The conflict between owners of PKN Orlen petrol stations and the company itself is getting tougher. These independent operators are unhappy with the flagging arrangement with the petroleum giant and several weeks ago a large number of them got together in order to try to force the hand of Orlen. They claim that as many as eighty percent of the 630 independent operators currently displaying the Orlen logo are prepared to take on the concern.
The dispute has now been continuing for several months. The independent operators claim that PKN Orlen favours its own stations and does not keep the terms of the agreement with them. Most of these operators were inherited from CPN which later became part of Orlen at the end of the last decade. Other complaints include alleged lack of preferential terms for purchasing fuel and the fact that independent operators cannot join the Vitay loyalty programme which gives prizes for permenant customers.
PKN Orlen claims that it already gives preferential prices and that Vitay can be used by flagged stations, something that this writer has not noticed anywhere in this country.
Their organisation, the Krajowy Związek Stowarzyszeń Właścicieli Stacji Patronackich PKN Orlen is now talking to three other concerns about reflagging. These concerns have not been named but the obvious candidates are BP, the Norwegian Statoil and the Swedish Preem. Orlen claims that these talks are just a way of putting pressure on it. None of these western concerns was prepared to confirm this information although Statoil, which has 123 owned outlets, is studying a project about flagging independent operators.
BP would probably be the most likely partner for those unhappy with Orlen. The British company currently has 144 stations, 42 of which are flagged by independent operators. The company is hoping to extend its network.
BP is currently negotiating with Aral about taking over its stations. If a deal is finalised it would see an extra 124 petrol stations in the hands of the British.
The Swedish Preem is also interested in flagging. Of its ninety stations only 18 are directly owned. However, as we reported last week, the company may pull out of the Polish market altogether due to the losses that it has suffered over the past two years.
Shell and Rafineria Gdańska would also be likely to consider taking on those operators that want to leave Orlen.