Drivol, a German manufacturer, distributor and marketer of premium lubricating oils, greases and related services to automotive, industrial, marine, aviation, oil exploration and production customers across the world, is making rapid strides in the Indian market. We bring you details about the company’s strategy and plans to make it big in the country’s highly competitive lubricant space from an exclusive interaction with Mr. Nikhil Junnarkar, Vice President, Marketing, Drivol GmbH.
BS-IV to BS-VI Beyond
Some of the major changes in the automobiles under the wake of BS-VI norms will be fitment of DPF (diesel particulate filter), SCR (selective catalytic reduction) module, etc. Usage of microprocessors & hybrid vehicles will go up. Engine downsizing will get a major thrust with smaller more compliant engines. The focus of the BS-VI norms is on NOx (nitrogen oxide), sulphur and particulates. To cater to these technological changes, low SAPS (sulphated ash, phosphorous, and sulphur) Lubricants will have to be introduced to be compatible with after treatment devices. Drivol being a German firm, it already has Euro 6 compliant products, i.e., low SAPS in its product portfolio. Also, all the major Drivol engine oils are SUPERKLEEN, which means that the number of pollution causing impurities are already less as compared to normal engine oils helping the vehicle to achieve the stricter emission norms. We use Group 3 & 4 base oils in all our synthetic & semi synthetic products, ensuring the best quality & performance for our oils.
Drivol was the 1st company which introduced a fully synthetic API- CJ4 Engine oil – DRIVOL PRIMA PLUS, in India 2 years back. This was primarily focused on the CV segment. Being part of the Bluechem Group, we also have introduced some top of the line Fuel additives & engine cleaners, like the diesel conditioner & anti gel for the CV market as well as off highway & construction equipment segment.
Extending oil drains is a real benefit to end users and can have a tangible impact on environmental impact via reduced fluid consumption, but in comparison to other design criteria, such as fuel economy performance, the impact is small. And while longer drain intervals will have significant impact on fuel economy and consumer convenience, there are a few mitigating factors. Oil quality and engine cleanliness both contribute to the viability of long-drain intervals in the sense that contaminants can damage engines without proper cleaning or filtration. Long drain will continue to grow, but only to the degree where equipment life and up-time is not adversely affected.
Instead of fighting this change, the smarter thing is to accept the same & work around solutions which mitigate the impact on demand. Our approach is therefore to offer solutions beyond traditional products to our consumers.
Brand presence, capacity and expansion
Currently, we are a young company both globally as well as in India. Our business both globally and in India is driven by the passenger cars and motorcycles market. We are the fastest growing brand in these segments with a CAGR of more than 25 per cent for the last 3 years globally. Our 3rd party manufacturing plants are located in Navi Mumbai & Silvassa. Our partners are also expanding capacity and a state-of-the-art plant is coming up at Patalganga near Mumbai in Maharashtra for Drivol.
We are the fastest growing brand in the Indian automotive lubricant market and our CAGR for the past 2 years has been close to 45 per cent. By 2020 we intend selling close to 25 million lits of annual volumes in the automotive segment. As far as brand recall is concerned we believe in constantly innovating and staying ahead of the competition and offering superior products and solutions. Our innovative digital media campaigns have won a lot of consumer hearts and minds in India