“In line with our value of Excellence, bp participates in World Quality Day annually to raise the profile of quality in our everyday working environment. Our theme for this year is ‘Lead, Care, Verify, Learn and Recognize’ and it we are very excited to share the new, state-of-art functionality and features on World Quality Day,” says Mervin Reddy, Regional Technology Manager for Southern Africa.
“This year’s theme is very important as we continue to safeguard the bp brand and fully embed a quality culture in a challenging, competitive, and diverse global environment,” he adds.
The facility conducts quality assurance analyses of petroleum, diesel, paraffin and aviation fuel products as well as treated effluent water. The cutting-edge laboratory is ISO 17025 compliant and accredited. Random testing of fuel from bp’s terminals and retail sites across the country takes place on a monthly basis, to ensure compliance to SANS specifications and to ensure that good housekeeping is maintained at retail sites. (monitoring tanks ensuring that there is no ingress for any foreign material like water and other contaminants)
The recent upgrade makes the facility a state-of-the-art exhibition centre, digitalized, and world class laboratory. The GFT laboratory team has in excess of a cumulative 40 years’ experience amongst them.
The upgraded exhibition centre boasts modern, digitally enabled features that are in line with bp’s global standards. Its virtual interactive and virtual reality technology gives visitors a ‘real’ experience of the entire fuels value chain, from the well to the nozzle, also highlighting mobilization, electrification, carbon neutral and alternative energy.
The centre is also used for internal & external engagements to also showcase bp’s position on modernization and next generation focus. Every year, students who are part the bp supported Wits Targeting Talent Programme (TTP) visit the GFT centre to learn about different types of bp fuel, how crude oil is refined and fuel quality testing protocols.
The programme serves as a gateway to quality tertiary education and prepares them to pursue science, and maths and engineering oriented disciplines.
“At bp we pride ourselves on delivering quality, and the GFT centre is a very critical part of the business, which continuously monitors and safeguards the quality of our products,” says Mr Reddy.
Building on its long-standing reputation for fuel quality, bp introduced its flagship fuel product, bp Ultimate fuels in 2016, which was well received by the South African market. Being named “Product of the Year” 2017, hardly a year into its launch further reinforced bp’s status as a trusted market leader in fuels technology and innovation.
Additionally, in 2019, bp Ultimate Fuels won the Ask Afrika Icon Brands, which “surveys and “measures brand relevance across all segments of the South African demographic” as well as the Ask Afrika Kasi Star Brands, which “measures preferences and brand loyalty amongst township consumers.” We also achieved the coveted Platinum Iconic Brand status in the fuel category.
Having won Platinum in the coveted Ask Afrika Brands awards, bp Ultimate Fuels have lived up to its quality promise of enhancing engine performance and becoming the preferred fuel product amongst many South African consumers.
Issued by: bp Communications Departments
Contact: Nelisiwe Masina, bp Press Office, South Africa, +2787 357 9374/ +2763 196 2289, nelisiwe.masina@bp.com