Q8Oils is continuing its development of soluble cutting fluids with the launch of Q8 Baroni XHS, a unique, high-performance, water-based cutting fluid that has been designed for general machining applications including deep hole drilling, boring, skiving and roller burnishing.
Being chlorine- and sulphur-free, Q8 Baroni XHS requires no environmental labelling and its excellent bio-stability provides long sump life and reduced maintenance costs. Formulated with unique water-soluble lubricity additives means that the use of Q8 Baroni XHS is not limited by water quality; and its low foaming properties also helps to minimise spillages and does not result in loss of machine pressure. The use of these latest high-performance lubricity additives also ensures excellent surface finish and extended tool life.
Commenting for Q8Oils, UK Sales Manager Mick Doxford says: “As a fully-synthetic metalworking fluid, Q8 Baroni XHS benefits from long-term stability and full tramp oil rejection and, thanks to its excellent lubricity properties, is suitable for low- to heavy-duty machining of ferrous alloys, stainless steel, high tensile steel, Inconel and other high-specification alloys.”
For further information on Q8 Baroni XHS and the Q8Oils range of industrial oils, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils has introduced Q8 Formula Techno FE Plus 5W-30, a highly fuel-efficient SAE 5W-30 synthetic passenger car motor oil that has been designed to meet the WSS M2C913-D approval for the latest generation of Ford’s automotive diesel and gasoline engines meeting Euro V and Euro VI emissions legislations.
Q8 Formula Techno FE Plus 5W-30 has been specially developed by Q8Oils for Ford’s latest wet-timing-belt engine technology and is backwards compatible with all engines requiring Ford WSS M2C 912-A, 913-A/B, 913-C approvals. It is also suitable for diesel and gasoline engines where manufacturers (including Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volvo) recommend ACEA A5/B5 and A1/B1 specification lubricants; and is claimed by the company to offer a fuel economy improvement of up to 3% and extend drain intervals.
Outlining the benefits, Q8Oils automotive manager Andy Harris says that Q8 Formula Techno FE Plus 5W-30 provides excellent engine performance under all driving conditions; offers outstanding protection against foam formation, rust and corrosion; and provides high-oil film strength under all engine operating conditions.
Further information on Q8 Formula Techno FE Plus 5W-30 from Q8Oils and its range of passenger car motor oils is available at www.Q8Oils.co.uk, by emailing Marketing@Q8Oils.com or calling +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils UK sales and marketing manager Mick Doxford explains how recent developments in specialised lubricants for agricultural equipment can help farmers prepare for the coming harvest.
To maximise machine and equipment performance during harvesting periods, especially when time is of the essence and the working environment can include a combination of inclement weather, dirt, crop dust, etc., specially-formulated agricultural lubricants can play a vital role.
Long working hours in difficult weather and heavy-going ground conditions increases service demands on agricultural equipment and the oils, lubricants and greases used to protect engines, transmissions and other components. In order to reduce downtime during harvesting it is essential to minimise wear in the engine, transmission and hydraulic systems of farm vehicles to limit breakdowns and minimise maintenance.
Lubricants manufacturers need to meet the challenging environments and working practices of modern agricultural machinery such as combines, compactors, tractors and diggers. They also need to be flexible enough to consider the constraints of their ultimate customers – the farmers themselves – which can be as basic as product costs and service life, and as demanding as stockholding, service intervals and reducing maintenance requirements.
A key requirement for the engine oils used in farm machinery is to comply with the stringent requirements of the Association of Constructors of European Automobiles (ACEA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) to ensure that they perform to the specifications required of vehicles currently in production, and meet the requirements of leading agricultural machinery manufacturers such as Claas, Massey Ferguson and John Deere. To comply with the most demanding agricultural operations, lubricants based on high quality, hydro-finished base oils are available.
These are subjected to a unique process that removes any remaining impurities, rendering them clear, pure and highly oxidation stable. This ensures that oils maintain colour, viscosity and, most importantly, product integrity in order to prolong engine and transmission life. Such products also improve health and safety in the vehicles and maintenance workshops by minimising oil mist contamination in the working environment.
Especially popular with small, medium and large scale agricultural operations are the latest generation of universal oils and lubricants, which offer farmers and plant operators the opportunity to stock a single versatile product for vehicles and machinery. Products have been developed with the properties necessary to provide highly-effective lubrication for engines, transmissions and final drives, and complementary hydraulic fluids are also available for brake and clutch systems.
