Ultragaz
{{Short description|Brazilian petroleum distributor}}
{{Infobox company
|name = Ultragaz
|image = Logotipo da Ultragaz (2021).svg
|founded = 1937
|location_city = São Paulo, SP, Brazil
|founder = Ernesto Igel
|owner = Ultrapar
|key_people = Tabajara Bertelli (CEO)
|type = Private
|industry = Gas distribution
|website = {{URL|http://www.ultragaz.com.br/}}
}}
Ultragaz is a Brazilian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution company. It originated as part of the company Empresa Brasileira de Gás a Domicílio, created by Ernesto Igel, founder of Ultra Group.{{cite web |url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/dinheiro/fi0107200319.htm |title=Ultragaz negocia compra da Shell Gas para ser líder |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.valor.com.br/empresas/1061150/repsol-vende-unidade-de-glp-para-ultragaz |title=Repsol vende unidade de GLP para a Ultragaz |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}
Ultragaz is the largest LPG distributor in Brazil, with 46 percent market share. It provides gas to about 15 million households in the bottled LPG segment and more than 90,000 customers in bulk.{{cite web |url=http://revistapegn.globo.com/Empresasenegocios/0,19125,ERA450758-2481,00.html|title=Disputa pelo consumidor |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}
History
Austrian entrepreneur Ernesto Igel moved to Brazil from Vienna in 1920, and founded Empresa Brasileira de Gás à Domicílio in 1937.
The company was the first in Brazil to distribute household gas. Empresa Brasileira de Gás à Domicílio started small with three delivery trucks and less than 200 customers. By the early 1960s, operating as Ultragaz, the company served a customer base of 1 million users. In 1997, Ultragaz introduced UltraSystem, the LPG bulk delivery system.{{cite web |url=http://www.valor.com.br/sites/default/files/upload_element/22-02_ultrapar_balanco_ok_todos.pdf |title=Ultrapar em 2012 |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}
In 2003, Ultragaz acquired Shell's LPG distribution business in Brazil, Shell Gas. Ultragaz also introduced online and SMS order systems.{{cite web |url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/fsp/dinheiro/fi0107200319.htm |title=Ultragaz negocia a compra de shell gas para ser líder |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.24horasnews.com.br/esportes/ver/Ultragaz_deve_comprar_Shell_Gas_e_virar_lider_em_GLP_no_Brasil_.html |title=Ultragaz deve comprar shell e virar líder em GLP |accessdate=June 3, 2015}}
In October 2011, Ultragaz acquired the LPG distribution branch of the Spanish company Repsol in Brazil for R$50 million.{{cite web |url=http://euleionn.com.br/noticias/gas-natural/repsol-vende-ativo-de-glp-ultragaz-e-foca-em-ep|title=Repsol vende unidade de GLP para Ultragaz|accessdate=June 3, 2015}} and incorporated an annual sales volume of 22,000 tons, corresponding to 1% of the Brazilian market. Ultragaz has over 4,200 resellers.{{cite web |url=http://oglobo.globo.com/economia/repsol-vende-unidade-de-glp-para-ultragaz-2898601 |title=Repsol vende unidade de GLP para Ultragaz|accessdate=June 3, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://oglobo.globo.com/economia/repsol-vende-unidade-de-glp-para-ultragaz-2898601 |title=Ultragaz adquire distribuicao de LGP|accessdate=June 3, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://oglobo.globo.com/economia/repsol-vende-unidade-de-glp-para-ultragaz-2898601 |title=Ultrapar adquire distribuição de LGP da Repsol Brasil|accessdate=June 3, 2015}}
On November 17, 2016, Petrobras closed the sale of Liquigás to Ultragaz for 2.8 billion reais.{{Cite web |agency=Reuters |date=2016-11-17 |title=Petrobras aprova venda da Liquigás para Ultragaz por R$ 2,8 bi |url=http://g1.globo.com/economia/negocios/noticia/2016/11/conselho-da-petrobras-aprova-venda-da-liquigas-para-ultragaz-por-r28-bi-20161117193006113945.html |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Negócios |language=pt-br}} On February 28, 2018, CADE disapproved the purchase.{{Cite web |title=Cade reprova compra da Liquigás pela Ultragaz |url=https://g1.globo.com/economia/noticia/cade-reprova-compra-da-liquigas-pela-ultragaz.ghtml |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=G1 |language=pt-br}}