We understand the power that information can hold for our customers, which is why our experts at SCL work to share the latest in trends, safety and compliance and a number of other topics on our blog. Please explore the latest entries below or search for articles by topic.
Leer en Español Read in EnglishSuppliers Attribute 7% to 18% Spike Across Products to Market Stress, Soaring Costs In an unprecedented and “unique” year, suppliers have announced their fourth price increase since January 2021 on finished lubricants, greases, chemicals, coolants, DEF and antifreezes – with hikes ranging from 7% to 18% depending on the product.... Read More +
3 Issues Service Departments Should Be Focusing on Now to Get Ahead With AAA predicting more than 37 million Americans will be traveling for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, and millions more feeling comfortable enough to spend summer on the road once again, automotive service centers have an opportunity to... Read More +
How Infrastructure Needs in Los Angeles, Long Beach Tie in to Biden’s Goals The shipping industry has faced hurdle after hurdle since the onset of COVID-19, from disruptions to supply chains that impacted companies worldwide to delays at “America’s Port” in Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach, where... Read More +
SCL’s New Fuel Assurance Program to Help Protect Diesel Fuels, Prevent Machine Failure. Over the past decade, the move toward ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel (ULSD) has led to a massive decrease in pollution as the cleaner-burning option contains 97% less sulfur than the previously used low-sulfur diesel (LSD). Those environmental... Read More +
Vecton Carbon Neutral Increases Performance Reserve Up to 42%, Optimizes Drain Intervals A new advanced heavy-duty diesel and natural-gas engine oil by Castrol that boasts carbon neutrality is now available for SCL customers looking to reduce environmental impact without sacrificing performance. Unlike other environmentally friendly options that help companies reduce... Read More +
Find Out Why Government Regulations Aren’t the Only Incentive for Ditching Waste A focus by the Biden administration on furthering clean energy initiatives and pursuing net zero carb emissions has many businesses exploring their options when it comes to meeting new regulations that could be on the horizon. Government regulations,... Read More +
Find Out Who Comes Out on Top When Price Increases Are Handed Down In the wake of price increases on finished lubricants, it’s important to understand not only the causes of those increases but also who the true winners and losers are when they occur. About 80% of domestic oil... Read More +
Technician Shortages, Inventory, and the Growing Digital Market Remain Top Concerns Following a recent announcement by Gov. Gavin Newsom that California will aim to fully re-open its economy by June 15, automotive dealerships and service shops are now anticipating the closest environment to normal they’ve had in over a year.... Read More +
Continued Rising Costs in Manufacturing Cited for Increase of Up to 12% According to a new round of announcements by manufacturers, pricing for all finished lubricants, greases, chemicals, coolants, and antifreezes will increase up to 12% beginning May 17. The third price increase announcement of the year is attributed to... Read More +
Why We Believe Efforts in the Name of Green Energy, Zero Emissions Are Not What They Seem Thanks to its prominence on both the political stage and in the media, the debate surrounding “clean energy” has the potential to go from 0 to 60 like few others. And while supporters... Read More +
New Pricing on All Finished Lubricants Effective on April 12 Due to unfortunate market conditions relating to recent weather, logistical challenges, and rising costs of raw materials, oil manufacturers have announced an increase on finished lubricants effective April 12, 2021. The recent freeze forced refinery closures throughout Texas and created... Read More +
Failures Highlighted in Texas Winter Storms Should Serve as Cautionary Tale In the wake of unprecedented winter storms that left millions of Texans without power and exposed vulnerabilities in one of the nation’s most progressive energy markets, businesses across the board should be re-examining how prepared they are in the... Read More +
An SCL Case Study on How Drain Intervals, Fuel Efficiency Figure in Long Term Costs have gone up on just about every product and service in every industry sector, from automotive to maritime, industrial manufacturing to agriculture. And while most companies are responding by pinching pennies here and there or... Read More +
Chasing 100% Could Have Opposite Effect if You Lose Sight of Customers Attaining a 100% absorption rate continues to dominate conversations in and around the automotive sector – as it has for years – but hitting the mark remains exceedingly rare. With only about 1% to 2% of dealerships nationally... Read More +