The obvious benefits of universal lubricants is the reduction in storage and handling costs, the prevention and protection provided against equipment corrosion and rust, friction plate wear and the formation of foam. Universal engine oils are also suitable for both diesel and petrol engines, further reducing stock holding.
Premium universal lubricants, formulated using synthetic base oils and additives, are recommended to provide lubrication and protection for engines, wet brakes, transmissions and hydraulics in high-performance agricultural tractors and other farming equipment, including off-highway vehicles. Universal products are also available to reduce the possibility of the wrong oil being selected.
Heavy duty Euro IV & V engines are best filled with high-performance, low SAPS, synthetic engine oils to ensure protection against bore polishing, cam wear and to prevent engine fouling due to combustion soot. When choosing these oils, which need to be ACEA approved, make sure a ‘double drain’ formulation is specified that will extend oil drain intervals, significantly reduce maintenance costs and help to increase vehicle workshop efficiency. To further optimise performance throughout agricultural operations, and to maintain cost and storage savings, complementary greases and transmission, hydraulic and chain oils are usually available to meet the same high standards as the engine oils. Another benefit of oils, lubricants and greases specially developed for the agricultural operating environment is the opportunity to improve fuel consumption.
As agricultural lubricants are developed for specialist vehicles and environments, manufacturers need to provide help and advice on their application and handling, so make sure a technical support team is available for field visits (pun intended!) and telephone contact to ensure the correct product is specified for every machine and environment.
Today, technical help lines are available to assist with product recommendations, OEM approvals, product information, health and safety data, problem solving advice, trouble shooting and highly-specialised after sales packages such as used oil test analysis that can give instant diagnostic advice and support if required. Where necessary, laboratory analysis should also be available to support problem solving, and are often backed up with technical reports detailing corrective action.
Q8Oils is celebrating following two successful race weekends for Hegarty Lawson Q8Oils Racing, the British Formula 1 Sidecar team the company is sponsoring for the 2013 season.
In its latest British Formula 1 Sidecar Championship race held at Donington Park on 24th to 26th May, the team competed alongside FIM World Superbike Championship teams to qualify second on the grid for Race 1 on Saturday. Sean Hegarty and Calum Lawson made a great start and, after the second turn, managed to take the lead from Team JH Racing. Hegarty Lawson Q8Oils (HLR) retained this lead despite many attempts from current Championship leaders Steinhausen/Cluze and finished the race a clear five seconds ahead, putting HLR and its LCR Suzuki in pole position for Race 2 on Sunday.
Sunday saw another great start for HLR and a real spectacle for the crowds as they battled for position with Steinhausen/Cluze and Team JH Racing. In chasing the leaders, Sean and Calum set the fastest lap and eventually finished second, gaining valuable points and moving them up to second place in the Championship.
Commenting for Hegarty Lawson Q8Oils Racing, driver Sean Hegarty says that despite not achieving the double win, the team is incredibly happy with the weekend’s results and is looking forward to Knockhill for round four of the British Eastern Airways Sidecar Championship on 14th to 16th June.
Prior to the team’s success at Donington Park, HLR entered its first ‘wildcard’ event of the season, a Dutch Championship race at the Hengelo road race circuit in Holland. Arriving on the Friday afternoon, Sean and Calum tested the bike over seven laps and, following the first session on the Saturday morning, managed to take pole position after just six laps. The team continued to dominate the event, maintaining pole into the first corner, breaking the lap record on lap two and continuing to pull clear of the field to win the race 18 seconds ahead of its closest rival.
Commenting for Q8Oils, automotive sales manager Andy Harris says: “Everyone at Q8Oils is delighted with these results and would like to congratulate Sean and Calum on their recent performances. Two victories and a second place are also fantastic results for the Q8 team in Leeds as they prove that Q8 Moto SBK Racing10W-50 engine oil has what it takes to compete in a Championship that has, for so many years, been dominated by a single motor oil supplier.”
Q8 Moto SBK Racing is a very high quality, synthetic 10W-50 motorcycle engine oil designed specifically for high-performance four-stroke engines with wet or dry clutches. Developed by Q8Oils for racing, road and off-road use, it provides superior levels of protection, while helping to maintain engine power.
