CICA

What CICA does

CICA S.A. is a privately held Swiss wholesale distributor of mineral oil products, biofuels, and tank storage services, headquartered in Basel and operating since 1939. The company's commercial activity spans three pillars: (1) trading of mineral oil products including low-sulfur heating oil, automotive diesel, and unleaded gasoline; (2) rental of tank storage capacity through ownership of 14 tanks and minority/participation stakes in a network of 9 tank depots totaling 358 million liters; and (3) management of 152 million liters of compulsory national reserves under Switzerland's Pflichtlagerhaltung system as a designated supplier to the country's energy security infrastructure. Procurement is multimodal, drawing 48% from the SAPRO pipeline (Mediterranean to Geneva), 25% via Rhine shipping, 22% via intertank transfers, and 5% via rail; the company also owns or leases 26 tank wagons that move roughly 60,000 m³ per year in about 50 rail trips within Switzerland.

The business model rests on three revenue streams: transactional trading spreads on product sales to B2B customers (heating oil consumers, fuel distributors, industrial clients); recurring tank storage rental fees; and managed-service fees tied to national compulsory stockpiling operations. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the company sells to customers across 7 Swiss cantons (Geneva, Fribourg, Bern, Aargau, Basel-Stadt, Zurich, Thurgau) via direct phone/relationship-driven sales, with no public digital storefront or consumer-facing product. The offering includes a defensive biofuel slate (Diesel B7, Gasoline E5, HVO) to address the energy transition. The customer mix is anchored by government/mandated stockpiling counterparties on the supply-security side and a long tail of B2B wholesale buyers on the trading side.

CICA is a fully consolidated subsidiary of the French Bolloré S.E. group, which has held effectively controlling ownership (initially 20% in 1994, increased to 70% in 2006) via the SATRAM-HUILES S.A. holding. Operationally lean at only 11 employees based in a single Basel office, the company relies on its parent conglomerate for capital, governance (six directors overseeing an 8-person management team), and group-level strategy. The legal structure was simplified in 2021 through mergers of subsidiary entities into parents, and historical asset rationalization (closure of Sempach terminal in 2012, dismantling of the Kleinhüningen tank farm in 2016 followed by soil remediation) indicates ongoing portfolio realignment rather than expansion.

Name

CICA

Legal name

CICA S.A.

Website

https://cica.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CICA S.A. is a Basel-based Swiss wholesale distributor of mineral oil products, biofuels, and tank storage services, trading across 7 cantons and managing 152 million liters of national compulsory reserves. It operates as a lean subsidiary of French conglomerate Bolloré S.E.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Mineral Oil Products Trading: CICA trades mineral oil products including diesel, gasoline, and heating oil. This is the primary commercial activity generating revenue through product sales to business customers.
2. Tank Storage Rental: CICA rents tank storage capacity to customers through its network of 9 tank depots. Revenue is generated from storage fees.
3. Compulsory Stockpiling Services: CICA operates in the national compulsory stockpiling (Pflichtlagerhaltung) system, managing 152 million liters of mandatory reserves for national supply security.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CICA S.A. is a Swiss wholesale distributor of mineral oil products (heating fuels, diesel, gasoline) and biofuels (Diesel B7, Gasoline E5, HVO). The company operates three core activities: trading mineral oil products, renting tank storage capacity at 9 depots across Switzerland (358 million liters total), and participating in Switzerland's compulsory stockpiling (Pflichtlagerhaltung) system for national supply security (152 million liters). Logistics is supported by 26 rail tank wagons, the SAPPRO pipeline (48% of procurement), Rhine (25%), and intertank transfers (22%).

