At 27, Ernesto Igel arrives in Rio de Janeiro and sets himself up as a trader in imported goods such as kitchen stoves and gas heaters.

Ernesto worked as representative for an Austrian company, Internationale Export & Import. At that time, Rio de Janeiro, then capital of the country, had a small, piped coal-fired gas distribution network as was also the case in the downtown areas of São Paulo and Porto Alegre. In other cities, the use of wood-fired stoves still predominated.

Ernesto writes a letter to Margarida Hartman, his fiancé who lived in Germany, inviting her to come to Brazil. She accepts the invitation to travel alone but says she will only disembark from the ship married. So, Ernesto goes to meet her at a stopover in Salvador and they marry aboard.

In the same year, their first son is born, Pery Igel.

Daisy Ruth, the youngest daughter of Ernesto and Margarida is born.

Ernesto begins a bottled gas distribution service in Brazil. He runs this business through Empreza Brasileira de Gaz a Domicilio Ltda. In the early days, his intention is to increase the sale of stoves and heaters, but later he began to look at ways of importing LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) on a large scale since the Brazilian oil industry is still in its infancy.

Again, during this year, the tragic accident involving the Hindenburg airship presented an opening for business and Ernesto Igel buys up the gas butane stock that the Zeppelin company maintains in Brazil.

Ernesto opens the company’s capital, changing the corporate denomination to Companhia Ultragaz S/A, the latter soon ceasing to be just a regional company, breaking out of the confines of the state of Rio de Janeiro to work in various cities across the country. And it is at this point that the bottling activities and sales of “Ultragaz – the gas that travels” take off.

With the exhausting of Zeppelin’s gas stocks, Ultragaz began importing gas from the United States. At the time, Brazilian industry was still unable to produce much of the necessary equipment and it was here that Ernesto Igel showed his ingenuity in improvising.

A boiler from an old factory was adapted as a storage tank and later casings from Second World War bombs were converted into gas bottles.

Had it not been for some tough negotiations with the Argentine government to bring in the product from this neighboring country, the difficulties of the day might have killed the business.

No sooner had this problem been solved, but the unexpected happened: Ultragaz suffers federal government intervention and management is taken over by the military. This situation persists through to the final months of 1945, when war comes to an end.

Ultragaz surpasses the 20-thousand client mark in the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

Pery Igel, son of Ernesto, takes up the position of operations’ director of Ultragaz in São Paulo, beginning a cycle of major growth and diversification of the businesses. One of Pery’s initiatives resulted in the association with the Mobil Oil company of the United States. And from the partnership for the regular importation of gas comes the acquisition of the first dedicated bulk gas carrier, the “SS Ultragaz”.

Ultragaz implements the automatic delivery service with the slogan: “week yes, week no, Ultragaz at your door”.

As a means of enhancing its gas distribution business, Ultragaz has begun to sell its own kitchen stoves and valves. Soon, the stores also begin offering other types of products – such as household utensils – to leverage the business at the points of sale. So, in 1953, the Ultralar retail chain was born, to become one of the most important companies in the segment with units in various states of the country.

The consumer wishing to acquire the gas system would go to one of the Ultragaz stores, purchase the stove and sign a rental agreement for the use of the “quota” – the valve, the gas hosepipe and two gas bottles, which remained company property.

The headquarters of Companhia Ultragaz moves from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo, where about 40% of the company’s consumers are located as well as most of the traditional equipment suppliers.

Pery Igel, son of Ernesto, officially takes over as Ultra’s managing director. Pery was an oil engineer and began to make several investments in the chemical and petrochemical areas.

Ultragaz surpasses the one million client mark.

Ultra inaugurates its head offices in São Paulo: the Ernesto Igel building on Avenida Brigadeiro Luís Antônio, to this day, the company’s headquarters.

Beginning of the implementation of the Ultrafértil industrial and commercial project in association with Phillips Petroleum. Focused on fertilizer production and the creation of a logistics network to support farmers in product use, the initiative was the outcome of a series of business enterprises, particularly for activities related to the petrochemical industry and specialized transportation.

In association with other domestic groups, Ultra participates in the setting up of the raw materials integrated project for the first petrochemical complex in Brazil (PQU), located in Capuava, São Paulo. Years later, Ultra sells its position in PQU to Petroquisa.

Ernesto Igel dies.

Following the spinoff of Ultragaz’s activities, Transultra, the embryo of Ultracargo, is created to meet the demand for specialized transportation of chemical products. Later, Transultra is consolidated into one of the country’s leading companies in specialty products handling and logistics.

