History

1850

• The Dussek Bros. company is founded.

1870

• The Campbell Company is founded

1886

• The Burmah Oil Company is founded.

1899

• Duckhams is founded by Alexander Duckham

1909

• BP is founded.

1922

• Duckhams unveils the revolutionary New Process Oils, which promises control over carbon deposits.

1951

• The company launches Europe's first multigrade oil 'Q'.

1956

• Duckhams releases their famous Q20-50.

1960

• The Dussek Bros. acquire the Campbell Company.

1962

• Kerax, founded by Tom Willcox, starts trading from a disused air raid shelter within 10 miles of current site.

• The Dussek Bros. company is bought by the Burmah Oil Company.

• The Burmah Oil Company buys Dussek Bros.

1966

• The Burmah Oil Company acquires Castrol and becomes Burmah Castrol.

1969

• Duckhams is acquired by BP, although BP announces they they do not intend to constrain the Duckhams brand, leaving them relatively autonomous.

1971

• Duckhams begins to get involved in Formula One.

1974

• The business moves to the Chorley site where an office block and Phase 1 are built over demolished terraced houses.

1975

• There is a fire at the Chorley site while the firemen are on strike. Some of their competitors help them recover.

1979

• Duckhams acquires a 49% stake in Kerax.

• Following a decision to expand into wax blending, Duckhams buys a 49% share in Kerax.

• Dussek Bros. and the Campbell Company are amalgamated into Dussek Campbell.

1982

• Duckhams launch 'Hypergrade'.

1983

• BP takes over responsibility for Duckhams' production lines and the association with Kerax ends.

1984

• Expanding sales lead to an increased need for production, so Phases 3 and 4 are built at the Chorley site. New warehouses are built along with a lab.

1987

• Kerax sponsors a race at Haydock to commemorate its 25th anniversary.

1990

• Phase 6-a new warehouse-is built.

1993

• Kerax is bought by Dussek Campbell, owned by Burmah Castrol.

• Dussek Campbell buys Kerax.

1994

• Dussek Campbell's blending site at Bury is closed and the majority of the business is transferred to Chorley, judged to be the better site. Twenty per cent of Bury employees bring their knowledge to the Chorley site.

1996

• Dussek Campbell invests heavily in the site and the offices are done up.

2000

• Burmah Castrol is bought by BP.

• Burmah Castrol is bought by BP.

• BP buys Burmah Castrol. The Chorley site operates as part of BP Global Special Products.

2001

• Dussek Campbell (Chorley site) is amalgamated into BP Global Special Products (GSP), marketers of base oils, process oils and waxes.

2003

• Following a strategy review, BP decide to divest the GSP business to Hansen & Rosenthal (Wasag). A group sale to H&R takes place and the Chorley business then  operates under the name H&R ESP Ltd.

• BP undertakes a strategy review and decides to divest BP GSP to Hansen & Rosenthal (Wasag).

• H&R acquires the BP GSP business.

2005

• H&R ESP companies are put under review. A number are put up for divestment/closure, the Chorley site included. The Chorley business was the subject to a management buy-out by Ian Appleton.

• H&R undertakes a strategy review and decides that a number of sites are surplus to requirements, the Chorley site among them. Negotiations begin to sell it.

2009

• Ian buys the Euro-Oils business, which operates separately from Kerax under that name.

2015

• Euro-Oils is merged into Kerax.

2016

• Kerax lubricants division launch their premium HyperDrive and AgriDrive lubricant brands at Automechanika Birmingham 2016.

2018

• The business was acquired by Certas Energy UK Limited on Nov 30^th 2018