Almila Acan Kahvecioglu, Managing Director of Total Serbia – Serbia is our home, we are not here just to be present

The company Total is one of the four biggest and most successful oil companies in the world and the only one among them with an office in Serbia. Total Serbia, a branch of one of the leading world manufacturers of oils, lubricants and petroleum products, has been operating since 2010.

The Belgrade office is also Total's center for operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.

– Total is a European company and Serbia is our home and a country in which we have laid solid foundations for enhancing our activities in the Balkans – Almila Acan Kahvecioglu, Managing Director of Total Serbia, explains for eKapija why they decided to open an office in the country back in 2010.

Kahvecioglu says that the company is “very satisfied with its operations in Serbia” and adds that the biggest advantage of this market is its geographical position, expert work force, as well as the projected economic growth in the country.

Over the past five years, Total has doubled its turnover in Serbia to the current RSD 669.7 million and the number of its employees to around 15, and the growth, they say in the company, has been achieved thanks to “careful monitoring of end users' needs and constant work on developing new product lines and perfecting the existing ones, which meet the strictest quality standards in Europe and the world”.

This year, as they say in Total, has been very successful. A big marketing campaign was organized in 2016.

– We went out in the streets, we had wanted to talk to our consumers and with the citizens. We care very much about the Serbian market and we have not come here just to be able to say that we are present – Kahvecioglu said and emphasized that “it is very important for Total to be close to its consumers”.

As the only one among the leading oil giants in the world with an office in Serbia, Total provides direct client support regarding the company's products. Based on a single oil sample, the TOTAL ANAC laboratory performs a detailed analysis of all mechanical components (engines, transmission, hydraulics) without having to take the car apart.

– It's important for us to offer, in addition to the products, our services as well and be ready at all times to respond to all requests of our consumers, who are always a priority for us – Kahvecioglu explains. For example, if there is doubt as to whether the product bought is genuine or a counterfeit, Total checks this for its customers using the batch number on the packaging.

The ANAC lab has more than 800,000 samples in its base. Whenever there's a problem in the market with a product, the lab tracks down the origin of the product in 7-10 days by taking a small sample, Kahvecioglu explains and adds that in Serbia so far “they have not had negative experiences arising from the counterfeiting of their products”.

Nevertheless, she invites all customers doubting the quality and the genuineness of Total's products to contact the company.

– We are guarding the market, our customers' interests and the quality of our products – she adds.

The company also offers to its clients a complete analysis system for oils and lubricants used in car engines and industrial machines alike.

– Our goal is to constantly improve the quality of our products, as this extends the lifespan of vehicles and machines using our oils and lubricants – says managing Director of Total Serbia and adds that, in addition to having its products used in cement, paper, textile, food, wood, pharmaceutical, metal processing and other industries, Total can also meet specific demands of its customers and produce special oils and lubricants for them.

Regarding the plans for the coming period, Kahvecioglu points out that Total expects that the trend of growth and development will continue and that she sees the future in the new line of Fuel Economy products, which enable identical performance with greater fuel savings compared to conventional oils.

– We need to take care of the society we're doing business in. Consumers' future is our present, as Total is contributing to reduced emission of harmful gases and lower energy expenditure with its Fuel Economy line of products. We believe that this is where the future lies and we expect to see the growth – she adds.

M.V.

Totalenergies marketing Serbia doo Beograd

Total Serbia

Almila Acan Kahvecioglu

oil and lubricant manufacture

petroleum product manufacture

TOTAL ANAC laboratory

oil and lubricant analysis

Fuel Economy products

fuel savings