Businessmodel of HollyFrontier Corporation

Customer Segments

HollyFrontier produces a large portfolio of products that are utilised by commercial and industrial customers across multiple business sectors. The Company’s customers largely fall under one of the following categories:

• Oil and Gas, principally comprising other refining companies;
• Wholesale and Distribution, comprising specialist wholesalers, independent marketers, distributors, and retailers of liquid petroleum gas, gasoline, and diesel fuel;
• Transportation, comprising truck-stop chains, automotive aftermarket businesses, railroad operators
• Aviation, comprising commercial airlines and airport service companies;
• Lubricant, comprising blender-compounders, and specialist lubricant marketers and retailers;
• Construction, comprising contracting firms, real estate development companies, government entities, paving contractors, and manufacturers;
• Chemicals, comprising product formulators, pesticide producers, chemicals producers, and adhesive producers; and
• Packaging, comprising paper and cardboard producers. HollyFrontier has two significant customers that typically account individually for more than 10% of the Company’s annual revenue: Shell Oil and Sinclair Oil.

All of HollyFrontier’s revenue is domestic, with the exception of revenue derived from the sale of certain fuel oil products to customers in Mexico. The Company’s operations are based principally in the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the US.

Value Propositions

HollyFrontier provides value to its customers in the following ways:

• Its reputation and industry standing, with the Company established as a leading producer and marketer of various oil and gas products in the US, counting among its customers high-profile companies such as Shell Oil and Sinclair Oil;
• The breadth of its product portfolio, with the Company offering a wide range of products to its customers, spanning gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, heavy products and specialty lubricant products;
• Its commitment to innovation, with the Company dedicating a portion of its resources to the development of new and innovative techniques and processes, in order to provide cutting edge services to its customers;
• Its efficient and productive infrastructure, with the Company operating a network of state-of-the-art refinery facilities across the US, employing up-to-date technologies and processes to ensure its products are produced reliably and efficiently; and
• Its industry expertise and experience, with the Company employing highly-trained, specialist personnel across its two operating segments, who are led by a team of experienced industry executives. ### Channels

HollyFrontier operates a website at www.hollyfrontier.com, through which it provides information on its various products, services and, facilities. The nature of the Company’s services does not lend itself to the operation of an online sales channel. The Company does, however, operate an online customer portal, through which customers can access certain resources and information independently

HollyFrontier makes its sales through an in-house direct sales force, which is organised primarily according to geographic region, across the Mid-Continent, Southwest and Rocky Mountain regions of the US. This includes sales teams covering Arizona, Albuquerque, Artesia, Bloomfield, El Paso, Moriarty, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and Washington, among other areas.

HollyFrontier operates five refineries across Cheyenne, Tulsa, El Dorado, Artesia, and Woods Cross, as well as its own logistics and distribution infrastructure. The Company additionally utilises the services of distributors and resellers to extend its marketing and sales reach.

Customer Relationships

HollyFrontier does not provide offer products or services to its customers on a self-service basis. The Company does provide customers access to an online customer portal, which allows them to access information and resources without interacting with members of the Company’s sales and support personnel.

The Company’s sales are made through its in-house sales force, the members of which consult directly with customers in order to establish the details of individual sales and distribution contract, which often span multiple years. The Company seeks to establish long-term customer relationships, with its larger customers, such as Shell oil, being afforded their own account management teams.

HollyFrontier provides a range of contact details on its website, including for its refineries, corporate offices, product divisions, and individual sales and marketing representatives, enabling new and existing customers to contact the relevant office or individual by phone or email to receive a personalised response to queries and concerns. The Company also provides information to its customers through its customer portal, its press releases, and news articles.

Key Activities

HollyFrontier is an independent petroleum refiner. The Company is engaged in the production and marketing of various refined oil and gas products, including gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, specialty lubricant products, and specialty and modified asphalt.

The Company organises its activities into two operating segments: Refining, comprising the Company’s operation go a network of five refining facilities across the US, as well as the activities of its asphalt unit HFC Asphalt; and Holly Energy Partners, comprising the operations of its subsidiary Holly Energy Partners, which owns and operates logistic assets such as petroleum product and crude oil pipelines, terminals, tankage, loading rack facilities and refinery processing units that principally support the Company’s in-house refining and marketing operations.

Key Partners

HollyFrontier works closely with a range of companies and organisations in order to produce and distribute its products effectively. These partners include:

• Supplier and Vendor Partners, principally comprising suppliers of raw materials and resources for processing, including suppliers of crude oil, sobutane, natural gasoline, butane and other feedstocks, as well as suppliers of services, technologies, and tools, that support the Company’s general operations across both operating segments;
• Channel and Distribution Partners, comprising a network of resellers, distributors, and sales agents that support the logistics, distribution, and sales activities of the Company, extending its reach into new markets;
• Joint Venture Partners, comprising various other oil and gas operators, with which the Company collaborates on various production and distribution projects, including pipeline operations, through mutually-owned entities; and
• Environmental and Community Partners, comprising various non-profits and charitable organisations with which the Company collaborates on environmental and community projects. HollyFrontier owns an interest in a number of joint venture partnerships, including a 50% interest in Frontier Pipeline Company, the owner of a pipeline running from Wyoming to Frontier Station, Utah, and a 25% interest in SLC Pipeline, the owner of a pipeline that serves refineries in the Salt Lake City, Utah area.

Key Resources

HollyFrontier’s key resources are its raw materials and supply chain, its network of refining facilities, its distribution and logistics infrastructure – including its pipeline operations, its IT and communications infrastructure, its sales and marketing channels, its partnerships, and its personnel – notably its specialist technical staff.

HollyFrontier’s refining and distribution assets are key to the Company’s ongoing operations. This notably includes the Company’s El Dorado, Tulsa, Navajo, Cheyenne and Woods Cross refineries, its HFC Asphalt unit, as well as its oil pipelines, terminals, tankage, loading rack facilities, and refinery processing units. The Company also owns and operates an extensive network of offices across regions of the US.

Cost Structure

HollyFrontier incurs costs in relation to the procurement of supplies and raw materials – in particular crude oil and feedstocks, the operation of its refining facilities, the operation and maintenance of its logistics and distribution infrastructure, the maintenance of its IT and communications infrastructure, the operation of its sales and marketing channels, the management of its partnerships, and the retention of its personnel.

In 2015 HollyFrontier recorded total cost of products sold in the amount of $10.24 billion, and operating expenses in the amount of $1.06 billion. The Company’s general and administrative expenses for the year totaled $120.85 million.

Revenue Streams

HollyFrontier generates revenue through the sale of various refined oil and gas products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, asphalt, heavy products and specialty lubricant products, through sales and distribution contracts. The Company’s Holly Energy Partners segment generates revenue by charging tariffs for transporting petroleum products and crude oil through its pipelines, by leasing pipeline capacity, by charging fees for terminalling and storing refined products and other hydrocarbons and providing other services at its storage tanks, terminals and refinery processing units.

In 2015 HollyFrontier generated revenue for the year of $13.24 billion, down on the $19.76 billion recorded by the Company in 2014. The vast majority of this revenue was generated by the Company’ Refining Operations segment, with the Holly Energy Partner segment generating just $357.88 million, before consolidations and eliminations.