In the early days Ovoline's business grew alongside the traditional heavy industries of shipbuilding, steel making and coal mining and Ovoline products were much in demand from these major manufacturing sectors.

Today the Ovoline brand figures prominently in all modern market sectors, through satisfying the quality requirements of the discerning customer. In areas of product, packaging, delivery and above all, its technical expertise and advisory service.

Choosing The Correct Lubricant
There are many considerations specific to types of industry which place different demands on lubricating oils and which therefore dictate choice. Ovoline markets a wide range of high performance lubricants to meet the most demanding requirements of industry.
Proven technology and total commitment to quality ensures total product confidence and peace of mind for all those involved in engineering and productivity.

Product Quality
Ovoline Lubricants are accredited with ISO 9002 Quality Assurance at all its sites. All raw materials for manufacturing and all finished products are routinely tested to ensure compliance with specific performance levels.

Technical Support
The provision of reliable technical service and customer advisory service is a major benefit to all Ovoline customers and proves to be a key advantage over many of the Company's competitors in the lubricant market.
The customer advisory service is an exclusive telephone help-line which is supported by a computerised library of information which holds OEM recommended lubricants data based upon international and OEM specifications. Advice on grade rationalisation which generates savings in stock costs is freely available.

Sample Analysis
Lubricant sample analysis and wear metal analysis services are operated from the Company's Head Office laboratory at Gateshead.

A Brief Company History

Mr. R. F. Brett founded the business in 1877 which concentrated on the supply and service of the need of oil lighting - supplying oil lamps and their glass chimneys - and also the necessary paraffin.

His son, Mr. R. E. Brett, joined the company in 1895 and the firm started to expand under his influence. Gas and electric lighting were becoming common place, and paraffin declined in importance. A new direction was needed and the advent of petrol driven transport and the increase in industrial mechanisation provided a market and the company started the manufacture and distribution of high quality oils and lubricating greases.

Tyne Lubricants was acquired in 1912 and soon after the end of the First World War the acquisition of Star Oil and Grease Company at Lincoln was completed. New offices, laboratory and works were constructed in 1927. Mr. Ernest Brett, after attending the Department of Engineering at Loughborough University, joined the Company in 1938.

Capitalising on the tremendous expansion in domestic central heating in the 1960's, Brett's Fuels was formed in 1964. The Company celebrated its centenary in 1977 and in 1979 purchased the business of Northern Oils, a small fuel distributor in Northumberland and rebuilt and a fuel depot near Morpeth to service the outlets in Northumberland.

Mr. Ernest Brett retired as Managing Director in 1982 but remained as Chairman until his death in 1989. Mr. Michael Brett became Managing Director, Mr. Tony Brett, Production and Distribution Director and Mr. Alistair Brett, who joined the company in 1981, became Financial Director. Alistair Brett left the Company in 1989 to go back to the Accountancy profession but still remains a member of the Board. Mr. Paul Lucas has taken over his role.

Following a review of our Sales and Marketing operations in 1984, sales were streamed through two divisions. Ovoline Lubricants and Brett's Fuels developed separated corporate images in line with a new corporate style. Mr. Peter Snaith was appointed Sales Director of Brett's Fuels. A distribution depot was opened for the Lubricants Division at Broxburn, East Lothian.

Crossley Oils on Teeside were purchased in 1985 and having completed the purchase of various properties to the east of our main plant at Gateshead, a new tank farm for the storage of base oils and middle distillates was built. A new fuels depot was built in Stockton on Tees in 1987.

In November 1991 the Company acquired Velvetone Oil & Chemical Co. limited of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, with a blending plant at Creswell a few miles away.