With its 92 employees in Romania and its headquarters in Ploieşti, LUKOIL Lubricants East Europe celebrates a decade of existence with a total production capacity of 40,000 tons per year. 35% of it goes for export, and this provided a two million dollars operating profit in 2016.
The company was registered at the end of 2016 and started operating in 2017. As part of its lubricants business strategy, LUKOIL has transferred oil blending facilities of Petrotel-LUKOIL plant to a distinct company – LUKOIL Lubricants East Europe – for it to distribute its products in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
The plant modernization completed in 2013, after investments worth 11 million euros, and currently allows the production top level lubricants at a very attractive price-quality ratio. “It was here that LUKOIL Lubricants first produced some key premium products such as LUKOIL GENESIS and AVANTGARDE PROFESSIONAL,” reminded Felician Dragu, the manager of LUKOIL Lubricants East Europe. This, as well as the extensive presence of the LUKOIL Group in Romania – the refinery, the extensive network of fuel distribution stations, its own laboratory etc. – offer customers a “guarantee of seriousness” reinforced by the technical support provided in the field and the development of new products designed especially for the partners’ needs.
Launched 12 years ago as a local supplier, LUKOIL Lubricants Company now participates in global projects of lubricants supply to large automotive producers. General Director Maxim Donde said LUKOIL’s lubricant production increased by 11% in 2016 to over one million tons – 40% of which is made in Russia, and 15% in Romania. In total, LUKOIL has 9 own plants and 24 third-party plants around the world. But “the ability to produce quality products is not always twined by the ability to sell them,” stressed Maxim Donde. In a market dominated by large global brands with over 100 years of history, marketing and sales efforts must be in line with engineering innovation. For Romania, Felician Dragu announced investments of about one million euros this year, mainly “in new products development and marketing”.
Globally, LUKOIL Lubricants Company is ranked 10th among the largest global lubes producers and is the fifth largest global supplier of marine lubricants, 10% of the global market.