Michelle Jou (Castrol): "We are taking into account society's future mobility needs"

Castrol's lubricants, brand strategy and workshop partnership programmes are aimed at supporting the future transformation of mobility. As one of the world's most recognised lubricants brands, Castrol has a long history stretching back more than 120 years. Castrol CEO Michelle Jou discusses its current line-up of premium lubricants and fluids for road vehicles.

The range includes the flagship Castrol EDGE, Castrol MAGNATEC and Castrol GTX brands, formulations that provide enhanced performance and protection for the majority of today's vehicle fleet, including the growing number of hybrid and plug-in vehicles.

AutoRevista-- How is Castrol supporting the adoption of electric vehicles across Europe?

Michelle Jou.- As it has done throughout its history, Castrol continues to consider the future mobility needs of society. As the world moves towards the electrification of personal transport, the company has launched a range of lubricants designed specifically for electric vehicles (EVs).

Castrol has worked closely with car manufacturers and motorsport teams to develop the Castrol ON range of EV fluids, aligned with the company's PATH360 strategy, which aims to achieve a more sustainable future by saving waste, reducing carbon emissions and improving living conditions1.

Castrol develops and invests in products that support the global transition to renewable energy and the widespread move to electric mobility. The Castrol ON range includes Castrol ON EV transmission fluids, Castrol ON EV thermal fluids and Castrol ON EV greases, designed to make electric vehicles go further2 , charge faster3 and last longer4 .

AR - In a time of uncertainty and change, how can Castrol reinforce its stable position in the premium lubricants market?

M.J.- The automotive sector is undergoing momentous changes with the move to electrification, and Castrol has made a number of adaptations to better reflect the changing needs of its customers. This refreshed brand identity is the result of a comprehensive brand strategy process, consisting of extensive research, analysis and input from stakeholders, customers and industry experts.

The updated Castrol logo features a more modern, dynamic and vibrant design that focuses on the company's core strengths and differentiators as the brand seeks to broaden its appeal to a more diverse customer base by offering lubricants, services and solutions. It retains the iconic red, green and white Castrol colours closely associated with the brand.

AR - When will garages, garages and consumers be able to see the new Castrol brand identity on product packaging?

M.J.- This new brand identity is being rolled out in stages across Castrol's European operations this year until 2024, when it will appear on all Castrol product packaging, partnership programmes, installations, online and offline marketing and global sponsorship materials.

As part of this brand refresh, Castrol has also updated the designs of its range of filler lubricant packaging. The production of the new new small packs, available in 0.5-litre, one-litre, four-litre and five-litre volumes, began production in July and are already in litres, began in July and is now available to all workshops and authorised dealers.

AR - How has Castrol taken external factors such as sustainability and authenticity into account when designing the new pack?

M.J.- Castrol has designed the new product packaging to use less plastic: the five-litre bottle in Europe uses 20% less plastic compared to the previous five-litre bottle5, one of the best sellers in the range. Since 2019, the new packs have been introduced in a number of Castrol's international markets, including China, enabling the company to use less plastic in its small pack range and save more than 4,000 tonnes6 . In Europe, the new small packs are expected to save around 1,000 tonnes of plastic per year.

Corner folds have been added to the new five-litre packs to improve strength during transport and the overall shapes of the packs have been optimised to fit more on pallets and shelves. This space optimisation, including the repositioning of the corner handle, has resulted in a reduction in the carbon footprint required for the same volume of product.

A number of features have been incorporated into the pack design to ensure the authenticity of the contents. A secure lid, heat seal and embossed logo on the lid are among the features designed to protect the integrity of the products and make it easier for customers to be confident that the packs contain genuine Castrol premium lubricants and fluids.

AR - How does Castrol support garages and workshops across Europe?

M.J.- Garages and workshops can join the Castrol SERVICE network. There are currently more than 6,000 Castrol SERVICE workshops in operation across Europe, and every year more and more vehicle service, maintenance and repair businesses choose to partner with the Castrol brand. Participating workshops benefit from a wide range of benefits, including a Castrol warranty on the lubricants used in their customers' vehicles, a service quality certificate, branded garments for technicians, plus marketing support and training, designed to help them more easily build customer base and loyalty.

Castrol continues to enhance the Castrol SERVICE offer to accelerate the growth of the programme. The company introduced the ability for workshops to gain independent certification from TÜV Rheinland, the world leader in third party testing and certification. This certification scheme is designed to help companies optimise operational standards and build even greater customer confidence. 

All workshops and garages wishing to join the Castrol SERVICE network can for more information here.

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Interview published in AutoRevista 2.386