Constantine "Costa" Kapothanasis has acquired The Lubri-Loy Company, Inc., as shared in a recent press release.

Lubri-Loy is a St. Louis-born lubricant maker that’s been in business since 1949. Kapothanasis—who serves as president and CEO of quick-lube operator Costa Oils Inc. and runs the Costa Filters performance filtration brand—purchased 100% of the company from longtime owner David Graham through a private holding company. 

"Lubri-Loy has been a part of my life for a long time, and I was never going to hand it to someone who saw only a balance sheet," said Graham. "Costa knows this industry, he respects where this brand came from, and he has the energy and the reach to take it places I could not. I cannot think of a better steward for the next 77 years."

Lubri-Loy will keep its name, its product line, and the customer and distributor relationships it has built over decades. Its company headquarters will remain in St. Louis, the city where Lubri-Loy was founded, with offices at the historic 701 Market Street.

Kapothanasis plans to pair Lubri-Loy's heritage with the tools of a modern lubricants business. The first moves are already underway, which includes:

• A new logo, featuring a bold block-letter wordmark in black, white, and orange, and with "Lubri-Loy Roy," the brand's mascot.
• A new website carrying the full product catalog, containing spec sheets, a distributor locator, direct ordering, and a heritage archive of the brand's vintage advertising and racing history.
• The launch of Lubri-U: A new training and product-knowledge platform that gives the Lubri-Loy team courses, certifications, and a single library of technical documents.
• A plan to bring Lubri-Loy’s automotive products back to its line, starting in the more than 60 quick-lube locations operated by Costa Oils Inc.

"Lubri-Loy has been keeping American engines and machines running since Harry Truman was in the White House," said Kapothanasis. "You cannot build a 77-year-old brand. You can only inherit one and be worthy of it. My job is to protect what generations of customers have trusted and give this name the growth it has earned."