From a sales of 3.44 lakh tonnes in 1997-98, IOC's lubricant sales touched 3.6 lakh tonnes during 1998-99, which included sales through both reseller network and supplies to bulk consumers. In the process oil segment, IOC registered a stupendous growth of 67 per cent by increasing its sales from 73,000 tonnes in 1997-98 to 1.22 lakh tonnes in 1998-99.

According to ON Marwaha, director (marketing), IOC, the growth in sales in Servo lubricants was achieved despite recession in the industrial sector and stiff competition from more than 35 players who are presently in the fray. In addition to marketing Servo lubricants from nearly 7,000 petrol stations across the country, IOC during the last financial year made tremendous inroads in the market which hitherto was thepreserve of only private lube marketing companies by aggressively positioning Servo lubes through its exclusive Servo shops besides making available Servo lubes from thousands of auto lube shops across the country, Marwaha said.

The sales growth in process oils was possible through aggressive pricing of lube oil base stocks and matching it with import parity price. This resulted in lesser imports by other lube blending companies, Marwaha added in a press release.

As part of its global plans, IOC also exported nearly 500 tonnes of Servo lubes to Nepal, UAE, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Kuwait during 1998-99. While an exclusive Servo lube distributor has been appointed in UAE and Nepal, IOC is also considering options for blending and marketing of lubes in Malaysia and Bangladesh where there is potential to market these lubes, Marwaha said. IOC's Servo lubes are the largest selling in the country with a market share of 43 per cent. Developed at its R&D centre in Faridabad, Servo's range of over 400 grades of lubesare tailored to meet the most stringent needs of the automotive and industrial segments.

Plans are afoot to expand the blending infrastructure facilities through setting up modern plants at Silvassa, Taloja and Asaoti shortly.