Aral turns 100 - tradition and quality "made in" Bochum

TEXTFebruary 7, 2024 · 3 min

Aral/ZG, automatically translated

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Aral · 36 Photos

Aral filling station through the ages - Illuminated Aral filling station in the 1950s

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Aral service station through the ages - The main building of the former Aral service station in Bochum

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Aral filling station through the ages - Former Aral headquarters in Bochum

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 1920s

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Aral filling station through the ages - In the 1920s there were only a few filling stations and cars

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Aral filling station through the ages - Historical photo of the Bremen, which flew across the Atlantic for the first time with Aral fuel

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Aral filling station through the ages - Historical advertising for Aral fuels from 1928

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Aral filling station through the ages - Transatlantic flight with Aral: The Bremen was the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic on Aral fuel

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station around 1930

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Aral filling station through the ages - Before the Second World War, the stations of the former Aral AG were still called B.V. Tankdienst

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Aral filling station through the ages - B.V. instead of "Aral" at the filling station in the 1940s

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Aral filling station through the ages - During the Second World War, massive filling station superstructures were dispensed with

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Aral filling station through the ages - Historical advertising for B.V.-Aral oil from 1948

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Aral filling station through the ages - A B.V.-Aral filling station from the 1950s

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Aral filling station through the ages - Illuminated Aral filling station from the 1950s

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 1950s

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Aral petrol station through the ages - Historical photo of the Aral petrol station on Wittenerstrasse in Bochum, at the former headquarters around 1958

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 1960s

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Aral petrol station through the ages - In the 1950s and 1960s, the petrol station attendant was a familiar sight at Aral petrol stations

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Aral filling station through the ages - In the 1960s, many Aral stations were built that are now listed buildings

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Aral service station through the ages - Historical advertisement for racing and sports cars to collect

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Aral filling station through the ages - self-service filling station in the 1970s

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Aral filling station through the ages - Aral filling station from 1971

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Aral filling station through the ages - Aral filling station from 1974

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 1980s

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Aral filling station through the ages - advertising motif for Aral Bleifrei from 1985

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Aral filling station through the ages - Aral unleaded fuel pump from 1986

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 1990s

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Aral filling station through the ages - In the spring of 1990, Aral began building its own filling station network in the former GDR

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Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 2000s

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Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – Ehemalige Aral Zentrale in Bochum

Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – Aral Tankstelle in den 1920er Jahren

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Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – In den 1920er Jahren gab es erst wenige Tankstellen und Pkw's

Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – Historische Aufnahme der Bremen, die mit Aral Kraftstoff das erste mal über den Atlantik flog

Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – Historische Werbung für Aral-Kraftstoffe aus dem Jahr 1928

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Aral Tankstelle im Wandel der Zeit – Transatlantikflug mit Aral: Die Bremen überquerte als erstes Flugzeug den Atlantik mit Aral-Kraftstoff

One of Germany's most traditional and best-known brands turns one hundred. 100 years ago, in the spring of 1924, the Bochum-based company invented the world's first super fuel. The petrol-gasoline mixture was composed of aromatics and aliphatics - the name "Aral" was formed from the first letters of the two main components. Today, with around 2,400 filling stations, Aral is the largest supplier in Germany, the most important European filling station market. Aral has been bp's petrol station brand in Germany since 2002 and is currently also one of the largest providers of ultra-fast charging infrastructure under the Aral pulse brand.

The beginnings

Aral's predecessor company was founded on November 28, 1898 by 13 mining companies as the "Westdeutsche Benzol-Verkaufs-Vereinigung" in Bochum. The beginnings of Aral Research, which is still based in Bochum today, date back to 1919. In 1924, the chemist Walter Ostwald, among others, laid the foundations for the new super fuel, which was given the name "B.V.-Aral". In 1928, the first east-west Atlantic crossing was made with an airplane fueled with benzene fuel.

Aral filling station through the ages - Former Aral headquarters in Bochum

In the course of the National Socialist war economy, fuel distribution was centralized from 1939. Instead of branded petrol, only standardized fuel was used, which was also leaded. Gasoline made from coal instead of petroleum was also used. After the end of the Second World War, in 1951, the compulsory management was abolished and the quality fuel could once again be offered under the company's own brand name.

Changing with the times

Aral opened its first self-service filling station in 1969. Aral Super Unleaded was introduced in 1985, Aral SuperPlus in 1989 and Ultimate high-performance fuels in 2004. bp has been a shareholder of Aral AG since July 1, 2002. In 2014, REWE To Go stores at Aral filling stations were put into operation at the first ten pilot locations. From 2021, the ultra-fast charging network was expanded under the "Aral pulse" brand.

Aral filling station through the ages - In the spring of 1990, Aral began building its own filling station network in the former GDR

The quality supplier of fuels and lubricants repeatedly drew attention to itself with original advertising in the form of flyers, brochures, tension posters and commercials. In keeping with Aral's high quality standards, the advertising emphasized this aspect. As the service station service gained in importance in the 1960s, marketing was extended to the care and maintenance sector. With the expansion of the business since the 1970s, e.g. in the form of petrol station stores, this area became the third pillar of advertising. One of the highlights of Aral's advertising was the iconic "I'm walking" man, who is happy to take a long detour to the Aral filling station in the commercial.

"And, not or!"

"In Germany, the course has been set for electromobility. Nevertheless, vehicles with combustion engines will still be on Germany's roads for several decades to come," explains Aral CEO Achim Bothe.

Aral service station through the ages - Aral service station in the 2000s

"We are committed to technological openness and provide our customers with the energy they want to use. "And, not or"! We guarantee security of supply and invest in new business areas at the same time. Our portfolio includes high-quality standard fuels, e.g. with anti-pollution formulas, high-performance fuels such as Ultimate - Aral offers the only fuel with 102 octane -, low-CO2 fuels such as Futura in the pilot project and ultra-fast charging. Bio-CNG, hydrogen and HVO will also further differentiate our range. We are already working on the fuels of the future in our in-house Aral research."

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