August 28, 2006
By Lucille Davie
YOU might have noticed in the past few days a familiar Joburg landmark - the Egoli Gas tank in Auckland Park - has disappeared. Don't worry, it's down for a good reason and all will be revealed soon.
Egoli Gas will be launching a new corporate new image, and in the meantime is painting the new logo on the silver ring on the top of one of three tanks at its plant in Auckland Park.
"We are remembered by the public as the Gas Works despite not making gas for 14 years," says general manager Trevor Patton.
Gas used to be made at the plant but that operation closed down in 1992 when gas was obtained from Sasol in Mpumalanga. Now the company gets natural gas from Mozambique.
Egoli Gas, however, still operates offices from the site.
Management has spent the past month brainstorming a new logo, and has come up with a new catch phrase, still to be approved by the board, that will capture a new, focused approach, says Patton.
The new logo reflects sharper colours, which will be emblazoned in a repeated sequence around the tank when it goes up again midweek.
The tanks, built between 1936 and 1952, rise up to 50m in the air when full.
In future, the logo will also be seen on bus shelters, billboards, street poles and dustbins, says Patton.
"The company plans to grow five percent annually, based on the current customer profile," says Patton. That profile consists of industrial, commercial and domestic users.
Egoli Gas, previously council-owned, was privatised in 2000, when US energy company Synergy bought the entity. But Synergy sold Egoli Gas in 2003 as part of its drive to focus on its core business of supplying the US energy market. The management bought the company, and after a settling-in period, is now ready to focus on marketing the city's gas supplier more aggressively.
A new marketing department has been set up, which sees five people join Egoli Gas in September.
Patton admits that the city's power outages and hikes in the price of container gas have helped Egoli Gas. "These developments fell into our lap - we have a commitment to grow the business."
There is a customer service centre on the site, but this is to be revamped to display gas appliances, like fridges and freezers, in a new showroom.
At present, painters are busy painting fences and gates in the new logo colours.
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