AT RAJ PETRO, WE CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVISE PRODUCTS KEEPING WITH THE INDUSTRY REQUIREMENTS DRIVEN BY EXTENSIVE FIELD TRIALS.

Alok Sharman

Vice President, Commercial & Senior Director, Raj Petro

What do you think are the technology trends that manufacturers are presently adopting for improving efficiency, fuel economy and reduce downtime of equipment?

Raj Petro Specialities Pvt Ltd- a Brenntag Group company, is a multifaceted specialty oil & lubricants company with a very wide product range (700+) across transformer oils, white oils / liquid paraffins, petroleum jellies, waxes, process oils, specialty oils, automotive and industrial lubricants and more. Globally, Raj Petro is among the top 10 producers of petroleum jellies and waxes, and holds the Top 3 position in India.

For the future, OEMs strive to deliver Dual Fired Engines (Gas and Diesel). Trials are already underway at Coal India Limited and experimentation with electric and autonomous vehicles is undertaken in Germany. This could lead to many opportunities in safety and energy emphasis, driving technological superiority.

Telematics & IoT are influencing TPM of equipment and AI Interpreted Landscaping of Project Site optimizes allocation of equipment, manpower and resources based on the work area. These innovations would lead to reduced timelines in the future.

Presently, improved engine designs deliver production efficiency with environmental benefits. Major OEMs are working on engines that offer high power outputs at economized fuel consumption, making it the USP of their products. Raj Petro is ready with the product offering and has recently introduced Zoomol Rforce 6100 API approved CK4 15W-40 HDDEO, qualified to meet BS / Euro VI emission standards - boosting engine efficiency, providing a less polluting outcome, and ensuring cleaner exhaust. Zoomol Rforce Engine Oils have authorizations from Volvo, Daimler, Scania, MAN, MTU to impart confidence in users and contractors.

Increased sump sizes for longer drain intervals enhance equipment availability on field. Raj Petro is always future ready in delivering best in class lubricants formulated on the latest additive technology platform globally.

What are the kinds of products and solutions used today in terms of oil and lubricants to ensure right performance of the construction equipment?

Construction equipment requires synthetic or high group bases, polymer additives, bio-degradable products and formulation as per the design of the equipment. At Raj Petro, we continuously improvise products keeping with the industry requirements driven by extensive field trials. Range of high performance Onwo greases, Kyros gear oils and Zoomol Zenco range of transmission oils (greases &gear oils) authenticate our commitment.

We also work towards creating value for our partners by reducing cost of ownership through technologically advanced products (Kyros hydraulic oils), total down time reduction (Kyros & Zoomol engine oils), future ready products like Kyros range zinc free hydraulic oil (ashless chemistry), plus fire-resistant hydraulic oils and products developed with least impact on the environment.

Tell us about the stringent emission norms compliance and also about the challenges in the transition to adopt BS-VI norms.

One of the challenges is making users/decision makers aware about usability of backward compatible oils - like API CK4, which is costlier when used for vehicles of pre-BS VI era.

The volume of API CI4 plus engine oil usage will be larger in comparison to the new age engine oils like API CK4 due to the existing fleet in operation from BS IV Class (or older). Covid has also caused delays in BS VI rollout and pushed it further to April 2021.

As far as contractors are concerned, selecting the right lubricant needs proper knowledge. How do you make sure that the right product knowledge is imparted to your customers?

At Raj Petro, we strongly believe in value creation for our partners and one of the key aspects of it is sharing knowledge about various aspects of lubricants. We have been imparting to the users an understanding of the equipment, which has changed over the years based on OEM recommendations. Trainings have been through field and virtual mode, which is predominant during the pandemic. Trainings are categorized at user level and owner level. Users include mechanics, technicians, managers, etc. while owners include project managers / head, fleet owners, contractors.

We linked up with customers to train them through virtual connect modules that emphasize safety, product handling and selection, aide the customer in operation, minimize wastage, improvise the productivity, and safeguard equipment life with reduced downtime. Our team is well trained to recommend lubricants based on equipment, type of operation, place of operation and duration, which has enhanced the productivity of the equipment and reduced the downtime.

The Kyros Hydraulic Oil spectrum ranges Low VI to High VI being recommended in relevance to the operation of the equipment, offering a reduced maintenance cost for the technician and continued uptime for the operator.

Our well-trained channel partners are in constant touch with clients updating them about market developments and trends through the technical literature in the form of catalogues, data sheets, operation guides, etc.

We work with equipment users and decision makers to utilize the OEM approved Zoomol Rforce range of engine oils, which offer improved reliability and delayed downtime.

ONWO Range of Greases are super specialty product ranges formulated in house from selective base stocks (having varying viscosity) that delivered improved operational efficiency in crusher segments and mining applications, apart from its their extended success in on-highway fleet. Our customers have envisaged substantial savings in reducing the operational costs.

Raj Petro strictly complies with NLGI, ASTM, API, SAE, ISO specifications and recommendations to ensure peace of mind to decision makers while selecting our product ranges apart from OEM specific approvals.

Tell us about the emerging scenario in the construction lubricant market and the outlook for the sector. Also, to what extent has the second wave of the Covid pandemic affected the industry and is likely to impact further?

Covid lockdown has had an impact on production and maintenance related activities and led to increased operational cost, fuel cost and increased finished lubricants costs contributed by higher priced base stocks.

It has also affected construction activities as migrated workforce has relocated to their hometowns during the lockdown.

The Indian construction market, which is growing at an annualized rate of 15.7%, is expected to emerge as the third largest globally by 2025.Hence, the future of construction lubricants appears promising.

Furthermore, the mining industry is also showing signs of recovery post Covid wave.

Overall, the outlook for construction and mining lubricants appears to be positive in the years ahead.

Can you tell us about your future plans in terms of investment/ introduction of new products and revenue outlook for the current fiscal?

Industrial & Automotive lubricants are a key focus for us. We are the only player in the market with such an expansive product range with in-house grease manufacturing and filling facility. In the last quarter, we also expanded our retail business with additional investment.

We have already introduced Rforce 6100, CK4 engine oil with “Kleen Tech” compatible for next generation BSVI engines along with high performance grease Zoomol Ultarmile for the market. Our R&D team is also working on Long Drain products to cater to the current market needs.

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