Main content | back to top
Shell Bitumen at a glance
Naturally occurring bitumen has been around for many thousands of years; a recording of a bituminous substance is found in the Bible. From the late nineteenth century onwards demand for bitumen has been increasing – a demand Shell has helped to meet.
Shell began major bitumen production in the UK in 1920 with the opening of the Shell Haven refinery. Today, we manufacture bitumen at refineries around the world and are one of the leaders in research into new bitumen and asphalt applications.
Shell has been involved in bitumen manufacturing and marketing for more than 85 years, drawing on its global expertise to deliver, through Shell Bitumen bitumen products and services, to road and paving contractors. Shell Bitumen operates with global experience and local knowledge and offers dedicated account management, seeking to provide cost-effective bitumen solutions to meet your business needs - be they industrial, professional, trade or domestic.
Global Reach Local Touch
With operations across more than 30 countries Shell Bitumen is a bitumen provider with real aspirations to provide global supply coverage.
However, we retain substantial local knowledge and offer excellent customer service through our dedicated sales and technical teams.
Supply Strength
With refineries, plants and depots around the world, Shell has a reliable global and regional bitumen manufacturing and marketing network to supply high quality product consistently and high performance standards to help you to complete projects on schedule. Our Supply & Distribution staff are dedicated to our bitumen business and are also part of a global Shell network of Supply & Distribution professionals. With expertise in asset management and delivery scheduling, for example, they ensure that Shell Bitumen has the product availability, supply network and appropriate fleet configuration and schedules to meet its customers’ supply needs.
*Did you know?
- We deliver approximately 11,000 metric tonnes of bitumen products across 30 countries every day
- We continually invest in technology and R&D to develop innovative and award-winning products
- We partner with around 1,600 customers to pave 350km of roads every day – that’s 1 kilometre of road every 4 minutes!
* based on internal Shell figures from January 2010.
Dedicated account management
Working closely with a dedicated account manager who understands your needs and acts as a day-to-day link to our network of experts.
Delivering innovation to your advantage
Meeting the world’s growing energy needs whilst minimising the impact of our products and services on the environment requires new technology, new partnerships and new ways of operating. We are continually looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our operations, products and services. We have some solutions already but by no means claim to have all the answers.
We are determined however, to continue to develop more sustainable solutions to help your business to win in the difficult times ahead. This is why innovation is at the heart of everything we do.
Discover More
- Download technical publications and patents report 2010 (PDF, 698 KB) - opens in new window
- Download technical publications and patents report 2009 (PDF, 836 KB) - opens in new window
- Download technical publications and patents report 2008 (PDF, 768 KB) - opens in new window
- Download technical publications and patents report 2005 - 2007 (PDF, 1007 KB) - opens in new window