Franck Jolly (Wolf Oil) : « Our strategy is to secure product availability »

Even better, Wolf Oil’s own brands – Wolf and Champion – show a 35% increase! Turn over is expected to be €340 million in 2022, compared to €279 million the previous year. The company was certainly able to count on inflation. “If 2021 saw significant increases in the cost of certain raw materials due to supply problems linked to the restart of industry worldwide, 2022 has also seen price hikes, this time because of the Ukrainian conflict. The Russian Federation is a very important producer of base oils” explains Franck Jolly, Global Sales Director of Wolf Oil. Inflation that had to be passed on to sales prices, and which contributed to about half of the group’s positive results. Agility was therefore the key word this year, the objective being to quickly find alternatives. It was a balancing act between March and September, but “the group’s strategy has always been to focus its efforts on the availability of products, which has allowed us to increase market share” he adds. Far from any euphoria however, the sales director warns that the rise in inflation impacting purchasing power is leading to car owners putting off maintenance. If we add to this, in some markets at least, a drop in the average annual mileage, 2023 should not be in line with 2022.

To maintain its strong growth, Wolf Oil relies on four pillars. First, an ICE parc that is not about to disappear. “According to a study commissioned by Clepa, in 2040 only 18% of vehicles aged eight years or more will be electric” Franck Jolly underlines. And by continuously innovating to stay at the top, Wolf Oil is constantly investing in R&D to obtain manufacturer certifications. Not only does it already offer a range dedicated to hybrid vehicles and covering 100% of applications, but next year it is launching its Electrum range specifically for electric vehicles, as well as the Bag-in-Box under its Champion brand for the European market. Wolf Oil is also banking on diversification. Historically established in the light vehicle segment, it invested in the two-wheeler segment four years ago, then in the heavy truck segment, on and offroad. Another diversification, geographical this time, sees the lubricant manufacturer now established in the four corners of the world with customers in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. The energy transition desired by Brussels does not frighten Wolf Oil unduly. Between the inertia of the ICE fleet, its ambitions outside Europe, its ability to innovate and its agility on the market. “We’ve been preparing for the switch to electric vehicles and the expected drop in oil volumes for ten years” concludes the commercial director.