Haak Farms Case Study
A 1000-acre family farm that has been utilizing lubricants to keep operations running smoothly
By converting to Petro Canada lubricants from Thomas Oil Company, Haak Farms captured a 40% savings on lubricant operating expenses.
Quick Facts
Problem
High fluid costs
Resolution
Fully OEM-spec compliant Petro-Canada products led to a 40% reduction in fluid operating expenses.
About Haak Farms
Haak Farms, a 1,000-acre family farm in Kempton, Indiana, has been family-owned and operated for over 100 years. Run today by Eric and Dave Haak, the farm relies heavily on John Deere equipment to keep operations running smoothly.
Similar to numerous agricultural operations, they utilized OEM-branded oils and fluids for convenience— specifically, John Deere Plus 50 II engine oil and John Deere Hy-Gard hydraulic fluid.
Although these products bear the John Deere brand, they are produced by third-party manufacturers and are formulated to meet minimum required product specifications with a focus on cost efficiency
By converting to Petro Canada products, Haak Farms gained a significant advantage of product quality and eliminated the higher cost of an OEM product at the same time.
The Challenge
The Solution
Challenge
High fluid costs: OEM-branded lubricants carried significant price premiums.
Solution
Petro-Canada DURON™ SHP 15W-40 and Petro-Canada DURATRAN™ reduced prices while exceeding OEM Specs
Challenge
Waste management costs: Haak Farms was left with used oil without a cost-effective disposal solution
Solution
On-going service and pickup support created time savings for farm operations.
Challenge
Additional input needs: Their farm also required Blue DEF for their diesel-powered equipment, adding another recurring expense.
Solution
Supplied Blue DEF directly, simplifying another recurring expense.
The Results
Haak Farms realized a 40% reduction in fluid operating expenses by partnering with Thomas Oil, all while maintaining full OEM-spec compliance to protect OEM equipment warranties.
Beyond cost savings, the farm also benefited from a simplified supply chain by consolidating oil, fluids, and DEF needs with one trusted partner. Thomas Oil’s ongoing service and pickup support further created valuable time savings for farm operations.
Importantly, many OEM-branded fluids are simply relabeled products from the same major refineries that Thomas Oil sources directly, meaning farmers gain access to top-tier performance without unnecessary markups.
“We’ve run (OEM) equipment for years, and we always assumed we had to buy the same OEM-branded fluids. With Thomas Oil, we were able to cut our costs by 40% without sacrificing quality. Their team not only supplied the fluids, but they also picked up our used oil barrels and handled our DEF supply. It’s saved us money, time, and hassle.”
Eric Haak
DURATRAN™
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