Q8Oils has announced a performance upgrade for its Q8 T 910 ultra-high-performance synthetic heavy duty diesel oil (HDDO).
The first generation of this popular low SAPS 5W-30 oil was originally formulated for the lubrication of all Euro IV and Euro V diesel engines fitted with a diesel particulate filter or catalytic treatment system that required ACEA E6. It could also be used in ACEA E7 applications. Now, using Q8Oils’ latest generation additive technology, Q8 T 910 has been reformulated to meet ACEA E9, API CJ-4 and JASO DH-2 specifications. OEM performance levels have also been upgraded and include Mercedes-Benz 228.31, Volvo VDS-4, Renault RLD-3/RGD, Mack EO-O PP, Cummins CES 20081 and Caterpillar ECF-3.
The improved detergency and dispersancy properties of Q8Oils’ latest HDDO also contributes to a clean engine during use, which delivers a fuel economy improvement of 1.36% and optimises engine performance.
Commenting for Q8Oils, direct sales manager Jeremy Dineen says: “The formulation upgrade for Q8 T 910 makes this engine oil a very attractive proposition for customers wanting to rationalise their HDDO range as the upgraded Q8 T 910 can combine Q8 T 760 and Q8 T 904 / T 905 performance in one multi-fleet engine oil.”
He goes on to say that this second generation HDDO uses the latest DI additive and Viscosity Index (VI) improver technology, which have both contributed significantly to Q8 T 910’s performance upgrade. This new VI improver technology has excellent viscosity retention and ensures excellent cold starting when using bio-diesel.
For further information on Q8 T 910 from Q8Oils and its range of heavy duty diesel oils, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils has extended its range of soluble cutting and grinding fluids with the introduction of Q8 Beethoven MPS, a multi-purpose, water mix metalworking fluid that delivers tangible cost savings by incorporating an extreme pressure additive that delivers extended tool life while providing excellent surface finish and outstanding corrosion protection. Further cost savings are achieved due to the fluid’s ease of maintenance, which extends fluid life and makes it especially suitable for centralised systems.
Commenting for Q8Oils, Mick Doxford says: “Q8 Beethoven MPS is formulated to provide an optimum balance between performance and economy, making it ideal for general machining on a wide range of materials and applications.”
The high detergency and excellent wetting properties of Q8 Beethoven MPS also ensure superior cleanliness by forming a highly-stable emulsion in both soft and hard waters to extend sump life and make sure that machines remain clean with no sticky deposits. The same bio-stable properties mean the emulsion does not degrade or produce bad odours.
Q8 Beethoven MPS is available in 20L and 208L drums or 1000L IBC Drop Off containers.
For further information on Q8 Beethoven MPS and Q8Oils’ range of industrial lubricants, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils has introduced Q8 Baroni XUP, an ‘Ultra Performance’ soluble cutting fluid specially formulated to be cost-effective in arduous machining operations using the most demanding materials.
Commenting for Q8Oils, Mick Doxford says the new semi-synthetic, chlorine- and boron-free Q8 Baroni XUP features a unique combination of synthetic lubricity additives that provides outstanding performance in operations where conventional fluids will fail. He adds that the unique lubricity additives significantly reduce long-term costs by improving machining efficiency, minimising reject rates and providing an overall reduction in tooling costs.
This also means that in severe situations where neat cutting oils would normally be specified, rationalisation is feasible without compromising surface finish or tool life. With outstanding wetting and detergency characteristics, Q8 Baroni XUP ensures excellent tramp oil rejection to provide fluid stability and long sump life in soft and hard water areas. It also minimises residue build-up in hard water areas. These features also combine to provide very real operator benefits by improving visibility and helping to create a much cleaner, healthier working environment.
Designed for a wide range of machining operations, including milling, turning, drilling and deep-hole drilling, threading, reaming and broaching; Q8 Baroni XUP is ideal for arduous machining applications using materials such as yellow metals, high-tensile steels, stainless steels, aluminium alloys, titanium and heat resistant alloys.
Q8 Baroni XUP’s unrivalled combination of multi-metal compatibility and machine-material versatility is reinforced with a highly-effective, anti-corrosion package ensuring maximum protection to machine tools and components.
