After purchasing the historic Veedol lubricant brand last year, Tide Water Oil is moving forward with efforts to expand in several markets around the world.
The company has already begun selling Veedol product in the Middle East, is arranging toll blending operations in Germany and is seeking a partner in Mexico.
Tide Water, which is based in Kolkata, India, bought Veedol from BP last October, saying at the time it intended to use the brand as a vehicle for growth in Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Last week Tide Water Managing Director R.N. Ghosal told Lube Report that production of Veedol-branded lubes will begin in Germany early next year.
Initially, products will be manufactured at toll blending facilities, Ghosal said. No new plant is being set up as of now. Ghosal declined to discuss other details, but Indian media have reported officials at Andrew Yule Group saying that the company aimed to take advantage of Veedols popularity in Germany.
According to the Hindustan Times, Tide Water has already set up a Veedol operation in the United Arab Emirates and indicated that this will serve as its hub in the Middle East. The company has also begun exporting Veedol products from India to Nepal and Bangladesh.
Tide Water has also posted an expression of interest on its website inviting contacts from potential partners in Mexico. Tide Water officials said previously that Latin America would be the next region they targeted after the Middle East and Europe. The web document states that Mexico will be a key piece of the Veedol strategy in Latin America. Mexico is one of the regions largest lube markets, and Tide Water said that Veedol lubes for ships and fishing boats previously achieved leadership positions there.
The Veedol brand is nearly a century old. Henry Ford used Veedol engine oils for factory fill in his Model T, the first mass-produced automobile. Tide Water has marketed lubricants under the Veedol brand since its formation in 1928.