Improve your performance with JEV Petroleum

Owning your own transport or having access to reliable public transport equals freedom and economic activity. However, many would argue that excessively high petrol and diesel prices are holding us hostage. It is in fact forcing everyone to reconsider and plan their trips more carefully.

January 24, 2010

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Schalk Wurth (depot manager), Rijon Smit (technical and logistics), Paul Hurter (director) and Ehrus Lubbe (director)

The consistent increase in prices is controlled by the International Brent Oil price and the dollar exchange rate. It also does not necessarily increase the profit margins of the supply, import and distribution companies. JEV Petroleum is one such local import and distribution company.

“We have been active in this market for many years since it was established in 2015, distributing petrol, diesel and also, to a lesser extent, paraffin across the Lowveld region. We also supply to the agricultural market,” said Ehrus Lubbe. “Our main depot is in Mbombela, but we can deliver to any destination across South Africa. Larger customers can and do visit the depot to source their supply of fuel directly there.

“The quality of fuel in South Africa, or lack of it, is common knowledge. This is of particular concern to us. With prices as they are, it is imperative that consumers use as clean a fuel as possible, as this will increase vehicle performance and improve overall fuel consumption and economy. This is the reason why we import most of our fuel from our supplier’s storage in Mozambique. They receive their stock from Europe and the Middle East, and it is all at 10ppm standards. The storage facilities are top-notch and quality is strictly monitored.”

The country is divided into zones with a fixed grid price in each zone. “Our prices are connected to the basic fuel price (BFP) and synchronise in terms of the various increases. That said, government sometimes makes more from a litre of fuel than what the BFP is.

“The business is extremely competitive and margins are small and tight. We are fortunate, though, in that we have experience a constant growth despite the economic challenges,” said Paul Hurter.

Hurter joined the business in 2018 and brought an extensive background in banking to the business. Lubbe spent many years in the agricultural environment with extensive marketing experience. Later he owned a cooperative with a fuel depot and then moved solely into the fuel distribution business.

“We support regular testing within the supply chain, but it is expensive, though. Be that as it may, our supply to customers is quality controlled. Our fuel is most definitely cleaner than that supplied from the reef. Thus we have become the preferred supplier in the Lowveld with the best service,” concluded Lubbe.