The necessity of recommending the right oil.
Experts say that there are over 1 billion registered vehicles in the world today, and yet it is still surprising that not a lot of people are familiar with the need to choose the right lubricants for their automobiles. It has been said that the “engine oil is the lifeblood of the car’s engine” although most consumers are still unsure as to which is the right oil their vehicles need, or don’t know the difference between the right oil and any kind of oil. For a good number of vehicle owners, an oil is as good as any oil.
A Wealth of Information
Man has been familiar with the benefits of lubricating moving parts since the Industrial Revolution, and the list of oil specifications has significantly skyrocketed since then. From using by-products of crude oil and animal fats in engines over a hundred years ago, we now face a multitude of options: synthetic, semi-synthetic, mineral- based, high-mileage, energy-conserving oils and a whole lot more in between. Compound this with a ton of product literature found in shops and on the internet, and testimonials from various indus- try experts and product endorsers, and you end up with a very confused public.
Saying that Piet loved to collect car information would be an oversimplification – he lived and breathed cars, and he gathered so much auto data that he was able to build a business out of it. Thus, the Olyslager Organisation was founded in 1948 as a result of Piet’s passion for maintaining cars in the best way possible.
Piet’s original collection of car manuals dating back to the 1909 Model T Ford can be found in Olyslager’s Head Office and also at the National Car Automotive Library in The Netherlands, one of the world’s biggest automotive archives.
Why Knowing the Right Oil Matters
A lubricating oil such as an engine oil creates a film which sepa- rates two surfaces in contact, decreasing the heat produced due to friction and prolongs the life of the engine in the process. Aside from dispersing heat, oils also protect against dirt and deposits, fights oxidation and reduces corrosion. Thus, a high-quality oil could be worth the premium given the extra benefits you get out of it such as better protection and an extended oil drain.
As the brilliant economist and psychologist Herbert A. Simon said, “
...information consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” In this case, having access to information on lubricants does not necessarily result in people making the right choices about which one is best for their vehicle. Most even entrust other people to make the deci- sion for them.
The Vision of Piet Olyslager
In the early part of the 20th century as it is today, people were not sure how to pick the right oil for their automobile. Although the op- tions back then were much simpler and straightforward than what we have now, the challenge is not any easier: vehicle owners do want to buy the right lubricants for their cherished vehicles.
During this period lived a self-made Dutch businessman and car enthusiast by the name of Piet Olyslager (1915-1993). Piet initially worked at the Stam garage in Soest (Bugatti), taught himself how to draw and shortly after the war started to design both sports and luxury cars for, among others, Talbot-Lago and Abarth.
Aside from being famous for his amazing automotive illustrations, he also became known for the Motor Manuals and FAQ Hand- books he wrote for car workshops and individual car owners. These manuals not only taught laypeople how to look after their vehicles, it also contained information as to which oil specification a particular car model requires.
The company also has extensive experience in producing datasets for electronic catalogues such as TecDoc and ACES, customising API solutions for its partners, and in providing market research through car parc and OEM data analysis.
It has often been said that the best ideas are the simplest ones, and this one is definitely one of them: compiling oil recommenda- tion info so that the public will know which lubricants they should buy.
It is this flexibility and openness to change, and its genuine com- mitment to bring accurate, relevant and updated oil advice data to millions of customers worldwide, that has propelled Olyslager to new heights 68 years after its founding.
And we have a passionate Dutchman to thank for leading the way for all of us.
www.olyslager.com •
sales@olyslager.com • +31 33 4535 535 28 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.135 OCTOBER 2016
Conversely, putting the wrong oil in one’s vehicle or machinery can cause serious issues – equipment breakdown, increased wear and tear, downtime, and even reputational damage and liability claims for oil marketers.
In any case, it does pay to know which product to use and to recommend.
Knowing the Right Oil in the 21st Century Seven decades on from Piet Olyslager’s desire to consolidate oil recommendation advice and make it available to the public, the vision and the business proudly continues.
To date, Olyslager is the market leader and preferred provider of oil recommendation solutions by the world’s top oil brands, dis- tributors, marketers and car care workshops. In use by hundreds of oil firms globally and its oil advisor sites viewed 200 million times annually, one can say that Olyslager has gone a long way from booklets to CDs to websites and now mobile technology.
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