Rix Petroleum fuels growth with acquisition

A North Yorkshire-based fuel supplier is joining forces with a regional energy leader.

Rix Petroleum, part of the family-owned J.R. Rix & Sons Ltd Group, has acquired Stokesley-based AR Fuels for an undisclosed sum. 

The deal sees Hull-based Rix purchase the assets of the four-tanker business, which operates from a depot on the outskirts of the town.

Previously a subsidiary of agricultural merchant Armstrong Richardson & Co Ltd, AR Fuels supplies agricultural fuels, domestic heating oil and commercial and construction fuels across northern North Yorkshire, Teesside and County Durham. 

Bosses say the move strengthens Rix Petroleum’s presence in the region, whose UK depot network now spans 17 locations, providing a link between the company’s depots in Malton, North Yorkshire and Alnwick, Northumberland, as it looks to expand its service offering to farms, businesses and households.

They add that as part of the deal, all AR Fuels staff are being retained, with the business to be rebranded as Rix AR Fuels in the coming months.

Duncan Lambert, managing director of Rix Petroleum, said: “Armstrong Richardson is celebrating 100 years of trading with farmers, businesses and the wider rural community.

“As a result, AR Fuels is a highly trusted, well-known and well-loved business, and one we’re delighted to bring into the Rix family.

“This is a strategic acquisition for us, as it extends our coverage of the East Coast, and into the North East, linking up two of our existing locations.

“However, it is more than just a business decision. 

“For a century, Armstrong Richardson has lived the same values as the Rix Group – fairness, a friendly, quality service and being part of the community – so it is a fantastic fit for us.”

Nigel Jones, the former owner of AR Fuels, added: “AR Fuels has a loyal customer base because we’ve always done our best to treat people fairly.

“I’ve known Duncan and Rix Petroleum for many years, and I know how they run their business. 

“It’s very much in line with how I run my businesses, so I know it is in great hands.

“I’m sure there will be some investment in the business going forward, but the core values will remain at the heart of what it does and that was very important to me.”

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