Relevance of ACEA Standards to Southeast Asia and Australia
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), which represents a group of 15 European car, van, truck and bus manufacturers, has a long history of defining and advocating for the common interests, policies and positions for the European automobile industry. Lubricants are no exception, and lubricant manufacturers and marketers must heed these standards, also known as sequences, to make protection claims for their products. These standards are frequently updated to ensure adequate protection for vehicles as engine technology changes. On May 1, 2021, the new ACEA 2021 light-duty standards went into effect.
On the other side of the globe, the Southeast Asian and Australian lubricant markets have largely been dominated by API specifications.
ACEA is self-certified, whereas API is licensed and includes aftermarket monitoring and enforcement.
Though ACEA’s relevance in this region has been debated, SEA and Australia do have an appetite for ACEA standards.
In Southeast Asia, the biodiesel mandate in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia is one such example. In Thailand alone, the prevalence of light-duty diesel trucks also makes it a suitable market for ACEA standards. So far, ACEA Sequences is the only industry specification that target oil performance in the presence of biodiesel and light-duty diesel applications
Australia has adopted progressively stronger light duty diesel vehicle emission standards over the years. Light-duty vehicles manufactured from 1 November 2016 must adhere to ADR 79/04, which harmonises with Euro 5. The demand for modern lubricants will surge as ADR 79/04 dominates the vehicle parc and this can be addressed by ACEA 2021 which offers an opportunity for oil marketers to have one product to meet both old and modern vehicle needs.
As the Southeast Asian and Australian lubricant markets continue to evolve, it is crucial that the right oil is used for the right application and ACEA sequences are anticipated to be more relevant than ever.
Our presentation will cover work Lubrizol has done to show the relevance of the ACEA specifications to lubricant markets in Southeast Asia and Australia.
