Ligon Oil Co. Inc. in Norman, AR, formerly a Gulf Oil bulk plant, was first built around 1929 by Gulf Corporation. It was operated as a consignment bulk plant by various operators from 1929 to 1980.
The Norman bulk plant was purchased from Gulf and incorporated by H.J. and Jene Ligon around 1980, and was named Ligon Oil Company. The Ligon family had operated the plant for Gulf from 1964 to 1980 and, after the purchase, ran it as a family business for four years.
On September 29, 1984, the Waggoner family (Gene, Jackie, and Ronnie Waggoner) bought the company with high hopes and dreams of building a successful business. They started out with 2 employees, 1 bob truck, 1 tanker, and an oil warehouse/office building. Today Ligon Oil has grown into a thriving business that owns 4 convenience stores, 5 operating bulk plants, 7 bob trucks, 5 semi-trucks, a box delivery truck, an oil canning facility, and 2 unmanned bulk fuel storage plants, and employs around 30 dedicated people.
Fuel sales in 1984 were approximately 125,000 gallons per month; perseverance and dedication have since increased that volume many times over.
Diamond Lakes Oil Co. in Malvern, AR was acquired in 1990. This location has the same operations as the Norman bulk plant, with 24-hour fueling available. A few years later, it was renamed Ligon Oil Co.
The Mt. Ida bulk plant was purchased in 1994 from HPL Oil Company, along with 2 of its convenience stores, for use as a storage facility rather than an operating plant because of its proximity to the Norman location. That same year, a corporate office building was constructed at the Norman bulk plant; it was completed and put to use on July 19.
The Mena bulk plant was purchased in 2009 from Frost Oil Company. It has the same operations as the other bulk locations and also offers racing fuel to meet the needs of stock car racers.
The wholesale operations of Romine Oil Company in De Queen, AR were acquired in November 2017. This acquisition, which included the De Queen bulk plant and all of its wholesale accounts, increased Ligon Oil’s sales by 50% and allowed Ligon Oil to expand into Oklahoma.
2018 brought substantial growth as Ligon Oil reopened its Lubes Division and canning facility. This division offers sales and delivery of motor oils, industrial oils, gear oils, greases, DEF fluid, and specialty items in both packaged and bulk quantities. These products are stocked at each bulk plant as needed.
The Hot Springs bulk plant was purchased in June 2018 from National Park Petroleum. It offers the same products and services as the other bulk locations, with an emphasis on serving marinas around the Lake Hamilton area.
Ligon Oil’s success as a growing business is the result of listening to our customers’ suggestions on how best to meet their needs.
After years of great leadership, we remember Gene and Jackie Waggoner, whose legacy lives on in our company. Ligon Oil still thrives today under the direction of its owners, Ronnie Waggoner and Tammy Waggoner Whisenhunt, along with their dedicated staff.
