Crystal Flash Acquires Home Heat Division Of Brenner Oil Group
Crystal Flash™ announced today that it has purchased the home heat division from the Brenner Oil Group – its eighth acquisition since 2012.
The deal will add more than 10 employees and one new location in Muskegon to the Grand Rapids-based energy distribution company. Nearly 2,500 Brenner customers – roughly one-quarter of them commercial – will join the Crystal Flash family.
Brenner will retain the rest of its wholesale, transportation, crude transloading and diesel exhaust fluid business, which delivers gasoline, diesel, kerosene, ethanol, biodiesel, racing fuel, marine fuels and additives to customers in a broad range of industries across Michigan and surrounding states, as well as to Florida and New York.
The Charter Group M&A Advisors serves as merger and acquisition advisor to Crystal Flash, which has grown to 250+ employees in 18 locations across the state. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings. Terms of the deal, which was finalized Tuesday, were not disclosed.
“We have long been great admirers of the Brenner Oil Group, which is also a third-generation family-owned business headquartered in West Michigan,” said Crystal Flash President Tom Fehsenfeld. “As we were looking to expand Crystal Flash operations, and Brenner was looking to focus more on its core business, we saw a tremendous opportunity to do business with a like-minded company.
“We are very pleased to be able to add Brenner’s home heat business to our growing portfolio of companies. This acquisition will strengthen our position along the Lakeshore while allowing us to add some exceptional employees to our team.”
Brenner got its start in 1930 when company founder Leonard Brenner began hauling heating oil in the back of his pick-up truck. Today, Brenner Oil is one of the region’s largest independent fuel distributors, with more than 150 employees throughout Michigan including locations in Niles, Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Jackson, Owosso, Muskegon and at its corporate headquarters at 12948 Quincy Street in Holland.
Grandsons Doug and Jerry Brenner continue to run Brenner Oil, which hauls more than 1.3 million gallons of fuel on an average day. The company serves the retail, commercial, industrial, government, marine, construction and related industries.
“We have established a long-term relationship with our home heat customers and feel the transition for them to Crystal Flash as a service provider will be seamless,” said Co-President Doug Brenner of Brenner Oil. “Crystal Flash is well known and respected in the community, and their business philosophy is similar to how Brenner Oil provides service to our customers. We feel the sale of our home heat division will be a winning scenario for Brenner Oil, Crystal Flash, our employees and our customers.”
With the support of The Charter Group, Crystal Flash has also acquired the following Michigan companies since January 2012:
- Drakes Fuel Service in Schoolcraft
- Elliott Gas & Oil in Gladwin
- Leelanau Propane in Northport
- Heartland Propane in Hart
- CA Murphy in Sturgis
- C. Barron & Sons, Inc. in Monroe
- Owens Petroleum, Inc. and Owens Propane Service, Inc. in Albion
About Crystal Flash™
Crystal Flash™ is a third-generation family-owned energy distribution company focused on commercial and residential customers throughout the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Established in 1932, Crystal Flash has grown as the demand for energy has evolved, and today concentrates on the sale and distribution of propane, diesel and other fuels. Today, the company is one of the largest independently owned energy suppliers in the state with more than 250 employees in 18 locations.
