"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
4 August 2005Valero comes to townI'd seen a few Valero stations during this year's World Tour — even filled up at one, in central Connecticut — but I really wasn't expecting to find one at NE 63rd and Kelley today. Turns out Valero is converting all the Diamond Shamrock stations:
Valero will retire the approximately 30-year-old Diamond Shamrock brand, and when the conversion is complete, the Valero brand image will be featured on 2,900 U.S. retail (company-operated) and branded wholesale sites. Putting Valero signs up at its stations stretching from South Dakota to South Texas and from Arizona to Arkansas will give the company a national brand presence for the first time.
Valero had purchased Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corporation back in 2001 for about $4 billion, but this is the first step I've seen toward rebranding. Their acquisition of Premcor this spring gave Valero the largest group of refineries in the nation, surpassing even ExxonMobil, so I rather expect they won't be running short of gasoline any time soon. Posted at 5:33 PM to City Scene , Driver's Seat |