Aral AG (previously Veba Öl AG) is a German oil company established in 1898 as Westdeutsche Benzol-Verkaufs-Vereinigung GmbH (West German Benzene Marketing Corporation). The company is currently owned by British conglomerate BP[1] after it was purchased in 2002.[2]
The Aral brand was introduced in 1924 and is a portmanteau of the German words "Aromaten" and "Aliphaten", alluding to the aromatic and aliphatic components found in gasoline, respectively. With around 2,400 petrol stations operating, Aral is the market leader in Germany.[2]
On 15 July 2001 Deutsche BP AG agreed to acquire 51% of Veba Öl AG. The acquisition was completed on 1 February 2002. The Aral brand name was retained, and 650 BP stations in Germany were rebranded "Aral".[3] Six BP branded filling stations remained in operation in Germany to protect the company's rights to the name. Elsewhere, in Poland and Austria, Aral stations became BP ones. Aral changes in other countries were sold. Aral's slogan is "Alles super".
BP bought the chain in 2002 as part of a larger deal with German energy group E.ON EONGn.DE.[2]
Products
An Aral petrol station (2007)Aral Pulse charging stations in front of an Aral gas station (2021)
Many Aral gas stations also sell other items under the convenience store name "Aral Store". During the 70's and 80's the brand name used was often "Aral Boutique". Many shops currently have a PetitBistro. Some stations also provide car washes under the name Ultimate SuperWash.
For businesses, Aral offers different types of fuel cards: Aral CardKomfort for small businesses, Aral CardPlus for larger companies and Aral CardTruck with additional truck-related services.[4]
In a customer study on the quality of offers and service in gas stations by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Verbraucherstudien (DtGV, German Association for CStudies) in cooperation with N24, Aral finished third, behind Q1 and OIL!.
Aral AG was an official long-term fuel retailer and convenience store for the touring car racing series Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters from 2005 until 2020[5]
