diversity and inclusivity as women take leading roles at q8 north … · 2018. 4. 11. ·...

The Corporate Magazine of Kuwait Petroleum International#43 Spring 2018

Diversity and inclusivityas women take leading roles at

Q8 North West Europe

2 Q8SAILS Spring 2018

Editor:

Shamael Al-Sharikh

[email protected]

Manar Al-Murad

[email protected]

Copy Editor:

Debbie Valentine

[email protected] © Copyright 2018

Kuwait Petroleum International

Spring 2018

Contributors:

Katia Van Bouwel, Q8NW Europe

Rossella Izzo, Q8Italy

Jesse Claessens, Q8Oils

Katarina Bogic, OKQ8 Scandinavia

Joke Van Wieringen, Q8Europe

John Briggs, KPI SSHE

Mai Al-Eisa, KPI Business Development

2

Dear Colleagues,

This is my first message in Q8Sails as CEO of KPC Holdings Aruba and President of Kuwait Petroleum International. As I complete my first 100 days at our company, I would like to share with you my thoughts on what I have seen at Q8.

I have visited our operating units in Europe. I have worked with Ahmad Al-Jemaz, Vice President - JV Operations & Management (Asia), and the newest member of our leadership team, on the commercial commissioning of our JV refinery in Vietnam. I have signed three Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts, which signal the beginning of construction of our new grassroots refinery in Duqm, Oman. I have worked with our leadership team on the development of our long-term strategy 2040.

I have also witnessed first-hand the dedication and integrity that you, our talented team, demonstrate in your daily work. I have seen how some of our employees have faced difficult situations and overcome these with patience, while others used their creativity and initiative to solve unexpected problems. I have seen you respect the international nature of our industry, and embrace diversity and inclusion in our operations, which, incidentally, is the focus of this edition of Q8Sails.

At the end of my first 100 days, I can say with

Khaled Al Bader, Q8Vietnam

Adri van de Ven, Q8Research

confidence that I am proud to be heading a dedicated international workforce and I look forward to continuing our work together to implement our strategic objectives. With a renewed focus on safety, sustainable profitability and people development, I believe we will continue to ease the journey for our shareholders, customers and partners.

I look forward to working with each one of you.

Sincerely,

Nabil Bourisli

Message from the President

Contributors for Q8Sails Issue 43

3Q8SAILS Spring 2018

ContentsQ8Sails Spring 2018 Issue: 43

Celebrating25 years of loyal partnership

President highlights expansion plans during visit to Europe

HEADLINE NEWS

Page 4-5 Diversity and inclusivity at Q8 North West Europe

CORPORATE

Page 6-9 President highlights expansion plans during visit to Europe

NEWS

Page 10 EPC contracts awarded for Duqm Refinery project in Oman

Page 11 Q8 launches its second service station in Vietnam

Page 12 Driving innovation in fuel cards in Italy

Page 13 Two new Q8-branded motorway sites inaugurated in Milan

Page 14-15 Meet the team: Kuwaiti women on international assignments

Page 16 Partnership with Burger King expands Q8Easy network in Spain

Page 17 Sharing Technical Expertise in the Energy Institute

Page 18 Q8Oils offers smart technical support with QCare

Page 19 Celebrating 25 years of loyal partnership

Page 20 Q8Research invests in equipment for crude assays

Page 21 Successful audit and praise for SSHEMS in Sweden

Page 22 Supporting vulnerable children in The Netherlands

Driving innovation in fuel cards in Italy

4 Q8SAILS Spring 2018 4 Q8SAILS Spring 2018

Diversity and inclusivity as women take leading roles at Q8North West Europe

“Q8North West Europe is

proud to recognise only talent, not

gender.”

As a progressive international organisation, Q8 is committed to developing a diverse and inclusive work-force at all levels.

Part of this diversity is achieving a balance in gender. The oil and gas industry has traditionally been male-orientated, but times are changing and in recent years, an increasing number of women have been attracted to the industry and more are progressing to senior levels. Also this edition of Q8Sails, we highlit how Q8Norh-West Europe has empowered its talent, irrespective of gender, and how three of its major operations are being headed by women.

Fadel Al-Faraj, Managing Director Q8North West Europe, comments: “8th March was International Women’s Day and one of its main purposes was to highlight women breaching male-dominated sectors at the higher rungs of management: “Q8North West Europe is proud to recognise only talent, not gender, and this is how we build. Our success on the principles of excellence, integrity, and fairness.”

As part of its drive for greater diversity, Q8North West Europe is keen to encourage more women to progress to senior roles: Katrien Willem, Sarah Pillen and Julia van Exel are examples of women who are successfully taking full advantage of this opportunity.


