Rolf Wilson, general manager of Logan Distribution, which now has the distribution rights for Lucas Oil products across Australia and New Zealand.

Lucas Oil Products, the world leader in heavy-duty and high-performance lubricants, has brought together its New Zealand and Australian operations to form a single market.

The American oil company has given New Zealand-based Logan Distribution the rights to distribute its products in Australia as well as the Kiwi market.

Bringing the two markets under a single distribution umbrella will provide a number of synergies and lead to better customer service and support, says Rolf Wilson, general manager of Logan Distribution Ltd.

“The team at Lucas Oil has been impressed with our organisational and promotional abilities here in New Zealand and we have been in discussions with them about replicating that success in Australia,” says Wilson.

“Everything has now come together and we will be focusing our efforts on building a platform to take Lucas Oil Products and its road and race tried and tested range of products to the next level in Australia, as well as continuing to develop the market in New Zealand.”

Wilson says the first task of the new trans-Tasman entity will be to streamline the company‘s logistics and warehousing across the two markets to provide an improved flow of products.

In New Zealand, Logan Distribution is now based in Palmerston North and also has a major distribution centre in Auckland and facilities covering the South Island. In Australia, the main distribution of Lucas Oil products will be carried out from Melbourne and an agreement has been signed with a new logistics provider to upgrade shipping around the rest of the country.

“We are going to be running it as a single organisation, with logistics for both sides of the Tasman working in unison,” adds Wilson.

He goes on to say that the full range of Lucas Oil products will continue to be carried, although there will still be an emphasis on the most popular lines.

Lucas Oil was founded by Forrest and Charlotte Lucas in 1989. Lucas Oil Products have been available in the Australian market for more than 20 years and were introduced to New Zealand 16 years ago.

Logan Distribution was founded by American speedway Ace, Ricky Logan, and is now co-owned and operated by Manawatu businessman Bruce Roberson and Speedway promoter Bryan Puklowski.