The businesses will continue to trade separately until 31 May, when they will formally combine as Allan Stobart Lubricants & Fuels.
Depot locations and delivery teams will remain in place, with tankers continuing to operate from Carnforth and Hawkshead, alongside Allan Stobart’s established sites at Raughton Head, Carlisle and Hexham.
The move follows the successful amalgamation of WCF’s east coast fuel operations in 2024 and forms part of the group’s ongoing strategy to align its regional distribution network more closely.
While customer-facing service is expected to remain unchanged, the merger reflects wider structural shifts taking place across the UK fuel distribution sector. 2025 has seen heightened consolidation activity as operators seek greater scale, improved operational efficiency and enhanced investment capacity in response to rising cost pressures and evolving market dynamics.
Changing dynamics
The integration will see the two North West operations aligned under a single brand structure, while depot locations and delivery teams continue to operate from their existing bases.
Phil Murray, Chief Executive Officer of WCF, said: “Bringing together two well-established operations under the Allan Stobart brand will help us build a stronger fuel distribution business that is well positioned for the changing dynamics of our market.
“As both businesses are part of WCF, this is a natural next step that strengthens our ability to invest, grow and continue to deliver the dependable service our customers rely on every day.”
Allan Stobart Lubricants & Fuels delivers domestic, agricultural and commercial fuels across Cumbria, Northumberland and southern Scotland. WCF Ltd, which is partly employee-owned, operates fuel distribution depots across Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Humberside, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Lancashire and Cumbria.
The North West integration underlines a broader industry trend: consolidation is increasingly being used not simply to expand footprint, but to strengthen operational resilience and long-term network sustainability, and is increasingly shaping operational models.
The AI generated image was provided by WCF