In the market for automotive urea, international energy giant Shell has made new moves.Recently, truck owners have reported that Shell gas stations have launched a series of premium products such as automotive urea solution. It is reported that Shell is working with multiple high-quality brands to further integrate supply chain advantages, combine market demand, recommend good products to car owners, and promote cooperative innovation in the automotive service industry through an industrial chain collaborative model.

As a brand under the Sarlboro Group, what is the secret of Extra Blue's entry into the international gas station brand Shell and why has it gained the favor of car owners?

Automotive urea: a vast emerging market

In recent years, with the improvement of automobile emission standards and the increasing monitoring of emissions, China's automotive urea industry has maintained rapid growth.
Automotive urea solution is an indispensable consumable for light trucks, heavy trucks, microvans, freight cars, tractor-trailers, pickups, special vehicles, and trailers using the SCR technology route. As a reducing agent in the selective catalytic reduction system (SCR) of diesel engine exhaust after treatment systems, it can reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides in diesel exhaust.According to data from Hua Jing Industry Research Institute, China's automotive urea consumption in 2020 was 2.56 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 29.49%, and the average compound annual growth rate from 2017 to 2020 exceeded 40%.

Extra Blue's market pace has shifted from specialized supply to retail. A broad market will inevitably attract strong players.

“In response to the national call, Sarlboro has elevated 'energy-saving, carbon-reducing, and green leading' to a strategic height,' said Sarlboro Chairman Li Yanguo at a public occasion.

Therefore, in the context of the country's double carbon target, Sarlboro has shifted its focus from the lubricant industry to diversified green industries, actively entering multiple fields such as automotive exhaust treatment chemicals, metalworking fluids, environmentally friendly lubricants, and high-end lubricants, laying out new growth advantages for the future.

The Extra Blue brand, positioned to empower green development, has officially started operations and has already entered the domestic market for automotive urea solutions early on, with remarkable results. So far, Extra Blue has become the supply service provider for mainstream logistics companies such as Global Logistics Properties (GLP), JD Logistics, Debon, Zhongtong, and Shentong, enjoying the professional reputation of 'special supply for logistics fleets.

As a pioneer in the layout of green industries, Extra Blue has also gained favor among car owners in the retail market. In this cooperation with Shell gas stations, the product was sold out immediately after being launched, once again confirming its high quality, practicality, and cost-effectiveness that meets market demand.

It is understood that in 2023, Extra Blue will vigorously lay out the retail market in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, popularizing commercial vehicle maintenance programs to more diesel vehicle owners, and conveying the brand values of 'add a little blue, love the homeland' to more people, jointly practicing green environmental protection.

Ultra-pure water produces high-purity urea, which has been well received by car owners!

Extra Blue urea continues Sarlboro's high standards and high quality."

According to Fu Wentao, manager of Sarlboro Extra Blue business unit, Extra Blue's urea solution complies with the GB29518-2013 National VI standard and is suitable for diesel vehicles of National VI and below. He said: 'To ensure the purity of the solution, One Blue's 16-level water filtration system includes a two-stage DuPont RO reverse osmosis device, a Siemens EDI device, ultra filtration, and nano filtration membrane treatment equipment; the filtration capacity of salt in water exceeds 99%, and the output conductivity is within 10us/cm (25 degrees). The content of urea, Biuret, organic molecules, metal ions, and other components are strictly controlled within the standard range, and the product quality exceeds the National VI standard.   

Compared with similar products on the market,Extra Blue is purer, purifies exhaust gas more thoroughly, reduces the probability of clogging of vehicle exhaust treatment devices, and makes truck power stronger, thus receiving high praise from car owners.

Market success is superior to advanced productivity Sarlboro's advanced productivity lays the foundation for the market outbreak and service resilience of Extra Blue's urea solution.

Stepping into Sarlboro's intelligent manufacturing factory, digital blending systems are running, and offline blending equipment is operating. More than 10 automatic operation equipment points for urea solution filling are busy working, and ABB robotic arms are coordinating orderly. Here, it only takes one hour to fill 1,200 barrels of urea solution.

"Sarlboro Production Manager Wang Jiancheng stated: 'Sarlboro invests in building a high-standard integrated production base with an annual output capacity of 400,000 tons, implementing a digitized and intelligent production model, concept, and method. We have introduced Siemens' 1500 series PLC digital blending system and intelligent filling equipment, achieving seamless connection from raw material management, blending, filling, labeling, packaging, to stacking, with an automation rate of over 95%. The urea project has been put into production.

The large-scale upgrade of digitized and intelligent production equipment is a testament to the improvement of Sarlboro's productivity.

It is understood that Sarlboro integrated intelligent manufacturing base located in Jizhou, Tianjin has a total investment of 360 million yuan, an annual output capacity of 400,000 tons, and a total storage capacity of more than 20,000 tons. It is China's leading high-standard fine chemical intelligent manufacturing base. The factory relies on the advantages of coordinated development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and has multiple production segments such as lubricating oil, grease, urea solution/antifreeze, and metal processing fluid.

In fact, it is not only Extra Blue that has been shining in the market. In recent years, Sarlboro has produced various high-quality products, such as the SP gasoline engine oil and CK-4 ultra-long mileage diesel engine oil under the Sarlboro brand. The achievements of the Sarlboro brand are a vivid reflection of its strong productivity.

The success of Extra Blue will not stop at the present. The cooperation between Extra Blue and Shell also has more room for imagination.Relying on Shell's efficient product supply and strong market service, combined with the large traffic and convenient location advantages of Shell gas stations, both parties will jointly provide diversified, high-quality and efficient services for millions of diesel vehicle owners, and promote the construction of the automotive service ecosystem.

At the same time, this cooperation is also seen as the beginning of Extra Blue's foray into the retail market of automotive urea solution, and Extra Blue's success is far beyond this. Under the guidance of market demand, Extra Blue's business sectors and product lines may become more diverse and innovative under the value of "Add a bit of blue, love the home".

In the future, Extra Blue will maintain a collaborative and win-win attitude, maintain close communication and cooperation with industry peers, and work together with international first-line brands, terminal chain brands, dealers, maintenance shops and many other industry partners to jointly promote the construction of a professional service chain for automotive urea solution, and explore the future together.