Karnataka   

MRPL enters retailing

MADDUR (MANDYA DISTRICT): The Mangalore-based Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) opened its first retail outlet at Maddur in Mandya district on Saturday. It will also be entering the Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) segment soon, according to its Managing Director R. Rajamani.

Speaking to presspersons on the sidelines of the function to launch the outlet, Mr. Rajamani stressed the need for MRPL to be in the retail segment. He said MRPL plans to open 500 outlets in the country, out of which 10 to 12 would be in Karnataka.

Outlining the plans for entering the ATF segment, Mr. Rajamani said the quality of the fuel has been of top quality. “Talks are on with two airlines. If all goes well, we will clinch the deal in less than a month,” he added. The MRPL and the two airlines have already entered into a draft agreement.

The initial ATF marketing space for MRPL would be Bangalore International Airport Limited and Hyderabad Airport. MRPL has also participated in the bid for supplying ATF to nine other airports in the country, where Air-India and Indian had notified tenders.

When asked about the exports of MRPL, Mr. Rajamani said: “At the given conditions of petroleum pricing index, it is better to market petroleum products in the domestic market rather than the export market. MRPL will export only what is in excess of domestic market demand. Exports have come down by 43 to 45 per cent,” he said.

Earlier, at the launching ceremony of the retail outlet, Director of MRPL A.K. Mitra said that the company would expand its production capacity to 15 million tonnes a year by 2010-11, and the range of products would include many value-added products. The MRPL had posted a turnover of Rs. 32,376.8 crore in 2006-07 and the company was “under recovery”. He was positive that once the new models of retail outlets start showing results, the company would approach the Government for bonds.

MLC from Mandya district, S.M. Shankar, inaugurated the new outlet. Principal Secretary of the Department of Kannada and Culture I.M.Vittalamurthy said that the Government has given 18 plots in different districts to MRPL to develop its retail outlets, and in every outlet there will be a space reserved for tourism development.

The new retail outlet of the MRPL will be known under the brand name “HiQ” which sports the colours of MRPL. The outlet that has opened in Maddur has a Café Coffee Day and Baskin Robbins ice-cream shops, apart from the tourism counter.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Karnataka Congress unit may contest polls on its own
For some silly laughs
Masala for the box office
Miraculous Prayer
Applications invited
Much sought after
Celebration time
BSP to contest for all 24 Assembly seats
Hospital criticises Commissioner’s action over garbage disposal
Proposal on FMDP for petro products under study
MRPL enters retailing
Faulty pricing will affect people
Showcasing culture
Honour for four Sagar teachers
Voicing their demand
Faulty tariff will affect people
Pejawar seer to undertake fast
It flatters to deceive
Poets’ meet
It is time for ‘yellu bella’
Training
For all-round growth

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu