TEXACO says it will be introducing a cleaner diesel fuel to the Jamaican market sometime this year.

The annoucement was made by Mauricio Pulido, CEO — GB Energy Texaco Jamaica, announced at the company’s press launch for their centenary at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on Tuesday.

“We will be bringing an additive to the diesel that improves the quality of the fuel. So it eliminates the water particles. This reduces the maintenance expense of the motors and doesn’t produce foam when the vehicle is being filled. This allows it to fill faster and efficiently, keeping injectors super clean,” he told the Jamaica Observer’s weekly Auto magazine.

The new additive, known as Techron D, will be added to both regular and the Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. It was one of many initiatives announced by Pulido. He further explained that the additive was created by Senior Fuels Engineer Peter Fuentes-Afflick, a Jamaican.

“He will be coming here to Jamaica to explain it to everyone,” said Pulido.

Indicating that Texaco was just not a supplier of fuel and automotive lubricants but an energy solution provider, he explained this concept would guide the company into the future. Already providing alternative sources such as liquid petroleum gas (LPG) under the TexGas brand at a single pilot station in Kingston last year, he notes the project has been well received by the fleet market and will continue to roll out across the island.

“The LPG is going very good. We have added some brands like Hawkeye that are starting to convert their vehicles to use LPG,” said Pulido.

The next logical step for the brand is electric power and Pulido hinted at charging stations at its service locations, but offered no firm timeline for them to be installed.

“As we are an energy company we’re willing to sell whatever type of energy the market needs. So, if it’s electric cars we will have chargers for them at our stations. Usually you’d charge your car at home for seven to eight hours. Our chargers will charge in 25 minutes.”

Under Pulido’s leadership over the past six years, the brand has seen a five per cent increase in their retail market share to 25 per cent with more than 72 outlets and more on the way are expected to open by the end of year. They have also seen a significant increase in their aviation fuel deliveries from two per cent to just over 40 per cent.

The Texaco brand officially entered the local market in 1919 with offices at Lyons Wharf and storage facilities on Windward Road. In 1961 the administrative, sales and accounting staff were moved to Windward Road. In 2001 it merged creating Chevron Texaco Corporation with Chevron Caribbean formed to handle its regional operations. The current state Texaco was created in 2012 when GB Energy acquired the Texaco downstream operations, the production facilities that turn crude oil into gasoline and retail petroleum products from Chevron and the brand name under licence. This year, on May 9, it will celebrate 100 years in Jamaica with a Gala.

“We’re inviting everybody, the media and the customers to come and share with us this great moment of 100 years.”