Installation of Melamina Ultra in Camaçari, Bahia, to produce resins.

Beginning of the implementation of Oxiteno in Mauá, São Paulo. Ultra becomes a conglomerate of 36 companies with operations in ten Brazilian states.

Opening of Ultrafértil in Cubatão.

At the invitation of Pery Igel, Hélio Beltrão takes over the command of Ultra, introducing important changes such as the use of concepts of strategic planning and professionalization of management through the creation of “Divisions”: Gas Division; Petrochemical Division and Engineering and Assembling Division. In addition to these, a Transportation sub-division was created incorporating Transultra.

Incorporation of Atlas Indústrias Químicas S.A. in Mauá, São Paulo.

Sale of Ultralar and Ultrafértil, operations deemed not part of Ultra’s core business. Initiatives comprising the renewal plan implemented by Hélio Beltrão.

Constitution of Oxiteno Nordeste and Ultratec, an industrial engineering company. In addition to operating in construction of the company’s chemical and petrochemical units, Ultratec also became one of the most important companies in the industrial engineering segment.

Acquisition of Cia. Brasileira de Produtos Químicos Bononia in Petrópolis, Rio de Janeiro.

Ultra participates in the founding of the Camaçari Petrochemical Complex, Bahia, with Oxiteno Nordeste.

Transultra begins the transportation of bulk liquid products.

Pery Igel returns to command Ultra with the departure of Hélio Beltrão.

Incorporation of Tequimar – Aratu Chemicals Terminal, Bahia, expanding the logistics storage business.

In a modernization project and in alignment with the new market reality, Ultragaz acquires a controlling stake in Brasilgás (Bahiana de Gás), a company it has managed since 1979.

Ultra also becomes a leading producer of specialty chemicals with the acquisition of a controlling stake in Resisul Indústria Química, a manufacturer of pitch and gum turpentine.

In 1982, Paulo Cunha is appointed CEO of Ultra.

The principal executives begin to participate in the shareholding control of the company through an employee share grant scheme.

Ultra acquires a new industrial unit for the manufacture of ethylene oxide byproducts in Tremembé, São Paulo.

Incorporation of Ultracargo Participações, a holding company for sheltering Ultra’s stakes in Transultra and Tequimar, further expanding the transportation and storage businesses for specialty products.

Ultra focuses its businesses on holding companies: Gas, Chemicals, Engineering, Transportation and Storage.

Oxiteno rolls out a new unit in the Petroquímico do Sul Complex (Triunfo – RS).

All Ultra’s chemical businesses are placed under the umbrella of the newly created Ultraquímica Participações.

Launch of the Redenção Project at Ultragaz, the key aim being the focus on the customer. In the final years of the decade, Ultragaz implemented an Ombudsman’s service, becoming the only company in the sector to offer a personalized service as a channel for criticisms and suggestions from its customers.

Divesting of Ultratec Engenharia S.A.

The initial stages in the process of the merger between Oxiteno and Ultraquímica. The new company is denominated Oxiteno, with greater recognition in the domestic and international market.

Ultra concludes restructuring and focuses on three businesses: fuels distribution, chemicals and logistics.

With an eye on the potential of a new system, Ultragaz implements UltraSystem, an innovative model for the bulk distribution of LGP, proving to be an important growth driver of the company’s profitability.

A new stage in the expansion of Oxiteno Nordeste in Camaçari, Bahia, is concluded, increasing the unit’s production capacity by 80%.

Pery Igel dies.

Ultracargo begins the transportation of solid bulk products, fuels, separation of gases from air (oxygen and nitrogen), compressed natural gas as well as other non-chemical products such as starch.

Ultrapar’s equities begin trading on the BM&FBOVESPA and the NYSE – New York Stock Exchange, reflecting Ultra’s major expansion and qualification.

Ultracargo begins operating the first rail-intermodal terminal, TIP (Terminal Intermodal de Paulínia), in São Paulo.

Ultrapar is the first Brazilian company to award tag along rights* to all shareholders at 100% of the offered amount.

*Tag along rights: are those rights protecting minority shareholders, guaranteeing the right to withdraw from a company should its control be acquired by an investor which is not a shareholder in the same.

Ultragaz becomes LPG market leader following the acquisition of Shell Gás’ operations.

An employee share grant scheme is established for the new generation of executives.

The process for internationalization of Oxiteno begins with the acquisition of Canamex from the Berci Group, a Mexican specialty chemicals company.

