Gulf Oil International

What Gulf Oil International does

Gulf Oil International is a London-headquartered (c/o 16 Charles II Street, SW1Y 4QU) lubricants and fuel retail brand founded in 1901 and operated as part of the Hinduja Group. The company sells a full portfolio of automotive lubricants — including 100% synthetic motor oils (Ultrasynth GDI, Ultrasynth GMX, Ultrasynth Protect, Formula GX/CX/GVX/LEF/ULE/VFE), conventional motor oils (Max GDI), and a racing-grade synthetic (Formula Racing 10W-60) — manufactured at ISO 9001 and TS16949 certified facilities. It also operates a franchised retail fuel station network, including 500+ outlets in the UK branded under the iconic Gulf Powder Blue and Gulf Orange livery (the first racing colors to be officially trademarked by a lubricant company), and supplies premium fuel products such as Endurance 102 to motorsport venues including Silverstone.

Gulf's go-to-market is built on three channels: (1) authorized national distributors that import and resell Gulf lubricants to vehicle owners and workshops (e.g., TEKLUB Canada Ltd, the Canadian distributor since 2009, owned by the April Group alongside manufacturer Verco International); (2) franchised/licensed service stations under the Gulf brand globally; and (3) OEM factory-fill and service-fill partnerships, with formulations developed jointly with vehicle manufacturers to meet specific certifications (API SP, ILSAC GF-6A/GF-6B, GM dexos1 Gen 2). The customer base spans individual vehicle owners, service station operators, fleet managers, OEMs, and motorsport teams, with ongoing expansion into new retail station networks in Albania, the Philippines, Mexico, and Canada, and a stated target of 60 countries within five years.

The company is privately held under the Hinduja Group (founded 1914, ~70,000 employees, 35 countries) and is not publicly listed. Revenue is generated through transactional lubricant sales, franchise/royalty arrangements with service station operators, and OEM supply/licensing agreements. No public revenue disclosure, funding rounds, or M&A activity are present in the data; the Canadian operation's headcount is undisclosed, and the Gulf Racing motorsport team operates with fewer than ten full-time employees.

Name

Gulf Oil International

Legal name

Gulf Oil International

Website

https://gulfoil.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gulf Oil International is a London-headquartered lubricants and fuel retail brand, founded in 1901 and part of the Hinduja Group. It sells synthetic and conventional motor oils through authorized distributors in 100+ countries and operates a franchised retail fuel station network of 500+ UK outlets, with expansion targeting 60 countries within five years.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191), Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers (except Bulk Stations and Terminals) (424720), Fuel Dealers (45721)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive Lubricants (PCMO, HDMO, ATF, Gear Oils, Coolants) (EUALAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro) (EUALAJAJ), Retail & E-commerce Lubricants Sales (Auto Parts, Quick Lube, Online) (EUALAJAF), Packaging, Filling & Private Label / Contract Manufacturing (EUALAJAD)

Keywords

• Automotive lubricants
• Motor oil products
• Retail fuel stations
• Lubricant manufacturing
• Fuel retail network

Headquarters

HQ city

Anjou

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Lubricant Sales: Sale of automotive lubricants including synthetic motor oils (Ultrasynth, Formula GX, Formula CX, Formula GVX, Formula LEF, Formula ULE, Formula VFE), conventional motor oils (Max GDI), and racing motor oils (Formula Racing). Distributed across Canada and globally through authorized distributors.
2. Retail Fuel Station Network: Gulf brand fuel retail through franchise/service station operators. Gulf is the fastest growing fuel retailer in the UK with 500+ outlets. New networks opening in Albania, Canada, Philippines, and Mexico.
3. OEM Product Development and Supply: Partnership with OEMs to develop and supply lubricants. Gulf works with vehicle manufacturers from initial product formulation through manufacturing, providing products that meet strict OEM specifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gulf Oil International manufactures and distributes a portfolio of automotive lubricants — including synthetic motor oils (Ultrasynth and Formula series), conventional motor oils (Max GDI), and racing motor oils (Formula Racing 10W-60) — sold globally through authorized distributors and OEM supply partnerships. The company also operates a franchise retail fuel station network, with over 500 outlets in the UK and expansion into Albania, Canada, Philippines, and Mexico, offering premium fuel products such as Endurance 102.

