James Du, CEO of PhilChamp
PhilChamp (Dadiangas Philippine Champion Industries, Inc.) announced their partnership with United Arab Emirates’ renowned oil company, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Distribution, at the ADNOC Meet 2025 last June 26 at Shangri-la the Fort, Bonifacio Global City.
The ADNOC Group is the 12th largest oil company in the world by production and has consistently been the UAE's most valuable brand for more than four consecutive years. The event also highlighted ADNOC Lubricants' top selling product, ADNOC Voyager.
During the event, ADNOC’s esteemed speakers included Engr. Saber Mohammed Al Ammari, Vice President of Lubricants, Base Oil & Specialties, ADNOC Distribution; Kristian Arvin Jaca, Senior Technical Support Manager, ADNOC Distribution; Ranjan Guha, Department Manager, International Sales, ADNOC; and Deepak Gupta, Senior Sales Manager - Africa, International Lubricant Division, ADNOC.
Ranjan Guha, Kyra Marie N. Du, Merianjay Briz (PRJ), Engr. Saber Mohammed Al Ammari, and Kristian Arvin Jaca
A Family’s Legacy and Passion for Excellence
James Du, Chairperson and CEO of PhilChamp, and Kyra Marie N. Du, Senior Executive Assistant to the President, PhilChamp, gave warm welcome remarks for ADNOC Meet 2025 and inspiring speeches to highlight their company’s 61 years of excellence as importer and distributor of automotive essentials and related products.
Starting as an auto supply and hardware business in General Santos City, PhilChamp has grown to become a preferred partner for connecting major manufacturers with Philippine dealers and end-consumers nationwide.
In 1964, newlywed couple Engr. Juanito T. Du and his wife Marie established a business that marketed automotive parts, trucks, tires, batteries, and surplus engines. The business eventually evolved into a family-owned corporation, Dadiangas Philippine Champion Industries, Inc. (DPCII).
Under the leadership of Engr. James W. Du in 1991 up to the present, the business evolved into importation and national distribution of tires, inner tubes and flaps, lubricants and additives, automotive tools, and tire and vehicle servicing equipment.
“Now armed with over 60 years of experience and excellence the company is the preferred business partner, chosen by premium product brands, to connect manufacturers to Philippine dealers, retailers and large fleet accounts,” the company said in a statement. [1]
Thanks to PhilChamp, ADNOC products are now available in the Philippines.
UAE’s Most Valuable Brand
Engr. Saber Mohammed Al Ammari, Vice President of Lubricants, Base Oil & Specialties of ADNOC Distribution, gave a comprehensive speech about ADNOC’s early days, followed by their series of milestones and achievements, and their commitment to sustainability.
Founded in 1971, ADNOC is a leading diversified energy group, wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. ADNOC Lubricants is a leading producer of high-quality automotive, industrial, and marine lubricant.
Globally, their products are known to meet the highest international standards, supporting optimal engine performance and equipment protection in diverse operating environments.
ADNOC started in 1935 when the first geological survey in the Emirates was launched. Then in 1937, UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, led an expedition of 16 tribesmen to the southwest of Abu Dhabi. This gave rise to his vision for the development of the UAE’s oil and gas resources.
As a great leader, the Sheikh led the project into the right path, foreseeing a vision of abundant possibilities if they would harness the rich hydrocarbon resources effectively. [3]
Through the years, ADNOC has made a positive and lasting contribution to the growth and the development of their nation. They began as an upstream onshore and offshore operation in oil and gas and quickly expanded into a group of companies that is generating energy for life.
They now operate downstream, unlock new gas resources, and are equipped with strong marketing, supply and trading capabilities, creating new economic opportunities for the UAE and its people. [3]
A glimpse of ADNOC’s history along with the birth of UAE as a nation
In 2020, the Company was awarded as the No. 1 Retail Brand on the Forbes Middle East Retail Brand. Today, ADNOC has more than 550 service stations in the UAE, more than 360 service stations in KSA and Egypt, 1,022 ADNOC-occupied leasing outlets, more than 140 ADNOC car wash services, over 600,000 customers served per day in UAE, over 280 EV charging points, more than 530 convenience stores in the UAE, KSA and Egypt, 36 number of vehicle inspection centers, and over 180 ADNOC car service centers.
Placing Sustainability at the Core
ADNOC was also the first UAE fuel retailer:
- To announce a decarbonization roadmap and convert an existing ($1.5bn) loan to sustainability-linked loan
- Install Solar PV panels as part of operational energy mix at service stations
- Reverse vending machine recycling service
- Debut H2GO: the first high-speed hydrogen refueling station in the Middle East
- Have 100% of its delivery fleet powered by B20 biofuel
- Set "Adopt a Mangrove": Bringing customers along its sustainability journey through ADNOC Rewards
ADNOC is also known for their quality products and services, namely: Fuels (91, 95 and 98 octane), gasoil (diesel), lubricants, compressed natural gas (CNG), EV chargers, and Non-Fuels (car wash, lube change, vehicle repairs, vehicle inspection and testing centers).
