Pilot Flying J has been growing in recent years, and now the company has
announced a minor name change that it says reflects that activity and sets the
stage for future expansion.

Pilot on Thursday said its new corporate name -- Pilot Company -- "will serve
as an umbrella that captures the total portfolio of the business as it
continues to expand its retail and energy operations."

The company's network of Pilot and Flying J Travel Centers will continue to
operate under those brands. The One9 Fuel Network will also continue to operate
under that name, said Stephanie Myers, supervisor, external communications for
Pilot.

The name change comes as Pilot has been steadily expanding its operation in
recent years. In August, OPIS reported that the company was involved in a $300
million deal with NGL Energy Partners to purchase some assets of TransMontaigne
Product Services with an eye toward using them to launch a much more
substantial business in wholesale rack marketing and trading. Pilot hasn't
acknowledged the purchase publicly.

In November 2018, the company expanded its operations in the exploration and
production sector as its PDPS LLC subsidiary purchased equity interests in well
site services company Equipment Transport LLC. That move came a month after
Pilot acquired Bridger Environmental Services LLC, a water disposal platform,
and the crude transportation assets of Bridger Transportation.

"We are an innovative company that is the leader in the supply and distribution
of fuel in North America. As the industry evolves, it's important that we do as
well. We must continue to expand our business and develop more capabilities
that enable us to successfully serve our team members and guests," said company
CEO Jimmy Haslam. He said the name change "is another step in our company's
bright future."

The Knoxville, Tennessee-based company says it supplies more than 11 billion
gal of fuel per year.

It operates more than 900 retail and fueling locations, with its Pilot Flying J
travel center network including locations in 44 states and six Canadian
provinces. In the United States, the Pilot J brand ranks 18th in market share,
with 516 outlets controlling a 1.14% market share, according to OPIS
MarketsharePro data for the last year. Its Flying J brand ranks 41st with 206
outlets controlling a market share of 0.41%, according to the OPIS data.

The company's One9 Fuel Network serves fleets and professional drivers. The
company is ranked No. 10 on Forbes' list of America's Largest Private
Companies.

--Steve Cronin, scronin@opisnet.com


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