I couldn't let this month go by without a nod and a cheery wave to our 25th Anniversary. In 1984, Brian Harris and Mike Dixon set up OATS Ltd (Oil Advisory Technical Services) to create car lubricants recommendations for the UK market. The first electronic version of the guides appeared in 1994 and our Earl database has continued to evolve and now includes over 470,000 applications and is used in over 90 countries.
There have been many momentous world events during that time:
- the fall of the Berlin wall and the rise of Easter European, Chinese and other BRIC economies
- the exponential growth of the internet, transforming communications and economies of scale
- the emergence of China and Russia as major oil industry players
What is certain is that the drive for improved economy and reduced emissions will continue to demand more and more from lubricants and additives. As an industry we are set to continue a fascinating journey into the future and OATS looks forward to being part of it.
Meanwhile, the latest automotive news is quite remarkable. Fiat are keen to absorb both Chrysler in the US and GM's European operations. This is an extraordinary turnaround from GM's 25% ownership of Fiat and could bring about a major realignment in the global car industry.
It all hinges on the remarkable management skills of Fiat's Sergio Marchionne. Can he deliver the required benefits from streamlining the new car giant? Is there the political desire for Europe to create another global champion? Will local / national governments provide financial support whilst permitting plant closures and redundancies? We shall see...
Sebastian Crawshaw, Chairman, OATS.