.
Kerr & Smith is a family company providing sales and servicing for Vauxhall cars and Iveco and DAF commercial vehicles in Ayr, Cumnock and Glasgow. The group, which employs about 150 people, was also a winner of Family Business of the Year in the 2013 Ayrshire Business Awards.
In order to service the diverse range of vehicles Kerr & Smith needs a good oil supplier and, more than ten years ago, the owners of the business started a relationship with Q8Oils to supply oils and other lubricants for various vehicle types, and for the business’s four sites.
Commenting for the company, managing director Paul Kerr says that during the long relationship the business has never experienced any problems. “The Q8Oils team has always been very helpful, always delivered what we needed and on time; and the level of service they have established with us continues to this day.”
The business has recently relocated its Ayr site to a brand new purpose built, 4-acre site commercial vehicles site that specialises in heavier commercial vehicles but also features a fully equipped ATF Lane for testing all vehicles – cars, HGVs and PSVs. The team can provide pre-MOT testing, PMI inspection, LOLER checks and repair and maintenance for any fleet and all makes, no matter how large or small. Paul says the growth potential for the new site is enormous and the test facility allows staff to provide a fast turnaround for any mix of car and commercial customers.
Regarding product deliveries, Kerr & Smith stores its Q8 oils in bulk tanks, so typically orders 1000 or 1500 litre bulk quantities of engine oils to various specifications, which are delivered within a day or two. Smaller quantities of hydraulic oils, gear oils, greases, etc. are ordered over the phone with the Q8Oils customer service centre in Leeds and also delivered within a couple of days.
“There have never been issues with delivery for any orders and this is important to us because in our business customers, especially HGV customers whose vehicles are making money for their businesses, can’t afford to have vehicles off the road for any length of time.” explains Paul.
He goes on to say that if products are required to keep Kerr & Smith customers on the road, a reliable supplier of quality oils and lubricants is essential, which is why Kerr & Smith have used Q8Oils for so long and why they continue to use them today.
The high specifications of modern vehicles demand oils and lubricants created with the same high technologies used to design and manufacture components such as engines, axles, etc. Q8Oils supplies those products and have helped Kerr & Smith to understand the specifications and the choices they need to make.
For further information on its range of passenger car and commercial vehicle lubricants and petroleum-based derivatives, call Q8Oils on 0113 235 0555, email marketing@Q8Oils.com or visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk.
.
When Q8Oils launched its Field Service Technician (FST) service at the MACH exhibition in 1992 it was an instant hit with visitors and was so well received in the wider industry that, at METCUT 1994, it received the Metalworking Production ‘Technical Innovation’ award. Now, more than twenty years on, Q8Oils marks the success of FST’s unrivalled service to the UK manufacturing industry with the launch of QCare – a major upgrade of the system that monitors the condition of Q8Oils metalworking fluids and lubricants in a wide range of applications such as turning, cutting and grinding.
The new QCare service uses a network-enabled, tablet-based system with a bespoke ‘app’ that enables Q8Oils field service technicians to monitor fluids, complete their audits and deliver results while still on site. In addition, because FSTs are highly trained metalworking experts, when working with machine operators they may also be able to identify problems as their checks are completed, and help to rectify them.
A visual inspection and a variety of tests are conducted to ensure Q8Oils products are performing correctly. These include standard fluid parameters such as concentration, pH and microbiological content. They also offer advice that can help customers increase coolant life and optimise performance resulting in improved machining processes and reduced machine down time.
Customers can also logon to the QCare system using their own tablet or desktop computer, and view a full historical report at any time, and share it with colleagues.
In the past twenty years the FST system has moved from a ‘paper’ system requiring everything to be written down and multiple copies made, to an advanced and automated ‘traffic-light’ system that identifies conditions as Green (normal), Amber (caution e.g. adjust fluid concentration) or Red (immediate action required). As direct sales manager Jeremy Dineen explains: “The new QCare system is very much easier to operate, fully-automated and therefore much quicker, and will create a graphic chart to show a full history of any individual machine.” He adds that the new system is very compact, much more user-friendly on site, and allows data to be distributed instantly.
