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Recently, Zhou Suping, Deputy General Manager of the Corporate Lubricants Business Unit at ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co., Ltd., engaged in discussions with the media during the 2025 China International Petrochemical Conference and Sustainable Development Forum, exploring how the company can leverage global expertise and local innovation to work in harmony with China’s industrial sector on the path toward sustainable development. Question: In your view, aside from common areas such as investment and innovation, what other easily overlooked “hidden” dimensions exist for “new growth” in China’s petrochemical industry? Zhou Suping: In my view, \"new growth\" is not limited to scale expansion in the traditional sense; ensuring the safety and stability of operations, building a \"moat\" for the industry ecosystem, or leveraging digital technologies to unlock production potential also constitute important dimensions of high-quality growth. This pattern of growth may not be so \"obvious,\" but it is the key factor that enables companies to navigate economic cycles and achieve steady development. Firstly, against the backdrop of current multiple challenges, long-term secure and stable operation has become a core competitive advantage for enterprises to navigate economic cycles. Industrial lubricants play a key role in enhancing durability and reducing energy consumption, thereby ensuring the stability of production operations. Secondly, growth also stems from the collaborative efforts between upstream and downstream entities in the industrial chain. Companies should move away from cutthroat price competition and promote healthy industry development by offering comprehensive solutions. For example, in addition to providing industrial lubricants, we also offer Mobil Solvancer™ oil-soluble cleaning services to help customers eliminate the problems of paint films and sludge in their equipment, thereby creating a cleaner, more stable, and more efficient operating environment. Finally, digital technology is also enabling the measurement of \"intangible value\". For example, online monitoring of oils and fluids has enabled equipment maintenance to shift from \"regular repairs\" to \"preventive maintenance\", which not only helps reduce costs and improve operational efficiency but also makes collaboration within the industrial chain more precise and efficient. ExxonMobil China is committed to using high-quality lubrication products and services to turn \"invisible details\" into \"tangible value,\" thereby continuously driving the high-quality development of the industry. Question: As an important part of the group’s overall value chain, how does the industrial lubricants business work in tandem with macro-strategies such as carbon management to help customers achieve their sustainability goals? Zhou Suping: As the global energy sector accelerates its transition toward lower carbon emissions, China’s industry will, under the guidance of the 15th Five-Year Plan, move more swiftly toward intelligence, sustainability, and high-quality development. ExxonMobil China continues to deepen reforms and innovation, and by building on its years of extensive experience in the Chinese market, it offers Chinese industries green lubrication solutions that combine high-quality lubricant products with comprehensive professional services. In the industrial manufacturing sector, we have been actively implementing green lubrication initiatives since 2020. By using energy-efficient lubricants, providing professional lubrication services, and employing recyclable packaging, we offer our customers comprehensive green lubrication solutions that include preliminary diagnostic advice, targeted lubrication products and services during operation, as well as assessments of the environmental benefits achieved. This approach helps customers operate without concerns, while also contributing to the achievement of multiple goals such as energy savings, reduced consumption, and lower emissions. In addition, ExxonMobil China has also actively sought deep cooperation with various authoritative organizations, establishing a strategic partnership with the China Energy Conservation Association in 2013. In 2016, the two parties jointly launched the \"Energy Efficiency Testing for High-Efficiency and Energy-Saving Industrial Lubricants,\" aimed at verifying and quantifying the energy-saving effects of such lubricants under actual operating conditions, thereby promoting technological innovation. To date, the two parties have carried out over 20 energy efficiency certifications across various industries and applications. Products such as the Mobil DTE 10 Extra™ series, Mobil SHC™ 600 series, Mobil SHC™ gear oil series, and the ™Turalic series have passed numerous energy-saving tests, playing a significant role in helping Chinese enterprises reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiency. Although industrial lubrication is not visible on the surface, it is one of the key forces driving industrial progress, helping green development to become a distinctive feature of Chinese-style modernization. Question: How has ExxonMobil Industrial Lubricants transformed itself from a traditional \"product supplier\" into a \"strategic partner\" for customers in addressing the aforementioned challenges? Where is this transformation in role specifically reflected? Zhou Suping: Against the backdrop of the current pursuit of high-quality development, China’s industry is undergoing a crucial transformation from scale expansion to improved quality and efficiency. This is not just a technological upgrade, but also a profound transformation in development philosophy. We firmly believe that on this new journey, building a partnership based on mutual trust and shared growth is the key to creating a sustainable competitive advantage. To this end, we break away from traditional product delivery models and, through the deep integration of \"products + services\", work