VLS Newsletter – December 2022
Case Summary
Overall the number of cases stands at 82, with 8 products under investigation, 3 compliant during investigation, 3 compliant following investigation and 68 archived.
Case 010182 – concerns a hydraulic oil. VLS are confirming which tests can be run on the product with our testing laboratory.
Case 010181 – concerns PCEO 5W-30. VLS has asked the complainant to revise the case registration form with details of where the product is currently available on open sale.
Case 010180 – concerns PCEO 5W-30. VLS has asked the complainant to revise the case registration form with details of where the product is currently available on open sale.
Case 010179 – concerning 5W-40 engine oil and the mix of ACEA and OEM performance claims made on it. The product has been investigated and found to be compliant at the time of manufacture, the case is closed subject to a six month review.
Case 010178 – concerning 10W-40 engine oil and the performance claims made on it. The product is subject to testing to validate and verify the claims made.
Case 010177 – concerning 5W-30 passenger car engine oil and the performance claims made on it. The case is subject to verification with the complainant that it is available on open sale in the UK.
Case 010176 – concerning 0W-30 PCEO and the ACEA and OEM claims made against OEM specifications is under investigation.
Case 010175 – concerning 5W-30 PCEO and the ACEA claims made. VLS have concluded our investigation into the product and believe that the product is in a state of transition as the claims made against the ACEA engine oil sequences straddle across two sets of overlapping sequences, therefore the product is in compliance and the case subject to a six month review.
Case 010174 – concerning 5W-30 PCEO and the ACEA and OEM claims made and is under investigation.
Case 010173 – the case was archived on 6th November 2022.
Case 010172 – concerning 5W-30 PCEO and the ACEA and OEM claims made. The Named Party’s blender produced information from their technology provider supporting all claims made, and the parent company is registered with SAIL under the ATIEL Lubricant Marketer’s Letter of Conformance to make self-certifying ACEA claims. Consequently the TRP have determined that there is no case to answer. VLS will undertake a six month review of the case in line with its stated process.
Case 010171 – concerned claims for approvals made against OEM specifications with the investigation now concluded and the results published to the website. The case is subject to a six month review which is currently underway.
Case 010169 – The product complaint concerned the way the specifications have been laid out on the Technical Data Sheet so that was alleged not to be clear whether any of these specifications are met, exceeded or official approvals held by the product. The second part of the complaint concerned a third party distributor website where the complainant felt it was wrong and misleading that the product claims were being listed as being approvals when no approvals are listed on the datasheet.
The Named Party reviewed and updated the Technical Data Sheet and also held a meeting with the third party distributor, who amended the claims on the website from formal approvals to marketing claims. Labels of the product were also sent to VLS and a copy of the internal database for the product held by the Named Party was provided to VLS as evidence of which claims were being supported.
VLS was content that the actions taken by the Named Party had brought the product into compliance and the investigation was concluded subject to a six month review in line with VLS’s stated process.
Case 010167 – concerns claims made on 5W-30 automotive engine oil. The case has been subject to a six month review and the results of the review have been communicated back to the Named Party from whom we await a response.
Case 010159 – remains under investigation and has been passed to UEIL regarding the claims made on 5W-30 automotive engine oil. UEIL has written to the OEMs referenced on the product labelling who are pursuing the matter.
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/
Industry News
UK Government – following CoP 26, UK Government has signed a declaration accelerating the move to zero emission vehicles.
EU has published Euro 7 proposals on setting stricter vehicle emissions targets bringing emission limits for all motor vehicles, i.e., cars, vans, buses and lorries under a single set of rules.
SMMT report that commercial vehicle production is up for the 10th straight month in a row.
ILMA report that the EV charging infrastructure is potentially unprepared for cyberattacks.
ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has published a report on electrification trends worldwide.
CECRA welcomes the Euro 7 proposal to setting more ambitious vehicle emission targets.
Transport for London has announced proposals to expand the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to the whole of London from August 2023.
Media Editorial
Commercial Vehicle Workshop, October 2022, Page 50. VLS provides insight into the heavy-duty oil sequences.
Professional Motor Factor, November 2022. VLS reports that misleading marketing claims continue to cause issues in the lubricants market, Pages 33/34.
Professional Motor Mechanic online, November 2022. VLS discusses the changes to the ACEA engine oil sequences.
Lube magazine, December 2022, page 46. VLS discusses the role of the International Fluids Consortium following the release of two new lubricant specifications; GEO 1 and GEO 2.
Media Advertising
Aftermarket, November 2022, half page advert Page 27.
Commercial Vehicle Workshop magazine, November 2022, half page advert.
Lube magazine, December 2022, half page VLS advert. Page 47.
Events
Argus Global Base Oils Conference, February 20-22, 2023.
ICIS World Base Oils Conference, Windsor, 3-5 May, 2023.
Automechanika UK 6-8 June 2023, NEC, Birmingham.
Social Media
Twitter
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LinkedIn
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Mike Bewsey
VLS Chairman
