Great Wall focuses on low temp lubes

The Chinese oil producer is gearing up for winter

In 2013 China had one of the coldest winters on record, with temperatures averaging -3.8 degrees celsius in the north eastern regions. 2015 may not as yet surpass those levels, but the cold weather is presenting tough challenges on lubricants products.

Great Wall Lubricants, a unit of Asia's largest refiner Sinopec Group, is now focusing on products that work well in sub-zero conditions. The company's flagship Justar J-series lubricants, including the J700U, J700F and J600F all meet the API SN grade and have been specially formulated to reduce friction and increase performance in extreme temperatures. By it's own accounts, Great Wall lubes enjoy a 65% market share at domestic service stations.

Temperatures in the north east of China, home to around a tenth of the nation's population, regularly fall below zero in the winter months. With Chinese New Year festivities well on the way a rise in the number of passenger journeys could also lead to a rise in demand for quality lubes.