Editorial Column
CONTENT 2. Editorial: ULTRA Lubricants Island Strength for Island Conditions 3. Feature: Fill Your Trunk with Groceries and Your Tank with Gas at NP’s Newest Service Stations: NP Munroe Road & NP Diego Martin 4. Brands - Ultra Lubricant Expanding a Winning Team: Ultra Lubricants introduces its NEW Brand Ambassadors
ULTRA Lubricants Island Strength for Island Conditions Ultra Diesel Tec is here to save your diesel vehicle from anything the island can throw at it. But there have been some fake news floating around about what the oil can and cannot do. Today we sit down with the General Manager Lubricants at NP, John Gormandy to set the record straight so you can get the oil that’s best suited for you. So what’s new with Ultra Lubricants? Lots, too much to mention in one article but I will summarize by saying that we have been developing our lubricating technology to meet just about every application both locally and regionally. But the highlight has been the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) certification received from Mercedes Benz, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Renault and Volkswagen for the synthetic products.
Ultra Lubricants partners with distributors to bring World Class products to the Region
5 Internationally Certified Ultra Lubricants ‘Soon Come’ to Jamaica
Raising our profile: Rebranded Road Tank Wagons take to the Streets
6. NP Dominica goes above and beyond to help Restore and Rebuild after Hurricanes
Barking up the Right Tree – NP supports School’s 150th Anniversary
7. Aiming Higher: NP supports UWI in rewarding the achievements of outstanding Graduates
Preserving our Cultural Heritage: NP supports Red Cross, Junior Pan, and Unsponsored Steelbands
8. NP introduces Highway Signs Good to know where you’re going… better to know how you’re getting there
Refresh at Service Stations – Tobago
Going Places Carpool Karaoke
DISCLAIMER: The content of this publication is provided ‘as is’ without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement of intellectual property rights. Driven is published quarterly by the Corporate Communications Department for NP’s stakeholders. Corporate Communications Department Trinidad & Tobago National Petroleum Marketing Company Limited NP House, National Drive, Sea Lots, Port-of-Spain Tel: 868.625.1364-8 Ext: 280, 475, 476. Fax: 868.627.4028 Email: corpcomasst@np.co.tt Hotline: 800-NPMC (6762) WhatsApp: 686-6762 Customer Service: customer_service@np.co.tt
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I noticed you have a new tagline, can you expand on this for me? Yes, traditional foreign based oils are blended to meet operating conditions that exist in foreign markets. Ultra Lubricants are the only oils that are blended with additive packages that are specifically designed for local conditions. That includes ambient temperature, driving conditions and the quality of fuel available to consumers.
John Gormandy, General Manager Lubricants
People have claimed that using Ultra Lubricants will void your vehicle warranty. What’s your response to this? The vehicle manual in most instances refers to a specification and not a lubricant brand. Ultra Lubricants meets the highest American Petroleum Institute (API) standards and are OEM approved. Therefore, New Car Owners need not worry about voiding the warranty as we are prepared to stand behind the Ultra brand by extending a product guarantee to the new car owner as well as the auto dealership. However, in an effort to preserve good business practice and transparency, certain conditions will apply. Is it true that Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 is inferior to international brands of lubricants? No, nothing could be further from the truth. Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 meets the highest API standards and the specifications of OEM manufacturers such as Cummins, Volvo, Mercedes Benz, MACK and MAN to name a few. It has been said that Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 is made with old, non-synthetic oils. Again, not true. All Ultra products are blended with virgin base oils that are procured from reputable refineries in the US. Ultra synthetic oils are blended with Group III Nexbase Energy Efficient base oils and unique additive packages to provide the ultimate performance and protection. Is Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 detrimental to your engine? No, Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 is a fully synthetic heavy-duty diesel engine oil designed to provide 65% Better Wear Protection, 60% Cleaner engine and 2.7% Better Fuel Economy. It’s the ultimate heavy-duty diesel engine oil.
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Does Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 increase the harmful emissions coming out of your diesel vehicle? Totally the opposite. In fact, Ultra Diesel Tec 5W40 provides 63% better soot protection which reduces exhaust emissions significantly and provides superior protection to diesel engines equipped with emission reduction technologies such as Exhaust Gas Recirculation (ERG), Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF’s) and catalytic converters.
temperatures, stop-and-go traffic conditions and diesel fuel that contains sulphur levels that are significantly higher than what is available in the USA and Europe…places where many of the competing brands are imported from. Ultra diesel engine oils for example are specially treated with a unique additive technology that assists in reducing acid build-up from high Sulphur diesel fuels. As our new tagline states “World Class Lubricants for Tropical Conditions”.