Katrien, who joined Q8North West Europe in 2017, has a degree in business economics and wide experience in the oil industry. She is responsible for the daily op-erations of Q8Mazout, a long-established subsidiary that sells and distributes heating oil and complemen-tary products throughout Belgium and Luxembourg to mainly private individuals, as well as resellers and in-dustrial, public and commercial companies. As General Manager, Katrien oversees five offices and a diverse team of 112 truck drivers, key account managers, sales and support staff. The sales team, most of whom are women, liaise with customers by phone to organise or-ders and deliveries. Delivering fuel to customers, truck drivers are the face of the company.

Katrien comments: “This is a demanding sector of the business. The market for heating oil declines every year, there is pressure on margins and competition is very tough. Our goal is to grow market share profitably by becoming more proactive, placing a greater empha-sis on online sales and enhancing the customer service with initiatives, such as online tracking. We have a very strong team of varying ages and abilities who are com-mitted to making this happen.”

After graduating in economics, Sarah joined Q8North West Europe in 2004 as a management trainee. She started in the marketing department and later became operational supervisor of Q8easy sites in Belgium. Mov-ing into Logistics, she progressed to the role of General Manager Q8Mazout, aged 32.

In her current role she oversees a team of 47 employ-ees and is responsible for managing the performance of around 675 sites across the Benelux, which sold around 1.9 million litres of fuel last year. The team works together to develop and implement an aligned

With a degree in facilities management, Julia started as a management trainee with Q8North West Europe in 2000 and progressed through a series of direct sales roles. Today, she is responsible for direct sales to around 25 resellers within Q8North West Europe. “As soon as the product starts moving, I am involved!” ex-plains Julia. Sales to resellers total around 1.5 million litres each year, which is almost half of Q8North West Europe’s total sales, excluding IDS. After rapid growth since 2008, the business faces ever-fiercer competition and Julia and her team are looking at ways to work more closely in partnership with resellers and enhance customer service.”

Julia oversees 15 people; the planning team organises transportation to the resellers and the supply opera-tions team handles contracts, invoicing and adminis-tration. “I have a very diverse team. Supporting and challenging people to grow is a very satisfying part of the job,” says Julia. She adds: “Women still tend to be in the minority in our industry, particularly at a more senior level, but with the support of our manage-ment team and greater opportunities, this is gradually changing.”

CORPORATE

Katrien Willem,General Manager Q8Mazout

Julia van Exel, Supply Operations

& Direct Sales Manager

operations and marketing strategy to maintain the success of fuel- and non-fuel marketing activities in a highly competitive market.

Sarah comments: “I very much appreciate the support and opportunities Q8 has given me. Working in a series of different roles over the past 14 years has helped me grow from a student into a skilled operational people manager.”

She adds: “I strongly believe that a good balance of women and men is important at all levels of the busi-ness. In my experience, women can tend to be more empathic and focused on employee wellbeing. This is very important, as making employees feel appreciated and involved is key to keeping teams motivated.”

Sarah Pillen, Performance & Operations

Manager, Retail & IT


KPI President Nabil Bourisli has recently completed a tour of Q8’s Operations in Italy, Spain and Benelux.

Taking time to meet Q8 teams early in his Presidency demonstrated the firm belief that employees are Q8’s most valuable asset.

The President commented: “I am here to support the newly-developed KPI 2040 strategy and to give the

message to our staff in Europe that we are expand-ing our operations, as well as outside Europe in high growth regions.”

He added: “We have a very ambitious strategy to great-ly increase the quantity of petroleum products coming to Europe through our system in Kuwait and from out-side Kuwait to move through our strong logistics net-work,”

President highlights expansion plans

during visit to Europe

Q8ItalyDuring his week-long tour of Italy and Spain, the President was accompanied by VP Europe Khaled Al-Mushaileh and Adnan Al-Qallaf, former stakeholder management group manager.

The tour started in Rome, where the President was welcomed by Q8Italy President Alessandro Gilotti and Managing Director Azzam Al-Mutawa, who presented an overview of their operations, expansion plans and the soil remediation project in Naples. The later is re-generating a large industrial area near the city centre,

as part of Q8’s sustainability strategy.

The President also met with Kuwaiti nationals on as-signment in Rome and thanked them for their hard work and the positive image they reflect of Kuwait.

Alessandro Gilotti said: “We were very proud to wel-come the KPI President and that he chose to visit It-aly at such an early stage after his appointment. This confirms KPI’s strong interest in the Italian market, our operations and strategy for sustainable growth to achieve further success.”


En route to Naples, the delegation stopped at the Q8 Teano Ovest service station, which is strategically locat-ed on a motorway linking north and south Italy.

A presentation followed at the Naples Depot and the group met staff and looked around the tank farm, loading bays, new waste water treatment system and control room. They also learned about the ongoing soil

remediation activities, which are being carried out us-ing the most advanced technology.

At the Milazzo refinery (RAM), a 50:50 Q8 and ENI joint venture, General Manager Pietro Maugeri described how it has become one of Europe’s most competitive and technologically advanced refineries and guided the guests around the plant.

