VLS Newsletter – December 2020
Primary Authority partnership
VLS has entered into a Primary Authority partnership with Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards. The role of the partnership will be to ensure greater compliance amongst members through the provision of tailored guidance from the authority, so called assured advice, which other authorities are bound to follow unless there is good reason. VLS will also work with the authority to escalate issues and resolve case complaints.
Marketing guidelines
VLS has issued guidance regarding the use of marketing claims with respect to the technical specifications and performance claims of finished lubricants. The guidance can be found at https://ukla-vls.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/UKLA-VLS-Specifications-and-Marketing-Claims-Guidance-v4.pdf
Case summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 66, with 2 products under investigation, 0 not compliant following investigation, 0 not compliant following six month review, 0 product not proven to be compliant and escalated to Trading Standards, 0 product compliant during investigation and no further action taken, 0 compliant following investigation, 1 compliant following six month review and 63 archived.
Case 010166 – concerns the OEM and ACEA claims made on a 5w30 automotive engine oil. The case is currently anonymous and under investigation.
Case 010163 – concerning the claims made against manufacturer specifications has been investigated and the product found to be in compliance. The case was archived on 30 November.
Case 010159 – remains under investigation and has been passed to UEIL regarding the claims made on a 5w30 automotive engine oil.
Case 010154 – due to non-compliant HTHS properties identified at the six month review, the case regarding an automotive engine oil has been escalated to Trading Standards who have contacted the Named Party. A bulletin has been issued for the case.
To view the case outcomes, visit https://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-outcomes/
For details of how to submit a lubricant product complaint to VLS, go to https://ukla-vls.org.uk/case-handling-process/
Industry News
ACEA report that vehicle sales mirror economic growth over the period 2008 to 2021, and expect vehicle sales to be down by 25% this year versus 2019.
UK Government has announced the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel car sales by 2030,
SMMT reports that UK engine production has declined by a fifth in October 2020 and is down by 30% year to date.
ILMA report that PLUS are to begin Class 3 autonomous truck mass production in 2021.
UEIL has issued a technical bulletin regarding Renault Trucks, concerning the RDL-5 specification.
ALMU, the Asian Lubricant Manufacturers’ Union has announced a change of name to the Asian Lubricants Industry Association, or ALIA, and the appointment of a new Executive Director in Bernard Wong, formerly Asia-Pacific region head for the Lubrizol Corporation.
The EU Commission has opened a consultation on Access to Technical Data which is vital to the effective operation of the automotive aftermarket. The consultation is being carried out by the Transport Research Foundation.
Media Editorial
Professional Motor Mechanic magazine has reported on VLS’s entering into a Primary Authority partnership with Bucks & Surrey Trading Standards.
Lube Magazine, December 2020, Andrew Goddard, VLS Chairman, talks about the Additive Technical Committee’s Code of Practice and tis role in ensuring confidence in the performance of a finished lubricant through quality assuring the development of an additive package.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop magazine, Nov-Dec 20, features an article by VLS on the use of withdrawn claims by lubricant marketers, Page 28/29.
VLS has produced a short introductory video to the ACEA 2016 engine oil sequences which is available on the homepage of its website.
Media Advertising
Commercial Vehicle Workshop magazine, Nov-Dec 20, features a half page advert by VLS on page 19.
Lube Magazine, December 2020, features a half page advert by VLS on page 49.
Aftermarket magazine features a half page advert in its November issue on Page 21.
The future advertising schedule includes;
Garage magazine, January 2021.
Professional Motor Mechanic, February 2021.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, February 2021.
Events
ACI European Base Oils and Summit, has been rescheduled to 17/18 November 2021, Amsterdam.
Lubmat, will take place online on the 15-17 December 2020.
ICIS, the first ICIS World Base Oils & Lubricants Live will take place on 16-18 February 2021.
ELGI, Hamburg will take place on 24-27 April 2021.
UNITI, Stuttgart will now take place on 28-29 April 2021.
Social Media
Twitter
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LinkedIn
To follow VLS on LinkedIn click here.
Stay Up To Date
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.
Andrew Goddard
Chairman of VLS
