WICHITA, Kansas - Monday, officials cut the ribbon on what is expected to be one of the greenest refineries in the country. A refinery that will call Wichita home.
"We had this valuable resource, used motor oil, and it was time to do something different with it," Universal Lubricants CEO Mike Maloney said.
Maloney's company, Universal Lubricants has been collecting used motor oil for the last several years. Until now, the motor oil had been used in asphalt and as a combustible.
That will soon all change.
Universal's "re-refinery" will take the used motor oil and refine it into lubricants like gear lubricants and usable motor oil. That way the oil can be recycled.
"The green initiative is alive, it's hot, it's very hip and trendy, and it's going to be around for a long time," Maloney said. "We feel it's time for us to distribute a green line of lubricants to our customer base."
The "re-refinery" will not only mean green for the environment, but green for Wichita. It is expected to have a $40 million economic impact, and create 40 jobs will an average salary of $70,000 a year.
"It is taking a need, and providing a solution," Congressman Todd Tiahrt said. "It is one thing that Kansans are very good at."
Congressman Todd Tiahrt believes this type of innovation, especially here in Kansas, is the best way to help keep the economy on track.
"We need to take this type of opportunity and expand it across the nation, so we can grow our economy, because economies grow from the ground up not the government down," Tiahrt said.
For Universal Lubricants, the "re-refinery" just make sense for the environment and sense for its growing company.
