Avfuel Picks Up Major Gains As Texaco Sheds Businesses

Avfuel Corp., which claims to be the nation's leading independent supplier of aviation fuels and services, recently agreed to purchase Texaco's general aviation business in California, Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.

Texaco was required to divest these businessesas by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission as part of the merger of Chevron and Texaco.

The purchase is Avfuel's seventh aviation acquisition, and the fourth public company division to be incorporated into Avfuel. The string of acquisitions began some 10 years ago. They include Pride Aviation, a division of Pride Companies in 1988, Triton Fuel Group, a division of Triton Energy Ltd. in 1993, and PS Trading in 1998.

Avfuel Corp. was founded in the early 1970's, and under the direction of president Craig R. Sincock it has grown from a regional supplier to a major international presence in aviation.

"The acquisition of this portion of Texaco's General Aviation business takes Avfuel Corporation up to the next level in its mission to become an undisputed global leader in general aviation," Sincock said.

Avfuel will be stepping into Texaco's supply relationships, which, when combined with Avfuel's existing supply sources, will result in one of the strongest and most diverse supply networks in the industry, Sincock noted.

Avfuel serves more than 700 branded dealers and 2,500 other aviation customers nationwide.