The combination of Q8Oils’ highly-trained field service technicians and modern tablet technology enables customers to streamline their metalworking operation by maintaining machine performance and saving significant costs. Regular monitoring can limit unscheduled costs by reducing man and machine down time to routine service stops, and saving unscheduled maintenance.
Leading oil and lubricant manufacturer Q8Oils is to sponsor Tom Wood, the highly successful 12 year old junior Kart racer from Castle Donington, who races for the Aim Motorsport Cadet team. The sponsorship will include funding for the season’s race entry fees and other team expenses.
His Karting successes in 2013 included 3rd in the National Cadet kart championship, which was a very close points finish - coming down to the last race. He was 3rd place overall and highest placed Young Driver in the British Cadet Kart Championship 2013 with only a couple of points between the first three drivers, Vice GP Plate Champion in the British Kart Grand Prix, Vice O Plate Champion in the IAME Cadet O Plate. He was also Top Rookie in both Championships. Another highlight of Tom’s career to date is winning the 2012 Trent Valley Kart Club Championship, which put his name on the same Trophy as his hero World Formula One Champion Lewis Hamilton. Not surprising, Tom’s own ambition is to become a Formula One world champion and he will be competing around the United Kingdom in the British Cadet kart Championship, which is acknowledged as the road to Formula One.
Tom first drove a kart in 2005 and loved it immediately. At Kartmania in 2007 the new Bambino school was being launched in 2008 and he could compete in petrol karts in the next year. A second-hand Bambino kart as a Christmas present opened another chapter in Tom’s karting life, and the Wood family made the first of many trips to Buckmore Park in Kent for the newly organised Bambino race meetings.
Tom contested the Bambino rounds through 2008 and 2009 – becoming the most successful Bambino racer at Buckmore, winning 12 out of 18 rounds in 2009 and being on the podium 17 times.
He then moved into MSA cadet racing, competing in five races as a novice before being allowed to have a full race licence. In these early meetings he won three first place novice trophies!
2010 saw him finish all three championships well up the order: with a 5th place at – Rissington, 6th at Shenington, 7th at Whilton Mill, and the highlight of the year – winning the most promising cadet trophy at the Shenington awards evening.
In 2011 it was time to move up to National Competition. Tom entered the Formula Kart Stars British championship racing for SAS motorsport. This was a big jump from the club meetings and he was now competing with much more experienced drivers up to five years older than him. The result? As always Tom pushed hard and finished as the highest placed young driver in the final championship standings. He also competed in the Shenington Club championship finishing in 3rd place overall, with many podium finishes. At the end of 2011 he signed for the top cadet team in the country – Fusion Motorsport and in 2012 competed in the Formula Kart Stars (FKS) championship. Still signed with Aim Motorsport Cadet Team, Tom is top seed for 2014, and the rest as they say is history.
As well as karting, Tom also enjoys a wide range of interests including cycling, swimming, football, hockey, running and music, but admits that his favouring next to Karting is watching Motorsport: especially F1, V8 Supercars and Motor GP.
Commenting on his Q8Oils sponsorship he says: "I am delighted to have backing from such a prestigious global company as Q8Oils. It is a fantastic opportunity and I would like to thank the company for its support. I am looking forward to what will be a very exciting season ahead together." He also repeats the promise he makes every season “I only race to win”.
Harry Barr has been appointed as Q8Oils’ field service technician (FST) for Scotland. Harry, who studied mechanical engineering at college and went on to serve his apprenticeship as an agricultural engineer, has also worked for British Steel and as a site manager within the Rolls Royce group.
Harry’s primary role is it to monitor the condition of Q8Oils metalworking fluids and lubricants at his customers’ sites. A variety of tests are carried out to ensure Q8Oils are performing correctly, including visual inspections, determination of the lubricant concentration, pH monitoring. In addition, conductivity, total dissolved solids, biocide concentration and the bio-burden are measured and FSTs also offer advice, which can help customers increase coolant life and performance, refine and improve cutting and forming processes, and reduce machine down-time.
