Low-cost gas station operator Plenergy is preparing one of its biggest growth leaps in the Valencian Community, where it plans to practically double the number of its open stations. José Ramón, the expansion director of the company, has set a target of 150 or 160 stations, compared to the 86 the oil company currently has in the region following openings last month. To achieve this, the firm already has nearly 30 projects in the licence process in this region alone.
The interest of Plenergy in the Valencian Community is neither new nor accidental. The company began operations in Madrid, but its first expansion into another autonomous community was precisely here, specifically in the province of Alicante, where it opened its second office. From Alicante, an expansion process began along the entire Mediterranean coast, with the company extending to Murcia, Almería, and Málaga, eventually covering the entire corridor that now stretches from Catalonia to Andalusia. Today, the Valencian Community has the highest number of Plenergy stations open in all of Spain.
The executive explains the appeal of the region with an analogy the company is now also applying in other countries, pointing to Mercadona as a good example of a market that starts in a highly competitive territory, which determines whether you truly have the right approach. For Plenergy, succeeding in a market as demanding as Valencia is the best proof that its model works anywhere in the country.
The company is also trying to copy that expansion model into Portugal, where they plan to open or have open around 30 gas stations. It will be the second country where they have a presence, which will be a very important leap because they started with practically only about 13 gas stations at the end of last year.
The selection of each new station is based on very specific criteria. José Ramón explains that they take great care to ensure the location is the best possible, focusing on highly urban locations with high traffic, meaning areas with a large population. The goal is to guarantee a stable clientele from day one, avoiding poorly situated locations that condemn many gas stations to close in the medium term in a business where location is an essential element for success.
One of the factors accelerating the growth of Plenergy in the region is the competitive pressure of the Valencian market itself, which José Ramón describes as a territory under intense pressure due to the high level of competition among operators. This pressure is very good for the consumer, but it also directly benefits the company, as many traditional gas stations are approaching them to offer to lease or even buy their stations.
