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Firstly, by offering an OEM-approved portfolio, oil marketers can protect their brand reputation, along with the reputation of their customers and the vehicles into which their products are placed. Having undertaken rigorous lab and engine testing to gain their approvals, these solutions provide the ultimate protection for hardware, safeguarding against engine troubles and unwanted downtime.
Secondly, creating products that hold formal OEM approvals enables oil marketers to increase the value of their products in the marketplace and make it easier for workshops to be sure they’ve selected the right product for a vehicle.
There are cases where it isn’t always possible for lubricants to hold an approval. For example, not all OEMs grant formal approvals, or it may be an obsolete specification. In these cases, the best course of action is to confirm the relevant testing has been conducted and seek confirmation of the fluid’s performance. Since the oil marketer holds all responsibility and liability for lubricants they supply into the market, ensuring evidence of testing is available provides them with a level assurance.
Creating value from complexity challenges Plain and simple, value is there for lubricant makers. The question is how to unlock it in such a complex market space with so many varying specifications?
Creating an OEM-approved portfolio that provides a broad range of specification coverage whilst maintaining efficient manufacturing requires deliberate inventory management. For many, that translates to a focus on minimising complexity in the process. But in doing so, there’s something that many overlook.
Rather than focusing on process, part of the answer to reducing complexity may be in the finished lubricant’s components themselves. Namely, the additives and performance polymers.
Additives & performance polymers are a complexity reducer
Additives and performance polymers are sometimes overlooked in the supply chain when considering areas of improvement. However, when chosen carefully, the right choice can actually be complexity reducers.
24 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.175 JUNE 2023
For example, consider the European mid-SAPS market which is expected to equate to almost three quarters of lubricant demand by 2028. For oil marketers to take advantage, they need to navigate in excess of 20 OEM and industry specifications to maximize their portfolio potential.
Here is a perfect case where a focus on additive and polymer optimisation can help. By selecting the right technology, oil marketers can achieve broad coverage in this space with fewer additive and polymer packages than they may think they need. As a result, they can also reduce operational complexity via fewer logistical considerations and minimize on-site storage needs – a true win-win.
The potential of a complexity reduced OEM Approved portfolio
Understanding the key OEM approvals an oil marketers’ portfolio needs for today and the future, allows for a critical evaluation of the additive packages required. It is then possible to start reducing complexity by minimising the number of additive packages whilst maintaining the current OEM specification coverage.
By undertaking this approach and therefore reducing the number of additives this opens up the potential to explore new market segments, creating increased productivity from the existing manufacturing footprint.
www.lubrizol.com
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