Castrol is partnering with the automotive aftermarket division of Robert Bosch to pilot co-branded repair shops in the United States and China, beginning this month in Central Florida and Suzhou, China. The companies expect the pilot program to encompass as many as 25 shops in each of these markets.

Expansion beyond the initial test phase will be decided after completion of the pilot program, according to an Oct. 10 announcement. And, the operation of existing Castrol- and Bosch-branded repair shop networks will not be impacted by this initiative, the companies stated.

In the announcement, Bosch Automotive Aftermarket President Manfred Baden pointed out that Bosch has offered quality products and services for repair shops for many decades. “Together with Castrol, our two leading brands will join forces for a new workshop concept to serve today’s and tomorrow’s market needs, and to reach more business partners and drivers,” Baden said. “This new offer pursues our goal of providing our customers with a comprehensive, future-oriented range of mobility services for various kinds of vehicles.”

“We are committed to leveraging our longstanding expertise in innovative lubricants technologies, brand and marketing, digital, and consumer insights to develop sustainable workshop businesses built around value-adding consumer experiences,” Castrol CEO Mandhir Singh stated. “We are delighted to see this vision shared by our partner Bosch, with their complementary values in technology and channel management. The outcome of the pilots will help us create a leading workshop network for the future.”