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over 100 years . Caldo Oils in St Helens , Merseyside was a small blender and fuel distributor with distribution depots in Newton Abbot in Devon and Rhuddlan in North Wales . The company was at this time , contract packing our five liter and one liter production , so was a natural fit for us . The distribution company in Devon was of particular interest and having identified the abilities of the management team there , they were tasked with driving the business forward as Aztec Oils Southwest Ltd , independent from the parent company and incentivized by a shareholding . Like our distribution business in Scotland , this proved to be very successful , and they have done an amazing job in establishing the Aztec brand in the south west . The much smaller depot in North Wales was closed as there was nobody identified as being able to develop it . “ My ethos has always been to identify talent , nurture it and give people ownership

of their own futures . It is all about people . Having the right people in an organization is essential to success , yet , sometimes finding these people can be difficult . The lubricant business is incredibly competitive and has thrown up enormous challenges over the years . Brexit was a huge problem which introduced unnecessary costs and delays in moving product into Ireland . As soon as the problem was identified , I sought a solution in establishing a company in Northern Ireland to ensure goods could pass through the province to Eire without delay and customs issues for our customers there . This has been greatly appreciated and has greatly strengthened the partnerships we have there .

“ In 2021 , I formed an Employee Ownership Trust to sell half the business to the staff , with my eye firmly on the future and the desire to see the firm continue to develop and prosper well after I have finally retired , something I

on behalf of

New and Recycled packaging solutions . For almost a 100 years ! That ’ s the Houweling family way .

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