Ultramar

Ultramar
Subsidiary
Industry Oil refining and marketing
Founded 1961
Headquarters Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Area served
 Eastern Canada
Parent Ultramar plc (1961–1991)
Lasmo (1991–1992)
Valero Energy (2001–2013)
CST Brands (2013–2016)
Parkland Fuel (2016–present)
Website www.ultramar.ca

Ultramar is an Eastern Canadian gas and home fuel retailer, with its head office located in Calgary, Alberta. Ultramar operates gas stations and home fuel delivery in Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada. It also operates ValuMax, a cashback program for fuel purchases.

History

Jean-Gaulin Refinery in Lévis, Quebec
Ultramar fuel truck in the Toronto area.

The Company was formed by Ultramar plc, a British Group, who established operations in Canada in 1961.[1] Its refinery in Lévis, Quebec was built ten years later.[1]

From 1979 to 1996, Ultramar grew by acquiring stations from several other companies, including Canadian fuel marketers Texaco Canada, Gulf Canada, Sergaz, Sunoco and Spur.[1]

In 1981, Ultramar acquired Hanford, California-based Beacon Oil Company. It retained the name.

In 1990, it acquired the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia refinery with the purchase of other assets of Texaco Canada.[1]

In 1991, Lasmo, a British oil company, bought Ultramar plc and in 1992 Lasmo spun off the North American refining and marketing operations which became known as Ultramar Corporation.[2]

In 1994, Ultramar acquired Sergaz (founded in 1971 by André Ducharme) and Sunoco's Quebec gas stations. Some gas stations still operate under Sergaz but most were closed.

In 1996, Ultramar Corporation merged with Diamond Shamrock to form Ultramar Diamond Shamrock.[3]

In 1997, the Sunoco name was withdrawn from Quebec, and all stations converted to the Ultramar brand.

The refinery in Lévis was renamed in honour of retired Ultramar Diamond Shamrock CEO Jean Gaulin in 2001.[1]

On December 31, 2001, Valero Energy Corporation completed its acquisition of Ultramar Diamond Shamrock.[4]

On May 1, 2013, Ultramar was spun off from Valero Energy Corporation to become a trademark of CST Brands Inc.. Following the 2016 purchase of CST by Alimentation Couche-Tard, Ultramar was acquired by Parkland Fuel Corporation.[5]

Saint John, New Brunswick based Irving Oil Ltd. announced on July 3, 2018 that it has entered into an agreement with Alimentation Couche-Tard to purchase outright 13 Ultramar gas stations and rebrand the remaining 23 in the Maritime Provinces to Irving/Circle K.[6]

Operations

Ultramar was also active in industrial sales and wholesale supply.

Statistics

Ultramar had 983 service stations, 87 truck stop facilities and 169,000 home heating oil customers.

It directly employed 3,600 people and indirectly employed 10,000. The refinery in Lévis produced 265,000 barrels (or 41.5 million litres) per day.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Ultramar: Our history Archived 2012-08-22 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ "Diamond Shamrock R & M, Inc". Scripophily.
  3. ↑ "Ultramar to Buy Gas Retailer for $1.96 Billion". Los Angeles Times. Bloomberg Business News. September 24, 1996. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  4. ↑ Valero plans to buy Ultramar Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2001
  5. ↑ http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/parkland-enters-into-agreement-acquire-majority-cst-brands-incs-canadian-business-assets-tsx-pki-2152309.htm
  6. ↑ http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1581882-irving-to-buy-rebrand-many-couche-tard-retail-operations

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