In 2012 this business segment attained 6.2 million euros
in sales and employed 245 people. Activity continued
to be strongly impacted by the introduction of tolls on
roads formerly without cost for users (SCUTs), drastical-
ly affecting the concessions operated by Ibersol Group
and causing sharp drops in sales at service areas.
These measures had a doubly negative impact. There
was a manifest reduction in the level of internal de-
mand; also (as Portugal’s AHRESP Hotel and Restaurant
Association warned), flows of Spanish travellers and
tourists also dropped after tolls were introduced on the
former SCUTs. This change follows an earlier one un-
derscored by the AHRESP: competition from motorway
service station operators, contradicting the spirit of the
concession, as service stations are providing services
that have simultaneously been subject to operational
concessions granted for separate areas.
The Sol brand specializes in restaurant service on mo-
torways, both urban and long-distance. Its units offer
quick meals and varied menus at affordable prices,
freshly prepared and always with attentive personal-
ized service. At several locations Sol units include inter-
nationally well-known brands such as Pans & Company,
Burger King and KFC, all covered by the comprehensive
certification plan per the ISO 22000 standard.
The Sol brand goes well beyond conventional service
station café/restaurants, offering diverse services such
as smoking areas, separate diaper-changing facility,
lounge area, free wi-fi, sockets for charging computers
or mobile phones, ATM services, consultation of daily
newspapers and the sale of newspapers and maga-
zines, last minute gifts and drive-in service.
MotorwaY sErVIcE arEas arE aN IMPortaNt
actIVItY arEa For tHE IBErsoL GrouP aND at YEar’s
END coMPrIsED 33 uNIts – 23 soL uNIts aND
10 uNIts For tHE a5, LusoPoNtE, a8, carVaLHos
aND MoDIVas.
ANNUAL REPORT AND CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNTS 2012
53
