Lusaka taxi operators could soon find themselves bargaining with vendor cart salesmen selling Engen lubricants at city ranks, as the Africa-based oil company and its in-country distributor, Gleco Oil Company, bring convenience to public transport operators.
Vital audience
As part of its marketing drive, Engen Petroleum Zambia has supplied four bicycles and vending carts to Gleco, to boost the marketing and selling of Engen lubricants to taxi and bus operators – a vital component of Zambia’s public transport.
The move is also a great way to provide jobs for unemployed youth and create capacity with basic lubricant training for bike vendors says Andre de Wet, GM of Engen Petroleum Zambia Limited.
First for Zambia
“It is a first for Zambia,” says Collins Simushi, Gleco MD, adding that the unorthodox distribution channel is expected to smooth the distributor’s ride towards achieving their sales goals in 2014.
“We want to make it easier for taxi and bus operators to access our range of quality lubricants. “Moreover cyclists are not restricted to the routes between our depot and specific ranks – they can move around the city as the market requires and engage with customers, thus helping us personalise our service,” Simushi adds.
Quality and standards
Kamil de Villiers, business manager, Engen Lubricants, says “Engen has unique expertise in designing oils that can withstand Africa’s high ambient temperatures and infrastructure conditions.”
“We hope to serve Zambians for many more years to come with quality products and differentiated customer solutions to meet the local market needs.”
