Lubatex stands for Lubricant Battery Export. For more than ten years, the Group has been the exclusive distributor of premium automotive batteries in Africa, the Middle East, and French overseas territories, with recognised and well-regarded brands such as Varta, Energizer, Optima. Its batteries are produced by the largest and most advanced producers of batteries for the biggest car makers, ensuring top quality over production and time.
With more than two million batteries sold every year, Lubatex Group has become a key player in the premium battery aftermarket sector and is working at expanding in the GCC region through Lubagulf, its Dubai-based office and warehouse.
Ahead of its appearance at Automechanika Dubai where it will reveal a revamped identity for its iconic Freebatt brand, Shahine Awasthy, CEO – Lubagulf, says the “human sized company” understands its customers’ changing needs and how providing them with the most suitable solutions with fast lead times, flexibility and customisation are the key to its success.
How is the battery market evolving globally and the middle east?
The automotive battery business remained dormant for over a century, with minor developments in the battery. It was not a focal point for the automotive industry unlike technological developments as in electronics, tires etc. Then, the sudden rise of technological equipment fitting our cars, the implementation of Start/Stop systems, anti-pollution laws – not to mention the fuel prices – and the recent onset of EV’s, the need for better and new technology batteries increased drastically. This saw the development of the AGM, EFB and Lithium polymer batteries, specifically designed to respond to the energy-demanding consuming habits and environmental concerns.
In terms of volumes, demand for batteries are directly linked with the global growth in vehicle sales. The average growth in the battery market is estimated to be 8% CAGR in the Middle-East, especially due to the rise in the expat populations in UAE, the new laws in KSA allowing women to drive… such factors have accelerated vehicle sales. The estimated market size is around 15 million units per annum in the GCC alone. Brand market shares have changed owing to the laws and product ranges in the market.
One of them being the antidumping laws which saw a major shift in brand leadership from countries of origin, viz Korea, Turkey and India. European batteries now dominate the market due to the demand for quality batteries in the market as well as the growth in AGM and EFB sales owing to the start/stop technology in premium cars and commercial vehicles.
What advantages do your products have? Aren’t all batteries built the same?
All batteries are not the same, though they have similar specs in physiological terms such as AMPs and sizes etc. The battery quality is benchmarked against charge/discharge cycles; and these determine the life of the battery just as a lubricant’s life depends on the engine life and not the kilometres driven. We distribute the batteries manufactured by Clarios which produces over 140 million batteries annually and has a major share in the OEM segment. These are the highest quality batteries made today and Clarios’ technology is used by others globally. Clarios invests highly in R&D, developing newer technologies every day, as shown by the introduction of AGM, EFB as well as Power Frame/stamped grid technologies.
The Middle Eastern climate is not exactly a battery friendly climate. Heat and humidity are the factors affecting the battery life and quality. Keeping this in mind, Clarios set up a factory in Spain dedicated to the high heat range for the Middle East. These batteries are built with 50% thicker grids (positive grids) and 50% thicker separators allowing the battery to have a longer in-vehicle lifespan as well as a longer shelf life. This makes them suitable for the Middle-Eastern climate and for customers who store batteries for six months and more. Besides we have the best quality of AGM and EFB batteries which are still not manufactured by most companies worldwide.
Do you also customise here?
Yes, we do customise batteries for local markets, this includes special high heat ranges. We can provide batteries with specific branding and private labelling. We also engrave the batteries with special numbers and references to monitor the warranty claims and/or prevent parallel importations. Unlike others we can also shrink wrap or supply the batteries into carton boxes.
How do you support customers?
We have an office and a warehouse in Dubai to cater to the GCC, it also makes us reactive and agile in terms of product delivery. With the help of our European offices, we support our customers with marketing, training and equipment for their staff, warehousing, seminars and regular market visits. This helps us keep a pulse on the market changes and adapt. Likewise, it helps our customers to have the latest tools and strategy to grow in the market and fulfil end-users’ experience, whether individuals or fleets. Finally, our warehouse in France helps us to stock up to 100,000 batteries and gives us the possibility to offer one of the widest range of batteries.
Visit Lubatex Group/Lubagulf at Automechanika Dubai, 2-4 October 2023, Dubai World Trade Center, Stand S2-D24
