In recognition of customers who pay on time, Promigas and its distributors want to improve their lives by providing access to pre-approved credit for the purchase of construction materials, gas home appliances and electrical appliances.  These loans require no co-signer, feature easy payments, and are simple to process.

With pre-approved quotas for customers who regularly pay on time, Promigas and its distributors are offering a line of credit up to five years, tailored to customers’ borrowing power, with installments that imply only a slight addition to their normal bill for natural gas. This new service has a number of commercial benefits to improve the lives of families in the region. It also is one of the many ways these four companies are continuing to expand their commitment to assist the community in the areas where they supply natural gas.

“This easy credit can change lives by giving customers an opportunity to purchase building materials for better housing and to acquire the home appliances they have always wanted.  It is a vote of confidence in our customers, most of whom are in the low-income brackets,” said the President of Promigas, Antonio Celia Martínez-Aparicio. “We hope to consolidate access to these loans for all our users who pay on time. This is a great opportunity for better living,” he stated.

The logistics of the project will help to create jobs.   In the beginning alone, more than 100 door-to-door sales people will be hired, in addition to those contracted by suppliers to handle the business.

RESULTS

So far, more than 30,000 users have benefited; 90 % are in the first, second and third income brackets, and hold the title to their service connection.  The loans help them to purchase construction materials, electrical appliances and gas appliances; all are products for the home that help people to live better.

More than 17 billion pesos in loans have been extended during this first stage, which began as a pilot project in December 2006. It started in Cartagena, Barranquilla and nearby communities, Cali and other towns in the Valle del Cauca region, and soon will be available in every municipal area where our distributors supply natural gas.

HOW TO ACCESS THIS CREDIT

Because these are pre-approved loans, interested customers should contact the distribution company, personally or by telephone, to find out how much they can borrow and to request a visit from a sales person or a list of affiliated stores where this line of credit can be used.

It is available initially to customers who hold the title to their service connection and have a good history of payment.  However, in the near future, other natural gas users will be able to present their applications to the distribution companies for evaluation. 

ABOUT PROMIGAS AND ITS DISTRBUTORS

Promigas S.A. E.S.P is a well-established company in the gas and energy sector, with more than 30 years of experience in Colombia. It helped to pioneer the mass use of natural gas in Colombia, beginning on the Caribbean coast.  The result has been a genuine social transformation. Since then, Promigas has developed a number of important social programs that have brought natural gas to more than 175 towns and directly benefited nearly seven million Colombians.

In 2006, Promigas, Gases del Caribe, Surtigas and Gases de Occidente connected 125,112 new users to the natural gas network; this is equivalent to 36 % of the total nationwide.  Fifty-three percent (53 %) are on the Caribbean coast and 47 % in western Colombia.

The natural gas distribution companies in which Promigas is a shareholder serve 1,519,963 homes and benefit approximately seven million people in the areas they cover. The majority of these users (86 %) are in the low-income brackets.