Derince Lubricant and Grease Plant of Shell & Turcas exports to 58 countries and operates as Shell’s regional manufacturing complex in the Mediterranean. The company was ranked on the Stars of Export list by İKMİB in 2016, and deemed worthy of the “Low Carbon Hero Award” by the Sustainable Production and Consumption Association in 2017 with its investment that decreases CO2 emissions. Can Adal, Lubricants Supply Chain Manager at Shell & Turcas, answered Lubricant World’s questions:
Can you briefly describe the Derince Plant?
Shell & Turcas Derince Lubricant and Grease Plant, established in 1963 in the Derince district of Kocaeli, has been exporting to 58 countries as a “regional manufacturing complex” especially with the investments made since 2007. The plant provides employment and high-added-value products for the Turkish economy for more than half a century.
What is the importance of the plant for Shell and Turkey?
The Derince Plant, first of all, is highly important as it nationally manufactures a significant amount of lubricant products which are crucial for the Turkish industry. Besides, the plant is shown as a model and has a key role in Shell’s global manufacturing network as a regional manufacturing complex. Having received many awards, the Derince Plant has been selected as the “Champion Lubricant Plant” this year at the global level.
STAR OF EXPORT
How much do you produce and export annually?
Last year, approximately 100 thousand tons of lubricants and grease were manufactured at the Derince Plant. 25 thousand tons of this production were exported to a total of 58 countries, most of which are located in the Mediterranean basin, and the export income was over 100 million lira. The plant’s high export performance for the year 2016 was also awarded by Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association (İKMİB). Shell & Turcas received the “Star of Export” award in the “Lubricants Export” category. We are glad to make a contribution to the national economy with our production and exports in Derince.
How many people are employed at the plant?
More than 150 people are employed at the plant. It also provides indirect employment to hundreds of people with its value-added production and export activities.
What is the product range of Derince?
Shell & Turcas is a producer, seller and marketer of various lubricant products in Turkey, to meet the needs of customers in the industry, construction, mining, transportation, general manufacturing sectors, and in particular the automotive sector. Shell’s lubricant brands portfolio consists of Shell Helix and Shell Rimula engine oils for the automotive sector as well as different industrial oils and greases such as Shell Tellus, Shell Omala, Shell Gadus, etc. We manufacture a major part of these products in Derince.
LOW CARBON HERO
Which investments have been made in Derince recently?
Shell aims to carry out all its operations in a ‘sustainable’ way. For this purpose, we attach great importance to realize our activities with the least impact to the environment. We believe that environmental protection starts with the efficient use of all resources, particularly energy. In this regard, we recently made the “economizer” investment which decreases the energy consumption at the plant and in this way lowers the carbon dioxide emission. We received the Sustainable Production and Consumption Association’s “Low Carbon Hero” award with this investment.
Can you give us some more details about this investment? How have you managed to decrease CO2 emission?
Our award-winner project is based on the pre-heating of the water used for steam generation in the boiler room, using the waste heat from the chimney. Within the framework of the investment made as part of the development works for water and energy saving at the facility, “economizer” was installed at steam generators and the boiler feedwater was heated using the boiler and chimney heat. Since the completion of the project, the plant consumes approximately 4 percent less energy, which means 106 tons of decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, temperature of the stack gas released to the environment has been lowered from 220°C to 150°C.
