Shell Bitumen to open 24/7 bitumen depot service to meet higher domestic demand, revealing 3 success factors to win customers' hearts

Kamolpat Baholyodhin, Specialities Business Manager Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, the Shell Company of Thailand Limited, said: “Shell has always committed to delivering bitumen innovations and products to build sustainable roads, focusing on meeting the needs of our customers, supporting government policies and supplying bitumen without interruption. This aligns with Shell Bitumen Thailand’s mission to become a ‘Trusted Partner for Better Life’, with sustainable paving solutions. Having more than 90 years’ experience in the bitumen business in Thailand, Shell offers innovative solutions for customers, with increased efficiency, durability, and high quality. We believe that Shell's bitumen paving solutions will be one of the key factors in supporting transport infrastructure and in driving the government's goal of becoming the transport hub of ASEAN in the future.”

The three main factors contributing to the success of Shell Bitumen Thailand’s business and winning the trust of customers are:

• Customer Centricity: Shell maintains and supports customers very closely. During the economic slowdown and COVID-19 pandemic, Shell Bitumen Thailand has assisted customers in a wide range of areas e.g. Helping alleviate the financial liquidity problems of clients and introducing cost-effective risk management solutions for bitumen products; adjusting transport times to comply with the curfew and applying strict safety standards and measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19; and providing over 200 patents durable bitumen products and solutions to support customers on individual projects.
• Best Fit for Thailand: All Shell Bitumen products conform to the highest industrial standards and are fit-for-purpose for individual and government project specifications including: regular specification requirements; special specification requirements such as Shell Mexphalte NRMA, which supports the government's initiative of rubber-based bitumen for paving roads; and special specifications to conform with government policy such as Shell AC 40-50, which is durable and excellent value for money, and Shell Bitumen FreshAir, which is available at both AC 40-50 and AC 60-70 grades, helping reduce the release of particles and gas into the air during construction compared to other bitumen products.
• Supply Security: Shell confidently reassures customers where supply security for smooth operations and business continuity are important in all situations. Shell has a robust, integrated bitumen supply chain network (both local and international) helping deliver bitumen to customers continuously during the COVID-19 pandemic; Shell Bitumen's network of regional solution centres also supports the smoothest management of product deliveries to customers, especially during the peak season. Shell is ready to increase production at any time in order to respond flexibly to the nation’s needs during high demand or scarcity of bitumen products in the country. In response, Shell plans to open a 24-hour bitumen service depot next year to facilitate customers and fully support any higher demand.

Shell Bitumen - Sustainable Product information

Shell Bitumen has been in Thailand for over 90 years, providing offer high-quality, durable bitumen products and solutions that support road infrastructure development and economic growth. Shell continues to invest in, explore and develop any opportunities for the transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy.

Product Highlight:

Shell Bitumen FreshAir : Shell recently introduced in Thailand a new technology, Shell Bitumen FreshAir, which has been shown to reduce specific gases and particulate matter from asphalt mixtures by up to 40%, reducing the impact on local air quality and offering an opportunity for the transition to cleaner energy and solutions in Thailand.

Shell 40-50
Shell AC40-50 is specially manufactured to our exclusive formulation to provide higher performance and is more durable than AC60-70 grade. The product is proven to reduce rutting that occurs to road surface, which may cause road safety issues.

In addition, Shell is proud to offer Shell Bitumen 40-50 BFA Plus, a superior product with higher performance and help reduce air emission and particulate during the asphalt mixing and surface paving when compared to conventional grade.

Shell Mexphalte NRMA (Para AC or Natural Rubber Modified Asphalt concrete NRMA), is a special grade asphalt mixture that is comprising of Asphalt and natural latex. Para AC was launched by Department of Highway a couple of years ago and is used for road construction and maintenance for areas that cater for medium traffic. In recent year, most of Para AC projects are belonged to Department of Rural.

Shell is proud to complement this government initiative, which is considered a subsidy scheme to alleviate the rubber farmers, who are the backbone of Thailand economy. With our special formulation, Shell Para AC help improve elastic response.

Technology Highlights

Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP)

Asphalt is one of the world’s most recycled materials and demonstrates the circular economy in action. In addition to reducing construction costs, recycling asphalt can also help conserve resources. Asphalt recycling (recovering and reusing) and maximising the use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in new road construction helps reduce waste, conserves natural resources and increases resource efficiency.

Shell has spent decades studying the chemistry of bitumen, as well as thoroughly testing bitumen blends with RAP. We have created polymer-modified bitumen, which gives customers comfort that a road built with a proportion of RAP can deliver very high performance and durability – approaching that of a brand-new road, without compromising on surface resistance or durability.

Low Temperature (LT)
Specially designed to work at production temperatures of up to 30˚ Celsius lower than conventional asphalt, our LT bitumen reduces the amount of energy needed and subsequent greenhouse gas production when being used to lay roads. LT technology improves the workability and density of the asphalt mixtures, as well as allowing the mixtures to be transported over longer distances and time.

For Media Enquiries:

Waralux Mitra
External Relations Advisor
The Shell Company of Thailand Ltd

Thitipa Laxanaphisuth
Country Manager – External Relations
The Shell Company of Thailand Ltd

Piyalak Chuenchompoonut
H+K Strategies Thailand
Tel: +662 627 3501 ext 217
Email: Pchuenchompoonut@hkstrategies.com

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