A large international enterprise
with a substantial parentage
Inside Out
IN 1964 MARQUARD & BAHLS ESTABLISHED A PRESENCE IN THE UK TO SUPPLY THE LUBRICANTS MARKET; DURING THE
1970S THIS PRESENCE WAS EXTENDED TO INCLUDE REFINED OIL PRODUCTS. THE COMPANY IS BY FAR THE LONGEST
ESTABLISHED OF THE FOUR MAJOR IMPORTERS/WHOLESALERS IN THE UK MARKET
Mabanaft is the trading division of the privately-owned German
company, Marquard & Bahls. Founded in 1947, the latter was initially a
domestic oil trading company which subsequently expanded to become
one of the largest independent oil companies in the world, selling and
trading almost 25 million metric tonnes in 2016.
As part of a large international operation which is represented
globally across the full spectrum of the downstream supply chain,
Mabanaft has a well-established footprint in the UK marketplace.
Operations are conducted through 100 companies and 2,000
employees across fi ve continents, organised through three business
streams:
• TRADING encompasses 7 business entities which cover all
regional trading and wholesaling activities. In the UK this includes
Mabanaft Ltd and the non-retail (bulk and supply to resellers)
activities of BWOC.
• RETAIL comprises 8 business entities supplying end user sectors
and fi lling stations. In the UK this includes the retail activities
of BWOC and distributor, Thomas Silvey. The retail network
comprises approximately 710 outlets, of which just under half are
located across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, selling under the
brand name of ‘Oil’!
•
BUNKERING comprises two entities – Bomin, which has been
active in the bunker business for over 40 years via its subsidiaries,
and is one of the leading traders and suppliers of bunker fuels.
The business operates around the globe with more than 100
employees at 12 locations worldwide, and secondly Matrix Marine,
which supplies the world’s largest bunker market, in Singapore.
Headquartered in Hamburg, parent company Marquard & Bahls also
owns two other substantial oil products/related businesses:
Oiltanking – one of the world’s largest independent storage
companies for oil, chemicals and gases, owning/operating 81 terminals
across 25 countries with total storage capacity of 21 million M3.
Skytanking – provides a full range of aviation fuelling services,
including into-plane fuelling, aviation fuel storage and hydrant
management, investment in aviation fuel facilities at airports and
engineering. Current volumes total 12.5 million tonnes/year, with
representation at 69 airports in 13 countries across Europe, Asia and
Africa.
The company is also involved in the bulk handling/storage of
dry goods, renewable energy, carbon trading, fuel analysis and gas
& electricity supply in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Austria and
Switzerland.
Mabanaft’s UK operation
Distribution of products is made from a network of primary and
secondary supply locations where, in the former terminals, the company
owns and manages its own stock, and, in the latter cases, has access to
product availabilities.
Primary locations – Belfast, Grangemouth, Immingham and Grays.
Secondary locations – Stanlow, Kingsbury, Nottingham, Seal Sands
and Grays.
Marketing/Sales of products exceed two billion litres per year
and are delivered through/to distributors, commercial users, diesel
bunkering, retail dealers and aviation.
•
Aviation is the company’s most recent market entry, with the
company now having a presence at 9 UK airports including
Gatwick, Manchester and Edinburgh. With volumes at circa 500
million litres per year, aviation is accounting for an increasing
proportion of the company’s UK total product sales.
Taking advantage of the onset and opportunities of the online
digital age, in 2011 the company introduced Mabalive, a pioneering
fuel ordering/buying and end-to-end deal administration facility. This
innovation greatly streamlines the whole fuel buying and account
management process, providing complete transparency throughout the
life cycle of the deal, with further enhancements to Mabalive having
being made.
BWOC
Founded in 1982 by Bob Wayne, father of the the current principal,
Mark, the business now sells around one billion litres per year to
commercial users, distributors, diesel bunkering and fuel card operators.
Fuel is also sold to a network of retail dealer outlets with annual site
volumes of typically less than two million litres.
Thomas Silvey
Founded in 1870, this long-established company is represented in all
the sectors associated with the distributor business – domestic heating
oil, agricultural users, commercial and industrial users. The company is
also active as a fuel card provider with over 2,000 nationwide business
customers and acceptance at around 3,700 service stations.
A drive for innovation
Mabanaft has shown a healthy appetite and drive for innovation –
both in greatly enhancing the customer’s buying experience through
Mabalive, and through the pursuit of new opportunities such as the fast
growing aviation fuels sector.
In a recipe for enduring succcess, both moves are important
ingredients.
Fuel Oil News | April 2018 25