With a partnership of 20 years as the authorised importer and distributor of Total lubricants for New Zealand, Oil Intel has announced a 50/50 joint venture with Total Marketing & Services.

As the world‘s fourth largest distributor of lubricants and the leading distributor of petroleum products in Africa, Total Marketing Services operates 50 production sites worldwide where it manufactures the lubricants, bitumen, additives, special fuels and fluids that sustain its growth.

The joint venture signals strong confidence in the New Zealand market and represents a strategic drive for proximity to be close to customers in industries such as mining, industrial, food production, agriculture, automotive, construction and transport, Oil Intel has stated.

“Achieving growth by being the best at what we do has always been my key focus, it is what the business was built around,” says Reuben Thickpenny, managing director and co-shareholder of Oil Intel. “We always felt well supported in this vision by Total.”

Both parties are united by a shared mission of conducting business responsibly. “Over the years, we have taken industry-leading steps towards responsible trading, taking into consideration environmental impact.” 

An example is the Lubricant Container Stewardship Programme, whereby New Zealand oil companies collectively work towards a sustainable process of recycling lubricant containers. Oil Intel is one of the leading parties in pushing this project to successful completion, and this is in line with Total‘s ambition to be the responsible energy major, supported by initiatives such as programmes on used oils recycling partnerships or biodegradable lubricant ranges.

“We look forward to the opportunities this joint venture partnership brings,” says Christine Richard, vice president, Specialties & BtoB for the Asia Pacific and Middle Eastern region, Total Marketing & Services. 

“I am proud of our collective achievements over the last two decades. Our customers have come to rely on the consistency of quality services and we are fully committed to deliver innovative and responsible solutions to the New Zealand market,” Richard adds.