The 40,000-tonne Alexander Spirit was named in memory of Alex Strang, Caltex General Manager Supply & Distribution

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Caltex powers Team Vodafone into 2010

Caltex recently announced it will partner V8 Supercar Champions, Team Vodafone, into the new year with an agreement to promote Caltex’s primary brands and expanding product offers.

The partnership builds on Caltex’s existing relationship with champion driver Craig Lowndes, four times winner of the Bathurst 1000.

Caltex branding will appear on Team Vodafone’s new Holden Commodores, team livery and merchandise although most activities will revolve around customised events and activities off track.

Caltex joins the team as a platform partner alongside brands such as Vodafone, Nokia, Holden, Norton and Toshiba.

Liz Whiteway, Caltex National Manager, Brand and Communications, says the partnership represents a cutting edge approach to sports marketing, and will appeal to customers and business partners across Australia.

“We’ve deliberately avoided using the word sponsorship. Not because we’re trying to be smart but because the relationship with Team Vodafone is less about the typical large scale associations of branding a race car, and more about working with team partners on a broad front to drive customers to Caltex.

“This partnership is a great match for us, both in terms of shared values and opportunity,” she says.

Expert assistance

Six Caltex employees recently assisted with clean-up efforts in the wake of the West Atlas rig’s oil spill in the Montara oilfield off north-western Australia.

Mal Hicks, Terrence Edwards, Warren Goddard, Shane O'Reilly, Trevor Lobegeier and Stuart Glanville first travelled to Darwin to complete their HUET (helicopter underwater escape training) course before transferring to the oil-rig support vessel, Lady Valisia.

The ship’s crew did a seven-day “swing” shift, living on board, setting up recovery booms and skimming the oil before pumping it into bins and unloading them onto another rig.

”Temperatures on deck were 50 degrees-plus,” says Warren Goddard, Kurnell Refinery’s Area 4 Reliability Supervisor. “But we conducted Safe Performance Self Assessments (SPSA) and identified the hazards to keep team members safe and injury free in a new and challenging environment.”

Alex Strang name lives on

“I hereby name this vessel Alexander Spirit. I wish you, your crew and your owners a long life of happy and prosperous trading. May God be with you and all who sail with you.”

With those words Caltex Chairman Elizabeth Bryan officially named the 40,000-tonne Alexander Spirit in memory of Alex Strang, Caltex General Manager Supply & Distribution, who passed away last year.

The naming ceremony was held at the Lytton refinery crude wharf in early October in conjunction with Teekay Corporation. For over a decade Teekay has been providing shipping for petroleum products between Caltex refineries and terminals. Teekay bought the 2007-built Alexander Spirit to replace the Barrington.

“The name Alexander Spirit is a way for people in Caltex and Teekay to recognise and remember Alex Strang” in a way they felt was measured, General Manager Supply & Distribution Ken James explained at the ceremony. “Alex was not a man to promote himself and wouldn’t have wanted his full name on the vessel,” Ken said. “We felt Alexander Spirit was subtle yet very meaningful."

Caltex veterans go for gold

Some of Caltex’s fittest and most dedicated sports enthusiasts gave a masterly performance to take on the world’s top veterans at the recent World Masters Games in Sydney.

At the top of the podium in the touch football tournament over 60s division was Graeme Wilmot, Area Specialist for Kurnell’s Area 1B, who finished with a gold medal.

The touch competition was held over three days at St Marys Rugby League Club with Graeme’s team “The Blue Pointers” playing the “Gold Coast Sharks” in a hard-fought contest that finished in a 5-2 win.

Graeme, whose catchphrase is “know your limits,” says he’s retiring from competition now that he’s reached the pinnacle of touch football. His colleagues say they’ll believe it when they see it.

Not to be outdone Craig Wells, Operations Coordinator Inventory, Supply and Distribution at Banksmeadow terminal, whose over-50s touch football team, South Sydney, also won gold in his over-50s touch football team, South Sydney. “I can’t say I enjoyed the training, but I certainly enjoyed winning the medal,” he adds.

The medal tally didn’t stop with gold. Kurnell’s Steve Harrison, who competed in the over 35s rowing division at Penrith, won two silvers. His chance for a third medal was dashed when the last day of racing was cancelled due to high winds.