Quality Processes Must Uphold Standards
The Technical Association of the European Lubricants Industry, or ATIEL, has recently updated its quality management policy in light of an investigation by the independent United Kingdom trade body Verification of Lubricant Specifications.
At present, ATIEL undertakes a global monitoring program of products that make claims against the engine oil sequences of the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers, known as ACEA. This program is designed to ensure only those products that are compliant can continue to make these self-certified claims.
Any compliance program must be able to assure the quality of products it monitors for the benefit of end users, with the aim of encouraging greater compliance in the sector rather than penalizing non-compliance.
VLS referred the case to ATIEL in 2019, after a lengthy U.K. investigation. Case 160, regarding an SAE 5W-30 fully synthetic SN/CF oil, was first reported to VLS in November 2018, with concerns of technically conflicting claims made on the product that were not technically feasible. The claims concerned industry standards, such as the ACEA engine oil sequences, as well as various original equipment manufacturer specifications. The technical information also contained errors in the promotional material and claims made against obsolete industry standards.
Through an anonymous process, VLS’ technical review panel examined the product, assessed and upheld the complaints raised and advised remedial action be taken to bring the product into compliance. VLS worked with the marketer to resolve a number of conflicting claims, remove references to obsolete claims and present the product’s technical information in a compliant manner.
In line with its marketing claims procedure, VLS asked the marketer for a copy of the candidate data pack for the product. This data pack is considered to be the best way of assessing the performance of the product by detailing those ACEA claims that are supported by the additive company through the application of its technology.
After a period of investigation, the marketer failed to provide the data pack, putting the company in breach of ATIEL’s Code of Practice in making it available for an external audit. VLS reported the company to ATIEL for breaching its undertakings under the ATIEL Code of Practice. VLS also escalated the issue to U.K. Trading Standards as the claims on the product could not be validated or verified, and no evidence had been provided that the product was capable of meeting all or indeed any of the claims made against it.
The existing ATIEL Code of Practice is aimed at encouraging greater compliance across the European lubricants industry through the continuous monitoring of automotive engine lubricant quality in the market and the exchange of information and technical data that supports the education of lubricant marketers. The policy also provides a framework for supporting marketers, who are responsible for all aspects of product liability, to take corrective action to address non-compliance issues. This includes procedures for ATIEL to give feedback and advice to marketers or to take action against them, depending on the extent of the non-compliance. It provides an important benchmark for the manufacture of engine lubricants.
The ATIEL Code of Practice is part of the European Engine Lubricant Quality Management System, which was developed jointly by ACEA, the Technical Committee of Petroleum Additive Manufacturers in Europe and ATIEL. EELQMS is a framework for ensuring the quality of engine lubricants in Europe, comprising the ATIEL Code of Practice, industry standards such as the ACEA engine oil sequences and various test methods. The system is designed to promote the development of improved, fit-for-purpose engine lubricants that meet the increasing technical requirements of the automotive industry, and to assist lubricant marketers in assuring the quality of their lubricants and the performance claims being made by them in the marketplace.
Recent developments at ATIEL have included the signing of a memorandum of understanding between ATIEL, Services to Associations and Industry in the Lubricants Sector, which carries out ATIEL’s product compliance surveys, and ACEA. The aim of the letter is that in cases of non-compliant products, a joint letter signed by ATIEL and ACEA can be sent to the lubricant marketer to emphasize the importance of compliance.
ACEA requires lubricant marketers making claims against its oil sequences to sign a letter of conformance, confirming compliance with the requirements of the EELQMS. This letter of conformance must be submitted to ATIEL, which administers the system. By signing this letter of conformance, lubricant marketers are deemed to be fully participating in the EELQMS, meeting the requirements of ACEA and able to market products claiming to meet the ACEA standards. To date, ATIEL member products have not been subject to compliance testing – only non-member products.
However, the investigation into case 160 highlighted that this process may not be stringent enough to uphold industry standards. At a meeting at ATIEL in January in Brussels, it was agreed that ACEA-branded products, of which this case represented one such lubricant, would be included in compliance programs for the first time. The policy has been changed so that all products are subject to sampling and testing, including ACEA member products, to ensure that industry standards are maintained and products really can deliver what they claim.
This case and the subsequent ATIEL quality process change demonstrate that VLS vigorously pursues cases, including referring them to other European industry bodies, to ensure that lubricant products being sold are fit for purpose. The announcement from ATIEL sends a robust message to the European lubricants industry that no one is exempt from testing. Product quality and motorist safety must come first.
Andrew Goddard is chairman of VLS, an association established to validate and verify the technical specifications and performance claims made on lubricant products.