What Gruppo API does

Gruppo API, operating through its legal entity Italiana Petroli S.p.A., is a privately held Italian integrated energy and mobility company founded in 1933 and headquartered in Rome. The group operates across the full petroleum value chain — from crude oil refining at the api Raffineria di Ancona and Sarpom Padana refineries, through supply, trading (Apioil UK Limited), and logistics (ESE, Sigea), to retail distribution via approximately 4,575 branded service stations across Italy. Its core product portfolio spans conventional fuels (gasoline, diesel, marine fuel, jet-A1), alternative fuels (LPG, CNG, LNG, HVO renewable diesel, biomethane), specialty products (lubricants, bitumen, AdBlue, sulfur), and crude oil derivatives.

Beyond fuel products, the group operates a growing digital services layer anchored by the Stazioni IP mobile app, the DRIV& multi-brand loyalty program (now spanning IP and acquired Esso stations), IP Pay mobile fuel payment (integrated with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Telepass Pay, Unicredit, and Tinaba), Fatturazione IP electronic invoicing integrated with Italy's SDI tax platform, and Buoni Carburante Elettronici (electronic fuel vouchers in fixed denominations). For commercial customers, IP Plus provides fleet cards with electronic invoicing and ministerial toll discount management. Ancillary retail services include truck stations, car washes, and Punto Poste postal services at select locations.

The company monetizes through fuel transaction margins across retail and wholesale channels, refining output sales, lubricants and specialty product sales, station operator franchise/supply agreements, fleet card commercial contracts, and renewable energy generation through subsidiaries Sòlergys and Campana Energie Rinnovabili. Customer segments span private motorists, business fleet operators, public administrations, industrial wholesale buyers, and independent station operators (gestori). The group reports approximately 1,533 employees and has been publishing its Rapporto di Sostenibilità (Sustainability Report), which reported 1.525 million tons of direct CO2 emissions in its 2025 edition. Ownership rests with the API Holding conglomerate, a private family-controlled group.

Name

Gruppo API

Legal name

italiana petroli S.p.A.

Website

https://gruppoapi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Gruppo API is an Italian private integrated energy and mobility company operating approximately 4,575 branded fuel stations nationwide, with vertical integration spanning oil refining, supply, trading, and retail. It serves private motorists, commercial fleets, public administrations, and industrial customers across traditional and alternative fuels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fuel Distribution and Petroleum Refining

NAICS

Gasoline Stations (4571), Petroleum Refineries (32411), Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (424710)

SIC

Petroleum Refining (2911), Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail Service Station Operations (Company-Owned & Dealer-Operated) (EUALAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB), Fuel Pricing, Loyalty & Payments Platforms (POS, Mobile Pay, Fleet Cards, Loyalty Programs) (EUALAIAK), Truck Stops & Travel Centers (Heavy-Duty Retail) (EUALAIAF), Aviation Fuel Marketing (Into-Plane, Airport Fueling) (EUALAIAH)

Keywords

• Petroleum refining
• Fuel distribution
• Branded service stations
• Fleet fuel cards
• Alternative fuels

Headquarters

HQ city

Roma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Fuel Sales (Retail and Wholesale): Sale of petroleum fuels (gasoline, diesel, LPG, methane/LNG) through the branded service station network and wholesale distribution to extra-network customers.
2. Refining: Oil refining operations at the api Raffineria di Ancona facility producing fuel products and petrochemical derivatives.
3. Lubricants and Specialty Products: Sale of branded lubricating oils, bitumen, AdBlue, and other petroleum specialty products through service stations and direct commercial channels.
4. Service Station Operator Management: Contracts with independent operators (gestori) to manage branded service stations, providing equipment, supply agreements, and brand licensing.
5. Renewable Energy Production: Generation of energy from renewable sources as part of the energy transition strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Gruppo API (Italiana Petroli S.p.A.) is an integrated Italian petroleum and energy company that refines crude oil at api Raffineria di Ancona and distributes gasoline, diesel, LPG, methane, LNG, marine and aviation fuels, lubricants, AdBlue and specialty bitumen through a nationwide network of approximately 4,575 branded IP service stations. Beyond refined fuels, the company sells electronic fuel vouchers, fleet fuel cards (IP Plus), mobile payment services (IP Pay), the DRIV& multi-brand loyalty program, electronic invoicing (Fatturazione IP) and road-toll discount services, supported by wholly-owned subsidiaries spanning refining, bitumen, logistics and renewable energy generation.

