Motor Age: What are some current trends in motor oil sales and product development?
Chapman: The economy is leading to many consumers wanting to take better care of their vehicles and saying they want to keep their vehicles longer. Engine durability also is a hot topic, especially related to wear protection.Motor Age: Have you noticed an increase in the number of repair shops who recycle oil as opposed to years past? Why or why not?
Chapman: Yes, oil recycling has become a hotter topic as state and local governments enforce standards on oil recycling. Many shops, garages, quick lubes and car dealers are seeing the value in offering oil recycling service — benefits related to environmental responsibility and consumer appeal.
Motor Age: What are the top-selling grades of motor oil in the current marketplace?
Chapman: Viscosity grade usage is a big opportunity area for the industry at this time. We know many consumers are seeking better engine protection and improved fuel economy, yet the viscosity grade used most is still 10W-30 and heavier weights like 10W-40 and 20W-50 are still quite prominent in the U.S. Lighter viscosities like 5W-30 and 5W-20 are actually prevalent in terms of OEM recommendation and would provide better engine performance and fuel economy being sought by consumers. Our industry has an opportunity and responsibility to encourage usage of the current OEM recommended viscosity for consumers' vehicles.
Motor Age: How does technology play a role in product development?
Chapman: For Quaker State, technology plays a huge role in product development. Our approach goes beyond simply meeting industry specifications to the point of developing technologies that meet the excessive demands consumers are placing on their vehicles. For example, everyday driving such as commuting is one of the hardest conditions for engine operation, so we've developed Quaker State Advanced Durability to have two times better wear protection versus the industry standard. Given that the average American driver spends about 100 hours per year commuting, delivering this kind of technology in our products makes them relevant and meets a growing need.
Motor Age: Has your company seen an increase in synthetic oils or oil for hybrid systems recently?
Chapman: Synthetic motor oils are definitely a growing segment in the U.S. market. As the barriers to trading up have become easier to overcome and as consumers continue to seek more benefit in the oils they use, the market continues to migrate towards the top tier synthetic segment. A small element of this growth is contributed by hybrid vehicles and other OEM specifications requiring synthetic use, but the vast majority of it is driven by consumer demand for better motor oil products. Quaker State Synthetic has seen tremendous growth over the past four years, and the proposition has been further strengthened by the recent addition of an "Unsurpassed Wear Protection" claim. This comparison states our wear protection performance is unbeatable in the synthetic motor oil market as measured by the Sequence IVA test.
Motor Age: How has the economy affected the way you take your products to market?
Chapman: The economy has sparked a desire in consumers to keep their vehicles better maintained so they can keep them running longer. Engine durability is a particularly hot topic right now, especially related to wear protection. We are also seeing some consumers perform more maintenance that historically went under-performed, including shorter oil drain intervals among some consumer segments.
