July/August 2019

everything' - well it will but are you ready to pay four times as much for that product which is exclusive to a single VM." Influence According to Andrew Goddard, the work undertaken by VLS over the last few years has influenced the way lubricant issues are approached on the continent: "We now have a closer relationship with ACEA. They have set up a Europe-wide quality management system very similar to this. The only difference is that while they are independently testing products, they are not publishing results. They have not got the big stick like us at the end of the day, which is Trading Standards. "We are also working with ACEA to ensure that the data packages with the additive companies are available. Also, that any issues, so if a marketer will not provide us with a candidate data package, and will not remove a product from the market, we will then report that back to ACEA as well. They will then remove that marketer from their approved list of suppliers as well." He added: "Another thing VLS has done is that it has woken up ATIEL to the fact that there is a problem in the European industry. They took samples of all their member companies in Europe, which is about 150-200. Of those samples, over 60% failed the tests throughout Europe. It was a significant problem and it is why ATIEL are working with us. They have set up continual testing. They will test all members products. They then write to the marketer and they then write back explaining what the problem is. They have acknowledged the problem." www.aftermarketonline.net JULY/AUGUST 2019 AFTERMARKET 57 www.aftermarketonline.net to try and buy product and getting super-confused and then impulsively saying 'I'll buy that one'. This is where we want to protect the consumer and the end user. We want to support fair and open competition as well. From a commercial perspective, if one company wants to sell product at a certain price, fine. However, what we did want to get away from was the type of one company selling a legitimate product at a certain price, and other companies selling product that is not fit for purpose at a lower price, that does not meet the criteria, and is hoodwinking the consumer." Level playing field So who are VLS member companies? "We have a lot of large independent manufacturers in the UK, Exol, Duckhams, Morris Lubricants, Millers Oils, GB Lubricants etc," explained Andrew. "We also have additive companies who are members - and also on the technical review panel as well. We also have major companies like Total and Q8 as well. A lot of the major manufacturers as well are members of VLS and on board as well with what we are trying to achieve. Everybody here has basically signed up to ensure that we are all on a level playing field . "In the last six years we have had 64 cases. How we differ from everybody else is that we publicise the answers. If a product is found to be non-compliant, we will publish that fact. The end game is the fact that if it is not corrected to our satisfaction, we will then report it to Trading Standards. That is the endgame and that is the threat that we post. If you do not respond and we are not satisfied that the product is now compliant. "Products under investigation remain anonymous until we have to publish, once the product is deemed to be compliant, or not. Of the cases we have had, it is predominantly automotive engine oil. On some of these, you would not believe the results we have seen – it is quite frightening. I am talking about products that are clearly not what they are supposed to be. This is basically non-compliance with ACEA specificiations. These and ATIEL, the representative body for the European lubricants industry, are very clear on what can and can't be claimed on products specifications, and the number of products. It is amazing how many products out there claim to be fine in everything from a BMW to a Ford and a Vauxhall too. Those days are gone. Today products are mutually exclusive, and around 60% of our claims have been about that." It's not just engine oil though: "We have also had the issue of low temperature properties in semi- synthetic 7590 gear oils. We have had some massive failures where the product just simply is not what it should be. We are talking about putting product in a vehicle which is not fit for purpose basically. That is where we are protecting the consumer." Evolving So, why have we been invited for a very pleasant lunch at the RAC Club? To remind us, the press, to remind you, our esteemed readership, of the changing face of automotive lubricants. Sorry to say, but a single drum of all-purpose gloop won't do the job these days, as Andrew observed: "It is a constantly evolving, ever- changing field. We have the low hanging fruit of the low temperature properties and the ACEA claims and the products that are too good to be true, but like in any industry if you shut one door, someone will open another one. We are having to continually evolve. "Don't get me wrong, there are products out there that are universal, but they sit significantly higher in the price range compared with a product that is not universal. There are products that will go in VW, Vauxhall etc, but they cost more, and this is where we are protecting the consumer. If Mr independent garage is sitting there and someone comes along and says 'this product will do Below: Andrew Goddard talks to delegates