Domestic

Shell opens lubricants blending plant in China

By Xiao Wan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-11-26 17:03

Shell today started up a lubricants blending plant in Guangdong province to meet domestic growing demand.

With a production capacity of 200 million liters a year, and the potential for a phased development to 400 million liters a year, the complex could become one of Shell’s top three lubricants blending plants worldwide in terms of volume.

Located in Zhuhai, Guangdong, the plant is set to become Shell’s sixth in China and will produce consumer, transport, industrial and marine lubricants targeted at the Chinese market.

Shell also announced new investment in a technical facility at the complex. It will offer a range of technical services including a quality control laboratory to provide key customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive industry with technical research, marketing and training services related to their lubricants applications, according to the company.

David Pirret, executive vice-president for Shell Lubricants, said: "The investment in a lubricants blending plant in Zhuhai is part of Shell’s strategy of selective downstream growth and allows us to support demand from local and international customers based in China, which is the world’s fastest growing lubricants market. Once the technical facility at Zhuhai is completed, our customers in China will have the opportunity to experience at first hand our leading lubricants technology capability."

Executive chairman of Shell companies in China, Lim Haw-Kuang, said the new plant marks another milestone in Shell’s business development in China and is part of the company’s commitment to China and Guangdong. "We will continue to look for key growth opportunities to contribute to China’s fast growing economy by providing high quality energy products and solutions."