A leading indigenous company in the downstream petroleum sector, Xpress Gas Limited, has signed a partnership agreement with Polygon (Beijing) Energy Technology Corporation to support the efforts to promote the domestic use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) through the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM) in Ghana.
In 2023, the NPA launched the CRM policy with the intention of increasing LPG access in Ghana to up to 50 per cent by 2030.
Under the policy, existing and new LPG users will exchange empty cylinders for filled ones instead of visiting refilling stations.
The policy is aimed at improving accessibility and safety for consumers, while the partnership is expected to support the development and availability of cylinders to facilitate its implementation.
Partnership
Xpress Gas is a licensed liquefied petroleum marketing company (LPGMC) by the NPA to distribute LPG across the country.
Though it started operating in 2009, Xpress Gas began piloting CRM in 2017, and presently it has scaled up its operation under the CRM policy in Accra, Tema, Kasoa, within the Assin Foso enclave and also in Kumasi.
The strategy is to reach as many households and businesses as possible while ensuring their safety and convenience, hence the partnership with Polygon, which was founded in 2010 as a high-tech, full-solution service provider in the LPG industry.
Polygon has since become an integrated player in the global LPG industry and a national high-tech enterprise, providing intelligent hardware and software solutions, including smart valves, LPG IoT management systems and LPG terminal business SaaS platforms.
Under the partnership, Xpress Gas will leverage the expertise of the Chinese company in the LPG internet of things (IoT) solutions.
Apart from helping track cylinders through technology, Polygon will also help Xpress Gas to build Artificial Intelligence systems through the SaaS Platform to support the distribution of cylinders across Ghana.
These solutions will help Xpress Gas to proactively serve the customers better while supporting the government to improve the penetration of LPG.
Improving access
Speaking after signing the deal, the General Manager of Xpress Gas, Festus William Amoyaw, expressed his delight with the partnership, saying it would help serve customers more efficiently while also encouraging the switch to the use of LPG.
“We have been building the relationship between Xpress Gas and Polygon for the past four years.
The opportunity is there for us to take, and we believe the relationship is here to stay and improve access to LPG across the country through CRM.
"Polygon is sstrong on research and development; those are important assets we must utilise," Mr Amoyaw said.
First in Africa
The General Manager of Polygon, Du YongFang, said the partnership with Xpress Gas brings together two companies with a common goal to use technology and design to make life better for consumers and the industry.
“This is the first opportunity to undertake a project in Africa. We can’t wait to help Xpress Gas improve its business and use the Polygon smart dispenser for a bottling plant in the future.
“Xpress is all about innovation and strong leadership. Entrepreneurship is part of their DNA, and we could not ask for a better fit in developing the LPG sector in Ghana,” Mr YongFang said.
