CALTEX TO CELEBRATE CENTENARY AT AUTO AFRICA 2004
International fuel company, Caltex, will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Havoline Oil brand at the continent’s largest automotive exhibition, Auto Africa 2004, taking place at Nasrec, Johannesburg from 25 to 31 October 2004.
According to Caltex’s Johan le Roux, the company will host a lunchtime function on the second day of the Auto Africa exhibition, which will feature a retrospective slide show on the brand’s colourful history.
Auto Africa 2004 Expo exhibition director, Pula Dippenaar, says a number of exhibitors will use the opportunity presented by the expo to host similar functions that celebrate anniversaries or launch new products. “Auto Africa 2004 presents the ideal showcase for launches as it draws a large number of clients and potential clients.” The previous Auto Africa show attracted 200,000 visitors through its gates and 18 new passenger vehicles were unveiled in Africa for the first time. Auto Africa 2004 is expected to be even bigger.
“Havoline has achieved many firsts during the course of 100 years,” says Le Roux. Oil is too thick to be used as a lubricant, even in the mildest winter weather. So Caltex was the first to develop a method to remove wax from oil, thus enabling vehicles to drive in cold weather. This process is still an industry standard.
Another major Havoline development was the introduction of sludge-inhibiting detergents and wear-reducing additives.
Other innovations include the launch of the first multigrade oil in South Africa in 1956 and Caltex South Africa heralded the new millennium with the launch of Havoline Energy SAE 5W-30.
Havoline has developed synthetic oils designed to push the lubrication envelope to extremes, giving car engines superior protection in the most stringent conditions, topped off by Havoline Fully Synthetic SAE 5W-40, launched in SA during 1996.
Havoline has also played a role in the motor racing fraternity, first with its involvement with Emerson Fitipaldi who won the Formula 1 World Championship in 1972 and 1974, and then James Hunt, who won the title two years later.
“Fuel technology and the oil and lubricant market are important factors in the automotive industry and are well-represented from both a local and international perspective at Auto Africa,” says Dippenaar. “There were a significant number of exhibitors from this sector at the show in 2002 and we expect this number to increase at Auto Africa 2004.”
Auto Africa 2004 is opens to the public from 09h00 to 20h00 from 28-31 October. Tickets are available through Computicket or at the gate until 18h00, when access to the grounds closes. Tickets prices range from R50 for adults and R20 for children under 12.
Auto Africa 2004, to be held at Nasrec south of Johannesburg between 25 and 31 October, is the continent’s premier motoring show and is held every two years. At its core, Auto Africa is a truly comprehensive automotive trade exhibition, drawing participants in increasing numbers to exhibit. In 2004, exhibitors will be spread across the following clusters:
New passenger and leisure vehicles, which form the core of the event in dedicated exhibition halls.
They are supported by truck and bus displays, which are located in separate halls.
Allied Industries are accommodated in the equipment halls and include:
- Manufacturing, robotics, raw materials and technology;
- Components, wheels and tyres, fuels and lubricants;
- Parts and accessories;
- Garage equipment and workshop furnishings;
- Collision repair suppliers and technology;
- Information technology and software solutions;
- Trucking manufacturers, components suppliers and service products;
- Specialized services to the automotive industry.
- Outdoor exhibits,
- SUV exhibits
- Motorcycles as well as demonstration and activity centres are located outside the halls, within the Nasrec perimeter.