Product overview

Gruppo API (Italiana Petroli) operates as an integrated energy company with a diversified portfolio of fuel products and digital services. The core offering centers on petroleum products including gasoline, diesel, marine fuel, aviation fuel (JET A-1), LPG, natural gas (CNG and LNG), lubricating oils, AdBlue, and special bitumen. The company has expanded into digital services including IP Pay (mobile payment at fuel pumps), the DRIV& multi-brand loyalty program, electronic invoicing (Fatturazione IP), and electronic fuel vouchers. The Stazioni IP mobile app serves as the digital hub integrating station locator, loyalty management, and mobile payment functionality. For business customers, IP Plus fuel cards and toll services provide fleet management solutions. The product ecosystem is interconnected: the mobile app enables access to loyalty rewards and payments, which integrate with electronic invoicing for VAT-registered businesses, while the physical fuel products are complemented by ancillary services like truck stations and car washes at service locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Optimo: Premium fuel product that keeps the engine clean, improves performance, and reduces consumption and CO2 emissions.
• DRIV&
• IP Plus
• DRIV&PAY

Products and services

• Optimo Fuel Proprietary branded fuel formulated to keep engines clean, improve performance, reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions. Sold at IP-branded service stations to motorists.
• Gasolio (Diesel) Standard automotive diesel fuel for passenger and commercial vehicles, distributed through the IP service station network and wholesale channels.
• Benzina (Gasoline) Petrol/gasoline fuel for passenger vehicles distributed through the IP branded service station network.
• Gasolio paraffinico XTL-HVO Renewable paraffinic diesel produced through the Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) process, marketed as a lower-environmental-impact alternative to conventional diesel.
• GPL e Metano (LPG and CNG) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and compressed natural gas (CNG/Metano) marketed as alternative fuels for vehicle propulsion across the IP service station network.
• Gas Liquido Naturale (LNG) Liquefied Natural Gas supplied for heavy-duty transport and maritime applications, expanding the alternative-fuel portfolio for commercial customers.
• Carburante Marino (Marine Fuel) Marine fuel products supplied to vessels at ports throughout Italy as part of the Group's diversified fuel portfolio.
• Carburante per JET (JET A-1) Aviation fuel (JET A-1) meeting international specifications, supplied for turbine aircraft operations.
• Oli Lubrificanti (Lubricating Oils) Comprehensive range of branded lubricating oils designed for engine efficiency, low fuel consumption and extended oil change intervals, sold through service stations and direct commercial channels.
• AdBlue (DEF) Diesel Exhaust Fluid (AdBlue) required for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) systems to reduce NOx emissions from diesel vehicles, distributed through the IP service station network.
• Bitumi Speciali IP Specialized bitumen products for road construction and industrial applications, produced through subsidiary Bitumtec.
• Olio Combustibile (Heavy Fuel Oil) Heavy fuel oil (olio combustibile) sold to industrial customers for heating applications, supplied via extra-network wholesale channels.
• Zolfo (Sulfur) Sulfur product derived as a byproduct from refining operations and sold to industrial buyers.
• Greggio (Crude Oil) Crude oil products marketed from the company's refining operations at api Raffineria di Ancona.
• IP Plus Fleet Card Fuel card program for business fleet operators providing commercial pricing, electronic invoicing (Fatturazione IP) and access to maximum toll discounts per ministerial tables.
• Buoni Carburante Elettronici (Electronic Fuel Vouchers) Prepaid electronic and virtual fuel vouchers available in denominations of €10, €30, €50, €100, €250 and €500, valid 18 months from activation and redeemable at IP service stations. Sold B2C online and through a B2B ordering portal (minimum order €600 private / €2,500 Public Administration) with €2 stamp duty per transaction.
• DRIV& Loyalty Program Multi-brand loyalty program and mobile app enabling motorists to accumulate PUNTI DRIV& points and PASS DRIV& passes on fuel purchases, with tiered membership levels (DRIV&, DRIV& GOLD, DRIV& PLATINUM) and rewards redemption across IP, former Esso and partner station networks.
• IP Pay Mobile Payment Mobile remote payment service within the Stazioni IP app that uses geolocation to identify enabled stations and process tokenized card transactions via Apple Pay, Google Pay, Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Maestro for in-car fuel payment.
