october2022 - 39

SPOTLIGHT ON FLUIDS & FILTRATION
Do the benefits
of additives
really add up?
Fleets are rarely enticed by
marketing claims, but casestudy
data show that there's
some solid science behind all
of that additive sales sizzle.
By Gregg Wartgow
T
» Additive makers have been working
diligently to develop formulas that help fleets
increase engine performance while addressing
today's realities of tighter engine tolerances,
inconsistent fuel quality, high fuel prices, and
ongoing aftertreatment system headaches.
Photo: Lubrizol
he global fuel and oil additive market, which exists
to boost fuel and engine oil efficiency and vehicle
performance, is already very sizable-at over $10
billion, according to Technavio-and continues to
grow. According to Data Bridge Market Research,
the diesel bottled fuel additive sector will see a
compound annual growth rate of 6.5% from 2022
to 2029.
Even so, not all fleets are sold on their purported
benefits, such as improved fuel economy. Plus,
additives introduce another layer of expense on top
of rising fuel costs. But for fleets using additives,
rising costs seem to be the biggest motivator.
Additives can be seen as vitamin for the enigne, as
the quality of fuel at truck stops can vary as greatly
as the food sold inside of them. They essentially
are designed to compensate for and even boost
lower-quality diesel.
" What it comes down to is that we really don't
know what quality we're getting at the pump
today, " said Josh Steinmetz, e-commerce and digital
marketing manager at Lubrication Specialties,
a provider of oil, lubricants, and additives whose
brand names include Hot Shot's Secret. " Station 1
might have a certain quality of fuel, and Station 2
across the street is likely a different quality. "
Knowing the precise quality is necessary for
fleets that rely on a certain level of engine performance
to stay profitable.
" Today's equipment runs on such tighter tolerances
that the fuel needs to be at the optimum
level to not only perform well, but also reduce
breakdowns and trips to the repair shop, "
Steinmetz added.
Additives also boast about improving performance.
Oil additive companies, for example, have a
lot of things they put into their chemistries to precisely
dial in certain levels of performance. That said,
with CK-4 and FA-4 oils emerging over the past several
years, fuel economy has become a larger factor.
" The OEMs have recognized that they need to
provide durability and wear protection, but also
need ways to get more efficiency out of the engine, "
said Greg Matheson, product manager for commercial
engine lubricants at Lubrizol, a specialty chemicals
company whose oil, fuel, and lubricant additives
are used by a variety of OEMs and aftermarket
marketers. " So, as an additive company, we need to
really look at that fuel economy piece. "
The other potential benefits of additives can be
a big deal, too, including reduced maintenance,
cleaner exhaust, and perhaps even stronger
used-vehicle resale values.
According to Ed Gibbs, EVP of marketing at
MotorKote, a supplier of additives and lubricants
for gasoline and heavy-duty diesel engines, the ROI
generated from additives are hard to ignore. Gibbs,
a regular on the popular radio show " America's
Truckin' Network " for nearly 20 years, which
earned him the moniker " Mr. MotorKote, " said
he recently took a call from a fleet operator who
claimed that for every dollar of MotorKote products
he used, he recovered six dollars.
" The added bonus was that in the used-vehicle
market, this guy became very respected for having the
best trucks around, " Gibbs related. " This guy told me
he actually had a waiting list for his trucks because
everything was so clean and well-maintained. "
October 2022 | FleetMaintenance.com
39
50029597 | Okea, 32995574 | Pokki | Dreamstime
http://www.FleetMaintenance.com
october2022

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