I Am Change

How we can reduce the use of single-use plastic bottles in the automotive lubricant market quickly? You can help.

I recently watched a video of Castrol's awesome new sustainability strategy  #CastrolPATH360 as well as their partnership with Pulpex, an innovator in paper packaging to design paper bottles for use with Castrol’s products as a potential replacement for existing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles. Way to go Castrol, love your work.

We are Vietsea Vietnam and passionate about environmental innovation. We are proud to have introduced IPONE the leading French Motorcycle Lubricants brand into the Vietnam market in January 2020 with the slogan #passionfirst and we were determined to connect with young riders and help them enjoy their riding passion with the highest quality kickass products the region has ever seen before. As we talk to riders we have learned that young urban riders also have a huge passion to reduce the use of plastic bottles. Boom boom shake the room.

From the start we offered motorcycle workshops the cheaper option to purchase engine lubricant and radiator coolant in 220L or 60L metal drum significantly cheaper per litre than the plastic alternative. We provided an innovative dispensing system and after use program that had the market spinning. Bikers are assured of the correct amount of quality original oil direct from France and feel safe asking their mechanic to use oil from the Ipone drum. Workshop owners are equipped with technical and sales enablement tools to communicate the clear benefits to the rider and the awesome feeling of reducing plastics on every oil change. The very high quality lubricant such as Full Power Katana has a long drain interval up to 12,000km on some models and so the riders will use less oil. The Ipone X-Trem Chain grease is pinpoint applied and sticks on the chain even in the rain for 800km and the rider will use less over their journey. The Ipone products and packaging are designed by riders for riders.

We collaborated with leading Motorcycle Workshops entrepreneurs like Nguyen Duc Hieu from the famous Apex Racing Team who started suppling Honda customers with the Ipone Full Power Katana 10W30 factory spec from drums and famously launched the first drum pretending to drink it because the system was so clean. Soon an awesome Aussie Laurence How from Moto.Laurie in DaLat renowned for servicing Ducati, Harley Davidson, Triumph and BMW converted all his customers onto the drums. Entrepreneur Hoan Dang Nguyen of Home Motorcycle Workshop and Pangorin Chain Experts served their VIP customers from drums. Then the program went viral and soon the program was adopted by market leaders Honda Motor Hoang Viet and Honda Big Bike Doanh Thu (Hanoi) and KTM Vietnam (5 branches) significantly slashing the use of plastic bottles. The largest motorcycle on-road and off-road motorcycle rental fleets Tigit Motorcycles and Saigon Motorcycles also converted to Ipone drums as well as the Racing Superstar Idol To Ha Dong Nhi followed by many of the young riders.

We have a long way to go and many more exciting programs to release into the market to reduce our footprint of single use plastic bottles and enhance rider safety and convenience. Who knows we may reach the sustainable path360 before Castrol, but as rivals we share a common passion for a reduction in waste, lower carbon and improving lives of Vietnamese people. Come on riders, show your metal. You can help by asking your workshop to chain your oil only from oil from drums and you can be part of the change.

About the Author: Paul Bardeleben formerly of Castrol Thailand, BP Vietnam and Bp Australia is CEO of Vietsea Lubricants Division and CEO Ipone Vietnam and Business Development Director at Vietsea Vietnam which includes LNG to Power and other #sustainable projects.

#Viet Nam National Plastic Action Partnership, #Vietseaplasticaction #iponesmartdrum