You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Hellenic Petroleum receives support from eI bank<br />
The European Investment Bank has provided<br />
a total of 400 million euros to Hellenic<br />
Petroleum SA, for increased production of<br />
cleaner fuels through upgrading the Elefsina<br />
refinery. At the signing ceremony in Athens,<br />
EIB Vice-President Plutarchos Sakellaris said:<br />
“We provide this financing to benefit both<br />
development and environment in Greece, in<br />
our capacity as the European Union’s bank.<br />
In order to counteract the impact of the crisis<br />
on the Greek and European economies,<br />
we are increasing significantly our lending.<br />
Loans for cleaner energy form an integral<br />
and important part of our extended offering.<br />
This underlines once again the key role that<br />
entrepreneurial activity plays in strengthening<br />
the structural competitiveness of the<br />
European economy. There is no doubt that<br />
this investment acts as a vital link in the<br />
innovation chain, creating employment and<br />
raising the level of job qualifications, while<br />
reducing fuel imports. This productive investment<br />
improves atmospheric conditions<br />
through state-of-the-art refining technology<br />
and increasing cleaner fuel production. We<br />
Service stations on<br />
highways in Cyprus!<br />
The government of Cyprus is looking into the<br />
prospect of creating service stations along<br />
the length of the main highway. In a letter of<br />
response to Environmental Commissioner<br />
Charalambos Theopemptou, the ministry said<br />
it was examining the possibility of building<br />
stations with toilets, resting areas, restaurants<br />
and petrol stations. As a preliminary measure,<br />
the aim is to create toilets in current weighing<br />
stations until tender procedures can<br />
be launched for private developers to build<br />
proper service stations, like those in the rest<br />
of Europe. Earlier this month a letter was<br />
sent to the ministry saying there had been<br />
complaints by tourists, who rent cars and are<br />
shocked to find there are no resting areas to<br />
use the toilet or fill up on petrol. In some cases,<br />
service station signs on the highway actually<br />
lead to private restaurants or cafeterias. The<br />
lack of proper resting areas is also a problem<br />
for professional drivers, who are often on the<br />
roads for hours on end.<br />
oPw achieves ISo certi -<br />
fication in Czech rep<br />
Shell improves business intelligence with SaP<br />
Shell has implemented a new analysis and<br />
reporting platform for its global operation. As<br />
reported, Shell has gone live with a set of SAP<br />
Business Objects Business Intelligence tools<br />
which are already used by 3 500 employees.<br />
Implementation partner is Accenture. By September,<br />
the new platform is planned to have<br />
are pleased to have Hellenic Petroleum, one<br />
of the most important players in SE Europe<br />
as a partner in this effort.”<br />
Mr. Tassos Giannitsis, Hellenic Petroleum’s<br />
Chairman commented: “We are very pleased<br />
to be partners with the European Investment<br />
Bank in the cornerstone of our investment<br />
program, the upgrade of our Elefsina refinery.<br />
This 1.2 billion euros investment, the largest<br />
industrial investment ever in Greece improves<br />
competitiveness, creates new employment,<br />
produces better and environmentally friendlier<br />
products, reduces imports and increases exports<br />
and importantly improves the environmental<br />
performance of the refinery by substantially<br />
reducing all emissions. Project implementation<br />
is on track with completion expected in<br />
the second half of next year. In very difficult<br />
times for our country, Hellenic Petroleum is<br />
committed to implementing its strategy for<br />
growth and competitiveness which involves<br />
a major investment program of over 2 billion<br />
euros in 2009-11 focused on our refining and<br />
marketing businesses and a major performance<br />
improvement initiative.”<br />
OPW Fueling Components EMEA has<br />
achieve ISO 14001:2004 certification for<br />
expanded Czech Republic manufacturing<br />
plant. Formerly known as OPW Fueling<br />
Components Europe, the company has announced<br />
it has achieved ISO 14001:2004<br />
certification for its manufacturing plant in<br />
the Czech Republic, while also having its<br />
ISO 9001:2008 certificate renewed. ISO<br />
14001:2004 is awarded to companies that<br />
meet ISO-established guidelines for energymanagement<br />
systems at their plants. To<br />
achieve ISO 14001:2001 certification, OPW<br />
had to present to ISO a framework for a<br />
holistic, strategic approach to environmental<br />
policy, plans and actions as they would apply<br />
to the Czech Republic facility. OPW also<br />
had to show a commitment to comply with<br />
applicable environmental legislation and<br />
regulations, along with making a commitment<br />
to continual improvement in its energy<br />
systems at the Klasterec plant.<br />
a total of 6 500 users. Shell wants to get rid<br />
of reports delivered in Excel and PowerPoint<br />
completely and standardise its data deployment<br />
globally. The mineral oil company uses the<br />
Business Objects applications Crystal Reports,<br />
Web Intelligence, Xcelsius Enterprise on the<br />
base of SAP’s middleware Netweaver.<br />
LateSt NewS, eveNtS, JobS oNLINe – www.PetroLPLaza.CoM<br />
NewS – euroPe<br />
Greece taken to court<br />
The European Commission decided, on<br />
5 May, to refer Greece to the EU Court<br />
of Justice over its rules restricting the<br />
establishment of petrol stations. Greek<br />
legislation prohibits the establishment of<br />
petrol stations near certain public places,<br />
such as shops or residences, while allowing<br />
it near others, such as offices and hotels,<br />
thereby limiting competition and choice for<br />
consumers. It imposes minimum distances<br />
between a new petrol station and an existing<br />
one, therefore limiting the entry of new<br />
operators. The authorisation procedure for<br />
petrol stations requires the applicant to<br />
provide a fire certificate that can be issued<br />
only by ‘certified’ Greek expert engineers.<br />
The Commission sent a reasoned opinion<br />
to Greece, in June 2009, asking it to comply<br />
with EU law. As no satisfactory reply was<br />
received, the executive has decided to take<br />
the case to the court.<br />
Petrotec wins ‘best<br />
Innovation award’<br />
World leader in digital security, Gemalto<br />
is a business partner of Petrotec, offering<br />
solutions designed to make personal<br />
interactions more convenient, secure and<br />
enjoyable. Its portfolio ranges from the development<br />
of POS Terminals and software<br />
applications to the design and production<br />
of secure personal devices such as smart<br />
cards, SIM Cards, e-passports and tokens.<br />
Says Petrotec, a key reason for winning the<br />
award was the incorporation of the Gemalto<br />
Magic³X-8 terminal, as an integral part of<br />
Petrotec Microsys, a management solution<br />
for petrol stations. Microsys is the first<br />
fully integrated global system which allows<br />
the management of IFSF fuel dispensing<br />
pumps and EMV / PCI payment methods,<br />
housed in a single terminal that fits in the<br />
hand of the operator. A solution that drew<br />
fulsome praise in Carte 2009, the largest<br />
showcase of technology held in France, in<br />
late 2009. The new generation of Magic³<br />
POS terminals was also honoured as the<br />
choice of the largest Portuguese bank for a<br />
recent contract to supply about 3 000 units.<br />
waitrose in bahrain<br />
UK supermarket group, Waitrose has<br />
announced it will be opening a new store<br />
in Bahrain after it saw strong sales at its<br />
first Middle East venture in Dubai. The<br />
food store, which is part of the John Lewis<br />
Partnership, said it saw an increase of<br />
60 percent in sales on last year at its two<br />
Dubai branches, which opened in 2008.<br />
7