More Synthetics in your future
by Ed Newman Marketing & Advertising Coordinator, AMSOIL INC.

The evolution of automotive transportation has been exciting. It only took a few short years to travel from the horseless carriage to the first Indianapolis 500. But my! What a difference between today’s whining high tech racing machines and those early racers in grandpa’s day. In nearly every respect the automobile has undergone a remarkable transformation. It wasn’t until 1911 that we were able to start our cars from the driver’s seat. The V-8 engine provided the car with "oomph" in 1914 and four-wheel hydraulic brakes helped us stop our vehicles in 1920. Balloon tires were a big advance in 1923, not only providing a smoother ride, but also a trip we could take with greater confidence of not needing to stop and change a tire. Numerous advances have made an impact on the automobile’s appearance: from the development of paint technology to unibody construction and the clean, flowing lines of ultramodern computer-aided design. In more recent years, catalytic converters, microprocessors, computerized suspension and ignition systems, fuel injection, anti-lock brakes and sensors have pervasively changed the car’s operation. Like the world around it, the automobile has gone high tech.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES
One of the exciting things about trade shows is seeing “what’s new” and what’s up and coming with regards to new products, new technologies and new ways of doing things. The SEMA and MEMA shows in Las Vegas this past month showcased hundreds of new products, each of which began as a grain of an idea in some person’s mind. Many new products are simply old ideas which have been combined with a new application. Other products are ahead of their time and the companies introducing them simply need to hang on to their gem of a concept until the market recognizes their value. Then there are the “me too” products, which announce to the market that “someone else was right, but heck, why should they make all the money?” For example, hula hoops may have seemed a silly concept when introduced in the spring of 1956, but by Christmas there were 28 companies cranking out those colorful plastic rings.

There are three stages in the implementation of new technologies: innovation, education and integration. Innovation is like the birth process. When two ideas come together a third, new idea is conceived. Education is essential because consumers need to be educated with regard to how this new technology or new product will benefit them. When consumers finally see the value of this new thing, it becomes integrated into our way of life.

Over the past 25 years we have seen this dynamic process enacted in a variety of fields. Cellular phones, VCRs, and the Internet are just a few examples of technologies that emerged in our lifetimes to become as mainstream as the automobile.

One new technology that has emerged in this century is synthetic motor oil. Exxon and Mobil were both acquainted with this technology, but it wasn’t until 1972 that a Northern Minnesota Air National Guard Commander combined the idea of synthetic lubricants, which he had experienced in jet aircraft, with automotive applications. AMSOIL was born, and a few years later Mobil 1 was introduced.

When AMSOIL developed the first API rated Synthetic Motor Oil for automotive applications in 1972, many questions surrounded the new high tech oil. Would it void warranties? It didn’t. Would it ruin engines? Au contrar. Is it too slippery to stay in the motor? No more than any other oil.

With the introduction of Mobil 1, AMSOIL was no longer a voice crying out in the wilderness. Mobil 1 became an endorsement for the message AMSOIL founder Al Amatuzio had been proclaiming all along. Synthetic motor oils were a significant alternative to traditional lubricant technology.

The process of educating the public took decades. By the late 1980’s it was clear that synthetics were here to stay. Nearly every major oil company now has a synthetic motor oil line.

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE
If only we had a crystal ball to see the future with greater clarity! The difficulties of prognostication become evident when you look back at the unpredictable advances in our past 100 years. Who at the turn of the century could have imagined that within a lifetime man would be walking on the moon? Or that so many of the diseases people feared in 1899 would be completely forgotten by 1999? Or that our nation would not only be dissected by a matrix of highways, but also a global internetwork of electronic information highways? While there is no crystal ball to predict with absolute assurance, there are trends, which can help us gain a stronger sense of where we are going. Drastic changes in motor vehicle design, with their smaller, hotter engine compartments, tighter engine tolerances and emissions standards have all placed higher demands on lubricants. With increased wealth, consumers are attracted to sportier, high performance vehicles that require more sophisticated motor oils.

There is still a lot of educatin’ needed amongst consumers, I believe. Most motorists still don’t know what the W stands for in multi-grade oil. In order to educate our customers, we need to keep educating ourselves. For sure, if you are reading this magazine, you’re off to a good start. For a good concise overview of why we should be selling synthetics, review David Fifield’s November column. That’s one tune I’m happy to sing in harmony with.