Leading independents and MOCs flock to support PetroForum Europe

With a 16-year history of success across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the UK, OpenRoom Events – the company behind PetroForum – are set to add Europe to its portfolio. Leading independents, NOCs and MOCs in the fuel retail sector are converging on Sitges in less than three weeks for two days of networking, pre-arranged meetings and conference sessions.

An impressive range of countries will be represented, from Latvia to Iceland, from Turkey to Portugal – boasting a combined total of 91,965 service stations between them. Only those with ambitious growth and development plans meet the strict entry criteria; unlike events that have gone before, distributors and PMCs do not qualify. Industry legends and innovative start-ups populate the supplier list with over 36 companies heading in from as far afield as Australia. Says Kurt Dillen of Platinum Partner DFS: “Our support is predicated upon OpenRoom’s impressive track record. We have every confidence they will deliver a first-rate event with a guaranteed ROI”.

This expectation is bolstered by the stellar line-up of conference speakers. The Continent’s rising star, EG Group, will deliver its view of how to leverage global partnerships followed by research findings from Accenture Consulting on how AI is transforming the forecourt business. Further sessions from UPEI on natural fuels of the future and Dutch retailer TanQyou Netherlands complete the agenda. Whilst its unique brand of one-to-ones is at the heart of the two days, delegates will find that there is much more to PetroForum Europe than just meetings. Fuel retail delegates will be led through a group discussion by Gilbert van Rens of Belgium’s leading retailer, MAES Energy & Mobility. Suppliers meanwhile will join a PetrolPlaza-hosted workshop on IoT with contributions from Leighton O’Brien and Scheidt & Bachman.

Retailers will discover some innovative new solutions from suppliers who are using PetroForum as a launchpad into the European market. EasyCoffee is promoting its easyPizza to-go, cooked in 3 minutes ready to eat, pre-sliced 12" pizza; Htec will be revealing how the real-time ab ignition retail management solution has been integrated into its EPOS & payment solutions and all the way from Australia, EFuel Systems will be showcasing its modular fuel retail management system designed to increase profits and optimise operations. Event Coffee Partner Franke Coffee Systems, known for high-quality fully automatic coffee machines, will showcase its new Digital Services web based monitoring, mobile and loyalty offering.

Throughout its 16 years in business, OpenRoom has always focused on securing the right delegates for its events. It’s a strategy that’s enabled the company to grow from one event in one sector to over 20 different events in multiple geographies covering oil and gas, retail, leisure and healthcare.

Says Fiona Horan, Director OpenRoom: “For some years now our clients have been asking us to bring PetroForum to Europe, and once the incumbent fell away, we felt it was the right time to showcase our commitment to quality. We’re excited to be taking this important step and we’ll be bringing a team of seven to Sitges to ensure the highest levels of customer service at the event”.

*PetrolPlaza will be chairing a supplier roundtable on how the Internet of Things is changing the way forecourts are operated.