Stoddards Fuels is celebrating 60 years as a JET Authorised Distributor, while Barton Petroleum is marking 20 years of its own partnership.
Through their JET arrangements, both businesses source certain core fuel products exclusively from Phillips 66 Limited and distribute them under the JET brand.
In a market where supply resilience, customer expectations and the energy transition are constantly evolving, the two anniversaries demonstrate how long-standing relationships can help distributors respond to change, support their customers and plan for the future.
Stoddards: 60 years rooted in the community
Stoddards’ story reaches back further than the relationship with Phillips 66, when Judith Stoddard’s grandfather began making deliveries by horse and cart before buying the family business’s first truck in 1926. By the time Phillips 66 approached the business to discuss a fuel distribution agreement, Stoddards was already operating gravel wagons, coaches and taxis. The deal was sealed with a handshake – a simple beginning to a relationship that has now lasted six decades.
“It doesn’t feel like 60 years – we’re still on the same site, and time has flown, even in my 30 short years,” says Judith Stoddard, Director, Stoddards Fuels. “Competition is still strong, and our customers rely on us to deliver quality products cleanly and efficiently, at a competitive price. With the continued backing of Phillips 66, that’s what we do every day.”
For Judith, the most important measure of the business’s success is its place in the local community. Stoddards employs local people, sponsors sports teams, events and venues, and maintains close contact with its customers at shows and out on the road. That local connection has helped the business build relationships across generations, with families continuing to choose Stoddards over many years.
The anniversary is being celebrated with current and former employees, alongside a new website, an anniversary video and commemorative items – a celebration of the people and relationships behind the business as much as the number itself.
Barton: 20 years built on supply confidence
For Barton Petroleum, the decision to become a JET Authorised Distributor followed a period of disruption. Following the Buncefield disaster in 2005 and the subsequent closure of the terminal, the business found that its existing supply arrangements could not provide the certainty it needed.
That experience prompted a fundamental rethink. Rather than spreading supply across several providers, Barton decided to select the strongest supplier for certain core fuel requirements and build a closer, exclusive relationship around those products.
“It was an unusual decision for a business like ours, and still raises a few eyebrows now, but it’s a decision that’s really paid off,” says Lawrence Burton, Director, Barton Petroleum. “Being a JET Authorised Distributor has become part of who we are. A lot of people know Barton for our yellow tankers, so it has become almost part of our DNA.”
Two decades on, Burton says the value of the relationship is most apparent when the market is under pressure. Confidence in supply allows Barton to focus on meeting customer commitments and providing the service, communication and flexibility customers need. Understanding individual priorities, whether price, reliability or responsiveness, has become central to the company’s approach and its ability to maintain trust when conditions are difficult.
The business has grown steadily and organically, including the creation of its fifth depot in the Cotswolds, which operates under the Cotswold Petroleum name. It has also moved from family leadership to a non-family managing director, while retaining the values that have shaped the company.
Different journeys, shared values
The anniversaries of Stoddards and Barton show two different ways in which a JET AD relationship can support a business. For Stoddards, the emphasis is on heritage, local presence and a handshake that has endured across generations. For Barton, it is on a deliberate strategic decision to build security of supply and resilience through a closer relationship with one supplier.
The two relationships have developed in different ways, but both are built on understanding the businesses and supporting the customers they serve.
That day-to-day knowledge is reflected in Burton’s description of working with Phillips 66: “Callum understands Barton, and we understand Phillips 66 and how Callum works. There is a lot that happens simply because we understand each other and know what we are both trying to achieve.”
Callum Guy, who is the Senior Account Manager who looks after both accounts at Phillips 66 Limited, commented: “Stoddards and Barton have taken different routes, but both show what can be built on a relationship rooted in trust, dependable supply and a real understanding of customers.
“Phillips 66 is proud to have supported Stoddards for 60 years and Barton for 20, and we look forward to continuing to work closely with both businesses for years to come.”
Together, the two anniversaries are a reminder that in a changing fuel market, the most enduring business relationships are built not only on supply, but on trust, service and a shared commitment to customers.
Images provided by Phillips 66 Ltd