Conqord OilBefore reaching Conqord Oil in Milan, the group took a tour of the Q8 manned station at Cormano and the automated Q8easy outlet at Paderno Dugnano, both located in north Milan, which typify the high quality of Q8Italy’s retail network.

In Conqord Oil Head Office, a global overview of Q8Oils by General Manager Frank Rouwens was followed by a presentation by the management team of Conqord Oil, which develops, produces and markets lubricants in Italy under the Q8Oils and Roloil brands.

The delegation visited the blending plant in Castellar Guidobono, east of Turin, as well as Conqord Oil’s labo-ratories and R&D facilities, which are a centre of excel-lence for metalworking fluids research.

CORPORATE


Q8Spain

In the head office in Madrid, Azzam Al Mutawa, Man-aging Director Q8Spain, and the management team described Q8’s business in Spain and their promising expansion plans which are raising the profile of the Q8 brand.

The delegation also viewed the newly-opened Q8-branded fuel station in Coslada, near Madrid, which showcases the highest quality and service standards to which Q8 aspires.

Reflecting on the success of the President’s visit, Azzam Al-Mutawa said: “This visit has given the President an appreciation of the complexity of our activities and operations and, above all, the commitment and ability of our employees who are generating excellent results and contributing to our company’s growth in Italy and Spain.”


The President also visited our award-winning Q8Oils blending plant in Antwerp, which was trans-formed into one of the largest and most advanced lubricant production facilities in Europe, following a five-year $100 million renovation programme. He discussed with Frank Rouwens, general manager Q8Oils, the strategy for our lubricants business.

Frank Rouwens commented: “It was a pleasure and an honour to receive a visit from the President, who shared his excitement about the state-of-the-art facilities and the strategic plans of Q8’s lubricants business. We were also very pleased to witness the President’s high level of interest in the people work-ing at Q8Oils.”

The visit concluded following a meeting with Ku-waiti expatriates working in Q8Oils, who shared with the President their experience of working abroad.

The President’s enthusiasm to meet and hear the views of many Q8 employees across Europe was widely welcomed and further visits are in the pipe-line.

Visiting Q8’s operations in Belgium and The Hague, the Pres-ident was joined by VP Europe, Khaled Al-Mushaileh; Adnan Al-Qallaf, former stakeholder management group manager and Meshal Al-Meles, HR Group manager. The delegation was hosted in the Gateway offices in Antwerp by Fadel Al-Faraj, Managing Director Q8North West Europe, who gave a detailed overview of Q8’s business portfolio in the Benelux region, followed by a tour of a Q8easy station.

Fadel Al-Faraj said: “We are very pleased to hear of the Presi-dent’s committed to expansion in Europe. We have ambi-tious plans to grow our business across North West Europe and have developed a robust strategy and vision with the involvement of many of our team. We are strongly placed to achieve sustainable growth and our team has the ability, flexibility and will to drive the business forward.”

CORPORATE

Q8North West Europe

Q8Oils


The joint venture between KPI and Oman Oil Company (OOC) to develop a world-class grassroots refinery in Duqm, south Oman, has taken a major step forward with the award of three major engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts.

The contracts were formally signed in Muscat on 15th February by the two shareholders in the Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company (DRPIC). The significance of the occasion was reflected by the high-level KPI delegation led by President Nabil Bourisli, who is also chairman of DRPIC, and Ghanim Al-Otaibi, VP Asia business development & projects and vice chairman of the Project Steering Committee.

The new refinery will occupy a 900-hectare in the Duqm Special Economic Zone, which is being developed by the Sultanate as an energy and logistics hub.

President Bourisli says: “The signing of these contracts demonstrates the shareholders’ firm commitment to this mega project, which will ultimately transform the Duqm area into one of the most important hubs for encouraging and promoting energy related industries regionally as well as internationally.”

The three EPC contracts, each awarded to a different

contractor, cover the refinery’s process units; utilities and offsite facilities; and the product export terminal at Duqm Port, dedicated crude storage tanks and an 80km pipeline connecting the tanks to the refinery.

Ghanim Al-Otaibi comments: “Financial arrangements are at an advanced stage and we hope to achieve financial closure very soon, with a

view to the contractors potentially starting work in Q3 2018. The petrochemical element of the project is also progressing well, and the team aims to complete the front-end engineering design (FEED) study by Q2 2018.”

It is anticipated that Duqm Refinery will be commissioned in 2022 and, when completed, it will have a processing capacity of 230,000 barrels a day. At least 65 per cent of feedstock for the refinery will be Kuwaiti Export Crude and the

balance will be supplied by the Sultanate. Its primary products will be diesel, jet fuel, naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas, sulphur and pet coke, for both local and international markets.

The project draws on KPI’s extensive experience in mega refinery and petrochemical projects and supports KPI’s mission to identify profitable outlets for Kuwaiti hydrocarbons.

“The signing of these contracts

demonstrates the shareholders’ firm

commitment to this mega project.”

