More on the PPC Acquisition of Jay Gress
JobbersWorld published a story earlier today about PPC’s acquisition of Jay Gress. We received a number of calls and e-mails from readers interested in knowing more. So here it is…
PPC Lubricants acquired the assets (excluding real estate) of Jay Gress (Gress) on Friday, May 20, 2014. The Gress acquisition is the 28thdeal PPC has done since 2000, inclusive of 4 Castrol Direct sites and 1 SOPUS Direct site.
Jay Gress was a large family owned lubricant marketer in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region. The company had been in operation since 1933 and Jay Gress II ran the business for the past 54 years. In addition to SOPUS products, Gress marketed Service Pro and Total lubricants. Gress was also in the heating oil, HVAC and Pac Pride business. PPC, however, teamed with Shipley Energy and divested of these businesses concurrently while closing on the acquisition of the Gress Lubes business.
David Klinger, President of PPC says, “The employee and customer centric philosophy Jay Gress and the culture that they created and fostered over the years fits perfectly with the philosophies and culture at PPC Lubricants. We welcome the Jay Gress employees and customers to the PPC family and we will continue to offer the highest quality products and a dedication to service to all Jay Gress customers.”
Klinger says PPC will move the majority of the Gress lubes business to PPC’s Warminster, PA facility, which is approximately 15 miles from the Gress site. And he adds, “Smaller portions of the lubes business will move to PPC’s Jonestown, PA and its Baltimore, MD facilities.” The acquisition includes PPC hiring twenty two key employees from Gress.
PPC is a 4th generation company owned by John Arnold. The company has five state-of-the art distribution facilities located in Jonestown, PA; Warminster, PA; Butler, PA; Washington, PA and Baltimore, MD. When taken together, these facilities have 2.5 million gallons in bulk storage capacity and over 300,000 sq. ft. of warehousing space.
PPC is one of the largest Castrol lubricant marketers in the country carrying PCMO, HDMO, and industrial lubricants. In addition, they had a large presence with SOPUS prior to the Gress deal. In addition to lubricants, PPC has two divisions including, PPC DEF Solutions, and PPC Natural Gas Solutions.
PPC DEF Solutions serves the growing demand for Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). The company markets Peak Blue DEF and has over 350,000 gallons of bulk DEF storage between its 5 facilities. PPC is contracted to package for Peak Blue DEF and also solutionizes DEF from dry urea prill at its Butler, PA facility.
PPC Natural Gas Solutions serves the growing natural gas drilling, fracking, midstream and distribution companies in the PA, OH and WV markets. This division operates dedicated delivery vehicles and personnel, bulk storage and distribution of methanol and TEG, molecular sieves, amines and oil field chemicals.