We recently had a conversation with one of our clients who brought up the subject of lubricant supplier versus lubrication partner, which is a subject we talk a lot about.
The client in question is a big brand Tesco supplier who was looking for more than just a lubricant supplier. They wanted a supplier who could understand their business but, more importantly, understand their customer and their customer standards.
There is a specific clause in the Tesco standard that refers to lubricants and it states "lubricants must be food grade where they are used on product handling or product contact equipment and there is a risk to the product. Information must be available to demonstrate food grade suitability for materials used."
Interestingly, our client reported that Activate was the only company they found who could provide this level of customer understanding and service as standard.
In fact, they easily meet and exceed this standard by using the Activate system, which comprises 100% food grade products, visual management storage and a comprehensive information resource in the shape of the Compliance Manual.
The system automatically puts everything in order.
We were able to standardise this client's lubrication stock from 88 products down to just 20 with a really simple stock control and reordering system, and the colour-coding incorporated throughout makes it simple for engineers to select the correct lubricant for the correct application every time.
The Compliance Manual is integral to the unit with each product application sheet and safety data sheet also represented in its own colour. This is an invaluable resource, not only for the engineer at source, but also for the auditors who have everything they need in front of them.
In fact, the best bit of feedback from this customer is related to audits. "The biggest surprise was the attitude of auditors when presented with the compliance manual. Once Activate is mentioned, invariably the auditor moves on. We recently achieved Tesco Grade Blue for the third year running and that's just great!"
That's a perfect illustration of the reputation Activate has among auditors and how we've nailed our approach to lubrication specification and control. Ultimately, Activate is a complete lubrication partner. There will always be cheaper oil and greases out there, but you have to look at value with regards to both the technical performance of the actual product and the benefits of a comprehensive loop closure solution that ensures you hit those compliance standards.
So, to sum up what you get from Activate Lubricants - guaranteed audit compliance, 100% food grade (100% of the time), minimum risk of misapplication and, of course, the holistic support that our team provides, in particular at audit time.
Get in touch for a no-obligation discussion about your lubrication culture improvement goals.