U.S. Lubricants is now operating at its Baltimore, Maryland, facility it acquired from BP in January, the company announced, having now blended its first batch of lubricants.
The site will mostly blend automotive and heavy-duty lubricants, and various industrial lubricants, the company says.
“The move into the Baltimore market allowed us to expand into the mid-major market,” U.S. Lubricants President James Williams said in a press release, noting that the plant’s production will provide opportunities for both the company’s customers and its Thrive lubricants brand. .
“This larger facility provides space to increase the manufacturing of private label lubricants for [original equipment manufacturer] customers and expands toll blending capabilities, a process that leverages strategic vendor relationships to procure the best additives and base oils required for formulation,” the company said in a press release.
Appleton, Wisconsin-based U.S. Lubricants acquired the facility from BP for an undisclosed sum at the start of the year. Not including the new site, U.S. Lubricants produces 13,600 metric tons of lubricants per year at three blending facilities.
It mostly operates in the Midwest, with distribution centers in Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin with about 2,400 metric tons of storage capacity across eight supply centers. The company distributes national lube brands, including Valvoline, Castrol and Petro-Canada, in the Midwest. The move to Maryland is its first foray into the East Coast market, allowing the company to sell products to distributors in that region. The facility has railway access and is located near the Port of Baltimore.