West Penn Oil Co., Inc. began operations as an oil brokerage company. Unlike other brokerage firms of the time, West Penn always purchased products produced from PA crude oil and established ownership in their own name before selling these products. The discovery of oil in Pithole, Pennsylvania in 1859 sparked an economic boom in Pennsylvania and western Ohio. Warren is situated on the banks of the Allegheny River so West Penn was able to use the river to transport barrels of crude oil on flat bottom barges to any of the 13 refineries in the area.
West Penn continued to operate as a brokerage house until the 1940’s when West Penn moved to North Warren and began blending and packaging Motor Oil for the war effort. It continued packaging primarily oils for the next 30 years. In 1974 three businessmen from Buffalo, NY purchased the company from Ernest C. Miller, the son of one of the founders. West Penn expanded its operations to include packaging product for regional refineries such as Quaker State, Pennzoil and American Refining. West Penn also packaged lighter fluid for Zippo and Gulf Oil.
In 1982 the company changed hands again and was purchased by the son of one of the Buffalo owners. The company continues to package oils as it has in the past, but also has expanded into all areas of the automotive aftermarket. This market includes Oil Treatments, Fuel Injector Cleaners, Radiator Flush, Radiator Stop Leak, Brake Fluid and Power Steering Fluid.