Insight into OLA Energy Kenya’s Lubricants Business

EXPERT INTERVIEW

Patrick Ireri, Lubricants Engineer, OLA Energy Kenya

1 Who is Patrick Ireri, and could you take us through your journey in the Lubricants Industry?

Iam a graduate Mechanical Engineer from the University of Nairobi.

My journey in Lubricants started in 2007 when I joined OLA Energy Kenya Limited (then Oilibya) as a Retail Lubes promoter. It has been a journey of continuous learning since it falls within my Mechanical Engineering sub-section of fluid mechanics.

I was actively involved in the launch and roll-out of the OLA Energy brands of DEOMAX and ACCEL into the Kenyan market in 2008. This being a new brand coming up against renowned international brands, we had to go across the country and sensitize the mechanics on the quality of our Lubricants.

2 As a Lubricants Engineer at OLA Energy Kenya Limited, what does your work entail?

Iam involved in offering technical support in the form of training on product knowledge, new product development, modifications, and upgrades. Iam also involved in quality assurance and testing in conjunction with the Lubricants quality assurance and testing Laboratory in Mombasa.

In addition, I offer customer support through plant surveys and lubricant recommendations.

Since the launching of OLA Energy’s Lubricants, how has the reception been in the 3 market?

There is trust in the quality of our Lubricants, given our ExxonMobil heritage. Our Safari brand is well known in the mass market across the country.

For our premium grades like Deomax and Accel brands, we have Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) approvals.

Having successfully launched the OLA brand 4 of Lubricants, what would you say are the must dos for asuccessful new product launch in the Kenyan market?

Brand visibility. The Customers need to have you on top of their minds when they think of buying Lubricants. Getting OEM approvals/ endorsements will also go a long way as away of quality assurance.

5 OLA Energy Kenya has two Lubricant offerings: the OLA brand and ExxonMobil Lubricants. What is your sales proposition on the brand a customer should buy?

The OLA Lubricants brand satisfies the local and regional markets. ExxonMobil Lubricants mainly meet the needs of specialized segments like warranty requirements and specialized industrial applications. The guidance on choosing between the two may also be driven by equipment needs and OEM recommendations.

6 What synthetic Lubricants do you offer the market, and are they produced locally, if not why? Also, how has the trend been on the uptake of synthetic Lubricants in Kenya over the years?

We have synthetic Lubricants for automotive and industrial applications. Currently, our Synthetic Lubricants are imported.

Automotive synthetic Lubricants are mainly diesel engine oils (SAE 5W40, SAE 10W40 & API CJ-4) and petrol engine oils (SAE 0W30, SAE 5W40 & API SN).

Our Synthetic Industrial Lubricants offerings are mainly from ExxonMobil for gearboxes, hydraulic systems and bearings in specialized heavy-duty equipment requiring long-life anti-wear protection.

The uptake of synthetic Lubricants is on the upward trend. This is mainly driven by technological advancements and requirements by OEMs.

There is trust in the quality of our Lubricants, given our ExxonMobil heritage. Our Safari brand is well known in the mass market across the country.

Retail stations are the most trusted purchase points for Lubricants. Acustomer can identify the Lubricant brand with the parent brand.

You worked as a Retail Lubes promoter for 7 some time. What is the role of Retail Stations and what opportunities do they present in the marketing of Lubricants?

Retail stations are the most trusted purchase points for Lubricants. Acustomer can identify the Lubricant brand with the parent brand.

With respect to quality assurance, the retail station is the most unlikely place to find a counterfeit product. The customer is therefore more confident about the quality of the Lubricant they are purchasing from a retail service station.

What role does training people like mechanics and technicians play in the promotion of 8 quality Lubricants?

Mechanics are the biggest influencers when it comes to Lubricants. As such, educating them enables them to give sound advice to their customers in addition to being the brand ambassadors.

Training also keeps them appraised on the technological trends. This way, they will tend to recommend a correct Lubricant for the correct application.

For Industrial customers, a wrong lubrication application can have serious financial repercussions. The training of technicians helps to prevent misapplication of Lubricants. If not monitored, misapplication may lead to machinery failure or damage.

What are some of the challenges that are 9 prevalent in the Kenyan Lubricants Market and how can they be addressed?

Counterfeits remains the biggest challenge. Enforcement agencies need to be strengthened to effectively regulate the market to weed out or minimize the proliferation of counterfeits.

There is also a preference for using cheap, low-quality lubricants due to cost considerations and partly due to ignorance.

Creating consumer awareness regarding lubricants is the surest way to ensure genuine high-quality products are embraced in the market.

What qualities and professional qualifications are key to have if one desires to be 10 a successful Lubricants sale or Technical engineer?

A degree in Mechanical Engineering with a keen interest in the mechanics of machines and fluid mechanics is crucial.Asuccessful candidate should also have a desire to continuously learn and improve their knowledge base. .