VLS Newsletter – June 2023
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 89, with 12 products under investigation, 2 compliant during investigation, 1 compliant following investigation, 1 compliant following six month review and 73 archived.
Case 010189 – concerns the marketing claims made on a Hydraulic Oil. VLS accepted the case on the 8th June 2023.
Case 010188 – concerns the marketing claims made on a Multi UTTO (Universal Tractor Transmission Oil) WB 101. VLS accepted the case on the 5th June 2023.
Case 010187 – concerns the marketing claims made on an Aluminium Synthetic Cutting Fluid and is under investigation.
Case 010186 – concerns the low temperature properties of a 75W-90 Semi-Synthetic Gear Oil. VLS accepted the case on the 15th March 2023. The product has been sourced and tested and VLS have contacted the Named Party. The Named Party has quarantined the product and arranged an uplift and retest by their current supplier.
Case 010185 – concerns the low temperature properties of a 75W-90 Fully Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid. The product has been sourced and tested. VLS are in dialogue with the Named Party. The Named Party has arranged a quarantine of the product and an uplift by their current supplier.
Case 010184 – concerns the low temperature properties of a 75W-90 automotive gear oil. The product has been sourced and tested and VLS are in dialogue with the Named Party. The Named Party has quarantined and disposed of stock held in the warehouse and is arranging a reformulation of the product.
Case 010183 – concerns the low temperature properties of a 75W-90 automotive gear oil. The product has been sourced and tested and VLS are in dialogue with the Named Party. The Named Party has arranged for the product to be quarantined and uplifted by their supplier.
Case 010182 – concerns a hydraulic oil and its compliance against the DIN 51524 Part 2 standard. The original product as the subject of the complaint has been superseded, and the Complainant is arranging to procure and test a sample of this product to ensure the integrity of the original complaint. The Complainant has resourced the original product, retested it and submitted a revised case registration form which has been accepted by VLS.
Case 010181 – concerns PCEO 5W-30. VLS has confirmed the testing is appropriate, a sample has been sourced and has been submitted for testing.
Case 010179 – the investigation is concluded and the product remains in compliance at the six-month stage.
Case 010178 – concerning 10W-40 engine oil and the performance claims made on it. VLS is in correspondence with the Named Party regarding the compliance of the product.
Case 010176 – concerning 0W-30 PCEO and the claims made against OEM specifications. The product has been retested, details of the test results and complaint have been passed to the Named Party. The Named Party has responded with the steps they will take to bring the product into compliance, to which the TRP has passed comment on.
Case 010175 – the investigation is concluded and the product remains in compliance at the six-month stage.
Case 010171 – VLS are satisfied with the response from the Named Party and the investigation will be closed subject to a six month review.
Case 010167 – VLS are satisfied with the response from the Named Party and the investigation will be closed subject to a six-month review.
Case 010159 – UEIL has concluded its investigation into the matter and a bulletin is due to be issued.
To view the case outcomes, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
To raise a case with VLS, visit http://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-handling-process/
VLS can only investigate complaints made against products available on open sale in the UK. For case submission guidance visit https://ukla-vls.org.uk/publications/
Industry News
SMMT report that the UK new car market maintains momentum with a tenth month of growth.
The Competition and Markets Authority has published guidance on Motor Vehicle Agreements coinciding with the renewal of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Order from 1st June 2023 for a period of six years.
ACEA report that Euro 7 costs are between four to ten times higher than EU Commission estimates.
LubesNGreases report that Police in Brazil have seized 4,000 litres of engine oil.
ATIEL has reported on its work with UEIL, the European association of the lubricants industry on establishing a Product Carbon Footprint methodology.
Media Editorial
Autotechnician, May 2023 features a mention on VLS’s tenth anniversary and attendance at Automechanika at the NEC Birmingham in June.
Aftermarket magazine, May 2023 features commentary on the lubricants market by VLS. Page 43.
Garage Talk Online, May 2023 features commentary about VLS’s tenth anniversary.
Garage and MOT Online May 2023, features commentary on VLS’s tenth anniversary.
Autoresource website May 2023 features commentary on VLS’s tenth anniversary.
Garagewire May 2023, features commentary on VLS’s tenth anniversary coinciding with its appearance at Automechanika, Birmingham.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop reports on VLS’s concerns about the rise in counterfeit lubricants. May 2023.
Professional Motor Factor Online May 2023, VLS urges caution about using the latest oils in ageing vehicles.
Professional Motor Factor magazine, May 2023 features an Automechanika preview including VLS.
Garage and MOT magazine, May 2023, features VLS’s tenth anniversary.
Lube magazine, June 2023 includes a feature on VLS’s ten year anniversary with a look back at what changes have taken place in the sector since 2013. Page 50.
As a member, we would encourage you to disseminate the materials and content generated by VLS through your own communication channels.
Media Advertising
Aftermarket, June 2023. Half page VLS advert, Page 19.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, June 2023. Half page VLS advert, Page 17.
Lube magazine, June 2023. Half page VLS advert, Page 45.
Events
The UNITI Mineral Oil Technology Forum will be held in July in Stuttgart.
Lubricant Expo will be held in Messe Essen in September.
The Lube conference on Succession and Sustainability will be held in London on the 18th October.
Social Media
Twitter
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LinkedIn
To follow VLS on LinkedIn click here.
Stay Up To Date
We would encourage all members to make use of the content generated by VLS and share this to your own communication platforms. If your media team would like access to VLS press releases, newsfeeds and notifications from our social media accounts, please email admin@ukla-vls.org.uk, and we will add your name to our list of contacts.
Mike Bewsey
VLS Chairman