The Q8Oils Field Service Technician service was launched at MACH 1992 and was so well received in the wider industry that, at METCUT 1994, it received a ‘Technical Innovation’ award from Metalworking Production.
Twenty-two years on from its launch, Q8Oils will be using this years’ MACH and Subcon shows to re-launch its FST service. The new offering, which uses a tablet-based system and bespoke app, will enable Q8Oils FSTs to monitor fluids, complete their audits and deliver results all while onsite; ensuring that if bacteria are found in cutting fluids it is reported as soon as possible.
Commenting for Q8Oils, Harry says: “We’ve been trialling this new system for a while now and it’s a real innovation and promises tangible benefits for Q8Oils customers.”
For further information, Q8Oils will be demonstrating the new FST system at MACH 2014 (Stand 5584) or Subcon 2014 (Stand G23). Alternatively, call Q8Oils on +44 (0)113 235 0555 or email Marketing@Q8Oils.com.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for 2014, Leeds-based Q8Oils will be supporting the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Flying seven days a week, 365 days a year, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is an independent charity providing a life-saving, rapid-response emergency service to over five million people across Yorkshire. The service covers major cities, motorways and rural and isolated locations in the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks.
Commenting on the announcement, YAA Regional Fundraiser, Kerry Garner says: “We are delighted that Q8Oils has chosen us as part of its 2014 CSR programme. Their generosity, like that of our other patrons and supporters, is the lifeblood of the charity, without which we would not be able to provide the service that we are so proud of.”
The charity needs to raise nearly £10,000 per day (£3.65 million per year) to keep both of its MD902 Explorer air ambulances maintained and in the air; and Q8Oils has already planned its first fundraising event as part of its efforts. The first event is the 25 mile Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge which will take place on Saturday 5th April and Q8Oils is inviting staff and their friends and family to take part or make a donation.
Commenting for Q8Oils, country manager Andy Dixon says: “The Yorkshire Air Ambulance receives no direct government funding so we are arranging numerous fundraising events throughout the year to help raise funds from our friends, families, customers and suppliers to ensure that the YAA keeps providing life saving services”.
Those interested in supporting Q8Oils’ 2014 CSR programme and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance can request sponsorship details by calling Q8Oils on 0113 235 0555 or emailing Marketing@Q8Oils.com. Further information on the Three Peaks Challenge can be found at www.3peakswalks.co.uk.
Q8Oils UK technical sales manager Mike Phillips explains the recent developments in specialised lubricants for commercial vehicles and the important role they play in reducing engine emissions and improving fuel economy.
Think of a lubricant like a structure made of concrete and building blocks, where the foundations are so important for maximum strength and durability. With automotive lubricants this is where we start and the major consideration is the base oil as the carrier for additives, which collectively provide the levels of performance necessary for today’s modern vehicles.
For automotive lubricants we start with the base oil or base stock and there are three common descriptions found in the terminology used when products are formulated and later described in technical data or marketing brochures.
The first is Mineral Oil Base Stocks, which are refined from crude oil and feature a wide distribution of chemical structures. Secondly there are Synthetic Base Stocks, which are built from chemical reactions and control over composition and distribution. The third is Semi-Synthetic or Part-Synthetic, which is a combination of mineral and synthetic base stocks in various proportions, blended to achieve the desired level of performance required in the finished lubricant, without incurring any unnecessary cost increase.
Mineral base stocks are still widely used for automotive and industrial lubricants, but performance in certain areas such as low- and high-temperature stability, means they have limited use. This is where synthetic base stocks have become an essential part of today’s modern automotive lubricants. Synthetics possess excellent low- and high-temperature stability and resistance to oxidation, which helps to determine the life of the finished lubricant.
Engine and emission requirements
For many years the automotive industry has been developing new engines to comply with exhaust emission legislations, which become more stringent as the years go by. Road haulage vehicles play a major role in this process and the European industry is now at the Euro VI exhaust emission level. These modern engines are highly-technical and use sophisticated exhaust after-treatment systems to clean exhaust gases.
