Shell brings 3-wheel roadshow to Chengdu


Shell Tongyi tours the country to promote its trike-lube product

Three wheels goodA three-wheeler carts glass in China Image: Cathy Stanley-Erickson

The Dutch major is touring China to market its latest lubricant aimed at the nation's three-wheel bike market.

While uncommon in other regions, the three-wheeled trikes are ubiquitous in China and are an integral part of the nation's localised logistics operations.

The "Synthetic Power Experience" roadshow has stopped in Chengdu, but will continue on to Yunnan, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan and finally Shandong province to promote its niche line.

During the roadshow, which consisted of several amusing presentation and interactive audience segments, Shell Tongyi reps took the time to explain the benefits of using synthetic lubes. Most three-wheel drivers tend to be self-employed, so a localised campaign could prove an effective way of engaging that demographic.

According to Shell's research, nearly 30% of consumers believed "sufficient power output" to be the most important factor when choosing a three-wheel lubricant, while nearly 20% ranked "long-life" as the most important. Shell claims its latest generation of three-wheel products improved anti-wear and anti-oxidation performance by 76% and 26% respectively.