Nabil Bourisli

EPC contracts awarded for DuqmRefinery project in Oman


Ahmad Al-Jemaz, VP - JV operations & marketing, says: “Haiphong station will be the flagship of the IQ8 network. It is built to European standards of safety and sustainability and its prime location, at the crossing between Haiphong and the highway, is expected to attract high sales volumes and increase awareness of the IQ8 brand.”

IQ8 was formed in 2016 as a 50:50 joint venture between Japanese oil company Idemitsu Kosan and Q8. Both companies are partners in Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical project, together with Vietnam’s national oil company, PetroVietnam, and Japan’s Mitsui Chemicals.

The Haiphong outlet will offer a choice of diesel, gasoline 95 or bio-gasoline E5. Like IQ8 Hanoi, it is equipped with point of sale terminals for card payments, which is a first for fuel stations in Vietnam. Forty-eight per cent of IQ8 diesel sales are currently made by the IQ8 pre-paid loyalty card, which proves that transportation companies appreciate this safer and more convenient form of payment.

IQ8 is revolutionising the customer experience with a level of service never seen before in Vietnam. Articles in the media continue to praise its outstanding service and this is encouraging many motorists to try IQ8. Sales volumes have increased by 20 per cent month on month since October 2017 and diesel sales alone by 91 per cent.

Construction is already underway on the next fuel station in Hung Yen, a province between Hanoi and Haiphong. Expansion will continue across north

Vietnam before moving on to the central provinces.

Demand for petroleum products is growing fast in Vietnam and with its unique offering of quality products, high customer service and a strong environmental ethos, IQ8 is poised to take full advantage of the growing market.

NEWS

“Haiphong station will be the flagship of the IQ8 network.”

Ahmad Al-Jemaz

Idemitsu Q8 (IQ8) will shortly open its second service station in Vietnam, hot on the heels of the first IQ8 outlet which was launched in the capital Hanoi last in October, 2017.

It is sited in Haiphong, the second largest city in northern Vietnam and one Southeast Asia’s principal ports. Extending to 10,000 sq m, it is one of the largest retail outlets in the country and its opening is another significant step in IQ8’s ambitious plan to develop a network of grassroots service stations across Vietnam.

IQ8 launches its second service station – one of the largest in Vietnam


Traditional habits linked to mobility are changing around the world, driven by innovation. Nowhere is this truer than in the world of fuel cards, where Q8Italy offers an increasingly wide range of innovative options for motorists.

Q8Italy has launched two new products that make it easier than ever for motorists to pay for fuel at Q8 service stations. Both are an evolution of RecardQ8, the most advanced and safest interactive cashless fuel payment system, which Q8Italy introduced in 2016 to give customers greater choice.

Q8Ticket Fuel is a business-to-business product based on an electronic code for fuel payments. It is easy and flexible to use; the code is requested and generated online or via an App and sent by email. Companies can give the card to employees, suppliers, customers or partners as an incentive or gift, and it can also be used as part of an employee benefits package. Thanks to a partnership with Epipoli, a leader in relationship marketing, Q8Ticket Fuel is also available to consumers as a gift card from major retailers including supermarkets.

Since the launch of Q8Ticket Fuel in November 2017, the volume of fuel sold using this form of payment has been surprisingly high and totaled 1.2 million litres in the first two months.

RecardQ8App is a free app introduced last December which allows customers to pay for fuel via their smartphone It is another way to make refuelling at Q8 service stations easier, faster and more secure. Using the app, customers can recharge their virtual wallet online and generate a virtual payment code. The outstanding new feature of RecardQ8App

is the option to send payment codes to friends and family, or receive them, via Whatsapp, MMS and email.

Fabio Curtacci, cards sales & operations manager Q8Italy, says: “We have designed these new products to meet customer needs and keep us at the forefront of constantly changing digital and mobile payments. The shift away from physical cards gives us a unique opportunity to analyse purchasing habits and better understand the real needs of our customers, allowing us to target them more accurately with appropriate offers.”

Vincenzo Maniaci, global cards business director Q8Europe

adds “We believe that these innovations are just the start

and that there are many more on the horizon. We are fully prepared to make the most of these new opportunities; the revolution has just begun.”

