Calumet Specialty Products Partners, L.P. last Monday announced a licensing agreement with Imperial Oil Limited through which Calumet will produce, market and sell bulk transformer insulating oil into the Canadian market under the VOLTESSO™ brand of products.

VOLTESSO electrical insulating oils are formulated from high quality basestocks and select additives that provide excellent low temperature performance and resistance to oxidation and sludge formation in electrical service. These high quality oils are designed and manufactured to provide cooling and to help insulate transformer components against electrical corona and arching.

"We are excited to add the VOLTESSO brand to our existing portfolio of premium branded specialty products," stated Jennifer Straumins, President and COO of Calumet Specialty Products Partners. "VOLTESSO is an established brand in the transformer oil market, a multi-billion dollar industry where Calumet is a key player. We look forward to growing our base of Canadian transformer oil customers through this licensing agreement."

Calumet has been very active during the past couple years in expanding its lubricant base and in acquiring lubricant companies. In January 2012, Calumet, through its subsidiary, Calumet Missouri, LLC, purchased the aviation and refrigerant lubricants business, a polyol/ester-based synlubes business, from Hercules Incorporated, a subsidiary of Ashland, Inc. that included a manufacturing facility in Louisiana, MO. Also in January 2012, Calumet announced that it acquired all of the outstanding membership interests of TruSouth Oil, LLC, a specialty petroleum packaging and distribution company located in Shreveport, Louisiana. Then in mid 2012, Calumet acquired synthetic lubricant manufacturer Royal Purple for total consideration of approximately $335 million. In December 2013, Calumet announced that it acquired the Bel-Ray Company, Inc. Calumet just two weeks ago announced that it acquired Gilbert, Arizona-based United Petroleum Company, a wholesale supplier and distributor of its Quantum-branded oils, coolants and greases into the passenger car, heavy duty truck, farming and industrial end-markets.

Calumet is also a producer of lube base oils, having a plant in Shreveport, Louisiana with 7,000 barrels per day API Group II and 4,800 b/d Group I capacity and 100 b/d naphthenic capacity, and another base oil plant in Princeton, Louisiana, with 6,900 b/d naphthenic capacity.