• Market Watch

Motul Namibia – Born of passion

• 10 Months Ago - 2023-06-08 00:00:00

Motul Namibia was "born out of the races", according to founder John Simpson, who first came upon the idea while watching the Dakar Rally during the Covid-19 lockdowns. The 168-year-old oil and lubricant specialists have a long association with motorsports, and on that fateful day, he realised that this iconic organisation had no presence in Namibia.
"I got in contact with them, and soon I got hooked on the passion that the company has," says Simpson.
With an established family tradition in enduro and motorbike racing and as the father of three young racers – John, Daniel and Keanan – Simpson has quickly come to embody the passion behind Motul in racing and for providing services to clients with the best oils in the business.

Dedicated service providers
Motul produces all lubricants, including mineral and synthetic-based solutions, additives like injector cleaner, oils for the marine industry and motor boat oil, as well as oils for power sports like motorbike and quad bike racing.
Dedicated oils for the automotive industry are included, as are heavy-duty oils for Namibia’s ever-growing number of trucks. "We service that industry," he says regarding road freight providers.
While Motul serves various industries, their true passion lies in motorsport, where the development of new products kicks off and a lot of research and development is done. "After all, there is a little bit of a racing driver in every one of us," he says.

Support talent
Motul and Simpson both believe in supporting young talent, and the brand is now fully behind young enduro and cross-country rider Andre Barnard and the vibrant teenager Zoey Waldschmidt.
Waldschmidt has been riding motorcycles since the tender age of four and started racing at age nine, with support and guidance from her famous racing father, Ingo Waldschmidt, who has represented Namibia in the Dakar Rally. "Dad had a big influence on me," she says.
"Mom gets scared when I am racing. She is always there, holding thumbs and biting her lip," she adds. "Motorcycle racing is dangerous, but having the latest protective gear on makes me feel safer," she says.
She says they approached Motul for sponsorship "because they have the best oil and lubricants."
This season, she has been doing well, coming first in the ladies division in all the MX races she has participated in. She hopes to win the women’s championship and will compete in class 10 in enduro against the boys to prepare for the AMU in Cape Town, where she will take on the most talented girls in southern Africa.

Bigger and better
Barnard is also leaving competitors in his dust, having claimed victory in all his enduro races this year. Having missed one race, he is currently in second place in the rankings. "I hope to take the season and go to the Impi in South Africa this year," he says.
"The Motul sponsorship means a lot to me because it can lead to even bigger things. Motul is new in Namibia, but it is big in other countries," he says. He currently competes on a Sherco 125 CC but dreams of getting on a Sherco 300 CC one day. "The best bike in the world," he calls it.
"Speed does get dangerous, especially when you get tired," he admits, having broken his foot in 2020 and hurt his knee a year later, which kept him out of action for six months. Nonetheless, he is still committed. "Sport pushes me to better myself. The people involved are kind, and it is good to be part of the community," he explains.

The future
These ‘Motul Athletes’, as they are known at Motul Namibia, "are the future of our business," says Simpson. For him, it is important to teach the young to understand lubricants and to feed their passion by working with them. "Oil is not just oil," he says.
Motul is distributed across Namibia through all Cymot outlets, with which they have a strong partnership. KBT and Bike and Quad Clinic in Windhoek, as well as Motorcycle Works at the coast, also get stock from Motul Namibia warehouses in the capital, at the coast and in the north. "We support the dealerships with knowledge about the products so that they can support the clients. We are making a difference in the market, and even though we are small, we can change lives," Simpson says.