Driving innovationin fuel cards in Italy

Two new Q8-branded fuel stations on a motorway near Milan were officially inaugurated on 22nd February.The new sites are the result of a successful long-term partnership between Q8Italy and Socogas, a private Italian retailer that specialises in the LPG business. They are strategically sited on each carriageway of the A35 Brebemi motorway. This new infrastructure linking Milan and Brescia, two major cities of the Lombardy Region, is very important for the viability and economic development of the whole territory, which is characterised by its strong attraction for tourism and businesses, with many diversified entrepreneurial and economic activities.The inauguration ceremonies were attended by high level representatives of the partners involved in the project, including Q8Italy Managing Director Azzam Al-Mutawa, President of Socogas, President of Brebemi and the top management of food retailers Chef Express and Autorgrill, whose restaurants are on the sites. They were joined by senior delegates and officials of the Lombardy Region, the Mayors of the towns of Caravaggio and Treviglio, where the two motorway service stations are sited, and a large contingent of journalists which resulted in extensive coverage of the event. Azzam Al Mutawa said: “We are very pleased with our

partnership with Socogas, which strengthens the Q8 brand in this area and enhances our existing fruitful relationship with the Lombardy Region.”He added: “These new service stations give Q8 a presence

on this crucial motorway and arterial road, which is used by commuters, truck drivers and tourists. Each of these groups has specific needs and Q8 is committed to meeting these with a high-quality differentiated offer.”Modern and efficient, the service stations offer a wide choice of Q8 products, including traditional fuels and special products such as Q8HiPerform100 octane gasoline and Q8HiPerform, together with LPG supplied by Socogas. Traffic volumes on the Brebemi motorway are growing rapidly and were 34 per cent higher in January 2018, compared with January 2017. The growth is notably in the heavy vehicle

sector, for which Q8 offers CartissimaQ8 one of the most innovative, flexible and secure fuel cards on the market. 30 per cent of customers at the new service stations are using this pioneering card. The new service stations are an asset to Q8Italy’s growing retail network and another example of its quest for sustainable and profitable growth.

NEWS

“These new service

stations give Q8 a

presence on this crucial motorway.”

Images:

Two new Q8-branded motorway sites inaugurated in Milan



Meet the Team

14 Q8SAILS Winter 2018

KuwaitiWomenonInternationalAssignments

Maha Al-Tawari HR analyst Corporate HR, The Hague

Maha lives with her daughters Jawa, 12, and Saba, 10. She is an industrial and management systems engineer and holds an MBA from the American University of the Middle East.

After joining KPI in 2009 as a business development analyst, Maha moved on to the first Structured on the Job Training Programme (SOJT) in 2011, which included international assignments in Antwerp and Rotterdam.

In 2013, she returned to KPI Head Office in Kuwait as an HR analyst in Corporate HR, before moving back to the Netherlands in 2017. In her current role she supports the implementation of new HR policies across the operating units.

Maha says: “It was initially challenging to adapt to a very different environment, but challenges can

bring out the best in us. KPI was very supportive and provided training in the Dutch language and in cultural differences.

“Living abroad has stretched my comfort zone both at work and in my personal life. I’ve learned a lot from working in an internationally-diverse environment and it has improved many of my skills.

“My daughters are benefitting too. They are learning to respect different cultures and are receiving an impressive education.

“I am very grateful for this opportunity, which has had a huge impact on my life. It is an honour to represent Kuwaiti working women abroad and I would encourage other women to embrace this opportunity.”

Meet the Team

Developing people with a ‘global mindset’ is critical to Q8’s success. It builds openness and awareness of diversity which improves communication, understanding and collaboration between colleagues across the company.

For those living in Kuwait, international assignments also give an invaluable opportunity to experience Q8’s operations first hand.

Moving abroad means adapting to a new life and learning a new language, but the rewards are immense. Q8 has long experience of supporting employees abroad and smoothing the way to make the transition as easy as possible.

Here we meet three expatriate Kuwaiti women who are working in Europe and have the added challenge of being mothers too. They and their families are thriving on the experience and paving the way for others to follow in their footsteps.


Alaa Al-Rayes Pricing and Performance Analyst,

Q8Italy, Rome

NEWS

Alaa has worked abroad for 14 years, of which 11 years have been with Q8Italy in Rome. She is married and has a four-month old son.

Like her sister Areej, she studied at Pepperdine University in California, where she read public relations with a minor in business administration. Joining KPI in 2002, her first assignment was with OKQ8 Scandinavia in Sweden, where she spent three years in marketing, direct and services.

Moving to Q8Italy, she was a marketing analyst for five years before switching to an analyst role in Direct six years ago.

Alaa agrees that language and cultural differences are the main challenges of working abroad. She says:

“It is important to be willing to adapt. Integrating into a new environment can be difficult and fitting in and making new friends relies on speaking the language.”

She believes there are great advantages too, saying: “I have learned a great deal. Working and living abroad allows you to experience our company’s operations and to be hands on with the business, which is very educational.”

Her advice to women moving abroad is: “Work hard at the language and try to master it before you move. You cannot always rely on English. It can take years to become fully fluent, so a good level to begin with is very important.”

Areej Al-Rayes Internal Auditor, Q8Italy, Rome

Areej joined KPI in 2000 and moved to Q8Italy, where she has worked for the past 18 years. She is married with two children, aged two and seven.

She holds two degrees, in international studies and French, from Pepperdine University in California. Her first role in Q8Italy was as an advertising and communications analyst, before becoming a senior analyst in fixed assets. Since 2007, she has been an internal auditor and conducts audits across Q8Italy’s business: Rome head office, Conqord Oil in north Italy, Quaser in Naples and Milan, Milazzo refinery and Q8Spain in Madrid.

