HOULTON – Ferris Oil Co., a family-owned business that has been serving the central Aroostook County area for 17 years, this week expanded south to Houlton.

Company owner Robert S. Ferris said Wednesday he had planned to expand the company south for a while, but Irving Oil Co.’s sale last month of its heating oil business to Dead River Corp. accelerated the move.

“The sellout of Irving to Dead River certainly speeded up the process,” Ferris said during a telephone interview. “We felt it was a good time to try Houlton.”

Irving sold branch offices in Caribou, Fort Kent, Houlton, Mars Hill, Millinocket, Calais and Machias. Included in the sale were all of Irving’s residential heating oil, propane and kerosene businesses in those areas.

The sale has worried some people in Houlton who are concerned about a lack of competition in the area.

Two years ago, Dead River bought Thompson Oil Co. in Houlton, a small, family-owned company.

Maine Potato Growers and Daigle Oil Co. also serve Houlton.

Ferris began his company in 1986.

“We started it from a small business in our home and built it up,” Ferris said. “We’re small, but we offer everything the big guys do.”

The company offers 24-hour burner service, as well as heating oil, kerosene and diesel products, and provides residential plumbing and air conditioning services.

There also is a Ferris One Stop convenience store in Easton.

Ferris Oil employs 15 people out of its Presque Isle office, and Ferris said he hopes to initially add four or five people for the Houlton location.

The Houlton office is located at 430 North St. in Houlton, where there also will be a showroom for products and equipment the company sells.