Shell Lubricants has debuted an innovative product called Ecobox™, an alternative to traditional plastic packaging for motor oil.
Through its design, Shell says Ecobox can help owners and operators of oil change facilities more efficiently store, manage and deliver oil to their customers' vehicles. The bag containing the oil in the Ecobox carton is designed to help improve speed and ease of use compared to bottles, as it drains quickly, leaves minimal residual oil behind and requires less handling than quart bottles.
Using the Ecobox plastic liner results in 89 percent less plastic landfill waste than the equivalent 24 quart plastic bottles, according to Shell research, and the Ecobox carton is fully recyclable. The Ecobox pump system provides motor oil delivery that helps improve many operational tasks associated with dispensing oil using individual quarts.
The Ecobox™ is part of Shell's "smarter mobility" approach to developing innovations for cleaner and more efficient transport of people and goods. Smarter mobility has three elements: smarter products, smarter use and smarter infrastructure.
"The Ecobox system is being introduced in the United States through a controlled rollout, with eventual plans for it to become a global offering," says Tan Chong Meng, Shell's executive vice president for B2B and lubricants. "While the Ecobox system and many of our other smarter mobility efforts provide incremental improvements, each of the benefits provided is a step towards cleaner, more efficient mobility."
Oil is easily dispensed from the specially engineered box and valve, and then transferred to the engine crankcase by a custom-designed Ecobox pump system. The Ecobox carton can reduce storage space in shops, as it is about one-half the size of the equivalent volume of single-quart cases.
Easy-to-read Ecobox carton labeling and the specially organised storage rack help technicians select and install the correct oil, while delivery of oil to the vehicle is simplified through no-drip digital metered delivery nozzles, the company states.
For more information, visit www.shell.com/smartermobility.