Rollout of TIT and TIM: the Intermodal Terminals of Tatuí (SP) and Montes Claros (MG), both operated by Ultracargo.

Oxiteno concludes the acquisition of the assets of Rhodia Mexico’s Veracruz Unit.

New shareholders’ agreement consolidates Ultrapar S.A.’s established and stable controlling shareholders’ bloc (leading investors).

Beginning of operations at the Santos Intermodal Terminal (TIS), a strategic event in Ultracargo’s activities in Brazil’s Southeast region.

Through the intermediary of a consortium with Petrobras and Braskem, Ultra acquires the Ipiranga Group, thus taking over service stations in the South and Southeast regions as well as the brand name and a third part stake in the Petróleo Ipiranga Refinery. The acquisition is in line with the expansion strategy for the distribution of fuels.

Restructuring of positions: Paulo Cunha remains as Chairman of the Board of Directors, a role he had accumulated since 1998, and Pedro Wongtschowski takes over as Ultra’s Chief Executive Officer.

Oxiteno acquires new assets in Mexico and in Venezuela and opens commercial offices in Argentina and the United States.

Acquisition of União Terminais, representing an historical landmark for Ultracargo, making it the largest bulk liquid storage company in Brazil.

Inauguration of Oxiteno’s Oleoquímica unit, the first plant in Latin America to produce specialty chemicals from renewable raw materials.

Oxiteno inaugurates a new commercial office in Brussels, Belgium.

Conclusion of the acquisition of Texaco and a start made on integrating its operations with Ultra. The transaction consolidates Ipiranga as the second largest fuels distributor in Brazil and the largest in terms of capital for the private sector.

Ultracargo acquires the assets of Puma Storage do Brasil in the port of Suape, Pernambuco.

Ultracargo divests its internal logistics, solids storage and highway transportation businesses to focus on bulk liquid storage, a segment where it is market leader.

Ipiranga acquires DNP, Distribuidora Nacional de Petróleo Ltda., the largest independent distributor of fuels in northern Brazil.

Ultra implements a new corporate governance structure and converts each preferred share to a common share, migrating to the BM&FBOVESPA’s New Market, the Stock Exchange’s differentiated listing segment.

Oxiteno opens a new commercial office in the Colombian capital, Bogota.

Acquisition of Repsol’s LPG distribution business in Brazil. With this operation, Ultragaz expands by 22 thousand tons/year its commercialized volumes in the bulk segment.

Oxiteno acquires two specialty chemical plants: one in the United States in Pasadena, Texas, and the Uruguayan company, American Chemical I.C.S.A., with a production capacity of 81 thousand tons.

Ultracargo signs an agreement to acquire all the shares of TEMMAR - Terminal Marítimo do Maranhão S/A.

Ipiranga establishes ConectCar – an electronic payment system for tolls, parking fees and fuels – in partnership with Odebrecht TransPort S/A.

Thilo Mannhardt takes over as Chief Executive Officer of Ultra. After six years in this position and more than 35 in Ultra’s companies overall, Pedro Wongtschowski becomes a member of the Board of Directors.

Signature of the agreement for an association with Extrafarma, marking Ultra´s debut into the Brazilian phamarmaceutical retailing sector.

Conclusion of the association with Extrafarma. The pharmaceutical market becomes Ultra’s third specialized distribution and retailing business.

Mobilization of all Ultra’s resources to control the fire in part of the Santos, São Paulo port terminal, operated by Ultracargo.

Launch of the Ultra Challenge 2022: the company’s strategic orientation for the next few years, the objective of which is “To be a global reference in multi-businesses company”.

Opening of the first Extrafarma store in the Ipiranga service station network, located in the city of Belém (PA). The unit represents one more opportunity for synergies between Ultra’s businesses.

Extrafarma inaugurates its first pharmacy with an Ultragaz sustainable reseller in Fortaleza (CE), the first unit in Brazil to combine these two operations of Ultra.

Ultra signs an agreement to acquire Ale Combustíveis through Ipiranga.

Ipiranga announces the incorporation of a company for the production and sale of lubricants in partnership with Chevron.

The Brazilian Anti-Trust Authority – Cade rejects the association between Ipiranga and Chevron for the creation of a company for the production and commercialization of lubricants. The association is to strengthen the companies’ activities in a competitive market through the complementary nature of channels and sales of products such as lubricants, greases, additives and coolants.

Cade turns down Ipiranga’s proposed acquisition of Ale Combustíveis.

Frederico Curado takes over as Ultra’s Chief Executive Officer, in succession to Thilo Mannhardt.