Shipley Group, the
York-based company comprising Shipley Energy, Tom's Convenience Stores
and Sweet Arrow Spring Water & Coffee, provides outstanding service to 15
counties throughout central Pennsylvania.
For more than eight
decades, the Shipley Group companies have provided customers with the
integrity and reliability of local service. The company is in its
fourth generation of family ownership, providing caring relationships,
outstanding customer service and community support.
In
the 21st century, Shipley Group is dedicated to being a responsible
corporate citizen by seeking to improve the environment through
improvement of its customers' energy buying experience, promotion of
energy conservation and better use of company resources.
"We are proud
of our long and dedicated service to our customers and neighbors in
central Pennsylvania," said William Shipley III, president of Shipley
Group. "Shipley is committed to our continuing objective of being a
better energy company.
"Shipley strives to give our customers the
energy to help them save money, time and resources by offering
competitive fuel prices, thorough customer service, alternative energy
sources like E85 gasoline and bioheat heating fuel, and 24/7 heating,
fueling and consumer product availability," Shipley said. "Our past has
been our prologue. Shipley stands ready to be an excellent corporation
and community neighbor for many decades to come."
In the
Beginning
Shipley traces its
origin back to 1929 when Thomas Shipley founded the Roosevelt Garage
and Supply Company on Roosevelt Street across the street from York
Manufacturing as a convenient place for that company's employees to fill
their gasoline tanks and service their automobiles.
Thomas
Shipley passed away in January 1930. Samuel Hunt Shipley, his son, took
charge of the company and led the firm for 45 years.
In 1939,
Thomas Shipley, Inc. purchased York Oil Burner Company, a manufacturer
of oil-fired residential and commercial oil heating equipment. And in
1943, Samuel Shipley changed the parent company's name to York-Shipley
Inc. The restructured firm was no longer just a holding company, but
instead manufactured, installed, fueled and serviced oil furnaces and
boilers. The company also provided automotive fuel and supply services,
and by 1948 was operating or supplying 30 Esso service stations within
the York city limits.
A Period of Growth
In
1957, the company negotiated a merger with Humble-Mundis, Inc.,
resulting in the newly named Shipley-Humble Division of York Shipley.
That transaction set the stage for dramatic growth in the 1960s.
The
Shipley-Humble Division acquired seven other fuel oil companies in
1960 and doubled its home heating business, significantly increasing its
commercial "heavy oil" business. In December 968, Shipley-Humble
was formed as a separate chartered Pennsylvania Corporation when
York-Shipley was sold. William Shipley II became the first president of
Shipley Humble and presided over another period of momentous growth.
Samuel Shipley was named chairman of the board of the new firm and
served until his death in 1975.
During the 1970s,
Shipley-Humble's gasoline operations experienced a startling
metamorphosis. During this time, the company pioneered self-serve
gasoline stations in the area, building the first self-serve Exxon
station in the state in 1972. And in 1976, it got into the grocery
business with its Kwick-Stop units, forefathers to
the Tom's Convenience Stores operated today by Shipley Stores Inc.
Changing
for the Future
More acquisitions enabled Shipley-Humble to expand its market. Most significant was the 1982 purchase of
Goodling Inc., which led to a six-year period in which the company was
known as Shipley-Humble-Goodling.
In May 1988, the company
changed its name to Shipley Oil Company. William Shipley III,
representing the fourth generation of family leadership, assumed the
presidency in 1992.
Today's
Shipley Group
Under William Shipley III's vision, the company has
taken aggressive strides toward becoming a total energy company, a much
more competitive position given the rapidly changing energy environment,
including:
- In 1995, Shipley entered the natural gas market, serving industrial
and commercial customers. Because of further industry deregulation, the
company now serves residential customers, as well
- A merger with Schuchart Oil and Propane expanded Shipley's
service area into Adams County, providing the company with expertise in
the sale and marketing of propane
- Most recently, Shipley
expanded north to Huntingdon, Clearfield and Centre Counties with the
purchase of Shaner Energy Company, as well as adding services to the
east in Lebanon County
Shipley Energy is the largest locally owned provider of
home heating energy, including oil, natural gas and propane, in Central
Pennsylvania. The Shipley Group also installs and services heating,
ventilation and air conditioning equipment, offers indoor air quality
services, operates the Tom's Convenience Store chain, and distributes
Sweet Arrow spring water and coffee.