Monthly Motor - June 2014

Last Word
Vivo Energy Kenya launches a
mobile fuel testing laboratory
As a Shell licensee distributing Shell’s superior
products, Vivo Energy Kenya must maintain
the Shell brand standards. This means being
totally dedicated to improving the company’s
product offering and serving its customers in
the best way possible.
Vivo Energy Kenya, the company
that distributes and markets Shell
branded fuels and lubricants, has
launched a mobile fuel testing laboratory,
a first of its kind by an
Oil Marketing Company (OMC) in Kenya. This
initiative will augment the stringent quality control
processes that are already in place throughout the
company’s distribution chain. The Laboratory will
test products randomly from Shell service stations
and commercial customers nationwide as a boost
to Shell’s existing quality control checks across the
countrywide network.
Every motorist’s nightmare is buying adulterated
fuels, since it damages and shortens the
lifespan of the vehicle’s engine. With the new lab
launched in Kenya, it will be possible to check
fuel quality at any Shell Service station in addition
to the tests that are routinely done at the
Vivo Energy Kenya’s laboratories in Mombasa
and Nairobi.
The mobile lab, fitted into a vehicle, will be
collecting samples randomly from Shell stations
and commercial customer sites, and conducting
basic quality tests on site, while also returning
samples to the main laboratories at the depots
for further analysis where issues are detected.
Speaking during the launch, Vivo Energy Kenya
Managing Director, Polycarp Igathe said, “we
value our customers and we go through all
the processes to ensure that they receive quality
products whenever they visit our service
stations. We are alive to the fact that some
unscrupulous traders are dealing with adulterated
fuels. This is why we have gone an extra
mile to bring in the mobile Laboratory in to the
market to ensure that we beef up our screening
and testing process.”
The mobile testing lab is equipped to produce
key test results within 30 minutes. It has a
temperature-controlled box to store samples,
and also has a sealed/lockable cabinet that is
mounted to the floor of the vehicle. The mounting
includes special suspension mechanisms so
that the vibrations of the moving vehicle do not
negatively affect the samples.
The mobile testing lab will be working in collaboration
with the trained quality marshals
already present at every Shell Service station.
Quality marshals receive product, compare
loading parameters against offloading parameters,
regularly test the product to reconfirm
quality, test and confirm the calibration of the
pumps, and handle any quality related issues at
the station.
Igathe added,” Safety is paramount in Vivo
Energy Kenya operations and nothing is left to
chance. We appreciate the efforts that the government
and its various energy bodies are doing
to curb fuel adulteration. To further boost these
efforts we urge them to support us as we continually
seal avenues that allow this vice.”
The Mobile Laboratory was officially commissioned
by a team comprising of, SGS Managing
Director. Albert Stokell, KEBS Manager
Petroleum Paschal Vusa and the Vivo Energy
Kenya Managing Director, Polycarp Igathe.
Vivo Energy Kenya, the company that distributes
and markets Shell-branded fuels and
lubricants since February 2013 following the
completion of acquisition in November 2012.
The Shell brand has been in Kenya for over
100 years. Vivo Energy Kenya has a storage
capacity of 85,200m³ and 120 retail stations
with a majority offering of Shell Cards and
convenience retail stores. Vivo Energy Kenya
employs 163 permanent employees and provides
indirect employment to over 200 people.
Vivo Energy operates in Retail; Commercial
Fuels (Marine, Mining and Aviation in partnership
with Vitol Aviation); Liquefied Petroleum
Gas and Lubricants in Botswana, Burkina Faso,
Cape Verde, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea,
Kenya, Mauritius, Madagascar, Morocco,
Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Tunisia, Uganda and
Mozambique
The company employs around 2,000 people and
operates 1,431 retail stations under the Shell
brand and has access to approximately 900,000
cubic meters of fuel storage capacity. Shell and
Vivo Lubricants will have blending capacity of
around 150,000 metric tons at plants in seven
countries (Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya,
Morocco, Tunisia and Senegal) producing Shell
branded lubricants.
For more information about Vivo Energy
please visit www.vivoenergy.com
64
MOTOR JUNE 2014