In what way are Ultra Lubricants blended specifically for tropical conditions? Our local operating conditions include higher ambient
Feature
Fill Your Trunk with Groceries and Your Tank with Gas at NP’s Newest Service Stations: NP Munroe Road & NP Diego Martin
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ill your trunk with groceries and your tank with gas all in one stop when you visit the NP Munroe Road and NP Diego Martin Service Stations. The two newest stations in the NP network are focused on delivering a world-class retail experience to customers with their convenient locations, long opening hours and easy parking. Opening their doors on February 28, 2018 and October 31, 2017, respectively, both stations feature the first ever Ultra Car Care Zones and carry the Quikshoppe Plus brand proudly. Both Service Stations go beyond providing basic fuel and offer maximum satisfaction through, on-the-go shopping for those last-minute grocery stops. In addition to boasting ideal locations, the NP Diego Martin and NP Munroe Road Stations have been designed to enhance value through the provision of ATMs and a wide selection of local and international brands. Added to which, NP Munroe Road also offers a modern in-house bakery (baked fresh daily) with a Royal Castle Drive Thru with children’s play area.
One Stop Shop: NP’s Munroe Road Service Station and Quikshoppe Plus has raised the bar on their food service offering by providing a modern in-house bakery.
At the opening ceremony for both stations, NP’s Chairman Mr. Sahid Hosein expressed his confidence in the Company’s ability to “continue to uphold its responsibility to the motoring public by investing in the maintenance of the service station network and by delivering additional and upgraded sites across the country.” Indeed, as NP continues to expand its network and range of services with these new service station offerings, more and more consumers are viewing NP as the conveniently located neighbourhood grocery that also happens to be in the business of retailing fuel.
New to the Community: offering residents 24/7 convenience, the NP Diego Martin Service Station and Quikshoppe Plus is a welcomed addition to the Community.
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Brands - Ultra Lubricants
Expanding a Winning Team: Ultra Lubricants introduces its NEW Brand Ambassadors
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he growing popularity of motor sports in Trinidad and Tobago has encouraged ULTRA Lubricants to expand its reach and support, by investing in two new ULTRA Ambassadors. ULTRA already sponsors popular champion rally driver Cristian Bourne, and the powerboat racers of the Rush Racing Team, and is pleased to add female driver Bridget Singh and young Maccarius Lochan to the ULTRA family. These two young drivers are poised to make an indelible mark on the sport, as they possess the right blend of talent and tenacity. ULTRA Lubricants proudly sponsors our local champions and will continue to partner with its ambassadors to ensure that every challenge is met with world class performance. Need for Speed: Local champions sponsored by Ultra Lubricants include L-R: Allan Rouse of team RUSH, Cristian Bourne, Maccarius Lochan, Bridget Singh and Larry Edghill of team RUSH.
Ultra Lubricants partner with distributors to bring World Class products to the Region
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aining important insights from different regions about marketing strategies that work, individual products performance or consumer preferences cannot be achieved merely by looking at spreadsheets and analysing reports. This level of insight is best achieved by interfacing with the regional distributor directly. Ultra Lubricants recently did just that when one of its long-standing distributors Delta Petroleum Limited (DPL) attended a 2-day Lubricants ‘Refresher’ Training Session entitled “Your Lubricant, Your Customer and You” at NP House, in Trinidad on March 15th and 16th 2018 which was conducted by NP’s certified technical analyst team. DPL distributes the world class Ultra Lubricants brand in the St Kitts, Nevis, Tortola and Anguilla markets and like NP, has a network of gas stations in these countries through which they market and distribute the Ultra Lubricants brand to customers, including industrial customers.
Visiting the Plant: The visiting delegation from Delta Petroleum Limited are taken on a tour of the Lube Oil Blending Plant where the Ultra Lubricants are made and packaged.
