PMV professionals from across the United Arab Emirates have gathered in Dubai for the ‘Volvo Genuine Lubricants Seminar’.
In conjunction with authorised distributor FAMCO, Volvo and ExxonMobil staged a comprehensive educational seminar for a diverse cross-section of the region’s end users. The event was designed to teach attendees about the benefits of choosing premium-brand lubricants for their commercial vehicles and construction machinery.
The seminar included presentations from Farhat H Chaudhary, national aftermarket sales manager at FAMCO’s Truck & Bus Division, and Ahmed B Farwiz, ExxonMobil’s strategic global accounts manager for Africa and the Middle East.
Attendees received in-depth information and explanations about a wide array of lubricant-related issues, including the process by which crude oil is refined, and the different constituents contained within end products of varying qualities.
“The people here today are not just our customers; they are our partners,” explained Chaudhary.
“We want to educate attendees; to help them to minimise their operational costs and achieve the best performance for their fleets. If customers know what is to be gained by using specific products – whether parts or lubricants – they will be able to operate more effectively. Many of our customers are already very knowledgeable about such matters, but we want to add to their skills,” he told CW.
Selecting the right lubricant can make a huge difference to end users; especially those with large, busy fleets. With responsibility for spare parts at Dubai Police’s General Department of Transport & Rescue, Captain Anwar Saleh Al Nimr is acutely aware of this fact.
“We have almost 4,000 vehicles in our fleet with 16 represented brands, including Volvo Trucks. Dubai Police has a long-standing relationship with FAMCO,” he told CW.
“Seminars such as this are very important. Some of our vehicles run almost 1,000km per day, so for us, the most common issue is breakdown. If a part fails, I have to arrange a replacement – otherwise, an area might be left uncovered. Secondly, when it comes to lubricants, we don’t purchase by the gallon; we purchase by the barrel. It is vital, therefore, that we choose wisely,” Al Nimr added.
This sentiment was echoed by fellow attendee Tanveer Haider, purchase manager at Bilal General Transport.
“By attending this seminar, I have learned more about the products that are best for our fleet,” he explained.
“What I have heard has been very impressive, and it will surely help to guide my decisions in the future,” Haider added.
