A Family Business Fuelled by Hard Work
When 81-year-old Manuel Afonso took over running the BP petrol stations (then Mobil) more than four decades ago he sold 1000 litres a day, now on average he sells 20,000.
Back in 1973 the majority of vehicles pulling in to fill up were tractors and agricultural vehicles - donkeys and carts would still have been a common sight on the roads.
It’s quite a different story now as more and more cars pass through his petrol station. A trend which was accelerated when the A22 came to Lagos in 2003.
The petrol station, then Mobil, was opened 47 years ago and owned by a Sr. Hiloi who was the President of the Lagos Camâra at the time.
At about the same time Manuel Afonso, who was originally from Braga was working in Beja and was employed by Mobil, refuelling planes. He planned to leave the job but when he tendered his resignation, Mobil instead offered him the position in Lagos to replace Sr Hiloi. As a result, he moved to the Algarve and has grown the business for the last 43 years.
Originally managing the station as a franchise, he bought the business 11 years ago and it is now a family enterprise, with himself and his wife still working on the 5000m2 site. His charming daughter Fatima helps with the Lagos business while his son José Manuel runs the other two family petrol stations in Portimão and Porches.
He remembers that in the 1970s the main car brands on the road were Toyota, VW and Daihatsu. Technology has developed a lot since then, reminiscing, he tells me that he owned a VW - 2 turbo and would always take jerry cans on a journey - the car used 14 litres of petrol per 100km (20 mpg) and in a country where petrol stations were still scarce, the chances of running out of fuel at least once on the journey to his home in the north were high. In those days, diesel cost 2 escudos per litre which is around 1 cent now and petrol was 8 escudos or 4 cents. He recalls that the quality of the roads meant that you would struggle to be able to accelerate over 100kms per hour.
Financial trends and increased competition have affected the business, at the financial peak he was selling around 8 million litres per year but since the crisis of 2008 it is now more like 4.5 million, however in 43 years the business has grown from three staff to ten and the road once accommodating a single lane has increased in size and traffic. The franchise changed to BP 18 years ago when Mobil sold out in Portugal.
I would rate Manuel as one of Lagos´s first entrepreneurs and today he is reaping the rewards of many years of hard work by being able to provide a secure business for his family.
