Motul has no synthetic base: Research

Motul has no synthetic base: Research

JAKARTA (JP): Motul lubricants, which are widely sold in
Indonesia, have no synthetic base and are purely mineral
lubricants, research conducted by a foreign company has found.

"A specific lubricant brand, Motul, sold in Indonesia was
marketed under the designation synthetic and sometimes
technosynthese lubricants when in reality they are mineral based
lubricants," said G. Spontini, who conducted the research in a
statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

Asked to clarify this issue, Pertamina's spokesman Didi
Sunarwinadi said "we are waiting for a detailed report on the
lubricant issue from the department of production and processing
of Pertamina. But I think such a claim is usually made by people
involved in business competition," he said.

He promised his company would duly explain the issue.

Spontini, who also works with a foreign lubricant company,
said a survey he conducted in Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang,
Surakarta and Surabaya found that the French oil brand, Motul,
including 2100 SAE 15W50, 3100 SAE 15W50, 4100 SAE 15W50, 6100
SAE 15W50, Traffic X SAE 15W40, and Dexron II D or III E were
sold through various dealers and distributors. They were branded
as synthetic or technosynthese.

"By misinforming about the real quality (mineral instead of
synthetic) of its lubricants, the French company Motul is able to
offer highly competitive prices to the Indonesian trading house,
CV Melati, which imports the lubricants," he said.

Spontini said that as a result the Motul brand had an unfair
competitive advantage in the Indonesian market and had enjoyed it
since 1989.

"Moreover, the Indonesian consumers are being misled into
believing that they are purchasing a high quality oil when in
fact they are only buying a mineral lubricant," he said.

According to the regulations of the state-owned oil company
Pertamina, mineral lubricants which are 70 percent or more
mineral based must be imported solely through Pertamina, while
synthetic lubricants which are less than 70 percent hydrocarbon
and complying with a harmonized system may be imported directly
by an Indonesian company.

Pertamina also stipulates that foreign lubricants imported
must first have passed the modified Concawe test carried out by
SGS which then informs PT Surveyor Indonesia of the conformity of
the synthetic lubricants.

The source said Motul could not have passed the Concawe
modified test.

"Due to strict Indonesian import regulations concerning the
importation of automotive oil and, in particular synthetic
lubricants, it was difficult at first to understand how this
brand, Motul, could have penetrated the Indonesian market.
However, further research in Europe revealed it was comparatively
easy for Motul to deceive customs either in Europe or elsewhere,"
he said. He did not explain why.

He said research in Germany, Belgium, Spain and France found
Motul had already had problems, particularly with Mobil Oil AG in
Germany, about its lubricants' quality.

The company also claimed there was no synthetic base in the
Motul Lubricants. (bnt)