SAISAN has acquired a controlling interest of Vietnamese leading LPG distributor Anpha Petroleum Group Joint Stock Company, by accepting 48.2% of its newly issued shares. The number of shares and amount for the acquisition have not been disclosed to the public.

The Anpha Group owns Anpha Hanoi of LP Gas producer and Jardin Gas/Jardin Gas Hanoi distributing LP gas for household use, and is a leading local company with an annual sales of 84,285 tons amounting to 10 billion yen.

In 2012, SAISAN acquired the ownership of Sopet Gas One by means of transfer of shares from Sojitz and has already been operating the LP gas business in Vietnam. With the acquisition at this time SAISAN’s scale of business in Vietnam will expand up to 124,000 tons in volume which amounts to 14 billion yen in the monetary term.

While Sopet Gas One is doing business of industrial gases mainly in the southern part of Vietnam, the Anpha Group is mainly engaged in the LP gas business for household use under the brand of “Jardin Gas,” enjoying a market share of 20% in Ho Chi Minh of the southern district and about 30% mostly in Hanoi of the northern district.

In the urban area of Vietnam there is no progress in the diffusion of town gas, but the demand for LPG is growing. According to the research by the International Energy Agency, the household consumption of LPG is increasing by 10 to 20% every year.
SAISAN is planning to penetrate its “GAS ONE” brand all over Vietnam taking advantage of synergy effects between the two companies based on management, logistics and relations with customers.