Automotive engine lubricants play an extremely important role in ensuring the most efficient operation of heavy duty engines both in component durability and extended oil drain intervals, which now exceed 100,000km for long haul vehicles. Synthetic engine lubricants are now in high demand, achieving the levels of performance commonly specified by the OEM’s. Significantly, low SAPS additive technology (Sulphated Ash, Phosphorus and Sulphur) must now be used to ensure compatibility with expensive exhaust after-treatment systems and prevent the poisoning of catalysts. The wrong engine lubricant choice can be a very expensive mistake for the haulier, so the message is: check vehicle maintenance recommendations extremely carefully to ensure you are specifying the correct engine lubricant.
The common engine lubricant specifications recommended by OEMs will include references to ACEA (Europe) and API (USA). Do not ignore these OEM specifications as they are sometimes a requirement in addition to the industry standards for performance quality. Engine lubricant viscosity recommendations to the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) standards are now a key requirement, and will be specified according to climatic conditions wherever the vehicle will be used.
Biofuels are becoming more common and, while modern engine lubricants accommodate these fuels, there should be some consideration given to recommendations for users. The general opinion within the European automotive industry recommends halving the oil drain interval if you are not using EN590 fuel.
Fuel economy
Fuel economy is a major influence in the development of vehicles which, for several years, has included engine and transmission systems. A fuel efficient vehicle will not only use less fuel and reduce costs for the operator, but will also help to reduce exhaust emissions and meet legislation limits. Synthetic low-viscosity lubricants play an important role in reducing the internal friction in engine and transmission systems, and therefore have a positive effect on the overall vehicle fuel economy. It is now common for heavy duty vehicles to be using 10W-XX and 5W-XX engine lubricants and 75W-XX transmission lubricants.
Other lubricants and greases
For the hydraulic systems of certain heavy-duty vehicles, improved operating efficiency is now possible by using high VI (viscosity index) synthetic hydraulic fluids, which improve the hydraulic system’s efficiency and in turn, as hydraulic pumps are engine driven, the vehicle’s fuel economy.
Lubricating grease has also developed through the use of synthetic base oil technology, but what is grease?
The definition of grease is a “thickened fluid”, so it is the base oil carrier and additives that perform the lubrication function. The type of thickener specified for the application is there to keep the grease in position.
Modern grease formulations using synthetic base oil technology now deliver greater performance due to improved low- and high-temperature stability and resistance to oxidation. This means a longer operating life is possible depending on the application.
Further information is available from the Q8Oils Technical Help Line, which can assist with product recommendations, OEM approvals, product information, health and safety data, problem solving advice, troubleshooting and highly-specialised after sales packages. These include used oil test analysis, which can give instant diagnostic advice and support if required. Where necessary, laboratory analysis can also be provided to support problem solving, and is backed up with technical reports detailing corrective action.
For further information call the Q8Oils Technical Help Lines on +44 (0)113 236 5223 or email TechDesk@Q8Oils.com.
Q8 Baroni XGPH from Q8Oils is a low-foaming, hard-water-stable cutting fluid suitable for multi-purpose machining.
Designed for use in CNC machines, flexible manufacturing and centralised systems and modern, high-flow machining centres Q8 Baroni XGPH can be used on a wide range of difficult to machine materials including cast iron, stainless steel, high-tensile steel, yellow metals, aluminium alloys and titanium.
This semi-synthetic, soluble metalworking fluid contains synthetic lubricity enhancers and is formulated to keep machines extremely clean throughout the life of the coolant and provide outstanding rust and corrosion protection. When mixed with water, its emulsion is highly stable, long lasting and requires little or no maintenance. Its bio-stable properties means that it does not degrade or produce bad odours and provides a long sump life, which can significantly reduce costs by minimising the frequency of coolant clean out, replenishment and addition of tank-side ancillary products.
To comply with your local legislation, waste treatment and environmental requirements, Q8 Baroni XGPH does not contain added chlorine, sulphur, creosols, phenols or nitrites.
For further information on Q8 Baroni XGPH and Q8Oils’ range of industrial oils, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
