Shell celebrates its 105 years of operations in the Philippines by continuing to forge countless partnerships in the Philippines. With over 1,000 retails sites nationwide, Shell continues their global tradition of building mutually beneficial collaborations that last.
As one of the biggest and most profitable retail networks in the country, Pilipinas Shell has continuously provided stable and lucrative investment opportunities for both seasoned and budding entrepreneurs, creating partnerships that only get stronger through the years.
One such partner is Mereane Lu Siason who, over the past 20 years, has dramatically grown her business from one Shell station on the fringe of Mindanao’s capital to multiple stations all over the Northern part of Davao City.
“Sa panahon ngayon, marami talagang mga pagbabago. Masaya kami dahil nandyan ang Shell at hindi kami pinabayaan,” Siason notes.
Coming from a diverse business background in the fields of food franchising, security services, and real estate, Siason made the leap towards becoming a fuel retailer in the late 90s. “I started in 1999 without any knowledge about the industry,” she recalls. “It’s all about the brand’s credentials when it comes to producing quality products. It’s an international brand, that’s why we decided to partner with Shell,” she adds.
And as testament of her trust for the brand, Mereane gifted her daughter, Eden Siason-Sy, one dealership-owned site for her wedding. This was the start of a mother-daughter tandem that took their retail business to a different level. Eden eventually helped her mother in managing all their other sites including the newly built Shell Damosa in Northern Davao City, their 9th gas station in the Davao region.
Throughout her two decades of partnership with Shell, Siason has had nothing but good things to say about the company. In fact, Siason attributes the continuous growth of their retail business to the company’s commitment to their retailers despite the challenges and struggles of the oil industry in the world market.
“All I want to say is that I’m thankful to Shell for giving me this opportunity, not just to our family but to our forecourt champions as well,” Siason stresses. “Most of them have worked with us since 1999 and they are able to provide for their own family too.”
The mother-and-son tandem of Edna and Marc Puertas, on the other hand, started their journey in the motoring industry as a sub-dealer for premium automotive brands. When it was time to expand, they decided to venture into a retail business with Shell, also in Mindanao.
For 29 years since the start of the Shell partnership, Edna and Marc have been hands-on in building up their four company-owned sites, three of which are in Cagayan De Oro City and the other one is in Misamis Oriental near the Laguindingan airport.
“I am glad that we chose Shell to partner with in our retail business. The Shell management is very professional and supportive,” the older Puertas declares.
“I think it’s also advantageous that Shell has a retailer’s engagement day event to meet other retailers to get updated on the company’s direction, share our best practices, and explore opportunities to partner with others.”
She also added that successful Shell retailers have embodied the attitude of flexibility and hard work while maintaining a constant involvement in the day-to-day operations.
For her son Marc, who has been involved in running the business since he was still in high school, Shell has always been a company with the best interests of their partners at heart. He also believes and has confidence in the fact that it is a business that can be passed on from generation to generation since the brand is already strong. “Shell provides products that are beyond compare, and that’s our advantage.”
He also adds that Shell is a people-oriented company, something that they also apply to their business. They want to make sure that everyone is in good hands—not just their loyal customers but their employees as well.
Indeed, the company’s heritage and expertise have propelled them towards becoming the preferred brand in the Mindanao region. Shell is looking to further expand and serve the Mindanao market with their next generation of retailers.
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