Pertamina to sell lubricants in Emirates

Indonesian state-owned energy firm PT Pertamina has expanded its lubricants portfolio to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), through its partner Sharjah National Lube Oil Company in its first foray in the Middle Eastern nation.
Pertamina will sell its lubricant products to tankers passing by the oil-rich country, the company’s vice president of corporate communication, Ali Mundakir, said. He added that the company entrusted Sharjah, a private lubricant maker, to produce lubricants under Pertamina’s supervision and using the Pertamina label. He would not disclose the value of the transaction.
Mundakir said that Pertamina is targeting customers of oil tankers in upcoming expansion plans. He added that Pertamina’s move to outsource its production activities is a part of the company’s strategy to solicit marine consumers for its lubricant products in the UAE, which plays a significant role in the global oil shipping industry.
“Production and marketing of Pertamina lubricants in the area is a solution to meet demands for marine consumers,” he added.
Pertamina’s lubricants have been widely distributed through the UAE since 2007. Pertamina has also outsourced its production facilities to Singapore.
Pertamina markets its lubricant products to 22 countries, with export volume topping 110,000 kiloliters in the first half of last year.
Pertamina is aiming to become one of the 20 largest lubricant producers in the world. The company projected that it will sell 680,000 kiloliters of lubricants this year, representing a 10% increase from last year. (February 4, 2013)