Waitomo Group
{{Short description|New Zealand fuel and distribution company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Waitomo Group
| logo =
| logo_caption = Kiwis Fueling Kiwis
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| type =
| industry = Fuel retailing
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| hq_location_country = New Zealand
| area_served = New Zealand
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| website = {{url|waitomogroup.co.nz}}
}}
Waitomo Group is a New Zealand fuel retailing and distribution company. It is based in Hamilton and has 100 petrol stations around the country including 9 in the Auckland Region.{{cite web |title=Waitomo Group |url=https://www.waitomogroup.co.nz |website=waitomogroup.co.nz |publisher=Waitomo Group}}
Waitomo sells Mobil fuel, diesel, lubricants and solvents through its branded petrol stations and to commercial clients, including businesses, agricultural contractors, roading and civil engineering contractors, forestry crews, workshops, quarries and farms. It also offers bulk fuel supply, onsite diesel supply and fuel and oil storage.{{cite web |title=Written comment on the Market Study into the retail fuel sector – Draft Report |url=https://comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0032/174947/Waitomo-Submission-on-Retail-Fuel-Draft-Report-13-September-2019.PDF |website=comcom.govt.nz |publisher=Commerce Commission |date=13 September 2019}}
Waitomo Group petrol stations are no frills, with 24-hour pay at the pump systems, high-flow diesel lanes and vapour recovery technology.
History
The company was founded by Desmond Ormsby in Te Kūiti in 1947. The company was still independently owned and operated Desmond Ormsby's grandfather Jimmy in 2021.{{cite news |title=The Kiwi disruptor that's fueling Kiwis |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/better-business/124966164/the-kiwi-disruptor-thats-fueling-kiwis |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=5 May 2021}} Previously,{{When|date=October 2023}} Mobil owned a stake in Waitomo, but this stake was bought back by the Ormsby family in 2002.{{Cite web |last=Dunkley |first=Daniel |date=2019-12-21 |title=The no-frills effect: the Kiwi companies pushing for lower petrol prices |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/118360941/the-nofrills-effect-the-kiwi-companies-pushing-for-lower-petrol-prices |access-date=2023-10-25 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Three Waitomo stations were opened in the first three months of 2019, including an outlet in Papamoa, Tauranga.{{cite news |title=New Zealand: Waitomo Group opens new site in Papamoa |url=https://www.petrolplaza.com/news/21433 |publisher=Petrol Plaza |date=12 March 2022}}
Waitomo Group opened its first lower North Island stores in Clouston Park, Upper Hutt in May 2019 and Thorndon, Wellington in July.{{cite news |last1=Flaws |first1=Bonnie |title=Cheap fuel finally hits Wellington as Waitomo petrol station opens |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/112686891/waitomos-first-wellington-petrol-station-opening |agency=Dominion Post |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=14 May 2019}}
The company opened its first South Island outlet in Central Christchurch in December 2019.{{cite news |last1=McDonald |first1=Liz |title=Fuel discounter Waitomo opening first South Island outlet in central Christchurch |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/118257003/fuel-discounter-waitomo-opening-first-south-island-outlet-in-central-christchurch |agency=The Press |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=17 December 2019}} It opened another Christchurch outlet and two more Dunedin outlets in August 2020.{{cite news |last1=O'Carroll |first1=Damien |title=Waitomo heads further south |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/motoring/122207420/waitomo-heads-further-south |agency=The Press |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=22 July 2020}}
In 2021, Waitomo was involved in plans to sell hydrogen fuel at 100 locations by 2030.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Catherine |title=Farewell to carbon: the clean fuels in NZ's future |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/green-business/124612686/farewell-to-carbon-the-clean-fuels-in-nzs-future |agency=Green Business |publisher=stuff.co.nz |date=18 August 2021}}
Waitomo Group warned of rising fuel prices when the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine began in late February 2022.{{cite news |last1=Olley |first1=Sam |title=Russia-Ukraine conflict pushes global oil prices, with flow-on effects for New Zealand |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/462289/russia-ukraine-conflict-pushes-global-oil-prices-with-flow-on-effects-for-new-zealand |agency=RNZ News |publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=25 February 2022}}
The Waitomo Group petrol station in Papanui, Christchurch sold out of fuel on 11 March 2022, after the company announced its intention to raise fuel prices.{{cite news |last1=Stevenson |first1=Katie |title=Rush to the pumps as petrol group announces 'biggest single price increase' |url=https://www.1news.co.nz/2022/03/11/rush-to-the-pumps-as-petrol-group-announces-biggest-single-price-increase/ |agency=1News |publisher=Television New Zealand |date=11 March 2022}} Long queues were reported at other Waitomo stations around the country.{{cite news |title=Motorists fuel up before pump prices skyrocket |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-christchurch/motorists-fuel-pump-prices-skyrocket |agency=Otago Daily Times |publisher=Allied Press |date=11 March 2022}} The company claimed the wholesale price rise was unprecedented.{{cite news |title=Kiwi drivers urged not to switch to lower-grade petrol to save money as fuel prices skyrocket |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2022/03/kiwi-drivers-urged-not-to-switch-to-lower-grade-petrol-to-save-money-as-fuel-prices-skyrocket.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324092743/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/money/2022/03/kiwi-drivers-urged-not-to-switch-to-lower-grade-petrol-to-save-money-as-fuel-prices-skyrocket.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 24, 2022 |agency=Newshub |publisher=Discovery Communications |date=11 March 2022}} It denied making the price announcement as a publicity stunt.{{cite news |title=Waitomo warning about rising petrol prices 'no gimmick', company says |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/business/463231/waitomo-warning-about-rising-petrol-prices-no-gimmick-company-says |agency=RNZ News |publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=13 March 2022}}