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Petroda Malawi’s major storage bases can be found in Lilongwe, Malawi’s capital city, and Blantyre in the south of country. However, half of its filling stations can be found in the rural areas surrounding these major hubs

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So far phase one work has involved desk studies, surveys conducted by aircraft, seismic surveys, geomapping and environmental impact assessments. Once the latter is complete, the door will be open for exploration wells to be drilled.

If drilling results prove positive, the country may then be able to reap some benefit in the not too distant future.

Branching out

A significant diversification strategy has seen Petroda Malawi expand into the real estate sector, an industry which is currently experiencing mixed fortunes according to a 2017/18 report

by Knight Frank.

While demand for large office space is slowing and industrial output is estimated to be at 50 percent of capacity, there are some promising trends identified by the study.

For example, smaller, more flexible office space is seeing an uptick in popularity and Knight Frank also states

that traditional high street retailers “continue to thrive”. Further, while industrial production is low, demand for warehousing facilities continues to be relatively strong.

This paints a promising picture for the likes of Petroda Malawi, which continues to invest in real estate across the country.

The company owns several stateof-the-art commercial buildings in the major cities like Lilongwe and Blantyre.

Some of these are currently being occupied by international organisations and agencies from national governments and the European Union.

Investments like this will help to ensure the longevity of the business and shield it against fluctuations in oil prices which have the potential to greatly impact its operations and profitability.

With a stated mission to be the leading marketer of petroleum products in Malawi, in future years this may well be revised to include more of a multidisciplinary ambition.

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