In addition, a highly stable micro-emulsion formed by Q8 Baroni XUP, extends fluid life and minimises the need for fluid changeover, helping to further reduce overall fluid costs. Its low-foaming properties also minimises spillages and, being free from chlorinated paraffins, requires no environmental labelling.
For further information on Q8 Baroni XUP and Q8Oils’ range of industrial oils, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils has extended its range of neat cutting fluids with the introduction of Q8 Bach AHM, a medium viscosity, heavy-duty machining fluid featuring a powerful active EP package and heavy lubricity agent.
The EP additive package is active at all temperatures, which means that an excellent finish can be achieved through a full range of speeds and feeds – from the heaviest removal of stock, down to finishing with light cuts. In addition, the heavy lubricity agent allows maximum contact of the fluid with the work piece at all times, helping to eliminate judder and poor finish when using exceptionally large cuts and high feed rates. The highly-regarded Q8 mist-reducing additive package is also incorporated into the formulation.
Q8 Bach AHM has been specially formulated for general duty cutting, milling, thread grinding, deep-hole and gun drilling; as well as broaching operations using non-ferrous materials. However, the new fluid can also be used to machine extremely demanding steel alloys, as the EP additive package provides boundary lubrication at the vital tool tip/chip interface.
As Q8Oils’ Mick Doxford explains: “This level of lubrication helps prevent the build-up of edge and chip welding, as well as providing tangible cost savings by dramatically reducing tool wear and the energy consumption of the machine.”
Q8 Bach AHM delivers excellent performance with all steels including high-tensile, high-alloy steels, and stainless, but is not suitable for use with non-ferrous metals due to the active EP package. Q8 Bach AHM is particularly recommended for use in machine shops where uncontrolled mist can affect the health of machine operators and settle in the working environment, creating odours and an unhealthy atmosphere.
For further information on Q8 Bach AHM and Q8Oils’ range of industrial lubricants, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
A telesales service available to Q8Oils automotive customers has provided Brindley Groups 12 Franchised Automotive Dealerships with 3151 confirmed service bookings and 166 MOT bookings in its first year, and resulted in 13,235 litres of additional Q8Oils being sold.
Equally impressive is the increase in profit of more than £370,000!
Founded more than 80 years ago in Wolverhampton, the Brindley Group is the largest family-owned car dealership group in the West Midlands with 12 franchised sites representing Honda cars and motorbikes, Vauxhall, Kia, Nissan, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Volvo and Hyundai.
All Brindley dealerships generate service and MOT bookings through an actively managed customer database using a combination of letters, emails and phone calls, all of which is relatively costly. So when Andy Harris of Q8Oils mentioned the Q8 Telesales service during one of his regular meetings with Brindley Group aftersales manager Darren Nicklin, Darren realised that it could help close a gap between where Brindley’s current customer service sales results were, and where he wanted them to be.
Says Darren: “The service focuses on calling current customers ahead of a scheduled service or MOT, taking time to discuss their ownership experience, and following the conversation by offering our service and MOT facilities and making a booking. And importantly for us, it does not include contacting lapsed customers.”
Darren was impressed enough to agree to a 60-day trial at one of Brindley’s sites and was extremely happy with the results achieved, so much so that he decided to stop the postal campaign, with its high cost and relatively low returns, and rolled out the Q8Oils campaign throughout the group’s 12 dealerships. Reporting on the roll-out Darren says the Group results were also excellent, adding that bookings were much higher, but even more impressive was the quality of the customer feedback, which was very encouraging.
Commenting on specific aspects of the response information, Darren says it highlighted how easy it can be to misunderstand the reasons why customers’ who had bought cars from Brindley didn’t continue as aftersales customers. “With 12 dealerships we were amazed how many new and used car customers had sold their vehicles after the first year and no longer needed our service facilities. We were also surprised how far new car buyers were prepared to travel to get the best deal, and were then choosing to service the cars closer to home rather than make the longer journey to reach us. And we found that many people who had bought used cars were servicing them at independent garages to save costs.”
Data and customer feedback from the programme was entered onto Brindley’s database, and as the telesales service continued the quality of data improved. In addition, Darren believes that, due to skills and training of the people who make the calls, they were actually having conversations with customers and were able to remind them of additional benefits such as Brindley’s collection and delivery service or suggest a more convenient Brindley Group dealership where appropriate.
