To be ready, you must get ahead, and following a £3m investment in its Shrewsbury production facility, which sees it optimised for the sustainable manufacture of sophisticated small-batch formulations, Morris Lubricants is equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly changing lubricants industry. The days of having one oil fits all engine types are long gone.
“It’s my role to ensure the business is fit for purpose and reacting to our environment,” explains Andrew Goddard, Morris Lubricants’ Executive Chairman, who regards the “ever evolving” challenge of creating a more diverse and technically complex range of products as an opportunity for Morris Lubricants to do what it does best.
“Moving with the times is something we’ve done for over 150 years and this project has enabled us to ensure we are at the very leading edge of technological advancements so that we can continue to provide the quality and service our customers have a right to expect from us.” says Andrew.
With a focus on efficiency and flexibility, as well as the mitigation of carbon emissions and waste within operations, improvements to the production plant have included the installation of a new tank farm comprising thirty stainless steel storage vessels, the relocation and reconfiguration of production lines, and the integration of a state-of-the art, fully automated control and recovery system.
Employees who are part of the production team, many of whom have long service records, received comprehensive training that enabled them to quickly adapt to the new systems and technologies competently and with confidence. To minimise the impact on output and maintain supply during the transition, work was carried out after hours, or within strict fixed timeframes.
Revolutionising workflows on the factory floor took two years to plan and accomplish. This investment has resulted in uplifted levels of productivity by significantly reducing transfer times of product and eliminating unnecessary human intervention, such as equipment handling, double handling and the use of forklift trucks.
“The benefits have been felt immediately and it’s working as it was designed to.” Andrew continues “In addition to delivering labour and logistics efficiencies, which ensure we can provide best value for our customers,” Andrew adds, “the changes have led to a reduction in waste, and with sustainable practices central to the plant’s redesign, low energy LED lamps have also been fitted throughout the production facility.” This investment builds upon the existing sustainable solutions which includes onsite solar power generated electricity, ultrasonic product blending capabilities and the use of recyclable packaging.
As a business whose reputation is built on excellence, rigorous quality-control standards have always been par for the course. To ensure the purity and quality of each product batch, at various stages of its manufacture, tests are performed and checked in the onsite Morris Lubricants quality control laboratory. Around 5,000 tests are performed by the quality control laboratory each month. To guarantee that Morris Lubricants’ wide variety of oils and lubricants sold each day meet the exacting and consistent standards customers rely on to protect their assets, there is no room for error. Andrew adds: “We have never and will never sacrifice the quality of our products so to keep competitive we must improve our own internal practices, which is what this investment is all about.”
To prevent cross-contamination when moving oils and lubricants between different areas of the plant, for example, strict procedures have always been in place. The improved and expanded infrastructure of stainless steel pipework – which features product specific pigged routes – combined with the advancements that have been made in regulating the different aspects of its operation through computerisation and automation, such as cleaning and waste recovery, further minimise the risk.
Andrew continues “Due to the hygienic nature of the pipework,” we now have the flexibility to transfer 600 different product combinations from source to destination without disruption, whereas before, product compatibility would play a big part when transferring and storing product.”
Part of the masterplan is to facilitate the repeat manufacture of the more bespoke formulations that industry regulations stipulate and OEMs require. This ability to maintain the flow of production means that Morris Lubricants can manufacture multiple grades simultaneously. A small-batch production run of 2,000 litres, which can be filled in less than 40 minutes, can be processed at the same time as a batch comprising of 100,000 litres.
“This translates to the faster introduction of new products,” says Technology Manager, Adrian Hill. Other vital steps have included an increase in the company’s inventory of raw materials – base oil and additive systems – and investment in the quality control laboratory to broaden its capability for testing the company’s innovative formulations.
“Previously, global specifications such as API and ACEA have been the backbone of engine manufacturers demands, but OEMs are now pushing for new advanced chemistries as the drive towards reduced emissions puts pressure on them to accelerate engine architecture development,” explains Adrian.
“This has led to a requirement to evolve the product line. Fuel efficiency has resulted in lower viscosity products, such as 0W-20s, 0W-16s and lower being needed, where internal energy sapping drag can be reduced. These newer grades are also required for stop/start operation, particularly in hybrids, where rapid response is necessary to eliminate wear during rapid cold start.”
This fragmentation of the oil and lubricant market will continue as emission legislations tighten, Adrian predicts, particularly in the automotive and commercial vehicle sectors. “This will also see the introduction of alternative fuel types such as hydrogen, e-fuels and synthetics, which will pose new challenges for lubricant formulators. Electric Vehicles will have their place and there is an important part that lubricant blenders can play in their maintenance regimes.”
As a result of this ambitious £3m initiative – the most substantial direct financial investment the production plant at Morris Lubricants has ever received – the privately-owned made in Britain brand is uniquely positioned as one of the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and flexible oil blending plants in the world. “As technology and customer needs change, our service and product offering will change. We plan on being here for the long-term, so investing in the future has always been a priority. Whatever the future brings Morris Lubricants will be well placed to supply whatever is needed.”
