DCC Energy plc

Foundation and diversification (1976–2010)

The company was founded by Jim Flavin in 1976 as Development Capital Corporation Limited. Originally the company focused on providing venture capital to start ups, however in the mid-1980s it changed direction and became an industrial holding company, changing its name to DCC and floating on the Irish Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange in 1994.

During the 1990s, DCC expanded through a series of acquisitions across energy, technology, healthcare and support services, becoming involved with Flogas and Emo Oil in Ireland as well as a series of other deals.

The company was embroiled in a controversy over the issue of insider trading in Fyffes plc, the Irish fruit importing company in which a subsidiary of DCC, Lotus Green, held a stake which was sold in the year 2000. In 2002 Fyffes sued DCC over the sale of its stake in the company. The case was tried in the Irish High Court from December 2004 until July 2005 and DCC was cleared of insider trading. Fyffes appealed to the Supreme Court of Ireland and, in a judgement on 27 July 2007, the Supreme Court overturned the High Court's verdict and ruled that the documents that had been in Flavin's possession when DCC sold the shares had indeed been price sensitive. In April 2008, Fyffes settled its case against DCC for an amount of €37.6 million. As a result of this case, DCC and Flavin came under the examination of the Irish Director of Corporate Enforcement. In January 2010, The report of the High Court Inspector into the affairs of DCC plc was published. The Director of Corporate Enforcement concluded that no further action was warranted by his Office.

Expansion of the business (2011–2021)

The company acquired the heating oil distribution business of Bayford & Co operating in the north of England in 2009. Bayford also owned the UK rights to the Gulf forecourt brand. The company subsequently acquired Pace fuelcare from MRH in 2011.