From More Digital Services to Finding Ways Respond On-Demand, Here’s What We Should All Be Considering Moving Forward The 2020 pandemic has brought about changes in consumer behavior that have impacted nearly every industry, as people have significantly decreased the number of trips they are making and increased their reliance... Read More +
Recovery Continues for Other Sectors of Manufacturing Nationwide Pandemic shutdowns have had a devastating effect on manufacturing in all segments, with drops in employment at a peak in April 2020. As manufacturing continues to remain below 2019 levels, according to a 2021 outlook by Deloitte, the trajectory of the decline... Read More +
SCL Explores Three Major Issues + Three Predictions for Automotive in 2021 While major players in the automotive industry offer an optimistic outlook for 2021, dealerships and service departments throughout California poised to rebound continue to play the waiting game with state-mandated closures. The solid victories that came out of... Read More +
Increase of Up to 15% Effective Across All Petroleum Products Beginning Early February In late December, suppliers indicated prices would increase by only 12%, but then circled back on Jan. 20 announcing another hike — bringing the total increase to 15% and putting into motion what’s called a “double dip”... Read More +
Northern California Farmers Turn to SCL for Preparation, Guidance as Year Closes As 2020 comes to a close and businesses across the board continue to wrestle with shutdown mandates, our partners in agriculture are experiencing a mixed bag of conditions as they prepare for planting and producing in the months... Read More +
Northern California Customers Maintain Fuel Service, Gain Access to SCL Expertise Long-time, family-operated provider of fuel, lubricants and service chemicals, SCL has acquired several SC Commercial assets – including team members, distribution, and other operational support – in the Bay Area. The move, which comes after more than 20 years... Read More +
New Product Line Offers Biodegradable, High-Performance Product Options While the use of biodegradable lubricants has long been required by law to protect coastlines and offer protection for consumers in food-grade manufacturing, a new line now available through SCL from Renewable Lubricants offers more environmentally friendly options for companies that want... Read More +
Investment Keeps SCL Reliable in Face of Vulnerable Power Grid + Potential Failures Despite a returning threat of wildfires from high winds and low humidity throughout Southern California, SCL has ensured its customers will have continued access to fueling stations thanks to back-up generators that do not rely on the... Read More +
Why Weather, Technology, and Potential Shortages Should Be a Priority In addition to Santa Ana winds that periodically increase the threat of wildfires throughout the state, fleets and trucking companies also have to consider hazards associated with driving in heavier rains, and navigating snow on some routes. As we move... Read More +
Save Your Customers Time and Provide a Much-Needed Revenue Stream For years in the automotive industry, the response to car battery troubles was largely reactionary. When vehicles broke down, customers would call a tow truck, tow their vehicle to a service shop, and the service shop would then test the... Read More +
Issues Surrounding the Internal Combustion Engine Ban, Gas Tax and Power Grid California already generates more solar power than any other state, and in the wake of a new ban on internal combustion engines by 2035 announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom, the push toward renewable energy is in full speed.... Read More +
Options from Shell, Chevron, Mobil and More Offer Diverse Options for Diverse Applications When it comes to greases, the same OEM guidance and specifications offered for lubricants often does not exist. And as a result, managers and owners are often left to make the choice themselves, sifting through hundreds of... Read More +
SCL Attempts to Break Down the Trump/Biden Stances for a Clearer View of Impact As we approach what many consider the most consequential election in U.S. history, several key issues have emerged as having the potential for greatest impact in our industry – one of which is energy. In an... Read More +
In Effect Since May, New Specs Focus on Improving Fuel Economy, Reducing Greenhouse Gases Following requests from automakers for more robust engine oils adept at meeting the demands of today’s engines, new ILSAC GF-6 and API SP specifications for motor oil have now been in effect for over five months,... Read More +
Updated Website Tool Showcases Potential Savings Over 15W-40 Options for 10W-30 An update to the SCL online fuel calculator allows fleet customers to get a broader and more accurate picture of the potential savings that could come with a switch to 10W-30 over 15W-40, as well as different outcomes for... Read More +
SCL Customers Can Lock in Current Pricing by Ordering Now Through October 25 For the second time in 2020, major oil suppliers have announced hikes of up to 10% on finished lubricants effective October 26, breaking the tradition of increasing prices only once annually. An increase in the cost of... Read More +
