BP consolidates its relationship with Distrupol formalizing sole distributorship of its polystyrenes

Distrupol, a member company of Univar and a leading European polymer distributor, technical service provider and application development partner, has been appointed sole distributor for BP polystyrene in the UK and Ireland. Marketed under the Empera® Polystyrene brand, this family includes a full range of commodity Crystal and High Impact polystyrene products used in a range of sectors from construction applications to food packaging and toys.

Distrupol has distributed the Empera® Polystyrene range throughout the UK and Ireland on a non-exclusive basis for the past 10 years, and the agreement which comes into effect December 1 will now formalize that working relationship.

According to Marc Loubeyre, BP European Distribution Manager: “Putting a formal agreement in place is part of a strategic reorganisation of our European distribution network. We are convinced that consolidating supply to a region through one distributor creates a much stronger link with the market, more focused buying practices and greater customer confidence.

“Importantly, we wanted to intensify the business relationship between our two companies with a view to working long-term on large projects.”

Distrupol also sees the new arrangement as a highly positive move. “Our relationship with BP is strengthening and growing,” says Gerry Moore, Distrupol’s UK Managing Director. “We have been driving the polystyrene business and this has delivered a significant 50% growth in volume over the past two years. With confirmation of sole distributorship of the product we expect to build further on that success.”

This view is also reflected by John Wallace, Managing Director of Distrupol business in Ireland: “Both BP and Distrupol have over time made a substantial investment in developing a close, co-operative relationship and this has benefited our customers. Now that we are the sole distributor for BP polystyrenes we shall be directing extra effort in the market beginning with a new polystyrene targeted campaign in the near future.”