PetroChoice, a leading provider of lubrication solutions, announced last Monday that it has acquired PetroLiance, headquartered in Apex, North Carolina. PetroChoice is focused on acquiring best-in-class lubricant distributors to expand both its service offering as well as its geographic footprint.

"The benefits of bringing PetroLiance and PetroChoice together as a single company are readily apparent," said Shane O'Kelly, CEO of PetroChoice. "Our geographic markets are highly complementary; our cultures, values and missions are very much aligned and together we will have the expertise and capabilities to deliver comprehensive solutions to our customers on a scale that very few competitors can match."

"PetroChoice and PetroLiance built their businesses through the acquisition and combination of multiple companies in response to customer demands for fewer, more capable distributors," said Kevin McCarter, CEO of PetroLiance. "As the market begins to see the benefits of the combination, that trend will no doubt accelerate." Shane O'Kelly added, "The industry is becoming more complex with the rapid introduction of new products. At the same time, our customers are under pressure to do more with less. Because of our technical expertise and deep knowledge of our customers' businesses and industries, we are increasingly viewed as a valued business partner, not just a distributor."

Shane O'Kelly will remain as CEO of PetroChoice. Kevin McCarter will serve as a consultant to the combined company until his planned retirement in 2015. Bob Crouch, COO of PetroLiance, will join PetroChoice as an Executive Vice President. With the addition of the 10 PetroLiance locations, PetroChoice now serves 20 states from a total of 27 locations.

PetroChoice is a leading value-added provider of petroleum based lubrication products and services in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast. PetroChoice distributes an extensive product offering of lubricants, coolants, metalworking fluids, equipment, heaters, lifts, auto-lube and filtration systems, and contamination control devices. PetroChoice is owned by Greenbriar Equity Group LLC located in Rye, NY.

PetroLiance is a leading distributor of petroleum products in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and South Carolina. The company provides a broad range of lubricants, metalworking fluids, fuel products and programs and related equipment for the industrial, commercial and passenger vehicle segments. PetroLiance was owned by MSouth Equity Partners located in Atlanta, GA.