• Fatturazione IP (Electronic Invoicing) Electronic invoicing service for VAT-registered business customers enabling invoice requests via app or website with automatic delivery to the Italian Sistema di Interscambio (SDI) for e-invoicing compliance.
• Servizi Pedaggi (Toll Services) Road toll payment service offering registered transport carriers maximum discounts per ministerial tables, calculated on total toll expenditure, with dedicated customer support.
• Truck Station Service Dedicated service areas for truck drivers providing fuel, rest facilities and specialized services for commercial transport, operated at selected IP service stations.
• Car Wash Service Vehicle washing services available at participating IP service stations, operated by station managers (gestori) as part of the non-oil offer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,575 service stations providing nationwide coverage for Italian mobility
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• TelepasscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTelepass and IP partnership provides integrated mobility solutions for Telepass customers, enabling access to IP fuel services and promotions within the Telepass ecosystem.
• Esso (Ex ESSO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIP acquired Esso's Italian network following AGCM (Italian Competition Authority) approval. Esso-branded stations participate in the DRIV& loyalty program alongside IP stations, creating a multi-brand loyalty ecosystem.
• DRIV& Partner BrandscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVarious partner brands participate in the DRIV& multi-brand loyalty program, offering discounts and rewards to DRIV& members at partner locations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tamoil Italia: Independent Italian fuel retailer and refiner with a multi-thousand-station network nationwide, offering very similar gasoline, diesel, LPG and lubricant products to overlapping Italian motorists and fleet customers.
• BP Italia: Italian unit of BP operating branded service stations with mobility and convenience offers, overlapping directly with IP's stations in major Italian cities and along key traffic corridors.
• TotalEnergies Italia: Italian subsidiary of TotalEnergies operating branded stations, fuel cards and EV charging rollout; IP acquired TotalErg (the prior JV) in 2017, and the remaining TotalEnergies-branded retail footprint competes with IP for Italian market share.
• Q8 (Kuwait Petroleum Italia): Italian subsidiary of Kuwait Petroleum operating a large branded service station network with fuel cards and non-fuel retail, directly competing for the same retail motorists, fleet and extra-network wholesale customers as IP.
• Eni (Enilive): Italy's largest integrated oil major operates a comparable network of thousands of Enilive/Agip-branded service stations and a refinery base, competing head-to-head with Gruppo API for retail and commercial fleet customers across Italy.
• Shell Italia: Italian retail arm of the global Shell group, operating branded service stations and offering fuel cards, mobility services and convenience retail that compete directly with IP's network and DRIV& loyalty platform.

Emerging players

• Wedoil: Independent Italian digital fuel card and fleet management platform connecting customers to IP and competitor stations; relevant as a digital ecosystem counterpart to IP Plus and DRIV& in the Italian SME fleet segment.

Broad incumbents

• Repsol: European integrated major with neighboring Italian/Mediterranean retail exposure and significant refining operations; comparable scope across downstream, retail mobility and renewables transition while serving overlapping Iberian/Southern European fleet customers.
• ERG S.p.A. Italian refiner and renewables producer with overlapping refining and renewable generation activities (and a historic IP/TotalErg brand lineage); comparable in upstream/downstream integration and energy transition exposure, though its retail footprint is limited.
• Saras S.p.A. Italian refining peer that operates the Sarroch refinery and was acquired by Eni in 2024; provides a direct like-for-like comparison on European refining economics, biofuel mandates, and the structural pressures facing Italian/Southern European refineries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqUQvZiwu6-qRd8QQihmhFQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/ItalianaPetroli
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gruppoapi
• Instagraminstagram.com/ip_gruppoapi
• Xx.com/gruppoapi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gruppo API