Quaker State

This article is about the brand of motor oil. For the U.S. state, see Pennsylvania. For the restaurant chain, see Quaker Steak & Lube.
Quaker State
Formerly
  • Quaker State Oil Production Company (1924–1931)
  • Quaker State Corporation (1931–1990)
  • Quaker State Oil Production Corporation (1990–1998)
  • Pennzoil and Quaker State (1998–2002)
Company type
  • Brand of Phinny Brothers Oil Company (1912–1924)
  • Private (1924–1998)
  • Brand (1998–present)
IndustryPetroleum
Founded(Brand): 1912 by Phinny Brothers Oil Co.
(Company): 1924 [1]
FounderT.G. Phinny
Defunct1998; 26 years ago (1998)
FateMerged to Pennzoil to form "Pennzoil-Quaker State". It was acquired by Shell USA in 2002, remaining as a brand [2]
Headquarters
Houston, Texas[3]
,
United States
ProductsMotor oils
OwnerShell USA
Number of employees
7,400[2] (2002)
Websitequakerstate.com

Quaker State is an American brand of motor oils, owned by Shell USA, the US-based division of Shell plc.

The former Quaker State Oil Refining Company had been constituted in 1924 after the Eastern Refining Co. acquired rights to the Quaker State brand name to the Phinny Brothers Oil Company, which had been producing the Quaker lubricants since 1912, gaining reputation in the U.S. after a deal signed with automotive manufacturer Franklin in 1914. In 1931, it became the "Quaker State Corporation" after merging with another 18 oil companies.[1] In 2002, Shell acquired Pennzoil-Quaker State for $1.8 billion in cash and $1.1 billion in debt.[4][5]

The Quaker State name is derived from the nickname for Pennsylvania,[6] the state founded by William Penn, a man of the Quaker religion.

The Pennzoil-Quaker State brands are sold under SOPUS Products with the address of Shell's office in Houston, Texas.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference reffor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference cbs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ JIFFY LUBE, Q-LUBE TO MERGE by Martha M. Hamilton on The Washington Post, April 16, 1998
  4. ^ Closed access icon "COMPANY NEWS: Shell to buy Pennzoil-Quaker State for $2.9 billion". Oil & Gas Journal. 1 April 2002. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  5. ^ Kraeuter, Chris (25 March 2002). "Shell Oil to buy Pennzoil for $2.9b". MarketWatch. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  6. ^ Quaker State Oil Refining Co. v. Steinberg, 18 Jan 1937