Shell opens its third largest lubricants plant in Singapore

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell opened its third largest lubricants plant globally in western Singapore on Wednesday to serve as a production hub to meet demand within Asia, the company said on Wednesday.

The integrated lubricants and grease production facility in Tuas is able to produce up to 430 million litres or about 390 kilotonnes of lubricants and greases annually, which is enough to change the engine oil of over 12,000 cars, every hour and every day, the company said.

"(The plant) serves as a strategic production hub and will be the centrepiece of our lubricants supply chain network to reliably supply our ... lubricants to millions of customers in the region," said Huibert Vigeveno, Shell Global Commercial's executive vice president.

Asia makes up over 40 percent of the world's lubricants demand, he added.

The facility will also strengthen the company's marine lubricant business presence here in Singapore, the world's second busiest port, he said.

The plant will ship to more than 40 countries, mainly in the Asia-Pacific region, Shell said.

(Reporting by Jessica Jaganathan; Editing by Vyas Mohan)