1935:
Founded in Bangor
Webber Oil Company was founded by
Alburney E. Webber. Operations were based at 700 Main Street in Bangor,
and consisted of 4 employees and two fuel delivery trucks.
1936: New Ideas: Automatic
Delivery & 24-Hour
Service
Webber introduced the first automatic delivery service
for fuel customers and instituted 24-hour service, which was a brand
new concept well into the 40s.
1937: BYOG (Build Your Own
Gas Stations)
Webber began building its own gasoline stations
1939 - 1945: 250 Oil Customers!
During World War II, the government controlled distribution
of petroleum products. Opportunity for growth was limited until the
war was over. Webber had 14 employees by 1940, serving 20 gasoline
customers and 250 fuel oil customers.
1946: Expanded Distribution
Rural electrification began and Maine's countryside was being
wired for electricity; Webber's future seemed to light up too. By the
late 1940's Webber expanded it's gasoline & fuel oil distribution.
1948: First Major Acquisition
Webber makes its first major acquisition - Staples Oil Company
in Pittsfield.
1949: Deep Water Terminal
Webber constructs a 32 million gallon deep water terminal,
Webber Tanks in Bucksport, to store vast supplies of heating fuel,
gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene and diesel fuel.
1960: First Diversifications
Webber Supply Inc., a wholesale heating supply house, was founded.
This was the first non-petroleum company operated by Webber. Webber
also entered the real estate market with the purchase of
commercial property, forming Webber Realty.
1962: Blizzard Blitz
Webber worked around the clock for 6 days to assure no Webber
customer went without heat when the biggest blizzard of the century
hit Bangor, ME.
1965: Growth & Diversification
Webber grew to include 110 employees, 16 large capacity heating
oil trucks, 5,300 heating oil customers, 40 resellers and 85 gasoline
service station dealerships in four counties. Webber acquired Sargent,
Kennedy & Adams (now Sargent,
Tyler & West) insurance company,
further diversifying its operations.
1968: Brake Service & Parts
Webber
expanded its operations and acquired Brake
Service & Parts Inc. to service its ever-expanding fleet of trucks and trailers.
1969: Larry Mahaney at the Helm
Larry Mahaney becomes President and through modern management
techniques, transformed the well-established family business into
a growth-oriented corporation.
1971: Car Washes Come Online
Webber opens its Union Street Car Wash, bringing to Bangor
the convenience and economy of the gasoline/car wash tie-in that had
caught on in other areas of the country.
1973: Sailed through the Embargo
Webber survived the Arab oil embargo by striving hard to secure
enough oil for its customers. The company's long-range planning paid
off, and it came out of the embargo even stronger than before.
1975: Sunoco Purchase
Webber purchased Sunoco's gasoline stations in eastern and southern Maine,
as well as its barge terminal in Bangor, and its deep water terminal
and offices in Portland. Webber formed Webber Petroleum to manage these
extensive holdings.
1976: Expanding
Brake Service & Parts
Webber began opening branches of Brake Service & Parts, Inc., originally
purchased in 1969.
1980: New Idea... Home Delivery of Propane
Webber's Central Maine Gas service became the first company to deliver
bulk gas to customers at their homes, and for the first time Webber
expanded out of state by purchasing Parish Oil in New
York.
1985: 50 Years!
Webber Energy Fuels celebrated its 50th anniversary.
1988: New Idea: Presidential Protection
Plan
Webber introduced the Presidential Protection Plan, the first
plan of its kind in this area to offer complete coverage of a customer's
heating system, to include all repairs, parts and cleanings for a low
annual fee.
1993: Agway Acquisition
Webber acquired 6 Agway Energy oil companies, 2 in Maine and
4 in New Hampshire. This was the largest single acquisition ever made
by the Company.
1994: Webber DZL
Webber introduced Webber DZL, a program designed to create the
best possible fuel for customers in an environment where no industry
standards existed for premium diesel fuel.
1996: On the Internet
Webber enhanced customer service with its presence on the internet.
1997-1999: Technology Reigns
Investments in technology ensured Webber’s competitiveness
and added value to products, services and staff. Webber introduced
industry-specific software, which automated delivery scheduling, inventory,
trucking, and budgeting of accounts. Emergency services were centralized, truck
filling became computerized and wholesale customers routinely refueled
24 hours a day with ATM-style pumps.
1998: Service through the Ice Storm
Webber worked around the clock to maintain fuel deliveries and
donated fuel products to keep customers comfortable during the “Ice
Storm of the Century”.
2000: New President
Michael Shea was appointed Larry Mahaney’s successor to
the Presidency.
2002: Expansion Beyond Maine
Webber continued expansion with acquisitions in retail heating
oil companies, equipment and repair operations, petroleum business,
gasoline and convenience stores statewide in Maine and in New Hampshire.
2003: National Honor
The Newcomen Society of the United States recognized Webber Energy
Fuels in honor of the company’s achievement as a creative, dynamic
wholesale and retail heating oil company, with an excellent history
of environmental security and responsibility.
2004: Bulk Petroleum
Bulk petroleum facilities were built in Rangeley, Harrington
and Augusta.
2005: 70 Years!
Webber marks the milestone of its 70th Anniversary.
2007 and Forward: New Product Introductions
Webber Energy Fuels remains one of the largest and most progressive fuel companies in New England, as is witnessed by three new product introductions in the first 6 months of 2007. Webber Watchdog packages ultimate protection for less, offering a bundled family of Webber's most popular protection plans and services at a discount. Webber rolls out BioEnergy, a clean, renewable, reliable home heating fuel option to customers in specific geographies. And Downside Protection, Webber's additional option to its Price Protection Plan, further takes the worry out of fluctuating oil prices for customers.
