It has been a big few weeks for one of Geelong’s biggest manufacturers, Viva Energy, which employs 700 people at its refinery in Corio, one of only two refineries left in Australia.
Viva Energy has big plans for its Geelong site, where it will establish the Geelong Energy Hub to explore opportunities with alternative energy sources while continuing to manufacture the critical traditional fuels it has made in Geelong for nearly 70 years.
Viva Energy sees itself as a crucial link in Australia’s fuel security, recently announcing plans to build three 30-million litre diesel storage tanks at its Corio site, in a move that will secure Victoria’s diesel supplies.
The diesel storage project is one of several Viva Energy has in the pipeline for Geelong which will see almost $1 billion invested in Corio over the next four years.
Other projects include a proposed LNG import terminal to address Victoria’s dwindling natural gas supplies, an Ultra-Low Sulphur Gasoline plant to improve the standard of fuels produced at Geelong Refinery, and a Hydrogen Refuelling Station, which will supply clean fuel to Geelong’s heavy vehicle operators.
The hydrogen refuelling station project will see Viva Energy partner with some of Geelong’s biggest heavy vehicle fleet operators to supply hydrogen to power cutting-edge buses, trucks and waste management vehicles by the end of 2023.
The company is also exploring new technologies to develop and supply bio-fuel products and participate in waste oil and plastic recycling.
In a pilot trial last year with Nestle and other partners, the refinery played a critical role in processing recycled plastic material to create Australia’s first recycled plastic food wrapper – a KitKat wrapper.
In September, Viva Energy announced its intention to purchase the Coles Express convenience business from the Coles Group, creating the largest Australian fuel and convenience network in Australia under a single operator.
The $300 million acquisition accelerates the company’s strategy to grow its convenience business.
Coles Express and the retailing capability and customer service which is delivered by about 6,000 team members across the country.
“The pandemic has changed the way people work and how they shop,” Mr Wyatt said. “They are shopping more locally, want more convenience and a wider range of quality products and services. In the future, customers will also be looking for convenient electric vehicle recharging options while they are on the road, and in time we can also expect to see hydrogen refuelling facilities at major highway service centres.”
The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to complete in the first half of 2023.