BP is seeking buyers for its Duckhams and Veedol lubricant brands, which date back to the early 20th century.
The buyer will get global rights to a portfolio of registered trademarks for the respective master brand along with associated product sub brands and iconic logos. BP said it would not include any sales or customer lists, product formulation or rights or commitment for supply or other operational support.
BP Group spokesman Sheila Williams confirmed the brands product formulations would be retired. Were utilizing our technology to continue to make lubricant brands to a higher spec, so were not continuing the spec of Veedol or Duckhams, Williams told Lube Report.
Of the two brands, Duckhams had seen more recent use. It had exited a number of markets already – Malaysia, U.K., and the U.S., and we were just transitioning Duckhams products to the BP Castrol brands, she said.
BP set March 12 as the deadline to register an expression of interest in the brands. The company expected any purchase deal to be completed by the end of 2011.
Duckhams had an early relationship with the Morris and Wolseley car manufacturers in the United Kingdom, dating back to the invention of the combustion engine. It eventually led to development of Europes first multi-grade engine oil, known as Q. Duckhams also had a long standing history with motorsports.
According to BP, Veedol was the motor oil chosen by Henry Ford to lubricate the worlds first mass produced car, the Model T Ford. It was also used to lubricate Germanys Graf Zeppelin airship in the 1930s.