History

1929 - W&H Coop organized

Farming was just beginning to change from horses to tractors. Kerosene was selling at 16 cents a gallon, but the wholesale cost was 6 cents per gallon. So, a local farmer, Edgar Hovey felt this was too much of a difference to pay. He encouraged area farmers to work together to buy petroleum products at a reduced price. A Badger banker helped get the farmers organized to form their own cooperative, W&H Cooperative. The first location was in Badger, Iowa. In the first year, a tank wagon truck was added to the operation and another truck in the second year.

1930 – The first expansion – a gas station was opened in Goldfield on the south side of Hwy 3 just across the highway from our current Cardtrol.

1942 - Added two of our very own transport load trucks. These trucks transported  fuel from Clear Lake to our bulk plants. We also added automobile service to the Badger location.  At that time W&H had 5 employees.

1946 - Farm machinery was added to the list of products we offered.

1947 - A large warehouse was built in Badger to service farm machinery.

1948 - We expanded to Renwick after buying a competitive distribution plant.

1949 - We expanded to sell tractor and car tires.

1950-1960 - W&H would offer bus trips for our members. We would take members  to Kansas City to tour the refinery in Coffeyville, Farmland offices, paint plant, grease plant and the fertilizer plant.

1959 - Propane gas sales and services were added to our list of programs.  In four years, we were the largest purchaser of propane from Farmland and the second largest purchaser of refined fuels.

1960 – Tank wagon services were added to the Clare area. We also added new facilities in Renwick.

1963 - The Humboldt service station was remodeled.

1966 - We added the seven-bay car care service facility in Goldfield.

1968 - Logue Oil of Livermore was purchased.

1969 - We built a new service center and moved the office from Badger to Humboldt (near our current Humboldt bulk plant). We also started selling appliances and the Humboldt station was on Main Street.

1972 - Built a new building in Badger, with a large warehouse and bulk plant.

1973 - We implemented our first credit policy. It was decided that the customer's bills needed to be paid by the 15th of the following month. We are still following this policy.

1976 - We had 1,960 members in our co-op.

1979 - The main office was moved again. This time to our current location on Hwy 169 across from Bank Iowa and the Humboldt station was moved from downtown to this same location. We had also purchased Nelson Petroleum in Goldfield.

1983 - We purchased Eagle Grove Coop Petroleum Department and New-Coop Petroleum Department. Many of the grain elevators weren't  interested in the petroleum business and we weren't interested in the grain business, so it worked out for the best!

1984 - Cardtrol was added to service our areas with fuel. Renwick was chosen as the first location for this brand new technology!

1987 - We expanded our Cardtrols to our Humboldt location after major remodeling was completed at the station.

1988 - Goldfield was chosen as our third location for Cardtrol and the rest of the locations to follow.

1989 - Renwick's convenience store was purchased.

1994 - Fort Dodge truck stop was purchased and remodeled naming it Fort Dodge Ampride All-Around.

2000 - W&H changed regional cooperative from Farmland to Cenex.

2001 - New Ampride station in Humboldt was built. We went from full service to self serve. 

2002 - New Ampride station opens in Eagle Grove.

2010 - Re-opened Livermore Fastway for business.

2011 - We added a Drive Thru to the Fort Dodge Ampride All-Around location.

2011 - We built a propane plant in Moorland to better serve our customers in that area.

2011 - Eagle Grove Ampride was remolded. A very nice beer cave was added to this facility.

2011 - We were the first fuel retailer in the area to have Blender Pumps! They were installed at Humboldt Ampride, Eagle Grove Ampride, and Fort Dodge Ampride All-Around.

2012 - We purchased new Freightliner fuel truck.

2013 - Badger Fastway remodeled station re-opened.

2014 - Fort Dodge Ampride fire on February 6 declared total loss.

2014 - Renwick Fastway remodeled station re-opened.

2015 - Fort Dodge Ampride reopened.

2016 - We purchased new Propane Truck January 13.

2016 - We purchased another new Propane Truck March 10.

2016 - We had 3,143 members in our co-op.2016

2016 - We purchased The Station at 2320 N 15th ST in Fort Dodge May 26

Source:   http://www.whcoop.com/about-us/history/ Link no longer works

Page created October 2016

Page updated 21 Apr 2023