Providers of IT solutions emanating from Eastern Europe face several barriers when it comes to targeting the Western European retail fuel station market, including regulatory compliance, market competition, cultural differences, technological adaptation, and integration challenges. Success in this space will likely require deep investment in localisation, customer relationships, and a clear understanding of local market demands and technological trends.
However, one such company determined to succeed, is Czech company UNICODE, coming onto the local market in 1990 offering one of the first barcode and identity technology software on the market, developing first EPOS retail solutions and later on for major fuel retailers.
Celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2025, UNICODE has been slowly but steadily reaching out across the EU to try and find its place amongst the elite across this dynamic marketplace. Exhibiting at key exhibitions, talking at industry conferences and even sponsoring significant industry events, has all been part of a well-constructed plan to get face to face with supplier companies and more importantly, the major fuel retailers, to create dialogue amongst its peers, to put its case to those keen on listening.
It's actually an exciting story for anyone close to this industry’s extremely fast-moving IT market, as so much is changing, so fast. Industry observers would almost certainly say that UNICODE has more than earned its stripes to compete with many of today’s market leaders, with its suite of products now including solutions in Self-Service, Card and Loyalty, Mobile Payments, Forecourt Controller / and Server applications and Enterprise Central Solutions, much of which is packaged up and branded under its well established Euroshop 3 identity.
Passing by UNICODE’S stand at UNITI Expo in Germany, Stacia Paliw in Poland and APEA conference in UK, I have to say I was surprised as to how much larger this was from two years before, when I saw UNICODE first time at Europe’s primary industry trade fair. And judging from its prominent signage, the message coming from its business arena was very clear. A UNICODE solution can work with all the major fuel retailers sites like any other solution from west European producers out there operating in Europe.
Keen to find out from the horse’s mouth exactly how UNICODE’s East to West journey is proceeding, I took an opportunity meet up with Adrian Hrivík, International Business Development Manager at the show, to ask him more about the company’s aims, objectives and successes to date, and for him to try and put it all in a nut shell for all those non techies out there.
I asked Adrian when was UNICODE first established and what was the company supplying? He replied; " UNICODE was founded 35 years ago, in 1990, shortly after the revolution in Czechoslovakia. Our first products were not originally intended for petrol retail. However, after 1990, when major oil companies entered our market with retail solutions developed in the 1980s, we chose to specialize in petrol retail. We focused on POS and OPT solutions built on the modern Windows platform of the time".
I mentioned that Western Europe already has a highly competitive retail fuel market, with established local and global players offering a wide range of IT solutions for fuel station management, such as fuel management systems, point-of-sale systems, and customer loyalty programs. What makes UNICODE’s products ideal for the European?
He told me; "UNICODE provides EPOS solutions in more than 10 countries across Central and South-East Europe. Our portfolio includes back-office applications, forecourt control, site management, fuel card processing, mobile payments, and pay-at-pump systems. We are proud to offer one of the broadest ranges of solutions in the industry. Importantly, our technology can also integrate seamlessly with existing applications and third-party solutions".
For the European market, Adrian (in photo below) believes UNICODE's strength lies in the complexity and flexibility of its solutions, and added; "our extensive experience, and our openness to collaboration with third parties. We understand that replacing an entire system is both financially and time-consuming in today’s environment—so we make integration as smooth and efficient as possible".
I suggested to him that in Europe EMV compliance, combined with providing IT solutions in the EU, must be certified to meet various quality and safety standards. Adapting software and hardware to meet these specific certifications can pose a challenge for Eastern European providers, especially when the certification processes are unfamiliar or resource-heavy. I asked him how has UNICODE approached this subject to be able to provide a workable solution across all EU countries?
He pointed out that they recognize that each country has its own fiscal, metrological, and safety regulations and added "UNICODE is fully compliant with all applicable regulations in the countries where we operate—achieved step by step, in close cooperation with our clients and partners".
Have you found building trust to be crucial in Western Europe, where long-term relationships exist with fuel retailers, I asked him? Yes, he said, first noticing it when they began attending Automechanika in Frankfurt. "and from there, we started exhibiting at key trade shows, participating in industry conferences, and even sponsoring major events to connect with people and demonstrate that we are a trusted partner. We have been working consistently to showcase our reliability and capability and, step by step, I believe we are getting there".
Its a fact that Western European fuel stations may have different operational requirements, customer expectations, and payment preferences compared to Eastern European markets. I wanted to know if UNICODE has been able to tailor its solutions to suit local needs, including integrating with local payment systems and offering region-specific features?
Adrian was quick to point out that its operations in each country are roughly 70–80% the same. The remaining differences, he says, come from regional factors such as customer behaviour and, of course, legal compliance, which all bodes well for the future.
But how is UNICODE approaching new cutting-edge technologies fuel retailers are adopting like AI, IoT, and data analytics to optimize fuel pricing, improve customer experiences, and manage operations
Adrian said; "In recent years, our industry has changed significantly—not only from a technology perspective but also in the way fuel stations are operated. Retailers, in response to new trends and changes in transportation, are adapting their operations with a mix of manned and unmanned stations, alternative fuels, and of course, e-mobility. We take these changes seriously and continuously adapt our systems to meet the expectations of our clients".
With everything that is going on right now I was interested to know if there was a highlight of UNICODE’s presence in Europe since UNICODE has been in operation? Adrian declared, "We are a private company, not a corporation. We have always taken things step by step, growing together with our customers. Let me explain.
We have always travelled a lot and paid close attention to our surroundings. When you refuel and shop at a fuel station, you are a customer—but in our case, we are also designers and solution providers. This gives us a unique perspective: if we see that something could work differently, we adapt our system or suggest to the customer that by making a certain change, they could gain a business advantage. And it works both ways. Our customers also bring us many ideas, and we work together to bring them to life".
On a final note he said "A fuel station is like a puzzle, with many different parts connecting to one another. Our role is to see the bigger picture, make sure the pieces fit together seamlessly, and create solutions that benefit everyone. This is what we do".
For more information on UNICODE SYSTEMS can be found at www.unicodesys.eu
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