OREANDA-NEWS. In 2013–2015, Bashneft plans to invest 6.5 billion roubles in the renovation and redesign of its own filling stations in accordance with a new corporate standard. 243 filling stations will undergo changes; this accounts for almost 50% of the Company’s own retail network, which currently comprises 488 filling stations in five regions of Russia.

‘A new corporate standard means not only a uniform approach to the design of filling stations, but also improving service quality and providing additional services,’ JSOC Bashneft’s Vice President for Regional Sales Dmitry Panyukov pointed out. ‘Rebranding of filling stations will increase customer loyalty to the ‘Bashneft’ trademark in all operating regions and, as a result, will boost the sales of petroleum products to consumers.’

In 2013, as part of the rebranding programme, 98 of Bashneft’s filling stations in Bashkortostan, Udmurtia, the Sverdlovsk Region, the Orenburg Region and the Kurgan Region will be upgraded; this includes rebranding 81 filling stations, and 17 filling stations will be completely renovated in accordance with the corporate standard.

Three automatic filling stations to be constructed in the Sverdlovsk Region this year will also be built to a new design. 49 filling stations of Bashneft-Bashkirnefteprodukt Branch will be upgraded this year in the Republic of Bashkortostan: 43 stations will be rebranded, and six filling stations will be completely renovated.

Note: Bashneft’s Board of Directors approved the external design of filling stations and the schedule of measures related to rebranding the Company’s filling stations in February 2012. Last year, the corporate standards in the design of filling stations of various formats were developed, and the contractors were selected. The rebranding of filling stations started at the end of 2012. The first station whose design fully met Bashneft’s corporate standard was opened in December, in Babushkina Street in Ufa. In January 2013, four new automatic filling stations were put into operation under the new brand name in Yekaterinburg and Kamensk-Uralsky.