Also important from a cost viewpoint, they were able to qualify customers who hadn’t responded to the group’s passive emails, texts and letters and who, for whatever reason, no longer qualified to be on the database, which meant that it was continually being cleaned.
Commenting on other benefits to the business, Darren says the Q8 Telesales programme proved that using annual new and used car sales figures to forecast future service and MOT business was flawed as it was based on unreliable information, so while the increase in bookings provided by the telesales calls is impressive, we believe the quality of customer feedback and the information available in ownership profiles has a far greater long-term benefit for the business.
“We now know that the people we are in touch with are genuine customers who have the potential to benefit from the offers we make. It also means that we no longer need to offer service or MOT discounts to customers that we know won’t use us, and it also questions the need to offer similar discounts to committed customers who are already happy with the service we provide.” He adds that in his role as Brindley’s aftersales manager he is now able to monitor the performance of the whole group based on unbiased results from an independent source, which he says gives him a much better understanding of the business.
Following the initial trial, the Q8 Telesales programme is still providing data more than 12 months later, having contacted approximately 50,000 Brindley’s customers and provided quality information and customer response data at no cost. So, if during a service call the customer mentions that a suspension problem needs attention the information is included without charge. Costs are only incurred when the programme provides actual service or MOT bookings, so Darren only pays for results that translate directly into profitable business for Brindley Group, with a typical MOT and service booking costing approximately £12.
The Brindley Group uses its own customer service team to offer activities such as vehicle health checks and brake system safety tests, and Darren says the close working relationship with Q8Oils ensures that customers are not ‘pestered’ by calls from both services and adds that the increases in service and MOT bookings has also generated additional sales of non-oil products through the dealerships.
Summing up, Darren says: “We have been a Q8Oils customer for 10 years and buy all our workshop lubricants from them. And while I accept that they will sell more oil as a result of this excellent customer relationship programme, I still think it is impressive that the service is free to car dealership customers. By helping us to create better relationships with our customers, Q8Oils has also reinforced an already strong relationship with the Brindley Group.”
Commenting for Q8Oils, AndyHarris says the first year result is impressive and proves that the Q8Oils’ customer relationship programme is extremely successful because customer data is current and accurate, and includes qualitative as well as quantitative information.
For further information on the Q8 Telesales Service, visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk, email Marketing@Q8Oils.com or call +44 (0)113 235 0555.
Q8Oils is continuing its sponsorship of British motorsport by backing Hegarty Lawson Racing’s 2013 challenge for the British Formula 1 Sidecar Championship, as well as selected ‘wildcard’ events including the World Championship.
The announcement comes following the success Hegarty Lawson Racing (HLR) achieved in the 2012 season, which saw the pairing of Sean Hegarty (driver) and Calum Lawson (passenger) finish eighth in the British Championship, despite competing in only half the season’s races. HLR also finished fourth in its World Championship debut.
Commenting for Q8Oils, automotive sales manager Andy Harris says: “We are proud to be continuing our involvement in motorsport this year with sponsorship of Hegarty Lawson Racing. Sean and Calum are extremely talented individuals and make a great racing team; and we wish them the very best of luck for the 2013 season."
HLR’s driver Sean Hegarty says: “After a couple of years out, 2012 was a great start to my comeback and I'm surprised how quickly I am back on it. Calum is an excellent team mate, the bike was good and the results came in. It’s also great that our efforts have been noticed by Q8Oils so this season, boosted with a couple of surprises, we’ll be back with a bang!”
The first round of the 2013 British Formula 1 Sidecar Championship took place at Brands Hatch on 5th to 7th April and HLR achieved second place in both races, putting them in second place in the Championship standings. The next round is at Donington Park on the 24th to 26th May, where the sidecar classes join the World Superbikes.
Q8Oils is no newcomer to motorcycle-based racing having sponsored Airwaves Ducati Racing, Quay Garages, Ryan Farquhar and Nick Crowe Racing, so its Q8 Moto SBK Racing engine oil has a proven track record having been successfully proven in the sidecar classes for the last three years.
Q8 Moto SBK Racing is a very high quality, synthetic 10W-50 motorcycle engine oil for high-performance four-stroke engines with wet or dry clutches. Developed by Q8Oils for racing, road and off-road use, it provides superior levels of protection, while helping to maintain engine power.
For more information about Q8Oils visit www.Q8Oils.co.uk.