Product overview

Gulf Oil International is a lubricant and fuel retail company founded in 1901, operating in over 100 countries. The company offers two core product lines: Gulf Lubricants (motor oils) and Gulf Service Stations (retail fuel). The lubricant portfolio spans multiple product tiers including 100% synthetic motor oils (Ultrasynth GDI, Ultrasynth GMX, Ultrasynth Protect, Formula GX, Formula CX, Formula GVX, Formula LEF, Formula ULE, Formula VFE), conventional motor oils (Max GDI), and racing motor oils (Formula Racing). The Gulf Service Stations network includes over 500 outlets in the UK with expansion into Albania, Canada, Philippines, and Mexico. Gulf is part of the Hinduja Group. In Canada, TEKLUB Canada has been the official distributor since 2009.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultrasynth GDI: 100% Synthetic motor oils for fuel economy, designed for modern high output and turbocharged gasoline engines with API SP approval for LSPI prevention in GDI engines.
• Ultrasynth GMX
• Ultrasynth Protect
• Formula GX
• Formula CX
• Formula GVX
• Formula LEF
• Formula ULE
• Formula VFE
• Max GDI
• Formula Racing
• Endurance 102

Products and services

• Gulf Lubricants Complete range of automotive lubricants including 100% synthetic motor oils (Ultrasynth GDI, GMX, Protect; Formula GX, CX, GVX, LEF, ULE, VFE), conventional motor oils (Max GDI), and high-performance racing motor oils (Formula Racing 10W-60). Designed for passenger cars, SUVs, light-duty trucks, and motorsport applications, with API SP, ILSAC GF-6A/GF-6B, GM dexos1 Gen 2, and OEM-specific approvals.
• Gulf Service Stations Retail fuel station network operating under franchise and licensed service station agreements. Over 500 outlets currently in the UK, with new networks opening in Albania, Canada, Philippines, and Mexico. Offers premium fuel products including Endurance 102, used at Silverstone, the home of British motor racing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gulf became the first lubricant company to officially trademark its racing colors
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

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 core and flagship.

• TEKLUB CanadacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2009TEKLUB Canada has been the Official Distributor of the Gulf Oil International Group in Canada since 2009. Built upon Gulf's extraordinary legacy, TEKLUB Canada distributes superior quality Gulf lubricants across Canada and enthusiastically supports Canadian motorsports.
• Aston Martin RacingflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Partnership from 2008 to 2015. Gulf drivers became WEC GTE AM Champions in 2013. Victory in GT1 category at Le Mans 24 Hours 2008 with DBR9s in blue and orange colors. Partnership renewed in 2013 until end of 2015.
• Verco InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVerco International manufactures Gulf lubricants in Canada with the utmost precision. Both TEKLUB Canada and Verco International are owned by the April Group.
• Gulf RacingflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGulf Racing is the UK's newest WEC team based in Milton Keynes. Operates with less than ten full-time employees. Runs Porsche 911 RSR GTE in GTE Am category. Houses the ROFGO collection of Gulf race cars.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Castrol (BP): Castrol is one of the world's largest automotive and industrial lubricant brands and competes head-to-head with Gulf in PCMO/synthetic motor oils, OEM approvals and global aftermarket distribution. Its motorsport heritage (F1) parallels Gulf's racing-color branding strategy.
• Pennzoil (Shell): Pennzoil is a premium passenger-car motor oil brand with strong racing heritage and North American retail presence; it competes with Gulf's Ultrasynth and racing-product strategy for the same vehicle-owner and motorsport-auspiced end market.
• Valvoline: Valvoline is a focused lubricants and quick-lube operator selling passenger car motor oils, premium synthetics and serving the same vehicle-owner and service-station segments Gulf targets with its PCMO and franchise station strategy.
• Mobil 1 (ExxonMobil): Mobil 1 is a flagship synthetic motor oil brand that competes with Gulf's Ultrasynth and Formula lines in automotive lubricants, OEM factory-fill programs and high-performance/racing segments, including Porsche 911 factory fill at scale.
• Petro-Canada Lubricants (Suncor): Petro-Canada Lubricants is the principal domestic Canadian competitor to Gulf in synthetic motor oils and OEM approvals, and shares the Canada market where TEKLUB/Verco/Volkswagen product positioning overlap most directly.
• Fuchs Petrolub: Fuchs is a global independent lubricants specialist selling automotive and industrial oils across many of the same 100+ countries Gulf targets, competing in synthetics, OEM approvals and specialty applications.
• TotalEnergies Lubricants: TotalEn markets automotive and industrial lubricants (Total Quartz, Elf) with global reach, OEM approvals and integrated fuel-retail networks — overlapping Gulf's automotive lubricant, racing and service-station footprint in Europe, Africa and Latin America.
• Shell Lubricants (Shell plc): Shell's lubricant portfolio (Helix, Rimula, Pennzoil) directly competes with Gulf in automotive and racing motor oils globally, with overlapping PCMO product tiers (synthetic, conventional), OEM approval programs and extensive franchised retail networks.
• Chevron Lubricants (Delo, Havoline): Chevron's Havoline (PCMO) and Delo (HDMO) brands compete with Gulf in automotive lubricants and OEM-certified products, while Chevron's Texaco retail station network mirrors Gulf's franchise fuel-retail model.

Broad incumbents

• Liqui Moly: Liqui Moly is a German specialty lubricant and additive manufacturer with strong motorsport ties, offering premium synthetic oils and additive products that compete in the same premium PCMO and racing niches Gulf pursues, though with a narrower geographic footprint than Gulf's 100-country presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GulfCanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gulfcanada

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Gulf Oil International