Kim Yu-jin: Hello, everyone! Today, we are going to explore SK Lubricants, a subsidiary of SK Innovation that specializes in lubricants and base oils.

Hwang Jee-hyun: Hi! I’m Hwang Jee-hyun from SK Lubircants’ Base Oil Marketing Office.

Kim Yu-jin: Welcome. Today’s <Into the World of SK> will visit the country of windmills – Netherlands!

Hwang Jee-hyun: Yes. And that is also where SK Lubricants Europe is located. In June 2008, SK Lubricants opened the distribution terminal in Rotterdam. Then the company has incorporated SK Lubricants Europe as its subsidiary in Netherlands to conduct a fully-fledged global business as of August 2009.

Kim Yu-jin: What you’ve said makes me feel even more curious about SK Lubricants Europe. So let’s meet the local member who is our special today. Goedemorgen, Tom!

Tom Meijer: (Greeting in Korean) An nyeong ha se yo! (Hello!)

Kim Yu-jin: Wow! You can speak in Korean?

Tom Meijer: (In Korean) A little bit. Squid Game – The best!

Kim Yu-jin: So nice to meet you, Tom. Please introduce yourself.

Tom Meijer: Hello. My name is Tom Meijer, and I am in charge of overall operation works in Customer Service Group, SK Lubricants Europe. SK Lubricants Europe is a distributor of YUBASE, premium base oil of SK Lubricants. Our major customers are the world’s top oil related companies such as BP, TOTAL, ExxonMobil, and SHELL.

Kim Yu-jin: Oh, YUBASE, the premium base oil that boasts the no. 1 global production capacity among Group III base oils! You know that well, right?

Hwang Jee-hyun: Sure! I know it well. SK Lubricants’ self-developed YUBASE is suitable for a wide range of uses, from automobiles to other industrial areas.

Tom Meijer: Yes, that’s right. SK Lubricants Europe is divided into three different groups: Customer Service Group, Marketing, and Finance. While we are meticulous about our respective responsibilities, such as clients and issues, the cooperation of the three groups is critical because our work is organically intertwined. 

Kim Yu-jin: I see. I have one question. Why did SK Lubricants Europe choose the Netherlands as its first operational location out of all the countries in Europe?

Tom Meijer: In fact, when SK Lubricants Europe was established, we examined a number of places, including London, the United Kingdom, and Hamburg, Germany. Compared to other candidate locations, Amsterdam in the Netherlands have advantages in all aspects. Our biggest customers were initially based in Germany, France, and the Benelux, and Amsterdam outperformed the others in terms of client accessibility.

Hwang Jee-hyun: I agree. It is critical to secure a geographical edge in the distribution sector.

Kim Yu-jin: Also, many people in Amsterdam speak more than one language. I know this because I went there as an exchange student.

Tom Meijer: Oh, you’ve been to Amsterdam, so that’s why your Dutch pronunciation was good! Yest, in Amsterdam, we have many opportunities to work with talented people. My coworkers are bilingual, speaking English as well as Dutch, German, French, and other languages. I also have a Dutch colleague who can speak Korean. In that way, here is definitely a great place where talents gather.

▲ Most of SK Lubricants members are bilingual (left photo: Tom Meijer)

Kim Yu-jin: So where exactly is SK Lubricants Europe in Amsterdam?

Tom Meijer: It is at the center of Zuidas, the busiest business district in World Trade Center of Amsterdam. It is a transport hub where tram stops, bus stops, and trains stations are located and as well as a hot place. In addition, because it is close to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, an international airport, it is the best location for customer communication. That’s why we employees take pride in the location of our office.                

Kim Yu-jin: So this is the office building, right? It’s amazing.

▲ The office building where SK Lubricants Europe office is located in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Kim Yu-jin: If my memory serves me well, many people in the Netherlands ride bicycles. Tom, do you also ride your bike to work?

Tom Meijer: In my case, I use a bit faster one, a scooter. But yes, the Dutch have an unusual fondness for bicycles. Outsiders frequently refer to our country as “bicycle heaven.” Bicycles are the most prevalent mode of transportation for Dutch people since we have well-established cycling pathways.

Kim Yu-jin: Also, Amsterdam is a cutting-edge city with the world’s greatest number of smart work centers.

Tom Meijer: Just like Yu-jin said, I think Amsterdam is an enchanting city where the state of art technologies and the major harbor with the optimum conditions.

Kim Yu-jin: I’m so curious about the office atmosphere.

Tom Meijer: Due to the COVID-19, we’ve been on work-from-home programs. Only the minimum number of employees work at the office. We have a total of 16 members in the office. Our age bracket is wide from veteran employees who joined to company before the establishment of the European corporation of SK Lubricants to 5 months newcomers. As their backgrounds are diverse, everyone keeps on exchanging stories about their own cultures. Thus, we would have a pizza picnic with colleges in front of the office park after work.

▲ Members of SK Lubricants Europe (photos taken before COVID-19) enjoy group activities together 

Kim Yu-jin: That means everyone in the office gets along really well.

Tom Meijer: That’s right. A typical day in the office starts with sharing “Goedemorgen!” to everyone. If we have a birthday co-worker, we may get together to throw a birthday party in the afternoon. In particular, our members really love Gochujang (Korean hot paper paste). We may even use Gochujang as a sandwich spread. As we are keenly interested in Korean culture, some of the members also learn Korean. We seek to cultivate a lively and happy office culture because active communication and discussion among members is critical to SK Lubricants Europe’s success.

Hwang Jee-hyun: Tom, why don’t you share with us the projects you conducted at SK Lubricants Europe?

Tom Meijer: Since joining the company, I’ve participated in the field to set up new terminals and meetings with service providers. I also did research and wrote a thesis on weight discrepancies on truck loadings to mention a few. It was a rewarding time for me because I was able to gain firsthand experience and learn from it. I’m still working hard to advance with SK Lubricants Europe by pursuing my personal development.

Please check the video below for the full talk and learn more about Tom’s duties at SK Lubricant Europes and the three key words he chose to describe his company.