Areej says: “The main challenge of working abroad is the language. KPI provided intensive training, which provided a good base, but it takes a long time to

become fluent in the business language.”

Having settled in long ago, Areej believes there are strong benefits to living abroad, both at work and personally. She says: “I think international assignments are essential because they give a better view and first-hand experience of the core Q8 business.”

She adds: “An international assignment also enriches the whole family because it exposes children to a new language and culture.”

Her advice to other women moving abroad is to “embrace the experience, make the most of it, learn the language and try to become as much of a ‘local’ as possible.”

Meet the Team

Meet the Team


Partnership with Burger King expands Q8Easy network in Spain

Q8Spain has recently signed an important agreement with food retailer Burger King to develop 15 Q8easy sites next to its restaurants in the southern region of Andalusia. This initiative is the starting point of Q8Spain’s strategy to grow its retail network sustainably, in line with the KPI 2040 long-term strategic plan.

The Q8easy sites will be in Seville, Malaga, Caliz and Granada, which are the most populated areas of Andalusia. The quality of the locations, association with a famous food brand and opportunity to develop a significant number of sites across the region is expected to build brand awareness of Q8easy significantly.

The first three fuel stations are already operating, and the remainder will be built over the next two years. All the new sites will follow a similar structure and layout. The forecourt space adjacent to the restaurants is limited and therefore the fuel pumps and jet wash will be fully automated.

Alessandro Lietti, operations manager Q8Spain, says: “This agreement means that, for the first time, we will directly manage company owned Q8-branded fuel stations in Spain. This will allow us to launch important marketing initiatives, such as loyalty programmes and our innovative fuel cards.”

Thanks to the prime locations of the fuel stations, the average sales volume is expected to be higher than the industry average. In addition, the investment cost per litre of the new fuel stations is much lower than that of existing network acquisitions. As a result, the new sites are expected to deliver sustainable, long-term profits.

Azzam Al-Mutawa, Managing Director Q8Spain, says: “This opportunity comes from years of hard work as well as the detailed planning for strategy implementation and effective organisation that we have put in place in Q8Spain over recent years.”

He adds: “We are evaluating and developing other opportunities in the region and are confident that Andalusia could become a launch pad to showcase the Q8 brand across Spain. In future, we hope to expand to other regions and set up similar agreements with other partners.”


Q8 plays a major role in leading industry bodies around the world. Among these is the Energy Institute (EI), a professional membership body that brings together expertise in global energy.

Q8Aviation has supported the EI for more than 15 years as a Technical Partner and its experts make a significant contribution to its technical programme. KPI’s HSSE and ERM department is also represented on this important body.

The EI gathers and shares essential knowledge about energy, the skills that help us use it more wisely and the good practice that keeps it safe. It articulates the voice of energy experts, taking the knowhow of around 20,000 members from 120 countries to the heart of public debate. It is an independent, not-for-profit, safe space for evidence-based collaboration; an honest broker between industry, academia and policy makers.

Its technical programme provides cost-effective, value-added knowledge on critical issues that affect those operating in the global energy industry. Its growing portfolio comprises around 400 guidance documents and 350 standard test methods, which are developed collaboratively with industry experts and referenced by regulators.

This work is funded, supported and used by around 40 Technical Partners. There are more than 100 technical committees across various themes, run by 1,500 volunteers.

As a Technical Partner, Q8Aviation is a major

contributor to the EI’s technical programme. John Buxton, technical services director at Q8Aviation, is a member of the Scientific & Technical Advisory Council, Aviation Committee and Hydrant Sub-Committee. Nic Mason, technical services manager, chairs the Aviation Equipment Sub-Committee, sits on the Aviation Fuel Filtration Committee and represents the EI aviation community on the Oil Transport Information Group, while Olan Ryan, technical services manager, is a member of the Defuelling Working Group. This significant contribution ensures that Q8Aviation is at the heart of the Industry’s technical decision-making.

John Briggs, KPI regional manager, represents KPI HSSE and ERM department as

a member of the Process Safety Committee and in January hosted its most recent meeting at KPC House in London.

Q8Aviation and Q8 group employees receive free electronic access to the EI’s entire good practice portfolio and more than 100,000 knowledge resources, including the EI’s monthly magazines. Q8 staff also receive support on applications for professional recognition (chartership) from the EI; event and training course discounts; and can network with others in the industry at their local EI branch.

Access to Energy Institute resources is via the Q8 Corporate page of Forecourt (Work Tools/Business Tools/Energy Institute). For more information about the Energy Institute, please contact John Briggs or John Buxton.

NEWS

Sharing technical expertisein the Energy Institute

Left to right: Nic Mason, technical services manager; John Buxton, technical services director: Olan Ryan, technical services manager and Bill Simpson, technical services manager.


