mmg.com.au

APCO director Peter Anderson says the independent fuel company would have been selling petrol more than four cents cheaper than the average of 147.9¢/litre on offer in Shepparton last week.

Mr Anderson said that if a planning application to develop a new service station site on Numurkah Rd is successful, APCO will be an aggressive player on the market.

‘‘We build quality and we chase volume at a lower price,’’ he said.

‘‘Where you have a United and an APCO in the same market, you find competition a lot fiercer, the markets are just more aggressive.’’

Mr Anderson said APCO had been looking for a suitable site in Shepparton for many years and finally secured the Numurkah Rd location.

‘‘I have been looking in Shepparton for a long long time, I’ve done regular market checks,’’ Mr Anderson said.

‘‘We always look for the right location, we’re not just going to pick any site, if this was to fall over and we didn’t get a permit, we would just walk away.’’

APCO service stations were retailing standard unleaded fuel for as little as 138.9¢/litre yesterday in Ballarat while Warrnambool and Bendigo were at 142.9¢/litre.

Mr Anderson said Mildura, where there is an APCO and a United in fierce competition the price yesterday was 144.9¢/litre.

‘‘We would have been selling in Shepparton for about 143.7¢,’’ he said.

‘‘It is exciting times for Shepparton. I’m excited about the opportunity. If we get the permit, it will be built this year.’’

The proposal for the ser-vice station is on public exhibition.