Standard Oil Co

Standard Oil Company was founded by John D. Rockefeller in Cleveland, Ohio in 1870. Standard Oil Co. Inc. was an American oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Standard Oil dominated the oil products market initially through horizontal integration in the refining sector, then, in later years vertical integration; the company was an innovator in the development of the business trust. The Standard Oil trust streamlined production and logistics, lowered costs, and undercut competitors. "Trust-busting" critics accused Standard Oil of using aggressive pricing to destroy competitors and form a monopoly that threatened consumers.