IN THE NEWS: Bradford’s own Brad Penn motor oil got some rave
reviews in a Michigan newspaper for being “made in America.”
Carma Horner send us the article she got from her grandmother,
Wanda Robbins, of Flint, Mich., clipped out of the Flint Journal.
In a story datelined Swartz Creek, Mich., the article starts:
“No more foreign oil. Yes, there’s actually a place here in
Genesee County that sells oil that comes only from the United
States. OK, it sells the foreign stuff, too – but who knew not
getting it from overseas was even an option?
“Valley Petroleum of Swartz Creek carries Brad Penn motor oil –
which is from good ol’ Bradford, Pa. Valley Petroleum is one of
three Michigan distributors of the all-domestic oil.”
The article quotes Valley Petroleum President Fred Pajtas Jr.:
“Given the instability of crude oil prices, it just makes sense to
focus on what we have here domestically.”
Brad Penn costs about ,25 for a case of 12 quarts, typically the
same as for foreign oil. The family business has been selling the
all-American product since 2003, and it’s pretty popular –
especially these days, with wild fluctuations in oil prices.
“We want the most bang for our buck, but we like to keep our
monies in this country,” said John Bennett, director of equipment
and facilities for the Genesee County Road Commission, which uses
Brad Penn. “I believe in American products.”
Sales of Brad Penn make up about half of Valley Petroleum’s
business. The company sells it in bulk, but also retails it by the
case at the business headquarters in Swartz Creek.
Valley Petroleum has more than 600 commercial, residential,
industrial and agricultural customers that last year purchased more
than ,1 million worth of Brad Penn lubricants.
“Pajtas said the Brad Penn motor oil and other products he sells
come from a 35,000-square-mile area in Pennsylvania. A refinery
there packages and ships the products in bulk, quart bottles and
55-gallon drums to distributors,” the articles says.
Valley Petroleum was started in 1932 by Pajtas’ grandfather. His
father took over in 1958, and Pajtas took over in 1981.
BIRDS NOTES: From Doug Osborne in Bradford over the weekend –
“Spring must be on the way. I observed two robins together at 15
Foster Drive on 03/14/09 at 11:25 a.m.”
