GB Lubricants celebrates International Women’s Day

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8, GB Lubricants the oil and lubricants manufacturer based in Gateshead is celebrating the achievements of Amanda Byrne, the company’s National Sales Manager and Sami Bowler GB Lubricants’ first Brand Ambassador.

International woman’s day with GB Lubricants also showcases progress being made to increase the number of female employees and provide equal opportunities in the fast growing company and ever evolving lubricants industry.

Within GB Lubricants, women currently account for nearly a quarter the total workforce in important roles ranging from product sales, account management, business administration, transport and logistics, scientific testing and technical analysis.

Amanda Byrne is responsible for managing the national sales team as well as key customers. She has worked in the fuel and lubricants industries for over three decades and has witnessed an increasing number of female colleagues progressing their careers in companies that were not obvious choices.

Amanda attended the first ever Women in Lubricants Industry conference in London, hosted by UKLA (United Kingdom Lubricants Association) and Lube magazine, three years ago.  The conference, celebrated women and their roles in the sector, aimed to stimulate discussion, encourage diversity, and empower success. Amanda stated “I was further inspired by the three female keynote speakers and other industry experts when hearing about their experiences and how they overcome various challenges throughout their careers.”

In the past the oil and lubricants industry was seen predominantly as a male orientated industry with few women employed within management positions. Today things are progressing and companies that have the greater gender mix tend to stand out and accomplish more.

Amanda continues “There is an increase in more younger women studying subjects like maths, science, technologies, and engineering, which is providing a pathway to more roles to be pursued. Today, they are encouraged to realise their full potential in their chosen career.”

Amanda believes having a diverse workforce is hugely beneficial to companies. “people with different skills and backgrounds see the same problems in different ways and can come up with unique solutions that can make a significant difference to business results,” she said.

“Ongoing education could help identify and breakdown long-held biases that make certain career paths less accessible for women.”

Amanda believes there will be many more female employees in the future keen to grasp opportunities to develop an exciting career in an industry that is constantly evolving to enhance technological advances and meet customer needs.

“The oil & lubricants industry has and always will change, innovate and adapt – it never stops looking for new developments in technology driven by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), suppliers and the end users,” she explained. “Synthetic, biodegradable oils are becoming more widely used, given the necessity for them in the economical, sustainable, eco-friendly world we live in.” 

“Lubricants, used in the vehicles and machines of tomorrow, will be produced using the latest technologies and to specifications even higher than today.” 

“The advances in oil and lubricant technology, are what makes my job exciting. There is always something new happening and the challenge is to be pioneering new products to stay ahead.”

It is fitting that GB Lubricants’ first brand ambassador is a shining example of the next generation of logistics leaders. Sami Bowler embraces her role as an industry trailblazer and female role model who at weekends is a podium winning Mini Challenge racing driver, yet during the week she runs her own heavy haulage management and auditing business.

She was a director in the family heavy haulage business, T. W. Bowler Ltd in Stockport until 2021 when, at the age of 29, she decided to launch her own business which is thriving.

“I am still investing a lot of time and money in training and developing myself because I want to be the very best and get to the top of what I do,” said Sami. “When I see an opportunity, I find out exactly what I need to do to take it.”

She is keen to inspire other women by sharing her life and career journey, which she does through her social media platforms.

Running her own business, Sami is legally responsible for her clients’ transport operations and helps them to become fully compliant green operators. Her unique understanding of the sector and how lubricants should be applied in different environments allows her to confidently recommend GB Lubricants’ products to her clients.

“Many of my clients have used GB Lubricants for a number of years due to the quality of their oils, lubricants and greases, as well as their amazing customer service,” she explained.

The requirement for oils is always changing and improving. Therefore “I send a list of my clients’ vehicle registrations and machine specifications to the GB Lubricants technical team and I get information back detailing exactly what kind of oils and lubricants are required based on their specific needs and uses.”

“Whenever I have needed them, GB Lubricants have been able to provide the best advice and quality lubricants that I can find.”