Reflecting on the comprehensive 2-day training that focused on Base Oils & Additives, Viscosity Classifications, the Ultra range of lubricants (automotive and industrial) as well as sales techniques and equipment lubrication guidelines and best practices, just to name a few of the topics, the visiting team was elated and most appreciative of the opportunity. According to Mr. Bevis Sylvester, Regional General Manager of Delta Petroleum, “The facilitators of the training were very in-depth with the details and discussions imparted, which have better equipped us to be able to meet our … targeted sales in 2018. Indeed, knowledge is key and knowing the product is crucial to ensuring that we market it for what it is, an excellent product, that’s blended for tropical conditions.” In supporting its distributors in promoting and extending the brand’s reach, Ultra Lubricants offers its distributors, the right mix of personalized services, expertise, training and innovative products to consistently deliver what they need. Just the same way Ultra Lubricants is the only brand that creates the best blend for our local tropical conditions.
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With growth in mind: Delta Petroleum Limited’s representatives discuss joint plans for growing Ultra’s market share in the region and share a photo op with NP’s CEO Bernard Mitchell
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Internationally Certified Ultra Lubricants ‘Soon Come’ to Jamaica
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delegation of fifteen (15) Trinidad and Tobago companies including NP joined with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers Association (TTMA) from 2018 April 17-21 in Jamaica, for what proved to be a valuable trade mission which exposed delegates to the potential market, consumer trends and networking opportunities. Led by Mr. Norris Herbert, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Mr. Christopher Alcazar, President TTMA, the key goals for the mission were to focus on building closer ties
Exploring opportunities: NP’s General Manager Lubricants, John Gormandy, far right, and Kendal Charles, Export Account Representative (second from right) formed part of the contingent.
with the Jamaican Chamber of Commerce (JCC) and the Trinidad and Tobago High Commission in Jamaica and to strengthen and increase the bilateral trade relations between Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. With the goal of exploring and developing plans for collaboration as well as to develop on-the-ground pilot projects initiated by the Lubricants Business Unit and potential strategic partners in Jamaica, Ultra’s involvement was to gain a clearer understanding of the Jamaican Market and opportunities that may be available for growth.
Let’s trade: The T&T contingent for the Jamaica Trade Mission included the lubricants team who scouted strategic partners in Jamaica.
Brand Identity
Raising our Profile: Rebranded Road Tank Wagons take to the Streets
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ith NP reaffirming its lead in the liquid fuels industry, this is an ideal time to update its fleet of Road Tank Wagons (RTWs) to match its corporate identity whilst significantly enhancing the brand. With the re-introduction of its distinctive red, black and white colours, its fleet was given a fresh look, one that stands out as they visit every corner of the country. There’s no doubt, the country runs on NP.
Before
After
Raising our profile: Newly rebranded RTWs take to the streets and provide strong visuals of what a reliable market leader looks like.
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Corporate Social Responsibility
NP Dominica goes above and beyond to help Restore and Rebuild after Hurricanes
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n 2017, Hurricanes Irma and Maria left an unprecedented trail of destruction in our Caribbean islands, and the region responded with an extraordinary display of Caribbean strength and solidarity. Help and relief flooded in from all quarters, and NP supplied foodstuff and building materials for its staff, as well as foodstuff for other vulnerable groups. In support of wider relief efforts, NP donated fuel to Caribbean Airlines and to Dominica itself and provided much-needed manpower, to help the restoration efforts and to ensure that the stations were up and running to serve the national interest.
Furthermore, when the nation was faced with incredible odds, members of the NP Dominica family overcame tremendous personal tragedies and faced the havoc left behind by the hurricanes for the greater good of the Country. Considering their magnanimous acts, NP’s Head Office extends our warmest gratitude to these extraordinary employees whose selflessness and dedication in the face of trying times enhanced the nation’s recovery efforts. NP Dominica was happy to generously provide humanitarian relief supplies and to go beyond the call of duty in supporting the restoration efforts in Dominica.
Building Supplies Head Out: Workers load a 40ft container of building materials which was shipped to NP Dominica.
Barking up the Right Tree – NP supports School’s 150th Anniversary
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rmed with spades and nearly fifty (50) ashoka saplings, NP’s Chairman, Sahid Hosein led a team of students from the Arima Presbyterian Primary School in a tree-planting exercise on 20th April 2018 in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Presbyterian Churches, and by extension their schools, in Trinidad and Tobago. The school forms part of NP’s fenceline community in the Arima district and the exercise took place at the School’s Tumpuna Road, Arima location. Overseeing the planting along with NP’s Chairman was Reverend Anthony Rampersad, Chairman of the Presbyterian Primary Schools’ Board, the School’s Vice Principal Ms. Cindy Gopaul and a representative of the Parent Teachers’ Association. Congratulating the Presbyterian Board on this milestone achievement, Mr. Hosein underscored the importance of preserving and protecting the environment by encouraging the Presbyterian Board to teach the importance of trees and integrate treeplanting activities into the curriculum to promote environmental consciousness among the youth. Without question tree-planted green areas have a positive impact on overall well-being as they
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help moderate the climate, improve air quality and help dampen the noise from the nearby roadway.
