QUALITY PRODUCts & SERVICE SINCE 1928

Nine decades ago, The Berwick Cooperative Oil Company was formed by a group of farmers who wanted to buy fuel at discounted prices. From these early pioneers, The Berwick Cooperative Oil Company was incorporated on March 10, 1928, and today is one of the oldest and longest operating businesses in Sabetha, KS. The original storage tanks were located in Berwick, a small town just northwest of Sabetha, KS.

One hundred shares of stock were first assigned to the members on 06/24/28 by a five member board made up of: F. J. Hermann (President), Ben Schrock, Lewis Hilt, George Koehler and Adolph Lortscher. This first group of farmers lived in and around the Berwick community northwest of Sabetha, KS. They had fuel brought in by rail cars to the storage facility located on the west side of the elevator. Farmers would bring in their five-gallon cans and take it back to their farms.

In 1930 they hired their first full time driver: Glenn Turner. Glenn would deliver gas in five-gallon cans to the local farmer members. In the 1940’s they moved to a tanker truck and the driver would use a chain mechanism to calibrate each five gallons of fuel taken from the truck. Today Berwick’s fuel trucks hold as much as 5,500 gallons and the transport’s hold up to 8,300 gallons and they will pump fuel at a rate of up to 120 gallons per minute.

In the beginning, Berwick ordered fuel and lubrications from The White Eagle Oil Company, the forerunner of the Mobil Oil Corporation. The Mobil name is still a brand of lubricants the organization sells along with Conoco/Phillips. Berwick added diesel fuel in 1958 to the gasoline, butane and fuel oil products they were selling. In the 1960’s Berwick added propane and propane storage to the company’s product mix.

In 2008 Berwick acquired the bulk fuel business from Joe Slama in Humboldt, Nebraska. This acquisition added 47,500 gallons in refined fuel storage as well as a fuel delivery driver to service the Humboldt and surrounding communities. 

In 2009 Berwick added the local Ampride store under its umbrella of services and today sells gas, diesel, oil and convenience store items to the local community. In 2013, the cooperative remodeled a portion of the Ampride store to relocate the corporate office to where it is today. 
 

In 2017 Berwick Coop acquired the propane business from Vice Oil and Propane in Stella, Nebraska. In addition to the office and service shop at 207 Elm Street in Stella, this new businesses added 28,000 gallons of propane storage and added two additional propane trucks and delivery drivers to the Berwick team.

In 2018 Berwick acquired the longstanding business of Davies Oil Company headquartered in Troy, Kansas. This acquisition brought with it 18,000 gallons of propane storage and 48,000 gallons of refined fuel storage in Wathena, Kansas, 78,000 gallons of refined fuel storage in Troy, Kansas and 77,000 gallons of refined fuel storage in Hiawatha, Kansas. In addition, Berwick now operates a convenience store, service station offering full range of tires and services, and a towing business with 4 tow trucks from the Troy location along with a convenience store offering fuel and grocery items in Hiawatha. 

In 2020, Berwick purchased the gas station in Stella, Nebraska to expand the services offered in the Stella community. This location offers both gas and diesel.

Starting with one truck in 1930’s and moving to 1 transport truck & trailer and 3 refined fuel trucks in 1950’s, Berwick today has 3 refined fuel transport trucks, 1 propane trailer, 7 refined fuel trucks, 8 propane trucks, a bulk oil truck, 3 service trucks, and 4 tow trucks. Berwick has storage of approximately 425,000 gallons of refined fuels and 150,000 gallons of propane. Berwick Cooperative Oil now employs 43 employees across all locations.

With such a rich history, The Berwick Cooperative Oil Company is proud to service the agricultural producers of the Sabetha, Humboldt, Stella, Troy, and Hiawatha communities and their surrounding areas.