Performance and quality are not the only considerations when choosing a metalworking fluid; customers want great technical support too. Q8Oils is backing its extensive range of world-class metalworking fluids with an outstanding range of technical support, branded QCare, and has launched a new brochure to promote its technical services to customers.

Neil Grieve, UK Country Manager at Q8Oils, explains: “At Q8Oils we want to be far more than a manufacturer and to extend our service by offering excellent technical support. QCare is about smart working; it helps our customers maximise efficiency, save costs and work safely. It means finding the best product for their application and ensuring it keeps working effectively.”

QCare offers everything from expert advice on technical and health & safety issues to oil testing, training and equipment.

Employers are responsible for the safety of their workers and metalworking fluids are in the spotlight, following findings from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that exposure to these can be hazardous. Q8Oils can guide employers on what they must do to protect their operators and comply fully with legislation.

Testing is essential to check that a lubricant is working as efficiently as possible. Q8Oils technical experts offer customers an on-site audit of the fluid in a machine and

deliver the results instantly. For more extensive testing, fluid samples are sent to a laboratory with advanced testing facilities for further analysis. In each case, customers receive detailed results and advice on any action needed.

Ongoing technical support is offered by Q8Oils Industrial Application Specialists or customers can call Q8Oils’ Technical Help Desk, for advice on the most suitable product, health & safety guidance, and much more

Q8Oils organises individually-tailored training seminars to help customers work efficiently and safely. It can also recommend and provide complementary equipment, from mixing units to fluid recycling systems.

QCare adds up to market-leading technical support that makes a real difference to Q8Oils customers and is justifiably promoted as a ‘smart solution’.

Q8Oils offers smart technical supportwith QCare


Partnerships are a very important part of business at Q8Oils, especially those that have lasted a long time and grown in strength over the years. An example is the collaboration between Q8Oils and Lithuanian distributor UAB Soliris. This year they are celebrating 25 years of a partnership that has been widely successful for both companies. Representatives of the two companies met recently at the Blending Plant in Antwerp to sign an agreement for the next five years and celebrate their long-term partnership.Soliris was launched in 1991 by brothers Linas and

Rytis Sologubas to sell lubricants in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas. They initially imported products from Russia and Poland, until the market changed drastically after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Industrial machinery and vehicles imported from western countries led to demand for a greater variety of lubrication products. As the Lithuanian economy

grew, so too did the need for high performance lubricants. In 1993, Soliris started importing Q8Oils lubricants from Q8Oils’ blending plant in Antwerp. Its ability to offer customers a full range of premium Q8Oils lubricants, which were far superior to most competitor products, led to Soliris becoming one of Lithuania’s largest lubricant suppliers. Early in the partnership, there were many logistical and cost challenges in transporting lubricants from Antwerp to Kaunus, a journey of more than 1650 kilometres.

Thanks to the determination of both companies to succeed, the volume of Q8Oils lubricants imported into Lithuania grew steadily and was helped by Lithuania joining the European Union in 2004. Both companies have extended their business over the years. Soliris has set up subsidiary companies in printing, farming and real estate, and the founders’ three sons are joining the business. All this makes Soliris a strong and stable partner for the next 25 years, and even longer. Q8Oils and Soliris are looking to the future and working together to gain an even stronger foothold in the fiercely competitive Lithuanian market.

NEWS

Soliris is a strong

partner for the next 25 years, and

even longer.

of loyal partnership

25Celebrating

years

Left to right: Front: Linas Sologubas, co-founder Soliris; Rytis Sologubas, co-founder Soliris; Frank Rouwens, general manager Q8OilsBack: Simas Sologubas, manager; Gytis Sologubas, Q8Oils project manager; Predrag Ljubinkovic, export sales manager Q8Oils; Arnas Sologubas, sales manager

Frank Rouwens, general manager Q8Oils (right) and Rytis Sologubas, co-founder Soliris sign the new agreement.

Q8Research has acquired a new state of the art, fully automated crude distillation unit to modernise its distillation capabilities. This is an essential step to achieve the projects agreed in the KPC Downstream Technology Roadmap, to which Q8 Research contributed.

After evaluating four quotations, Q8Research chose a German supplier and conducted a plant visit. Late last year, a two-day Factory Acceptance Test was successfully completed.

The new equipment has now been installed in Q8Research’s laboratories in the Netherlands and is fully operational. Technicians Kees van Veen, Ilse Vis and Alexander Herweijer have been trained in the safe operation of the equipment, which can carry out a fully automatic distillation of crude oil.

“Crude assays are very important for refineries. It enables them to select the most economical crude for processing, based on predicted yields and the properties of the different fractions,” says Henk Hovius, the scientist responsible for crude at Q8Research.