Planting Relations: Reverend Anthony Rampersad, Chairman of the Presbyterian Primary Schools’ Board (Left) and Sahid Hosein, NP’s Chairman (Right) assist students with the tree planting exercise to mark the 150th anniversary
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Aiming Higher: NP supports UWI in rewarding the achievements of outstanding Graduates
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t NP caring is embedded in our work and our culture and the Company has been a mainstay in supporting educational initiatives for the past four decades. Last October, NP was honoured to sponsor the University of the West Indies (UWI) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Awards which has a long standing tradition of honouring the diversity and success of the University’s students whose achievements are a source of inspiration to the UWI community.
Rewarding Excellence: Chief Executive Officer, NP, Bernard Mitchell presents Tiffany Mohammed with the prize for the Best Undergraduate Special Investigative Project.
For the fourth year in a row, NP has sponsored the following prizes: • Best Undergraduate Special Investigative Project in Environmental Engineering - Tiffany Mohammed; • Best Undergraduate Student in Coastal Engineering - Leana Ramdhan, • Most Outstanding Graduate student in MSc Coastal Engineering and Management - Rianna Gonzales and • Best Graduate Research Project in MSc Coastal Engineering and Management - Rianna Gonzales.
Putting their best foot forward: Mr. Bernard Mitchell, presents prizes to awardees. Left: Rianna Gonzales, Graduate student in MSc Coastal Engineering and Management, and Leana Ramdhan, Undergraduate student in Coastal Engineering
Preserving our Cultural Heritage: NP supports Red Cross, Junior Panorama, and Unsponsored Steelbands
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rinidad and Tobago has an extraordinary, vast and diverse cultural heritage as our unique festival and artforms (music and pan) carry a special and well-deserved respect in the eyes of all nationals. In fact, our Carnival festivities have long been regarded as the epitome of creativity and a symbol of cultural expression. For this reason, NP’s efforts to preserve our cultural heritage have gained new momentum as, this year the Company gave unprecedented financial support to the Red Cross Children’s Carnival Parade, sponsored the first prize for
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the Junior Panorama Championship, in addition to giving financial aid to equip several unsponsored steelbands with banners and t-shirts for the competition.
Junior Panorama champions 2018 celebrate: As part of its ongoing commitment to the development of youth and culture, NP contributed Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($75,000.00) in sponsorship towards the National Junior Panorama Championship and the Red Cross Children’s Carnival Parade.
Funding for cultural initiatives such as these is critical to the nation’s economic development through tourism. As a responsible corporate citizen, NP feels compelled to ensure that the tradition and modernity of the culture is passed on to future generations with the required amounts of energy and passion as we do our part to conserve the world’s most outstanding festival.
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NP introduces Highway Signs: Good to know where you’re going… better to know how you’re getting there
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ne of the many Highway signs being erected by the Ministry of Works and Transport in collaboration with NP prove that while all roads lead to a destination, knowing which road to take is key. For all life’s journeys, NP is always there.
Refresh at Service Stations – Tobago NP Service Stations in Tobago now get recognised for all the right reasons as refresh works at the sites aid in sprucing up and
brightening the appearance of the stations as a first step in creating a better experience for customers.
NP Carnbee Service Station
NP Plymouth Service Station
Going Places Carpool Karaoke
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committed player and major investor in local culture, NP through its Going Places Car Pool Karaoke again promoted local talent by providing high-energy, appealing entertainment which contributed to promoting the talent of up-and-coming soca artistes. Started in 2017 and aired online as must-see content that encapsulates the joy of driving, this season’s Going Places: Carpool Karaoke featured engaging host Sunny Bling and offered three (3) exciting
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episodes. These episodes featured which featured newcomer Turner and Preddy, who rode along with prolific music producer Kasey Phillips of Precision Productions, giving them much needed exposure on their journey to stardom and success. Also featured was respected veteran performer Nadia Batson, who shared valuable advice to mentor emerging artistes. NP considers it an essential part of our business to support local culture.
Groove on the Move: Sunny Bling, host of NP’s
Going Places Carpool Karaoke, joins Nadia Batson in singing her hit song ‘Catching Feelings’.
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