Lubricants Manufacturer Exol Eyes Maritime Markets

“Exol is a sleeping giant in the maritime sector,” said Mark Cornforth, owner of Maktec, a brand with 20 years of maritime industry experience. “Exol is flourishing in the industrial, automotive, agriculture and transport sectors but wants to ramp up activity in the shipping industry, which is Maktec’s specialist area. Exol is a premium engineered British product, known and respected for its excellence. However, by joining forces with Maktec we can strengthen its maritime profile as well as support the product with our deep knowledge of ship and power station diesel engines. A key selling point of this new partnership will be pairing Maktec’s know-how with Exol’s product expertise. Maktec has a global network of OEM trained engineers as well as agents in India, Cyprus, Singapore and Iraq. That means we can offer on the ground engineering expertise to ship owners at ports worldwide to ensure their engines and oils are being properly looked after.”

Cornforth identified the prime target for the new partnership as ship owners and managers of older vessels and large fleets drawing on Maktec’s experience working for MaK, MAN, Sulzer, Wartsila and Yanmar worldwide.

“We want to work on older ships where the Exol technology is easy to adapt to and follow whereas newer engines require more OEM factory support,” Cornforth explained. “In our experience it is older engines that are most at risk of failures from oil starvation, fuel dilution and incorrect filtration. These problems can lead to massively disruptive and expensive vessel downtime and even groundings. Working with Maktec and Exol we can help ensure engines are being properly monitored to ensure operators remain on schedule and are meeting their legal requirements. Lubricants are a prime consideration on any ship which is why classification societies are big supporters of fluid checks and oil analysis. Insurance companies also like to see ships are following proper lubricant maintenance and inspection procedures.”

Cornforth said Maktec will promote Exol’s online ‘Fluid Check’ system launched last year. The fluid analysis program is used for monitoring all types of fluid lubricated and insulated oil systems, and allows operators to draw a sample fluid from their engine and send it to Exol and Maktec for comprehensive testing. The results are then posted online within 24-hours giving guidance if the fluid needs to be changed.

“Working with Exol’s Fluid Check system we can reduce unplanned downtime and unnecessary oil changes,” Cornforth said. “Fluid Check is brilliant because it is so quick and can identify excessive fuelling and contamination, extend oil drain intervals and detect future failures before they happen. It helps us ensure products are meeting the approved specification and are working as they should while quickly identifying any faults. If faults are found this is where Maktec’s engineers can provide immediate specialist advice and help.”

Steve Dunn, Exol Lubricant’s Sales Director, said, "We’re delighted to have Maktec Marine on board and believe that we can work extremely well together, using our specialist experience and services to support our customers worldwide.”

Cornforth said Exol fitted with Maktec’s ethos of long term care of customers engines at a reasonable cost. "At Maktec we take a holistic approach to machinery solutions,” he said. “Instead of offering a quick fix, we discover the needs of a customer and anticipate how that equipment will evolve over time. The result is a lasting and cost-effective solution. We accomplish this through our commitment to advanced planning, extensive system and data analysis and offering innovative ideas and technology. Exol is an excellent partner as it is an established expert and has a name for excellence that Maktec feels follows our professional standards and business strategy.”