MetroWest495 Biz

18 MetroWest495 Biz | February 2014 BY sUsan shaLhoUB r efined petroleum wholesaler Gulf Oil — which was founded in 1901 in Spindletop, Texas — has a well- known logo. Many recognize the two orange half-circles framing the Gulf name in blue from as far back as childhood. Framingham-based oil firm builds off its iconic American brand In fact, the very first gas station in the United States, which opened Dec. 1, 1913 — a little more than 100 years ago — bore the Gulf name. It was located in Pittsburgh. What many may not be aware of today is that the brand that was a reflection of the rise of the automobile during the 20th century now calls MetroWest home. "That was our traditional business," said Ron Sabia, president and chief operating officer of Gulf Oil Limited Partnership, a subsidiary of the Cumberland Gulf Group, which includes the Cumberland Farms convenience store chain.. "Eleven states in the Northeast were licensed to use the Gulf brand in that territory." While they acknowledge nostalgia for the brand, company officials say there are ways Gulf can advance in terms of commodities such as electricity or unbranded fuel, and distribution. Gulf Oil distributes motor fuels through a network of more than 2,500 branded gasoline retail centers, 12 proprietary oil terminals and more than 130 other supply points. (Shell, by way of comparison, has 44, 000 service sta- tions.) Gulf also supplies gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and kerosene through its terminal network. In recent years, it has worked to broaden its business base and diversify its offerings, and continues that trend with strategic additions, such as power. Gulf is now in the middle of reinvigorating a brand "that strayed from its normal luster," according to Sabia, leveraging the legacy of the Gulf name, while at the same time, moving into new markets. 'Natural progression' Before and after 1986, when Cumberland Farms acquired naming rights to the well- known American brand from Chevron, Gulf has undergone many changes. Its evolution has included the formation of Gulf Oil Limited Partnership in 1993 — the result of a deal between Catamount Petroleum and Cumberland Farms. In 2005, when Cum- berland Farms acquired the company, the Gulf Bridging the Gulf P h o t o / c o u r t E S y The very first gas station that opened for business in the U.S. was a Gulf station. Officials are using that legacy as leverage to branch out to other markets, such as electricity. Ron Sabia, president of Gulf Oil lP

• Cover