Shell to tie up with Reliance to sell lubes

Shell India Limited is tying up with Reliance Industries to sell its line of automobile lubricants in India. Shell India is the sales and marketing arm of Royal Dutch Shell, the global petroleum major.

Shell India Limited is tying up with Reliance Industries to sell its line of automobile lubricants in India. Shell India is the sales and marketing arm of Royal Dutch Shell, the global petroleum major.

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The lubes will be available with Reliance petrol pumps as and when Reliance, India’s largest company by value, decides to reopen them. The company has said that it would open these retail outlets, which it had shut down a year back.

“Our lubricant line is going to be available with Reliance petrol pumps across the country as and when they open. We have a tie-up,” said M Balachandran, vice president, marketing, Shell India.

The company believes that the market for performance lubricants, used in cars to improve performance, is showing signs of picking up, and has launched a web service, Shell LubeMatch, to help car-owners match their cars with Shell lubricants. This requires good visibility and reach, which Reliance petrol pumps would provide.

With car manufacturers such as Maruti and Hyundai bringing in their global models such as the A-Star and the i20, tailor-made lubricants approved by the carmaker is becoming standard practice, much like in the European and American markets, Bala-chandran said.