omanoil Receives Coveted 2010 Superbrands Recognition

Muscat, December 15th 2010

For the first time, Oman Oil Marketing Company (omanoil) has been awarded the highly acclaimed ‘Superbrands’ status for 2010 by the independent authority and arbiter of branding excellence Superbrands Middle East & North Africa, making it the only Company in the local Oil and Gas sector to win the coveted Award. The announcement was made at a first-of-its kind tribute ceremony to honor and celebrate Oman’s most outstanding brands at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat, highlighting omanoil’s long standing position as one of the most innovative, trusted and in-demand brands in the Sultanate.

During what is widely known as the ‘Oscars of branding’, 52 successful brands were recognized from a diverse number of industries and the Superbrands Organization also unveiled the coffee-table style Superbrands book, which includes an extensive profile of each of the selected brands. omanoil was once again certified by Superbrands based on a number of select criteria and attributes, including heritage, history, longevity, customer loyalty, market acceptance and strength, performance and penetration, achievements, products and service offerings, promotions and omanoil’s brand values, which represent the core essence of what the organization stands for.

Commenting on the Award, Eng. Omar bin Ahmed Qatan, CEO of omanoil said, “The Superbrands endorsement is a genuine testament to the market imprint and the dynamic brand equity that we have worked tirelessly to organically build over the years. This very important acknowledgment highlights our position as a key market leader while reiterating our exceptional industry track record in delivering the finest world-class products and guaranteeing the highest standards in customer care.”

Faisal bin Abdul Aziz Al Shanfari, General Manager of Operations, Engineering and HSSE at omanoil, accepted the Award on behalf of the Company and added, “This recognition is a reflection of the Company’s unwavering efforts in building a renowned homegrown brand in the Omani energy industry, as omanoil has strived to continually enhance customer and shareholder value to meet and exceed expectations in terms of quality and service deliverables. These accomplishments have been made by maintaining the highest best practice industry standards of Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE) in all areas of operations.”

As a market leader in the distribution and marketing of fuel and lubricant products for a number of key industries including retail fuel, aviation and maritime, omanoil continues to pioneer a variety of popular sub-brands. Today, omanoil remains the sole distributor of BP and Castrol branded lubricants in the Sultanate and has expanded globally through a wide range of omanoil branded lubricants which offer international consumers the very best in lubricant technology. Other well known and high standard-brands include the rapidly expanding one-stop-shop Ahlain; which promises customers the ultimate convenience store experience twenty-four hours a day.

All of these offerings are carefully maintained through the brand’s quality assurance arm, the Emtiyaz Customer Service Center, which serves as the communication link to provide timely and professional handling of customer needs through its dedicated and highly trained team.

In addition, the Sultanate’s first chip based multi-partner rewards program basma, helps shoppers ‘save as they spend’, while Ejaba Card provides an exceptional fleet fuel management system to a multitude of corporations requiring mass fuel services.

With an outreach spanning more than 83 countries, the Superbrands Organization and Council is comprised of seasoned marketing professionals who thoroughly evaluate and score hundreds of brands in individual markets across the globe and the highest scoring brands are then designated as ‘Superbrands’ after undergoing the stringent evaluation process.