VLS
Complex chemistry – A technical review of VLS investigations: 2013 – 2023
Alan Outhwaite, Chairman, VLS Technical Review Panel
In 2013, the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS) was formed amid concerns that some lubricant products were being sold with claims that did not seem to be believable. Closer inspection found that occasionally sub-standard formulations were being passed off as the latest specifications or even failing to perform effectively. The vast majority of lubricants sold in the UK market at the time were fully compliant. However, out of this concern, reputable lubricant blenders and manufacturers came together to launch VLS.
Since then, VLS has investigated ninety different lubricant complaints from cold weather properties through to compliance with industry standards and market regulations. Over the years, the types of cases that VLS has handled have changed, and it has adapted to reflect the needs of the market.
This White Paper highlights the types of cases that have been investigated over the past ten years, and the learnings gleaned, in the context of an increasingly complex lubricants market.
When VLS was first formed there was clearly a lack of understanding in some areas of the marketplace. VLS is confident that ten years later, the message around compliance is being heard. Lubricant blenders, manufacturers and distributors alike know that they could be held to account by VLS to ensure that lubricants are correctly described and really can deliver what they claim. But as the industry evolves, a recent influx of cases shows that there is still work to be done to ensure an open and fair marketplace that end users can have confidence in.
44 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.177 OCTOBER 2023 To date, VLS has investigated ninety1 cases of
complaints regarding lubricants. The vast majority of these cases have related to passenger vehicle engine oils.
This indicates not only the size of the Passenger Vehicle (PV) market in comparison to other sectors but also the level of complexity required to accurately serve this consumer-orientated market.
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