They also have liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 25- and 50-pound cylinders. Their ADNOC Oasis convenience stores are very popular in UAE.
For corporate clients, they have the bulk refined petroleum products as well as lubricant products under their proprietary ADNOC Voyager brand.
For aviation, they have fueling and distribution operations at all Abu Dhabi airports and some airports in the Northern Emirates.
ADNOC Voyager - A Legacy of Innovation and Trust
The Philippine product launch of ADNOC Voyager was one of the highlights of the event. ADNOC Voyager is the No. 1 Brand in UAE for the Kline Global Lubricants – 2024 and No. 1 Superbrand from Super Brand Council in UAE.
It has quality standard certifications such as the ISO 17025 Accredited Lab since 2007 and ISO 22241 for ADNOC Blue (DEF) (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) -- the first in the region.
ADNOC Voyager is available world-wide in more than 700 direct customers and retail shops, with more than 480 products covering automotive, industrial and marine sectors, and over 1000 Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) covering the market and the customer demands.
The speakers also discussed product development focused on quality, innovation, and sustainability. This is done through formulation, industry alignment, quality assurance, and technical references.
What makes ADNOC Voyager high quality and special is that it covers 180 international approvals such as:
- 86 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)
- 75 American Petroleum Institute (API)
- 19 Japanese Automotive Standards Organization (JASO)
Empowering Philippine's Market with ADNOC Voyager
What does ADNOC Voyager offer for the Philippine market?
1) Global Expertise
- Over 180 international approvals including API, JASO and major OEM's
- Presence in more than 47 export markets
- ADNOC Base Oil (Adbase) used by global lubricant blenders
2) Local Commitment
- Tailored product offerings for Philippine's automotive and industrial sectors.
- On ground technical support and trainings
- Long-term partnerships with Philippines distributors and retailers.
3) Performance and Reliability
- Proven performance in extreme operating conditions
- Long drain intervals and consistent engine protection
- Trusted by fleets, workshops, and industrial users across the region
Kristian Arvin Jaca, Senior Technical Support Manager, ADNOC Distribution
Kristian Arvin Jaca, Senior Technical Support Manager, ADNOC Distribution, gave a lecture titled “ADNOC Lubricants - Technical Session.” He started by explaining the importance of lubrication in internal combustion engines, then enumerated the process of manufacturing lubricants.
The discussion also explained the factors that affect oil drain interval in the lubrication of internal combustion engines.
To further understand the quality level of ADNOC Voyager, he explained the different classifications of engine oils, how the right engine oil is selected, what are the key developments in engine design, and -- more importantly for consumers -- what do engine oil labels tell them.
Another important part the lecture entailed how engine oils are classified, namely:
a) in relation to viscosity (grade) - by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standards
b) specification (Performance) – by API (American Petroleum Institute) and ILSAC (International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee) standards
Other organizations with established industry standards are ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) and OEM – (Original Equipment Manufacturer).
Mr. Ranjan Guha, Department Manager, International Sales of ADNOC, then described ADNOC Voyager as high-performance synthetic lubricant range for light and heavy vehicles. His lecture covered the topics UAE, ADNOC, ADNOC Group of Companies, ADNOC Distribution, and Why ADNOC?
He noted that ADNOC Group's vast oil reserves underpin UAE's economic strength and stability.
ADNOC has a total of USD18.9 billion brand value in 2024, has over 50,000 employees, and 18 subsidiary companies (upstream, midstream and downstream).
Guha also emphasized that ADNOC is a reliable partner, having the largest drilling company in the Middle East with over 100 onshore, offshore and well-water rigs. They have the largest single oil refinery in the Middle East, the largest gas processing plants with capacity of 8 billion standard cubic feet per day, and the largest network of service stations in UAE.
“The trend towards lower emissions is driving ADNOC Distribution's lubricants strategy. The carbon neutral oils from ADNOC are the first in the region,” he said.
In summary, “Why ADNOC?” The answers are simple. “Affordable synthetics and major OEM Approved products.”
Deepak Gupta, Senior Sales Manager - Africa, International Lubricant Division, ADNOC
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For more information,
PhilChamp - http://www.philchamp.com/
ADNOC - https://www.adnoc.ae/
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Reference and photo credit:
[1] PhilChamp’s story - http://www.philchamp.com/about.html
[2] History of ADNOC - https://www.adnoc.ae/en/our-story/our-heritage
[3] ADNOC Distribution Corniche
https://www.adnocdistribution.ae/en/media-folder/news-listing/2025/03/adnoc-distribution-shareholders-approve-h2-2024-dividend
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Photo credit: Marcelle P. Villegas
