Chevron Belgium N.V. announced that earlier this year it renewed its contract for European distribution with the base oil and additive distribution company Multisol Group, based in Daresbury, UK.

As part of the extension to 2019, the territories covered in the contract have been expanded to include the Balkan countries of Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, and Slovakia. Multisol first began supplying European customers with Chevron Group II premium base oils in 2009. Since then, Multisol has delivered sustained double-digit growth as demand for premium base oils accelerated with tightening engine oil specifications.

In addition to supplying Chevron Group II base oils, Multisol also offers the lubricant components necessary to blend a full spectrum of qualification-ready finished lubricants, including PAO’s, Group III base oils, and additives. Multisol’s sales and technology centre routinely helps its customers optimise formulations across their entire product line.

In addition, Multisol maintains its own storage tanks for Chevron Group II base oils in Antwerp enhancing supply security for customers, and can optimise the supply chain by combining multiple products for customer deliveries. With blend plants in Rouen (France) and Irlam (UK), Multisol can also tailor preblends for customers.

Multisol is part of the Brenntag Group, a global market leader in chemical distribution, and is able to use the advantages of Brenntag resources and infrastructure to help serve its customers across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and AsiaPacific.

“Multisol has been a great partner in bringing Chevron premium Group II base oils to independent European customers. Their breadth of expertise, track record of customer support and highly efficient European distribution network have enabled them to achieve substantial growth in Group II across Europe and make them an ideal partner for us in supporting the needs of the Balkans lubricant marketers," said Cary Knuth, vice president, Chevron Base Oils. Knuth added, “Their local representatives will be able to interact with the customers on a more regular basis, apprising them on changing technical approvals with our base oils and logistic optimisation opportunities.”

With in-region availability of Chevron Group II base oils, lubricant formulators have an economical option for optimising formulations for tightening ACEA and OEM specifications, as well as the opportunity to offer industrial lubricants that may have longer oil life and lower additive treat rate. Multisol will now offer in the Balkans the same range of Chevron Group II base oils they have been selling in the rest of Europe. These include Chevron Neutral Oil 100R, Chevron Neutral Oil 220R and Chevron Neutral Oil 600R.

“We are very excited about expanding our relationship with Chevron,” said David Hopkinson, CEO of Multisol Group. "Given our technical expertise in both additives and base oils and Chevron's extensive portfolio of qualifications, we have helped many independent lubricant companies efficiently navigate the changing specification landscape. We are excited about taking that expertise to the Balkans."