The crude assay is key to gain knowledge of different crudes, especially low sulphur crudes which are used to produce low sulphur marine fuel. It can also evaluate heavy crudes from Kuwait, which are used as feedstock for the KNPC refineries. Another use is evaluating catalysts for KNPC; the unit can take specific samples of the crude for our catalysts research activities.

The crude distillation unit can process 20 litres and perform a dehydration step before the crude assay, followed by a vacuum distillation. The dehydration unit is an important step in the processing because it protects the distillation unit from damage, which can result from the uncontrolled boiling of water containing crudes. The equipment also has a hydrogen sulphide detector and a fire extinguisher unit which help the distillation unit operate safely.

“With this equipment we are ready to execute the projects assigned to Q8Research in the KPC Technology Roadmap,” says Q8Research Director Albert de Bont. “We also plan to maximise the use of this equipment by offering it as a service to third parties.”

“Crude assays

are very important

for refineries.”

Q8Research invests in equipment for crude assays

Left to right: Henk Hovius, principle research scientist; Kees van Veen, senior research technician; Ilse Vis, research technician.


OKQ8 Scandinavia has successfully undergone its largest ever audit in Sweden and has impressed the auditors with its SSHEMS system.

The audit of the logistics department was carried out by the work environment authorities in Sweden who visited five of the depots and the head office at Sveavägen. The purpose was to check that OKQ8 Scandinavia complies fully with legal requirements and to highlight areas for improvement.

Keeping employees safe and care for the environment are top priorities for OKQ8 Scandinavia which, in line with the rest of the company, follows the 18 elements of SSHEMS. The management system was highlighted for praise by the authorities who said: “OKQ8 Scandinavia’s management system, SSHEMS, is a good way to keep the work environment current and law abiding.”

Hans Liljeblad, health-work environment specialist at OKQ8 Scandinavia, says: “The audit went extremely well. Nearly all the requirements were fully met and approved by the authorities but inevitably there is always room for improvement and we were pleased to receive the auditors’ constructive suggestions. We have put a plan in place immediately to make the changes required.”

Action being taken includes increasing the training for managers in working even more systemically with the work environment, which is an important step towards achieving a sustainable workplace. Risk assessments, notably

NEWS

Q8Research invests in equipment for crude assays

Successful auditand praise for

SSHEMSin Sweden


involving the handling of chemicals, will also be reviewed.

Although the audit was very positive, OKQ8 Scandinavia is always keen to enhance its SSHE performance and ready to take any action needed to achieve this.

Hans Liljeblad

Keeping employees safe and care for the environment are top priorities for

OKQ8 Scandinavia.


Q8Europe is supporting a local charity Het Vergeten Kind (The Forgotten Child) that helps vulnerable children in the Netherlands. Last year a Q8 team took part in a charity run in The Hague to raise funds and this year Q8 colleagues helped to renovate an old office space in a women’s shelter into a modern office and children’s playroom.

Over two weeks, the team joined members of the charity to transform the space. After clearing the existing room of all office furniture and supplies, they redecorated the walls, ceiling, windows and doors. The team also provided new furniture and books, toys and learning materials for the children.

Meike van Kuik, project manager of The Forgotten Child, says: “It was heartwarming to see that everyone tried their best to contribute, even though some had never even held a paintbrush before. Thanks to the team’s efforts, the child care worker now has a room where she can give time and attention to the children to help them recover from the difficulties that they faced in their young lives. Both colleagues and children are enthusiastic about the new space. Thank you Q8!”

Daniela Zappimbulso, senior business analyst Q8Europe, added: “This cause really touched our hearts and we were very happy to work for the good of these children. The added benefit was sharing this enriching experience with colleagues, which created a real bond between us.”

The Forgotten Child is committed to helping 100,000 vulnerable children in the Netherlands who are growing up in families with multi problems, including addiction, mental disabilities, psychiatric problems and living in poverty. If children are neglected and/or abused this affects the rest of their lives and the consequences can be serious. The charity organises activities and projects that have direct positive influence on the lives of

vulnerable children. It is striving for a country in which every child can truly feel like a child, develop well and fully participate in society.

Joke Van Wieringen, corporate learning and development manager, says: “This is an inspirational charity and we were very pleased to help. We are all keen to continue our support and are looking for other opportunities where we can make a difference.”

“This cause really touched

our hearts.”

Supporting vulnerable childrenin The Netherlands


NEWS

Supporting vulnerable childrenin The Netherlands

Q8 INNOVATION IS EVERYWHERE.

JUST LIKE YOUR BUSINESS.

CartissimaQ8, RecardQ8 business and RecardQ8 coupon are the most innovative cards in the market to boost your business.

the Q8 world at your service.


Kuwait Petroleum International

Salhiya Complex, Gate 5 – 4th Floor, Fahad Al-Salem StreetP.O Box 1819, Safat 13019, Kuwait

T: +965 2233 2800 | F: +965 2233 2776www.Q8.com

diversity and inclusivity as women take leading roles at q8 north … · 2018. 4. 11. ·...

Documents