YES - There is an Issue With Low Quality and/or Off-spec Lubricant in the US Market |
JobbersWorld conducted a survey last month
(see link below)
examining the perceptions of its readers with
regards to the quality of lubricants in the
US market. When asked, "Do you feel there is
an issue with low quality and/or off spec
lubricants in the market?" 85% of the 373
respondents said "yes." And the responses to
this question were relatively consistent
among lubricant distributors, major oil
companies, independent lubricant
manufacturers, and additive suppliers.
But more than simply saying there is an issue
with low quality lubricants, our readers
offered up a wide range of suggestions as to
what can be done to improve the quality of
lubricants. The most common suggestions
focused on the need for a new, independent
testing organization that publishes test data
on samples taken from the field.
As expressed by a number of comments in the
survey, many feel there is little hope that
the API or ILMA will do much to address the
issue. Although each is given credit for
trying, at the end of the day, it is believed
that something more needs to be done. And we
plan to do just that - Read Below.
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A CALL TO ACTION |
In response to what we have been hearing over
the years and the strong call to action seen in
the JobbersWorld survey results, Petroleum
Trends Intl., with the
support of
other industry stakeholders, formed the
Petroleum Quality Institute of America
(PQIA). The mission of PQIA is to educate and
serve the consuming public by
monitoring and reporting on the quality of
lubricants in
the marketplace. We will do so by independent
testing and reporting on samples of
lubricants taken from the field. The first
report is expected to be completed for
release to the public in December.
PQIA will publish the test data, the
specific brand names,
the manufacturer's names, and commentary
where appropriate. All of this information
will be available to the consuming public for
free on the PQIA website.
We view this as an industry effort. As such,
we ask stakeholders in the lubricants
business (e.g. finished lubricant
manufacturers, distributors, additive
suppliers, base oil suppliers, and others) to
contact us with your thoughts and support.
Additionally, PQIA will hold an industry
trade conference and show (Quality
Now) in 2010. If you have a quality
topic you would like to present at the
conference, please contact us by email at
[email protected]
Additional information on the Petroleum
Quality Institute of America (PQIA) and the
Quality Now conference and trade show
will available in
upcoming issues of JobbersWorld.
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POLARIS Laboratories becomes sole source |
Atlanta, GA - POLARIS Laboratories announced
today its selection as Oldcastle Materials'
sole provider of fluid analysis services. A
high growth leader in the fluid analysis
industry, POLARIS will now provide oil and
coolant testing, analysis and data management
services to more than 300 Oldcastle companies
- today's leading suppliers of aggregates,
asphalt, ready-mix concrete and paving
services in the United States.
Brett Minges, POLARIS Vice President of
Sales, said POLARIS' ISO 17025 A2LA
accreditation is evidence that the laboratory
can provide the quality testing, accurate
results and actionable maintenance
recommendations necessary to support
corporate maintenance practices and create a
positive impact on the bottom line.
"Using accurate and reliable fluid analysis
data to reduce downtime, improve productivity
and increase equipment reliability can affect
the success of maintenance programming
tremendously," Minges said. "To know that
Oldcastle Materials has chosen POLARIS as its
sole source for providing these services
creates an exciting opportunity for both
organizations to exceed the already high
standards by which they operate."
According to Ron Piccolo, Oldcastle Vice
President of Strategic Sourcing, an extremely
user-friendly data management solution and a
virtually seamless process for transitioning
historical data were also deciding factors in
placing the company's fluid analysis program
with POLARIS.
"A partnership with POLARIS Laboratories
creates an exceptional opportunity to easily
access and manage the plethora of data that
our sampling generates daily." Piccolo said.
"This consolidation of information, along
with consistency in testing methods and
procedures provides a strong foundation for
implementing well-directed maintenance and
reliability best practices."
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More High Quality Base Oil on the Plate |
Bahrain's Oil & Gas Holding Company, owned by
the National Oil and Gas Authority (Noga),
signed a $120 million agreement with Ahli
United Bank (AUB) to finance its stake in the
new $430 million lubricant base oil
manufacturing plant.
The loan facility will be used to finance
Nogaholdingls 27.5 per cent stake in the new
plant, which will we one of the largest in
the Middle East. Nogaholdingls landmark joint
venture is being established in partnership
with BAPCO and Neste Oil of Finland. The new
plant, set up to increase revenue from the
domestic oil industry, will utilize feedstock
from Bapcols low sulfur diesel plant to
manufacture Group III lubricant
base oils. The kingdom of Bahrain will have a
55 per cent stake in the plant with Neste oil
retaining a 45 per cent share.
Dr Abdul-Hussain bin Ali Mirza, Minister of
Oil and Gas Affairs, Chairman of Noga and
Nogaholding said: the lube base oil project
is an important project for Nogaholding and
will generate substantial additional revenue
for the petroleum industry in the kingdom of
Bahrain. The project will benefit from the
increasing demand across the world for low
sulfur base oils in the production of
lubricants.
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Contact Us With Your News |
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lubricant distributors. You are our primary
audience and you are the ones we need to hear
from. What's on your mind? What issues would
you like to see us tackle? And what news
would you like others to know about?
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We reach out to nearly 10,000 participants in
the lubricant distribution supply chain once
or twice a week (depending on what's NEWS)
and we tell it like it is.
Please contact us via e-mail at
[email protected], or direct at
732-494-0405.
Thank you
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