Fuel retailers seal merger

A new nationwide company, NPDGull, has been launched after low-cost fuel retailers Gull and NPD completed their merger.

The deal received approval from the Commerce Commission in May and all existing Gull and NPD sites are set to continue trading under their existing names.

The two operations now have a combined network of about 240 retail sites.

Barry Sheridan, NPDGull group chief executive, says investments are planned to increase the size of its North Island operations, enlarge its delivery fleet and acquire more storage tank options.

“From ‘Port to the Pump’, across the North Island, we’ll control every step, improving the resilience of supply to our sites, and to customers in industrial and remote areas,” he adds.

Sheridan explains the company will continue to focus on its self-serve model and leverage its buying power to keep costs low.

The two companies sought clearance for their merger in December last year and the Commerce Commission said in May it was satisfied such a deal was unlikely to substantially lessen competition.