About American Refining Group.
Located on approximately 131 acres of land in Bradford, Pennsylvania, the Bradford Oil Refinery was founded in 1881. Originally, only five employees were needed to refine a total of 10 barrels of crude oil per day. Since becoming American Refining Group in 1997, our rated capacity has grown to 11,000 barrels per day and we have more than 340 hardworking employees. The employees of American Refining Group, Inc. are dedicated to meeting customer expectations by managing risk through continuous improvement and operational excellence.
How we stack up.
Over the years, the refinery has grown to become the Northeast’s most trusted refinery.
0+ Years the refinery has operated to create quality products.
0 Barrels per day rated refinery.
0+ Petroleum products available across numerous industries.
Refinery information.
The Bradford refinery consists of three major processing areas, including a crude distillation tower with multiple draws, a naphtha splitter and platformer, and a lubes processing train. Flexibility is stressed at the refinery in order to accommodate individual customer needs.
Included on the site are six processing units, 375 feedstock and product storage tanks, a main office building, a refinery office building, research and control laboratories, packaging buildings, and various maintenance shop buildings.
What we do.
Our refinery processes light sweet paraffinic crude, which is sourced domestically. We purchase the majority of our crude from sources in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and West Virginia. This eventually becomes high-quality waxes, lubricant base oils, and fuels, as well as a wide variety of specialty refinery products. Our advanced blending and packaging facilities are capable of producing a full spectrum of finished lubricant products. These products are available in a broad range of package sizes, including bulk, and can be delivered by either rail or truck. Our total commitment to quality is proven through our packaging plant and refinery being both ISO 9001:2015 and Made in USA-certified.
In addition to base oils, the refinery’s product slate includes gasoline, waxes, diesel fuel, fuel oil, naphtha, and distillate solvents, as well as a number of specialty products, including various resin blends, shock fluids, camping fuel, asphalt cut back solvents, well treating solvent, extract blends, and quench oils.
History.
At American Refining Group, we’re proud of our long and storied history. Originally founded as the Bradford Oil Refinery in 1881, ARG now runs the longest continuously operating refinery in North America. Since becoming American Refining Group in 1997, we have been committed to meeting and exceeding our customers’ needs through innovation and leadership.
1881
The refinery is built on Kendall Creek in the city of Bradford, PA, founded by Eli Loomis, William Willis, and Robert Childs.
1905
Otto Koch is the manager. Otto guided the refinery through the deep depression without reduction in personnel, debt, deficit, or omission of a dividend in any of those years.
1906
Refinery fire created opportunity for new infrastructure.
1913
Incorporated as Kendall Refinery.
1923
KenCo auto oil is the brand formulated.
Dubbs cracking unit is installed.
1928
The 2,000 mile-motor oil is invented
1929
Crude tower is installed “the Foster Wheeler”.
1935
Kendall Refinery purchases Emery Manufacturing Co and expands its operation on the site of Emery’s refinery on Mill Street.
1936
D&D unit was built – first propane dewaxing and deresining plant installed in PA, fourth unit in the country.
1939
Polly Power Gasoline is introduced and this marketing was used through the 1970s.
1943
J. Bertram Fisher is named president until 1966 when the company merges with Witco.
1950
Installation of the platformer unit and new flare tower.
1956
Office building erected.
1960
New section of Foster Wheeler crude tower erected.
1966
Witco Packaging Plant Erected.
1971
Gasoline sales department converts five Kendall stations to charger stations as a marketing plan to compete with area refineries.
1972
Research and development building is constructed.
1981
Ray Saunders is named vice president and general manager.
1984
Packaging plant expansion.
1985
New crude tower erected replacing the old Foster Wheeler.
1985
W. J. Ashe is named president of Kendall Witco Refinery.
1996
Sun Oil Company purchases the Kendall Brand and all product formulations.
1997
Harry Halloren purchases the refinery for $1 and it becomes American Refining Group, Inc.
1997
Harvey L. Golubock is named president and COO.
2003
Isomerization unit installed to enable production of higher octane gasoline.
2008
Year of the hydrotreater.
2011
Jeannine Schoenecker is named president and COO.
2013
Became USA Certified.
2017
New, state-of-the-art Quality Lab is built and R&D building is updated.
2018
Removal of the iconic boiler stack as the coal boiler transitions to natural gas.
2019
Jon Giberson is named president and COO.
2020
New MEK flare is erected.
2020
ARGuard™ lubricants brand launch.
Meet the leadership team.
Check out our leadership page to learn about the invaluable members of the ARG team.