Shell Lubricants is aiming to double it's Indian market share over the next three years.
Shell Lubricants India, the national subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell is hoping to double its market share in India in the next three years. It already has tie-ups with Tata Motors, Hyundai Motor India Ltd and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd and is focusing on expanding this list.
Shell is developing unique oil for specific car brands, which should prove attractive to India's burgeoning auto manufacturing sector. The oil giant is also also expanding its supply chain through its global production network. Shell's Nitin Prasad describes India's lubricants market as “complicated” due to the fact that there are industrial, rubber and automotive oils segments. “Shell competes in parts of the automotive and industrial segments,” says Prasad. “We have around a 10-15 per cent market share.”
Shell India hopes to leverage its ties with F1 through showcasing lubes technology as a hook for the country's automakers. The popularity of motorsport generally in India, with the country's first F1 Grand Prix this year and the Force India team, should also help boost Shell's marketing credentials.