Product overview

CICA S.A. is a Swiss wholesale distributor of mineral oil products and biological/bio fuels. The company operates three core business areas: mineral oil product trading, tank storage capacity rental, and compulsory stockpiling/national supply of mineral oil products. The product portfolio consists of four main categories: Combustibles (heating fuels such as low-sulfur Fuel Oil Eco), Fuel (automotive Diesel and Gasoline in various octane grades), Bio-Products (biofuel additives including Diesel B7, Gasoline E5, and HVO), and Tank Storage (management and rental of tank storage capacity across 9 facilities with total capacity of 358 million liters). The company also offers compulsory stockpile management as part of Switzerland's national energy security infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Combustibles (Heating Fuels) Heating fuels including Fuel Oil Eco (low-sulfur, max 50 ppm sulfur content) suitable for condensing technology, offering nearly residue-free combustion for clean boiler operation. Sold wholesale to heating oil consumers across Switzerland.
• Treibstoffe (Automotive Fuel) Automotive fuels including Diesel (max 10 ppm sulfur, cold behavior down to -20°C) and Gasoline (Unleaded 95 and Unleaded 98 with different octane ratings). Sold wholesale to fuel distributors in Switzerland.
• Bio-Produkte (Biofuels) Biofuel offerings including FAME and ETHANOL additives. Diesel B7 available at multiple storage locations; Gasoline E5 available at TAR Rümlang, Petrostock Vernier, TAU Muttenz, TLT Tägerschen, and TLM Mellingen. HVO available upon request at TAU. For environmentally conscious commercial buyers.
• Tankraum (Tank Storage) Tank storage management and rental services with participation in 9 tank depots across Switzerland: TAU Muttenz (530,000 m³), Varo Energy Birsfelden (347,000 m³), TLM Mellingen (750,000 m³), TAR Rümlang (365,000 m³), TLT Tägerschen (264,000 m³), Oberbipp (238,000 m³), Petrostock Vernier (218,000 m³), DEROIL Romont (243,000 m³), and Crémines (7,000 m³). Total capacity 358 million liters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 358 million liters total capacity volume
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAPPROcoreTechnology or IntegrationSAPPRO operates the Mediterranean-to-Geneva product pipeline. CICA uses this pipeline for procurement of petroleum products, describing it as the primary supply route for most purchased goods.
• Socar (formerly Esso)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICA acquired Socar's shares in Tanklager Rümlang AG (TAR) in 2013, increasing its stake to 38.3%. This represents a strategic investment in storage infrastructure.
• TAU MuttenzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanklager AG Unteres Baselbiet (TAU) - CICA's largest storage partner with 530,000 m3 capacity and 134 vertical tanks. Located in Muttenz, it handles multiple fuel products including unleaded 95/98, Diesel B7, and biofuels.
• Varo Energy Tankstorage SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVaro Energy operates tank storage facility in Birsfelden with 347,000 m3 capacity and 63 vertical tanks. Partnership for bulk petroleum storage services.
• TAR Rümlang (Tanklager Rümlang AG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCICA holds 38.3% stake in TAR Rümlang with 365,000 m3 capacity and 22 vertical tanks. Diesel B7 and Gasoline E5 available.
• TLO Oberbipp (Tanklager Oberbipp)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanklager Oberbipp AG with 238,000 m3 capacity and 13 vertical tanks. CICA owns S + M Tank AG in Oberbipp. Diesel B7 available.
• TLM MellingenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanklager Mellingen AG with 750,000 m3 capacity and 25 vertical tanks. Diesel B7 and Gasoline E5 available.
• TLT TägerschenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTanklager Tägerschen AG with 264,000 m3 capacity and 29 vertical tanks. Diesel B7 and Gasoline E5 available.
• Petrostock VernierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPetrostock operates storage in Vernier (Geneva area) with 218,000 m3 capacity and 49 vertical tanks. Diesel B7 and Gasoline E5 available.
• DEROIL RomontminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEROIL operates storage in Romont with 243,000 m3 capacity and 14 vertical tanks.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tamoil (Switzerland): Swiss fuel retailer and wholesaler operating retail forecourts and supplying diesel, gasoline, and heating oil. Directly comparable B2B fuel distribution and storage activities within Switzerland.
• Agrola: Swiss cooperative fuel distributor owned by fenaco, supplying diesel, gasoline, and AdBlue to agricultural and commercial customers. Comparable to CICA on Swiss regional wholesale and customer mix.
• Vopak: Global independent tank storage operator with European terminals handling refined petroleum products, biofuels, and feedstock. Compares to CICA on the storage-rental and capacity-management side of the business.
• Rüedi Group: Privately held Swiss mineral oil distributor and storage operator (Rüedi Energie, Rüedi Logistik). Mid-market competitor to CICA in Swiss heating-oil and diesel wholesale with similar cantonal footprint.
• Varo Energy: Swiss and European downstream fuel marketing and storage operator. Varo Energy Tankstorage SA is explicitly named as a CICA storage partner in Birsfelden (347,000 m3), and the broader Varo group competes directly with CICA in Swiss petroleum distribution and biofuel blending.
• SOCAR Energy Switzerland: Swiss subsidiary of SOCAR (Azerbaijan state oil company) operating fuel retail and wholesale. CICA acquired SOCAR's stake in TAR Rümlang in 2013, indicating overlapping tank-storage and Swiss downstream activities.
• Oiltanking (Mabanaft): One of the world's largest independent tank storage providers for petroleum, chemicals, and gases. Directly comparable to CICA's tank storage business across 9 depots and 358M liters of network capacity.

Broad incumbents

• Trafigura: Global commodity trader with significant European petroleum distribution, storage, and blending operations. Overlaps with CICA's wholesale trading and bulk logistics activities but operates at much greater scale globally.
• Vitol: World's largest independent energy commodities trader, also owning European storage and refining assets. Comparable to CICA on petroleum trading and storage, but at vastly larger scale across many geographies.

Others

• Bolloré Energy: Direct affiliate and primary shareholder relationship. Bolloré Energy is the parent's energy distribution arm in France and adjacent markets, providing CICA with group-level procurement, logistics, and capital — the closest entity to a parent-level peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cica-s-a-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CICA