As part of its long-term strategy, CPC Corp, Taiwan (CPC, 台灣中油) plans to strengthen its presence in central Taiwan along the Sun Yat-sen Freeway through the takeover of five gas stations from Formosa Oil Corp (台亞石油), the company said yesterday.
Formosa Oil receives its petroleum products directly from Formosa Petrochemical Corp (台塑石化), the nation’s only publicly traded oil refiner, and both companies are both subsidiaries under the nation’s mega conglomerate Formosa Plastics Group (台塑集團).
CPC will begin operation in these five locations on Feb. 1. The gas stations are located right off Sun Yat-sen Freeway exits at Maoli (苗栗), Yuanlin (員林), Dounan (斗南), as well as both the north and south ramp Tai-an (泰安) service stations, Chiang Chung-chen (江中鎮), the company’s chief executive officer told reporters yesterday.
After more than five years of planning, the government-owned oil refiner spent more than NT$3.47 million (US$103,200) to acquire operating rights in these five locales, or NT$40,000 over the starting bid, Chiang said.
Earlier this year, the state-owned enterprise lost its gas station located at Taipei Songshan Airport to Formosa Oil.
In other news, Chiang confirmed earlier comments made by Minister of Economic Affairs (MOEA) Yiin Chii-ming (尹啟銘) on CPC’s generous oil price scheme during the Lunar New Year.
“CPC adjusts its oil prices every Friday to take effect the next day, and since the 24th and 31st of this month fall during the holiday season, we have decided only to implement price decreases and not increases for these two weeks,” Chiang said.
That means if world crude oil prices increase, local citizens will not feel the burden. But if prices fall, they will see downward adjustments at the gas pumps, Chiang said.
Currently CPC operates a total of 642 gas stations nationwide. From Sunday through Feb. 2, 245 stations will operate around the clock to accommodate holiday travelers, Chiang added.
Detailed information can be found on the company’s Web site as well as the toll-free number 080-036188.
Moreover, to collaborate with the government’s efforts to increase domestic consumption, CPC will be redeeming consumer vouchers on multiple products and services.
At the same time, special promotions on engine oils and proprietary goods, will be made available as well to voucher users, the company said.
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