CCWC mag Sept-Oct 2020_web

Bryan and Joy McDougall
Bryan McDougall in Truck
McDougall Energy Inc., based out of Sault Ste. Marie, is one of Canada’s
success stories in the petroleum industry. Its roots and loyalty to Imperial
Oil date back to 1949 with Allan McDougall. The privately-owned, family
business, now in its third generation, has been on a growth trajectory
for years and shows no signs of slowing down. Not even a pandemic has
Bryan McDougall and his dad Allan
stopped them from expanding their business.
As one of the largest integrated
distributors of Mobil lubricant products
and Esso fuel in Canada, McDougall
Energy has enhanced its value
proposition with its latest acquisition
of Edward Fuels Limited (“Edward
Fuels.”) The acquired company will
operate under its existing name and
management, and function as a division
of McDougall Energy. Together, they
offer more than 140 years of business
experience.
“We want to continue to grow organically
and through acquisitions,” says
Darren McDougall, Allan’s grandson
and current president of McDougall
Energy. “We are particularly interested
in businesses that help us grow our platform,
extend in new geographic areas
and are the right cultural and strategic
fit.”
These are just some of the factors
behind any merger and acquisition.
Business model and mix, shared knowledge
and experience, brand value and
intellectual capital are other factors.
“In every acquisition, we view the
opportunity from a macro level and
long-term view,” says McDougall, who
has expanded the business across
Ontario, British Columbia and, most recently,
Alberta. “We look at the best ideas,
we learn from them and adopt them as
best practices on both sides of the business.
With regards to Edward Fuels, I’ve
known Don, the president for 25 years
and have the greatest respect for him
and the phenomenally-successful business
he has built.”
Edward Fuels, based out of Goderich,
Ontario, has grown to become one of
the largest independently owned petroleum
distributors and marketers of Shell
branded products in Ontario. With over
70 years of experience in the fuel distribution
industry, Edward Fuels is a household
name in the communities they
serve throughout southwestern Ontario,
as well as Manitoulin Island area with
Manitoulin Fuels. The company, which
also wholesales to both retail and commercial
fuel customers in southwestern
Ontario through Petroline Petroleums,
has demonstrated a level of expertise,
reliability and community engagement,
that McDougall Energy looks forward to
continuing.
McDougall Energy currently operates
in three business segments: Retail
gasoline; business to business, including
agriculture, mining, trucking and manufacturing;
and residential heating with
oil and propane. Through Edward Fuels,
McDougall Energy is now servicing the
aviation sector, including rural airports
with aviation gas and jet fuel. This new
sector supports the company’s diversification
strategy and strengthens its
competitive position in the petroleum
industry.
Part of McDougall’s competitive advantage
is attributed to its proprietary
brand called The Pump, launched 10
years ago. This in-house brand enables
their retail petroleum customers the option
to sell fuel under a custom name.
“We try to give our customers a full
suite of offering across all segments,” says
McDougall. “The Pump option enables
independent petroleum retailers, most
commonly in rural communities, an opportunity
to enter the market, amongst
the big brands, and a carve a name and
reputation for themselves.”
McDougall Energy services a large
number of these independent brands
within its customer base. Many of these
gas stations include carwashes and
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