INFOMERCIAL RUBIS


THE HOME OF LIQUID ENGINEERING E


ver since its invention, Castrol has been synonymous with premium quality, high performance, and


cutting-edge technology. Over the years, Castrol has developed the world’s most advanced engine oils and fluids. In the enviable position of being perceived as a premium specialist brand, Castrol benefits from a strong relationship with customers and consumers. Castrol has worked hand in hand with customers in every field of commerce and industry to develop the right products for their needs. The brand has had a significant impact on aspects that people experience on a daily basis. Castrol has partnered with RUBiS Energy Kenya to locally blend and supply Castrol to the Kenyan market. The exclusive part- nership with RUBiS Energy Kenya will see Castrol products available to consumers at over 260 RUBiS Energy Kenya retail stations, all major lubricant distributors and wholesalers, franchise workshops and spares shops countrywide. RUBiS Energy Kenya has always been committed to putting its customers first and delivering value through its products and services. The decision to partner with Castrol is a reflection of this customer-centric approach and commitment to building strong partnerships to enhance customer experience and also build customer loyalty and trust.


The strategic partnership will enable both companies to leverage their strengths and expertise to develop innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of their cus- tomers and achieve their growth objectives in Kenya’s oil and lubricants market.


CASTROL HERITAGE Castrol was founded by Charles “Cheers” Wakefield under the name of ‘CC Wakefield & Company’. In 1899 Charles left a job at Vacuum Oil to start a new business selling lubricants for trains and heavy machinery. Early in the new century, Wakefield took a personal interest in two sporty new motor- ised contraptions – the automobile and the aeroplane. The company started developing


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lubricants for these new engines, which needed oils that were runny enough to work from cold at start-up and thick enough to keep working at very high temperatures. Wakefield researchers found that adding a measure of castor oil, a vegetable oil made from castor beans, did the trick nicely. They called the new product “Castrol.” In 1919 John Alcock and Arthur Brown chose Castrol to lubricate their engine on the first trans-Atlantic flight. By 1960, the name of the motor oil had all


but eclipsed that of the company’s larger- than-life founder, and so ‘CC Wakefield& Company’ became, simply, Castrol Ltd. In 1966 The Burmah Oil Company bought Castrol and in 2000 Burmah-Castrol was purchased by BP. In Kenya, Castrol has been associated with


the Safari Rally for many years. The 1980s and 1990s were a golden era for Kenyan motorsports, and the Safari Rally was a major part of that. During this period, there were several iconic Kenyan drivers like Shekhar Mehta with his famous Castrol branded Nissan Datsun. In 1993, Castrol took over as Toyota lubricants sponsor, winning seven rallies globally that year – five in the hands of Juha Kankkunen. The most memorable is the Kenyan 1-2-3-4 finish in the 1993 (Kenya) Safari Rally with the ST185 Celica powered by Castrol. (Link on the Toyota UK site https://mag.toyota.co.uk/history- of-toyota-in-world-rallying-1990s/) RUBiS Energy Kenya and Castrol have a long history of supporting motorsports in Kenya, and the partnership will ensure that the Safari Rally remains a world-class event.


ACHIEVEMENTS The success of Castrol owes much to the original philosophy of Charles Wakefield. He drew on the help and encouragement of his customers in developing his new Castrol Oils, having the foresight to see that working in partnership is the best way to achieve success for both parties. This rationale is as relevant today as it was then. Today Castrol is developing and testing


SOURCE | RUBIS


new products and business models to adapt to developments in sustainability, mobility, and digitization. Recent developments include: • Metalworking fluids which enable the industry to use less water.


• Transmission fluids which are being used in the latest electric cars.


• Investing in joint ventures to develop new digital platforms.


• Reducing the cost of running wind tur- bines by predicting when they will need maintenance.


• Enabling motorists to book car services online with user-recommended work- shops; and,


• Applying machine learning to cut the fuel used by ships.


With more than 100 years of experience in LUBEZINE MAGAZINE | March 2023


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