Beyond fuel: New-look Astron Energy aims to be African energy leader

With over 800 services stations, an extensive petroleum retail network, a crude oil refinery and a lubricants manufacturing plant, Astron Energy aspires to be more than just SA's next biggest fuel brand. 

Its vision is to be a leading African energy company, enabling growth, enriching lives and delivering shared value to its people, its customers and the communities in which it operates.

New brand identity, renewed purpose

With a legacy spanning more than 100 years, Astron Energy was formed in 2018 when Chevron sold its majority shareholding in SA. Since then, the organisation has been operating the Caltex brand in SA under a licence agreement.

With the support of majority shareholder Glencore, Astron Energy envisaged creating something special in the market by consolidating its operations under a single, unifying brand identity.

In 2021, the company announced that Astron Energy would be the overarching brand across all its corporate, commercial and retail channels, with a new brand identity at forecourts and other key sites.

Astron Energy's valued employees are at the centre of the huge rebranding of its hundreds of forecourts across SA — a feat that involved 750,000 working hours, 1.3-million LEDs, more than 27 soccer fields in canopy cladding and ordering countless uniforms in its distinctive new orange and purple corporate colours.

It aims to be a high-performance organisation, to put people first and to create an environment where everyone is treated equally, fairly and with respect. It also strives to improve the lives of ordinary citizens by investing in the development of the country, its people and products.

Investing in SA

Astron Energy's commitment to the country, its people and socioeconomic development is reflected in the R48bn contributed to the GDP and the creation of more than 72,000 jobs, according to a 2019 Economic Impact Assessment study.

The continued success and sustainable growth of the company is intrinsically linked to the success of the country. That’s why Astron Energy has invested R21m in youth empowerment, providing educational support to 250,000 learners and young people every year.

With an eye on the environment, it's also committed to the use of recycled water at its crude oil refinery in Milnerton, Cape Town. This refinery — the only one of its kind in southwest SA — supports more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

With a daily processing capacity of 100,000 barrels of crude oil, it produces petrol, diesel, jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas, making Astron Energy a significant contributor to ensuring the security of the supply of such products in SA.

The Milnerton refinery is also SA's only local production source of a very low sulphur marine fuel, which meets global environmental requirements, and is used to power local and international seagoing vessels.

Meanwhile, the company's Durban lubricants plant produces innovative and flagship brands and specialised lubricants for industrial, commercial and consumer markets.

More customer rewards, more innovation

Astron Energy understands that the world of fuel has changed. A fuel brand focused solely on a fuel offering simply isn’t going to cut it. That's why it's put a lot of work into redefining the fuel and non-fuel retail offerings at its service stations.

The company's partnership with FreshStop, SA's leading convenience retail brand, brings 24-hour shopping convenience to its forecourts, while its affiliation with Standard Bank gives UCount Rewards members the opportunity to earn and spend Rewards Points whenever they fill up.

The recently launched own-brand Astron Energy rewards programme makes it possible for members to redeem daily rewards at select service stations. The company's premium petrol and diesel featuring new Quartech Fuel 4-in-1 Technology — which flows smoother, protects longer, keeps cleaner and runs further — is yet another drawcard. 

Astron Energy is looking forward to launching future products and partnerships — it's in it for the long run and aims to be an integral part of the everyday lives of South Africans.

This article was sponsored by Astron Energy.