From small beginnings in 1926, Les Mecoles, 16 years old, founded Penrite Oil Company from his parents’ home in St.Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The first batches of oil were made on his mother’s kitchen stove and delivered to service stations, milling factories and the local shipping port using his father’s wheelbarrow.

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Oils were manufactured from the highest quality lubricants from Pennsylvania (PEN) base stocks, regarded at the time as the best in the world. Only the right oils (RITE) would ever be sold to local customers, hence PENRITE, with its unique name gained trust and respect amongst many. As the business began to grow, a new blending facility was built in Richmond.

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Today, Penrite continues to be 100% Australian owned, continuing on the core values and philosophy of the business.