Petrofina
| Company type | Company (defunct) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Petroleum |
| Founded | 25 February 1920 |
| Founder | Auguste Diagre, Hector Carlier, Fernand Carlier, Aloys Van de Vyvere |
| Defunct | 1999 |
| Fate | Merged with Total to form TotalFina |
| Headquarters | Antwerp , Belgium |
| Products | Petroleum products, refining, marketing |
Petrofina was a Belgian petroleum firm that combined with Total in 1999, resulting in the creation of TotalFina, which eventually evolved into Total. Within the United States, the refining and marketing divisions formerly under Fina are currently owned by Delek US.
History
Established on 25 February 1920 by Auguste Diagre, Hector Carlier, his sibling Fernand, and Aloys Van de Vyvere as Compagnie Financière Belge des Pétroles in Antwerp, the company later adopted the name PetroFina based on its telegraphic address.
In 1981, Petrofina divested its Canadian retail business to the Canadian government, which integrated it into Petro-Canada.
The 1999 merger between Petrofina and France’s Total S.A. led to the formation of TotalFina. This entity further merged with Elf in 2000 to establish TotalFinaElf, which has been known as TotalEnergies since 2021.
Fina in the United States - "Pink Air" and "Pflash"
Petrofina entered the American market in 1956 by acquiring Panhandle Oil Company, based in Texas, gaining control of refineries and gasoline marketing operations across Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Growth continued with the 1963 acquisition of Cosden Oil Company, which added a substantial service station network and a refinery located in Big Spring, Texas.
The Fina brand was rolled out at Panhandle stations starting in 1958 and was fully implemented by 1959. In 1961, Fina introduced its "Pink Air" campaign promoting a distinctive tire inflation service designed to extend tire life, fueling rapid growth throughout the Mid-Continent area.
By 1966, the "Pink Air" initiative was replaced by the "Pflash" campaign that advertised a fuel additive claimed to enhance driving quality through improved fuel performance. This marketing approach set Fina apart from competitors such as Exxon and Shell by highlighting benefits like smoother rides and better roadside experiences.
In 1973, American Petrofina expanded into Florida, Georgia, and other Southeastern states through acquisition of BP’s marketing assets, which were subsequently converted to the Fina brand. Further expansion occurred in 1984 when thousands of Champlin Refining Company service stations across Mid-Continent states were acquired.
In 2000, Fina Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Petrofina, moved its headquarters from Plano to Houston, establishing offices near George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
By 2005, Total Petrochemicals USA continued operating petrochemical facilities inherited from Fina and maintained refinery operations at Port Arthur, Texas.
US Fina assets now owned by Alon USA
Following the 1999 merger between Total and Petrofina, all former Fina marketing properties along with the Big Spring refinery have been owned by Texas-based Alon USA. Alon’s holdings include the former Big Spring refinery and rights to the Fina brand name. The company supplies gasoline and petroleum products directly to approximately 1,200 Fina-branded stations and through distributors across seven Southwestern states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Colorado. Additionally, Alon owns Southwest Convenience Stores—the largest franchiser of 7-Eleven outlets in the U.S.—operating 160 locations in West Texas and New Mexico that retail Fina gasoline.
In 2012, Alon rebranded all retail sites from Fina to Alon gasoline to extend beyond the original eight-state territory allowed under their TotalElf agreement. This rebranding effort was completed by the end of 2012.
The Port Arthur refinery branded as Fina remains under Total’s ownership.
BMW Motorsport
From 1988 until 1998, Fina acted as the chief supplier of oils and lubricants for BMW, prominently appearing on the factory racing vehicles beginning with the 1988 European Touring Car Championship. This collaboration also covered BMW's participation in competitions such as the World Rally Championship, the British Touring Car Championship, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft (DTM) up to 1992, and the German Super Tourenwagen Cup (STW). Additionally, Fina supported BMW's campaigns in the French Touring Car Championship (Supertourisme), along with backing Rafanelli and Schnitzer Motorsport during their entries at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Between 1996 and 1998, Fina sponsored the factory McLaren-BMW F1 GTR and GTR Longtail squads competing at Le Mans and in the FIA GT Championship.
NASCAR sponsorship
Throughout the 1990s, Fina played a significant role as a NASCAR sponsor, most notably supporting Randy LaJoie's Busch Series (currently Xfinity Series) teams. Serving as LaJoie's main sponsor during 1993-94 and again from 1996 to 1998, Fina was featured on his #74 Chevrolet vehicles owned by Bill Baumgartner, where LaJoie achieved two Busch Series titles in 1996 and 1997.