Chairman’s Column August 2016
Andrew Goddard
In my April column I spoke about risks that are inherent in the development, manufacture and marketing of lubricants. This month I want to turn my attention to the way VLS views risks which arise from a product’s non-compliance with industry standards or its stated technical specification.
As early as 2013 VLS has been working to resolve product complaints relating to the technical specification and product performance of lubricants. Since this time VLS has approached the management of risks associated with non-compliance in a homogenous way, whilst recognising that not all compliance issues have the same impact in a given situation.
Some products that incorrectly apply ACEA sequences by the addition of year date markings on the product pack might be suitable for use in a given application, however the product might be non-compliant due to incorrect labelling. In this case ACEA does permit the use of year date markings within the trade but does not permit their use to the end user or eventual consumer.
Compare this with a lubricant that fails to perform effectively in a given application, for example a product that turns solid in a car’s engine at cold temperatures of minus thirty degrees centigrade. In this example there is a significant and severe short-term threat to the failure of an application due to the non-performance of the lubricant.
These two cases illustrate ways in which lubricants can be non-compliant for different reasons, and the varying impact of non-compliance arising from the performance characteristics of the product.
The VLS Technical Review Panel has been instrumental in establishing a risk matrix for VLS that recognises the varying nature of risks. The matrix uses a traffic light system to compare the physical properties of a product with its specification and categorises risk relative to the likelihood and severity of impact on an application. The risk matrix can be viewed on the VLS website at
www.ukla-vls.org.uk.
50 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.134 AUGUST 2016
Mitigating a risk and applying appropriate contingencies in the event of a risk becoming an apparent issue are essential management techniques to be applied if our sector is to retain the trust of our end users over the longer-term.
At the end of the day it is up to the end user to check the manufacturer’s stated requirements for a lubricant and apply the recommended product for the application. It is up to the industry to help the consumer make an informed choice between products, and support their purchase decision for a lubricant that is suitable for use in a given application.
Andrew Goddard Chairman Verification of Lubricant Specifications
LINK
www.ukla-vls.org.uk
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