Kunlun Lubricants leverages personalized service to drive terminal engagement

With the opening of China's lubricant market, competition has intensified dramatically. In an effort to capture end-user markets, some lubricant companies have exhausted every possible strategy, yet achieved limited success. Kunlun, a leading Chinese national lubricant brand, has instead focused on product quality and technology while significantly strengthening its soft power—winning customer favor through humanized service.

A Highly Competitive Lubricant Market

Currently, the competition in China's lubricant market can truly be described as "intense." Statistics show that there are nearly 4,500 lubricant manufacturers of various sizes in China, offering over 6,000 brands, with an annual supply volume of 4.5 to 4.6 million tons. While many of these are small and medium-sized enterprises, foreign players also wield considerable influence.

After China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), lubricant tariffs were reduced from 9% to 6%. As one of the earliest markets opened to international trade, China welcomed global brands such as Shell, Mobil, BP, and Castrol starting in 1992. Leveraging their advantages—including partnerships with automakers—these multinational corporations quickly penetrated every corner of the Chinese market and captured the majority of profits.

Faced with this tough market environment, domestic lubricant companies have sought breakthroughs for survival and growth. Major foreign firms have adopted strategies such as mergers and acquisitions and establishing local production facilities to reduce costs and expand market share. Meanwhile, some smaller domestic enterprises have attempted to win customers through low-price tactics. However, experience shows that low prices often come at the cost of poor product quality. In today’s consumer-driven market where quality matters, low-quality, low-cost products fail to attract end users. The challenges facing Chinese lubricant companies remain severe.

Emphasizing Soft Power: Kunlun Wins Through Service

While other lubricant companies focus on competing on hard metrics, Kunlun, China’s leading national lubricant brand, has chosen to strengthen both its core strengths—quality and technology—and its soft power, winning customer loyalty through personalized service.

On one hand, Kunlun is committed to providing more convenient services. Its oil change centers and customer service hotline serve as key tools to enhance accessibility. Kunlun’s chain of oil change centers integrates resources from various automotive parts brands, breaking vertical monopolies. With transparent pricing and services, they offer comprehensive solutions including car maintenance, repairs, quick fixes, vehicle detailing, and spare parts supply—all under one roof. This one-stop service brings customers closer to the brand. Additionally, Kunlun’s customer service hotline provides technical advice and product usage guidance, greatly improving convenience for drivers.

On the other hand, Kunlun’s service philosophy is deeply people-oriented. Upholding the concept of “care,” Kunlun strives to provide emotional support to drivers. For five consecutive years, it has sponsored the “Heroic Drivers” award program to honor those who act bravely. Kunlun’s leadership notes that compared to merely upgrading service infrastructure or expanding service offerings, this caring approach is far more humane and inclusive.

It is precisely this human-centered service that has earned consumer recognition and approval. In recent years, Kunlun’s sales have grown significantly, and its market share in the premium segment has increased substantially. Kunlun has emerged as the true leader among China’s national lubricant brands.