hand in hand with our customers to explore pathways toward cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and green transformation. Taking the paint film issue as an example, in serving industrial clients, we have found that turbines are prone to developing paint films under high temperatures and heavy loads; these issues often arise suddenly during the operation of critical equipment, posing a risk of production shutdowns, and this has become a common challenge in the industry. We have accumulated extensive experience worldwide in terms of paint film issues. The temperature of a blower bearing at a refinery in Billings, USA, rose sharply to around 108°C, with an increase of about 1°C per day. If the bearing temperature cannot be stabilized, there is a risk of shutdown for 30–60 days. After testing by our team, it was confirmed that the issue was caused by paint film deposition. By using the Solvancer™ oil-soluble cleaning solution in combination with Mobil SHC™ 824 gas turbine oil, paint film deposits were successfully dissolved without shutting down the system; bearing temperatures improved immediately and stabilized. Ultimately, it helped the customer avoid unplanned production shutdowns, saving approximately $8.3 million in costs. We have also introduced the globally innovative Solvancer™ oil-soluble cleaning solution to China, combining it with local insights to better serve the market. We not only possess global innovation expertise but also are well aware of the actual needs of customers in the Chinese market. The story of an air compressor customer in Ningbo is quite representative. Due to high temperatures and heavy loads, paint buildup occurred on their core air compressor, leading to unstable operation and frequent oil changes, which in turn affected production efficiency. Our service team first conducted an in-depth diagnosis in the workshop and determined that the root cause was a mismatch between the oil type and operating conditions; they then recommended Mobil SHC™ 832 UT as a suitable solution. The product’s ability to control the temperature of the paint film meets the requirements perfectly; customers have seen significant results from using it, with the oil change interval being extended by 6 months, resulting in savings of tens of thousands of yuan per year. At the same time, as companies place increasing emphasis on equipment condition monitoring and predictive management, we have developed MobilTM Smart Services centered on \"predictive maintenance\" to help customers identify potential risks in advance and facilitate a transition from a \"reactive repair\" approach to an \"proactive prevention\" model for operation and maintenance. Based on the actual operating conditions and genuine needs of customers, integrating products and services closely is a principle that Mobil always adheres to. Based on innovative technologies and customer trust, we help drive the transformation and high-quality development of China’s industry. Question: Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, and in light of industry trends toward greenness, low carbon emissions, and digitalization, what forward-looking technological strategies does ExxonMobil’s industrial lubricants division have in place? How will we continue to leverage local R&D and supply chains to help Sinopec’s customers move toward a more efficient and sustainable future? Zhou Suping: Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, ExxonMobil’s industrial lubricants business in China is aligned with China’s goals for carbon neutrality and the trend toward digitalization. By focusing on \"technical collaboration, local innovation, and joint ecosystem development,\" it seeks to move beyond the role of a traditional supplier and become a partner in driving green, low-carbon development as well as digital transformation in China’s industry, thus keeping pace with its development direction. Aligning with the group’s low-carbon business strategies such as CCS and LNG, it focuses on innovation in the areas of high-end development and low-carbon practices. Specialized products such as the Mobil Grease GLO™ series and Mobil SHC™ 800 UT series provide stable lubrication for critical equipment like compressors ； Simultaneously, we deepen the \"Green Lubrication Initiative\" by providing energy-efficient lubricants, professional services, and recyclable packaging to help customers reduce energy consumption and fulfill the group’s carbon management goals. Leveraging Mobil™ Digital & Intelligent Services, predictive maintenance of equipment can be achieved through intelligent monitoring, thereby driving innovation in operation and maintenance models and helping to improve overall equipment efficiency. Make localization the core cornerstone for strategic implementation, and establish a comprehensive customer service system. With the R&D centers in Shanghai and Huizhou Daya Bay as the core, it focuses on specific operating conditions, climates, and policies in China to carry out targeted product development and validation ； Relying on the two distribution plants in Tianjin and Taicang, a stable supply system is established to respond swiftly to market demands; at the same time, recycled packaging such as IBC tanks is provided to uphold the principles of a circular economy. It can also provide synchronized lubrication support for the equipment used by Chinese companies when they operate overseas, enabling their service capabilities to reach global markets. Build on the collaborative strengths of the industrial chain to further advance joint ecological development. We collaborate with OEM manufacturers to develop customized products through innovation, and we also work together with authoritative Chinese institutions to conduct energy efficiency tests, quantify the savings in energy use, and drive technological advancements in the industry. Through multi-party collaboration, breaking down barriers to transformation and combining advantages into synergistic effects, let’s boost China’s industry!