Bp Cost-cutting May Slow Launch Of Refiner's New Fuel And Eat Into Jobber Funding

摘要

BP says that the rollout of its much-ballyhooed "Invigorate" motor fuel is moving forward "according to plan" -but some of the company's jobbers beg to differ. Branded marketers were told in a mid-February conference call that budget cutbacks related to the poor economic situation have led to a delay in a terminal upgrade project at Tampa, which in turn will push back the Invigorate rollout into 2010. Florida markets had been due to receive the new fuel this year. BP spokesman Scott Dean says that any delays represent a "single-digit percentage" of BP sites, but sources say more than 100 Florida locations covering most of the state's western coast won't see the fuel. More worrisome to marketers, however, were statements from BP execs on the call.