Benchmark Biodiesel

What Benchmark Biodiesel does

Benchmark Biodiesel, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned fuel company founded around 2011 and headquartered at a single fuel terminal at 620 Phillipi Road in Columbus, Ohio. The company produces and distributes B20 biodiesel fuel — a blend of 20% BQ-9000 distilled biodiesel and 80% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel — along with a Winter Grade variant engineered for cold-weather operation and pure (B100) biodiesel for custom-blend customers. Operations are led by founder, owner, and president Wade Thorson, with a workforce of 11–50 employees. The company delivers directly to customer locations throughout Ohio from its Columbus terminal, with no documented operations outside the state.

The company's core technology is its on-site computerized ratio-blending system at the Columbus terminal, where all tanks, pipes, and blending equipment are insulated and heated to approximately 70°F to ensure blend consistency regardless of ambient conditions. Benchmark uses only BQ-9000 certified distilled biodiesel meeting ASTM D6751 specifications, allowing the finished product to be marketed as delivering enhanced lubricity, reduced emissions (up to 24% fewer CO2 emissions, up to 29% fewer hydrocarbons, up to 18% fewer particulates versus petroleum diesel), and drop-in compatibility with existing diesel engines — no modifications required. The product qualifies under EPA's RFS-2 program for both biomass-based diesel and advanced biofuel categories.

Revenue is generated through transactional unit-priced fuel sales delivered directly to customer locations throughout Ohio. The B20 blend is priced at parity with petroleum diesel, positioning biodiesel as a least-cost alternative-fuel compliance option for fleet operators relative to other alternative-fuel systems. The go-to-market motion is direct-to-consumer/sales-led via phone (614-272-6200), email, and a website contact form, with marketing supplemented by industry-association memberships in Clean Fuels Ohio, Soy Ohio, EPA SmartWay, and Bioheat. The primary customer segment is Ohio-based fleet operators and commercial transportation companies seeking alternative-fuel compliance, cost predictability, and emissions reductions, with secondary demand from Ohio diesel equipment operators requiring cold-weather performance.

Name

Benchmark Biodiesel

Legal name

Benchmark Biodiesel, Inc.

Website

https://benchmarkbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Benchmark Biodiesel is a family-owned Columbus, Ohio fuel company that produces and directly delivers BQ-9000 certified B20 biodiesel and Winter Grade blends to Ohio fleet operators and commercial transportation customers from a single heated fuel terminal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biodiesel Fuel

NAICS

Fuel Dealers (45721)

SIC

Wholesale-Petroleum Bulk Stations & Terminals (5171)

akta.pro primary industry

Biofuel Blending, Storage & Terminal Operations (EUAAAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiesel (FAME) Production (EUAAAHAC), Biofuel Distribution & Fuel Marketing (Wholesale/Retail) (EUAAAHAI)

Keywords

• Biodiesel fuel production
• Renewable diesel blending
• Fleet alternative fuel
• Winter grade biodiesel
• BQ-9000 certified fuel

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Biodiesel Fuel Sales: Sale of B20 blended biodiesel fuel (20% distilled biodiesel, 80% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) with direct delivery to customer locations in Ohio
2. Biodiesel at Various Blend Levels: Pure (100%) biodiesel and custom blend percentages available for customer needs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Benchmark Biodiesel blends and distributes biodiesel fuel products, including B20 (20% biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel) and BQ-9000 certified biodiesel, from a Columbus, Ohio fuel terminal. The company delivers direct-to-customer with offerings tailored for cold-weather performance, including a winter-grade biodiesel guaranteed to perform in Ohio winters.

Product overview

Benchmark Biodiesel is an Ohio-based fuel company operating a single fuel terminal in Columbus, Ohio. The company offers a unified product portfolio centered on its B20 Biodiesel blend (20% distilled BQ-9000 biodiesel blended with 80% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel), with a Winter Grade variant engineered for cold-weather operation. All products are ratio-blended on-site using computerized metering at heated tanks maintained at 70 degrees, and the company delivers directly to customer locations throughout Ohio. The BQ-9000 biodiesel serves as the quality-certified base component for all blended fuel offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 24% fewer CO2 emissions
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Clean Fuels OhiominorOthersIndustry organization membership providing networking, advocacy, and promotional support for clean fuel initiatives in Ohio. Referenced on the company website as a trusted resource.
• Soy OhiominorOthersOhio Soybean Council affiliated organization supporting soybean-based products. Referenced as a resource for soybean oil sourcing information.
• SmartWay/EPAminorOthersEPA SmartWay program partnership for freight sustainability. Referenced on website indicating environmental commitment and regulatory compliance.
• BioheatminorOthersBioheat initiative supporting biodiesel blending for heating oil. Referenced as a resource for home heating fuel applications.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Others

• Clean Energy Fuels Corp: Public alternative-fuels company focused on renewable natural gas (RNG/CNG) for fleets. Not a biodiesel competitor directly, but comparable as a fleet-focused alternative-fuels supplier competing for the same alternative-fuel-compliance dollar within Ohio fleet customers.

Regional players

• Imperium Renewables (formerly) / RBF Port Neches: U.S. biodiesel producers serving similar BQ-9000-certified quality biodiesel markets for fleet and compliance customers. Comparable as a producer-side adjacent peer with similar feedstock (soy/vegetable oil) and ASTM D6751 product specifications.

Broad incumbents

• AGP (Ag Processing Inc.): Farmer-owned cooperative operating soybean processing and biodiesel production in the Midwest. Comparable because it produces biodiesel from soybean oil (Benchmark's feedstock source) at much larger scale, competing for the same fleet and compliance-driven demand.
• Diamond Green Diesel: Joint venture between Darling Ingredients and Valero producing renewable diesel at multi-state scale. A broader incumbent in the biofuel diesel space; comparable because Benchmark's B20 product competes for fleet business against DGD's renewable diesel (R99/HEFA) and the industry sets BQ-9000/quality standards both players must meet.
• Renewable Energy Group (Chevron REG): The largest U.S. biodiesel producer prior to Chevron's acquisition in 2022. Comparable because it produces BQ-9000 certified biodiesel across multiple plants; Benchmark operates as a much smaller-scale blender within the same certified-quality ecosystem serving fleet and renewable fuel markets.

Direct peers

• Newport Biodiesel: Regional biodiesel producer in Rhode Island. Comparable as a smaller-scale regional producer/blender serving fleet and heating oil markets with BQ-9000 quality focus.
• Pacific Biodiesel: Hawaii-based biodiesel producer founded on a community-scale, quality-certified model with direct distribution. Comparable to Benchmark in mission, quality-certification emphasis, and small/regional operation style serving local fleets.
• HERO BX: Mid-sized BQ-9000 certified biodiesel producer based in Erie, PA. Direct comparable as a regional biodiesel blender/producer with similar product certification, product mix (B20 and higher blends), and focus on quality-distinguished fuel for fleet and heating oil markets.
• Western Dubuque Biodiesel: Iowa-based BQ-9000 certified biodiesel producer of similar regional scale. Comparable as a Midwest biodiesel producer with the same quality certification footprint and focus on B20 blends for local fleet and farm customers.
• SeQuential Pacific Biodiesel: Regional biodiesel producer in Oregon/Pacific Northwest focused on used cooking oil feedstock and BQ-9000 certified fuel. Comparable as a similarly sized regional producer/distributor with a quality- and sustainability-driven positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/benchmark-biodiesel-inc-

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Benchmark Biodiesel