ILMA Compoundings - January 2021 - 19

Michael Skuratovich

Granite City Division in Granite City, Illinois. He was an
end user of lubricants and a customer of Schaeffer Manufacturing. " They had an opening, and I came over as a
customer and technical support engineer, " he said, adding
that he provided field support to sales reps.
After joining Schaeffer Manufacturing, Carroll learned
more about the lubricants industry, took part in some formal training and earned his Certified Lubrication Specialist
Certificate from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication
Engineers. Carroll is a retired colonel in the U.S. Army and
spent 30 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve.
" When 9/11 happened, I got called up in November
2003 and was gone from November 2003 to August 2005, "
Carroll said. " I got called up again in August of 2008, and
then stayed on active duty until October 2011 and then
retired from the military in May 2012, " Carroll said. " The
majority of that work was heavy equipment maintenance
management and as a multifunctional logistician. "
While Shaeffer Manufacturing is a longtime supporter
of ILMA, Carroll got involved with the Association about
six years ago, when the company made him the primary
point of contact for ILMA, and he started attending the
ILMA annual meetings. " That was just prior to being named
executive vice president of operations at Schaeffer Manufacturing, " he said.
Carroll said interesting things are happening in the grease
market right now, including how the industry has dealt with
recent supply chain disruptions. " I think that is making
people look in different directions for not just grease, but
any place a supply chain is impinged because of a global
event like COVID, " he said. " People are looking at that
and all of the impingements on the supply chain and said,
'Where are we weak? Where can we divest? Where can we
have multiple suppliers so no one can be affected like with
what happened?' "
Carroll added that ILMA stepped up and helped keep
that supply chain open. He said that recent disruptions have
also brought increased interest in price pressures associated
with lithium and the availability of raw materials, such as
castor oil. " It was a wake-up call, " Carroll said. " Everyone's
eyes got opened by COVID. "

Skuratovich worked as the sales and marketing manager
before becoming vice president in 2004. " I started running
the business in 2011. The former owner was beginning to
retire at that time, and then I was made president in 2012, "
he said, adding that in 2013 he became the sole owner.
Today, Eastern Manufacturing has 45 employees.
Skuratovich had always been familiar with ILMA, and
Eastern Manufacturing has been a member since the early
1980s. He got directly involved with the Association around
2007. " When you interact with ILMA members, you know
we're part of the family, " he said.
This will be his first term on the Board. " I've built many
relationships within ILMA over the years, " he said. " Many of
them have been on the Board and gone through the chairs. "
Skuratovich has a business degree from Adrian College in
Adrian, Michigan. He has been married for 28 years and has
three kids, ages 26, 23 and 20. His oldest just started in the
business a year ago.

MEET MICHAEL SKURATOVICH
Skuratovich, owner and president of Eastern Oil Co., has
been participating in ILMA meetings for the past 13 years,
and he has been with Eastern Oil for over 26 years. He
first got involved in the lubricants industry in 1994, after
being recruited by a friend who worked at Eastern Oil. " I
fell in love with the industry and have been here ever since, "
Skuratovich said, adding that he grew up on the sales and
marketing side of the business.

ILMA Compoundings - January 2021

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