Sinopec to lift station image

China Petrochemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) will invest 1.5 billion yuan (US$199.6 million) to transform thousands of filling stations in service, Xinhua-run Shanghai Securities News reported. Sinopec has decided to invest to improve some of its well-performing filling stations to international standards, said an official of Sinopec Marketing Company. Sinopec will add such services as vehicle maintenance, fast food and ATM at its petrol stations. The company started cooperating with McDonald’s last year and plans to open McDonald’s restaurants at service stations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, Shenzhen, and so on, on a trial basis. (October 15, 2007)