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Aspiring 'Amazon of energy' buys King of Prussia oil transporter

A central Pennsylvania energy company that aspires to become the "Amazon of energy" is expanding its presence in the Philadelphia area with the acquisition of a King of Prussia oil transporter.

Shipley Energy of York, which is expanding, has bought King of Prussia-based Gleba Inc., a bulk-petroleum trucking company
Shipley Energy of York, which is expanding, has bought King of Prussia-based Gleba Inc., a bulk-petroleum trucking companyRead more

A central Pennsylvania energy company that aspires to become the "Amazon of energy" is expanding its presence in the Philadelphia area with the acquisition of a King of Prussia oil transporter.

Shipley Energy, of York, a jack-of-all-trades fuel dealer that markets a broad range of energy products in 13 states, announced that it had acquired Gleba Inc., a bulk-petroleum trucking company that primarily delivers ethanol to fuel terminals for blending into finished gasoline.

The price was not disclosed. Gleba, which is owned and operated by Chet Gleba, has seven employees.

In June, Shipley acquired the assets of Boston-based Smart Click Energy, an Internet marketplace that allows customers to buy deliveries of home heating oil online from local dealers operating under contract. The service operates in eight states, from Pennsylvania and New Jersey to Maine.

"Ultimately, the platform is to become like the Amazon of energy," Steve Passio, Shipley Energy's president of energy services, said Tuesday.

Last year, Shipley bought the Jay Gress heating-oil company in Conshohocken, which has been rebranded under the Shipley name.

Shipley was founded in 1929 as a local fuel oil dealer. Its expansion began with a push into marketing natural gas and electricity in states that allow utility customers to choose energy suppliers.

Its sales have grown from 50 million gallons of fuel oil a year to 250 million, said Passio. It now sells propane, motor fuels, and compressed natural gas, as well as natural gas and electricity.

"We are expanding our footprint in all directions," Passio said.

amaykuth@phillynews.com

215-854-2947@maykuth