You choose your commercial vehicles for a specific business purpose. According to Hentie Spangenberg, technical manager at Shell South Africa, you should give the same level of thought and specificity to the choice of lubricants for commercial vehicles, in order to protect engines and prolong component life.

“Shell understands the impact of lubricants on commercial vehicles, having worked with a lot of OEMs on engines across the world,” Spangenberg says.

Over the course of its 150-year history, Shell has built up specific knowledge on various engine types and their lubrication requirements. As technology develops, Shell continues to advance its own technology to ensure that its lubricants are compatible with the changes and advances in commercial vehicles.

Using the right oil in your vehicle makes a significant impact on your bottom line. Shell scientists have carried out rigorous laboratory tests, which demonstrate that if chosen and applied correctly, lubricants can save resources and deliver tangible business benefits.

In order to help fleet managers select the correct lubricant for their fleet, Shell has developed an online lubricant recommendation tool – the Shell LubeMatch.

Originally designed for use by Shell’s technical staff, Shell has now made this information accessible to those interested. This gives fleet managers instant access to a vast bank of data on engines and driveline lubricants, including the quantities required and applicable oil-drain intervals.

“Fleet managers can now match lubricants to their commercial vehicles,” Spangenberg continues. This is part of Shell’s added value offered across a number of sectors, including mining and manufacturing.

“Shell LubeMatch ensures that the lubricant is applicable for the vehicle’s components, design and use. Compatibility of the lubricant is important to protect the engine and prolong vehicle life. LubeMatch allows fleet operators to fully reap the benefit of Shell’s high-quality lubricants by extending component life, uptime and drain intervals while saving time and money.

“All fleet managers will agree that this is critical to reducing costs and increasing profitability,” he concludes.