What KW Oil does

KW Oil is a regional distributor of lubricants, motor oils, fuels, and related products, operating as the lubricants and grease division of Kelley Williamson Company. Headquartered in Rockford, Illinois, the company is an authorized Mobil distributor and self-described as one of the largest jobber/distributors of Mobil Oils, Greases and Fuels in the United States. Its primary service territory covers Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin, with stated capability to serve customers nationwide. The company serves approximately five B2B verticals — car dealerships (hundreds), commercial fleets, local aviation, industrial/manufacturing, and agricultural markets — with additional reach into marine and passenger vehicle segments. Founded in 1926 (approximately 100 years of operation), KW Oil employs 501-1,000 people and operates as a privately held division of Kelley Williamson Company, with no disclosed external investors or venture capital backing.

KW Oil's product offering is a distributed brand portfolio rather than a proprietary technology platform. The company distributes Mobil, Mobil 1, Quaker, Graco, Oil-Dri, ValvTect, Des-Case, Exxon, and Chem Tech products, alongside its own KW Performance line. Three service offerings complement the product mix: Expertise & Consulting for product selection guidance, Oil Analysis for laboratory condition monitoring, and Tank Monitoring for remote inventory tracking on customer storage tanks. The technology footprint is logistics- and distribution-oriented; no proprietary software platform, mobile app, or API is disclosed, and no AI/ML capabilities are evidenced.

Revenue is generated through distribution margins on product resale (transaction-fee model) with quote-based pricing via a 'Request a Quote' workflow. The go-to-market is field sales and direct distribution to enterprise customers, supplemented by a 'Become a Mobil Dealer' sub-distributor recruitment program. Marketing channels are primarily the company website (quote requests, specials, promotions) and dealer recruitment. The company has received the ExxonMobil Circle of Excellence Award (Bronze), indicating standing within the Mobil distributor network. No funding rounds, acquisitions, product launches, leadership changes, or regulatory actions are disclosed in the source material.

Name

KW Oil

Legal name

Kelley Williamson Company

Website

https://kw-oil.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1926

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

KW Oil is a Rockford, Illinois-based authorized Mobil distributor and the lubricants and grease division of Kelley Williamson Company, supplying lubricants, motor oils, fuels, and related products to hundreds of car dealerships, commercial fleets, aviation, industrial, and agricultural customers across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants Distribution

NAICS

Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (424710)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution (EUALAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Lubricants (Hydraulics, Gear, Compressor, Turbine, Metalworking) (EUALAJAG), Commercial & Fleet Fueling (Cardlock, On-Site Tanks, Bulk Delivery) (EUALAIAD)

Keywords

• Industrial lubricant distribution
• Motor oil supply
• Commercial fleet fuels
• Mobil product distribution
• Agricultural lubricant services

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Lubricant and Oil Distribution: KW Oil generates revenue through distribution and resale of lubricants, motor oils, greases, and fuels. As an authorized Mobil distributor and one of the largest jobber/distributors of Mobil Oils, Greases and Fuels in the United States, the company earns margins on product sales to various customer segments including car dealerships, commercial fleets, aviation, industrial and agricultural markets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

KW Oil is the lubricant and fuel distribution division of Kelley Williamson Company, operating as an authorized Mobil distributor. The company distributes motor oils, lubricants, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), gasoline, diesel fuel, and related products to automotive, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and aviation customers. The business also provides supporting services such as oil analysis, tank monitoring, and product expertise across its customer segments.

Product overview

KW Oil is a lubricants and grease division of Kelley Williamson Company, functioning as a regional distributor supplying lubricants, motor oils, fuels, and related products across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. The company operates as a single unified distribution business rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The product portfolio centers on distributed third-party lubricant brands (Mobil, Mobil 1, KW Performance, Quaker, Graco, Oil-Dri, ValvTect, Des-Case, Exxon, Chem Tech) complemented by three service offerings: Expertise & Consulting for professional guidance, Oil Analysis for condition monitoring, and Tank Monitoring for inventory management. KW Oil serves diverse industry segments including automotive/dealerships, commercial fleets, aviation, industrial, marine, and agricultural markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Exxon Mobil Corporation (Mobil)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKW Oil is an authorized Mobil distributor and comprises the lubricants and grease division of Kelley Williamson Company, one of the largest jobber/distributors of Mobil Oils, Greases and Fuels in the United States. This partnership enables KW Oil to supply Mobil and Mobil 1 branded products to customers across Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and nationwide.
• Kelley Williamson CompanycoreOthersKW Oil is the lubricants and grease division of Kelley Williamson Company, one of the largest jobber/distributors of Mobil Oils, Greases and Fuels in the United States.
• Mobil Dealers (Network)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKW Oil has a 'Become a Mobil Dealer' program to recruit and manage a network of Mobil dealers in their service territory across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ExxonMobil (Lubricants Division): ExxonMobil, the supplier behind the Mobil and Mobil 1 brands that KW Oil distributes, is a global oil major with a large lubricants business serving industrial and consumer markets. It is a broad incumbent upstream of KW Oil whose brand-licensing decisions materially shape KW Oil's competitive position.
• Shell Lubricants: Shell Lubricants is one of the largest global lubricants marketers, selling engine oils, industrial lubricants, and greases through distributors and direct channels. As a competing major brand owner in the same product categories KW Oil distributes, it shapes pricing, product innovation, and customer demand in the segment.

Direct peers

• Smitty's Supply: Smitty's Supply is a regional wholesale distributor of lubricants, oil, and related products serving automotive and commercial customers in the central and southern U.S. It shares KW Oil's wholesale jobber model and similar multi-segment customer base across automotive and industrial.
• World Oil Corp: World Oil Corp is a wholesale distributor of lubricants, fuels, and related petroleum products serving dealerships, fleets, and industrial customers on the U.S. West Coast. Its business model, channel structure, and customer segments closely parallel KW Oil's regional jobber operation.
• Fox Petroleum: Fox Petroleum is a regional lubricants and petroleum products distributor serving commercial and industrial customers with branded motor oils, greases, and fuels. It is comparable to KW Oil in product mix, mid-sized distribution scale, and dealer/fleet customer focus.
• Brenner Oil: Brenner Oil is a family-owned petroleum products and lubricants distributor delivering fuels and lubricants to commercial, agricultural, and residential customers in the Mid-Atlantic. Its scale, channel model, and branded-fuel jobber role align closely with KW Oil's regional distribution operation.
• PetroChoice: PetroChoice is a U.S. specialty lubricants distributor offering Mobil- and ExxonMobil-branded products alongside oil analysis and fluid management services to industrial and commercial customers. It is a direct peer to KW Oil in branded petroleum lubricant distribution and value-added service overlays.
• Guttman Oil: Guttman Oil is a regional petroleum products and lubricants distributor serving commercial fleets, dealers, and industrial customers across multiple U.S. states. It mirrors KW Oil's jobber distribution model, multi-segment customer base, and branded-fuel/lubricant portfolio.
• Mid-State Oil Co. Mid-State Oil is a multi-state petroleum and lubricant distributor offering branded motor oils, industrial lubricants, and fuels to automotive, agricultural, and industrial customers. It is comparable to KW Oil in regional branded-fuel jobber distribution and multi-vertical customer reach.

Regional players

• WP Law Inc. WP Law is a regional petroleum and lubricants distributor based in the Southeast U.S., supplying fuels, oils, and lubricants to commercial, agricultural, and consumer customers. While geographically distinct from KW Oil, it shares the same regional branded-fuel jobber model and customer-vertical mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kwoil
• Facebookfacebook.com/KWOilCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kw-oil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KW Oil