Aramco Enters Lubricants Market with Launch of ORIZON® Product Range

Saudi Aramco. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Aramco. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Aramco Enters Lubricants Market with Launch of ORIZON® Product Range

Saudi Aramco. Asharq Al-Awsat
Saudi Aramco. Asharq Al-Awsat

Aramco has announced its entry into Saudi Arabia’s domestic lubricants market, offering consumers a new line of lubricant products under the ORIZON® brand.

Aramco timed the ORIZON® launch to coincide with the inaugural Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Jeddah, it said in a statement on Sunday.

Aramco is a global sponsor of Formula 1.

Aramco has introduced the ORIZON® product line in more than 20 cities including Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam with more locations planned.

ORIZON® products include synthetic and semi-synthetic lubricants for gasoline engines and heavy-duty diesel engines, as well as driveline products, greases and brake fluids.

The company has also expanded the brand to include ORIZONPRO® which is a high-performance line for the industrial sector.

“Entering the lubricants market is an important milestone for the company, as we continue to expand our presence throughout the downstream value chain,” said Aramco Vice President of Fuels Yasser M. Mufti.

“ORIZON® products leverage Aramco’s extensive capabilities in research and development, making them a quality line of lubricants that boosts the local market offering and enhances consumer choice,” the statement quoted him as saying.

“The launch of ORIZON® further complements Aramco’s presence in the Kingdom’s downstream direct-to-consumer segment, following the inauguration of our first two service stations in Riyadh and Saihat recently,” he added.



Vale Partners with China’s Jinnan Steel to Build Iron Ore Processing Plant in Oman

The logo of the Brucutu mine owned by Brazilian mining company Vale SA is seen in Sao Goncalo do Rio Abaixo, Brazil February 4, 2019. (Reuters)
The logo of the Brucutu mine owned by Brazilian mining company Vale SA is seen in Sao Goncalo do Rio Abaixo, Brazil February 4, 2019. (Reuters)
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Vale Partners with China’s Jinnan Steel to Build Iron Ore Processing Plant in Oman

The logo of the Brucutu mine owned by Brazilian mining company Vale SA is seen in Sao Goncalo do Rio Abaixo, Brazil February 4, 2019. (Reuters)
The logo of the Brucutu mine owned by Brazilian mining company Vale SA is seen in Sao Goncalo do Rio Abaixo, Brazil February 4, 2019. (Reuters)

Brazilian miner Vale, one of the world's largest iron ore producers, said on Monday it had partnered with China's Jinnan Steel Group to build an iron ore beneficiation plant in Oman to produce high quality pellet.

With the front-end investment exceeding $600 million, the plant, which will be located in Oman's Sohar port and free trade zone, will provide higher quality iron ore for producing pellet and hot briquetted iron (HBI) locally, reducing environmental impact, Vale said in a statement on its WeChat account.

The Sohar plant is scheduled to start commissioning in mid-2027, processing 18 million metric tons of iron ore annually to produce 12.6 million tons of high grade concentrate, it said.

"We are strengthening our capability to meet rising global demand for high grade iron ore and further expand our exposure in the Middle East region," said Gustavo Pimenta, chief executive officer (CEO) at Vale.

Vale will invest $227 million for the connection of the beneficiation plant and the pellet and HBI production facility while Jinnan Steel, a private steelmaker headquartered in north China's Shanxi province, will invest about $400 million for the building and the operation of the plant.

Vale did not disclose the equity share held by each party.