Philippe Dupin, you are Specialties Sales Manager at North Atlantic in France. Can you please introduce this new player and explain its role as a main actor in the lubricant market?
North Atlantic is a French independent refinery located in Normandie, operating under this name since early December 2025, when they acquired 83% of the shares in Esso SAF held by ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, as well as 100% of ExxonMobil Chemical France SAS, the other independent company within the ExxonMobil group in France. This industrial site, located in Gravenchon in Normandy, features a blending plant with a long-standing experience in lubricant manufacturing, having produced the company’s branded lubricants for decades.
With a global headquarter in Canada and this first implementation in Europe, the energy company has developed a robust plan for growth of this strategic industrial site.
It seems that the Gravenchon industrial site is an outstanding asset for North Atlantic in France, can you please comment on this?
In a few words, the Gravenchon Refinery is the second largest refinery in France with a significant capacity of lubricants production in the integrated blending plant.
With several decades of operational experience, it has developed extensive expertise and a robust industrial platform built on four key pillars: quality, compliance, technical expertise, and operational excellence. Spread across more than 600 hectares, this highly integrated site features an in-house laboratory, 13 packaging lines, an automated warehouse, and fully integrated logistics capabilities for both road and maritime transportation of packaged and bulk products.
These integrated assets enable North Atlantic France to deliver reliable, flexible, and efficient supply chain solutions to customers in France and international markets. In addition, ISO 9001 and IATF 16949 certifications demonstrate a strong commitment to quality management, continuous improvement, and compliance with the highest automotive and industrial standards.
Why is North Atlantic a suitable solution for the lubricant market?
North Atlantic can offer lubricant solutions such as toll blending and private labels for both domestic and export markets, these capabilities being supported by the Gravenchon site’s industrial expertise, operational flexibility, and integrated logistics infrastructures.
Given the current market environment, we believe there are attractive opportunities in the lubricants market, as some industry players may be considering increasing local manufacturing and securing logistics solutions that are better aligned with market demand, responsive to changing customer expectations and geopolitical considerations.
The site’s capabilities extend across a broad range of lubricant segments, including automotive, marine, industrial, and grease applications, enabling North Atlantic to support a diverse customer base with tailored solutions and high service standards.
If you want to know more and discover their lubricant solutions, please visit North Atlantic on stand 710.
