Prior to 1995, Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd and Ampol Limited were rivals in the petroleum industry in Australia. However, the two companies were still relatively small compared to other petroleum companies. In May 1995, the two companies merged to form Australian Petroleum Pty Ltd, owned equally by Pioneer International and Caltex. At the time, the merged company held a 28% market share in the petroleum industry. After the merger, the Ampol brand remained in use for a number of years at some service stations, primarily in country areas where customer loyalty and strong brand-recognition are factors.