McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:52:00 +0000

We want to let you know of an important change in our company banking relationship. We are in process of transitioning all our bank accounts to Regions Bank from BB&T / Truist. We expect the change to be completed on or around Monday, November 1. In the coming weeks, you will receive updated instructions of how to remit payments to us. Please make no change in how payments are made to us until further instruction is provided. We also want to let you know that we are working to expand the functionality of our customer portal, which, in addition to placing orders, will also provide you access to view open invoices and related documentation, and make payments. We expect the portal to be fully functional by the end of the year. We will provide more information and training on the portal in the coming months. These changes may raise some questions for you, especially in this heightened cyber security risk environment. Please feel free to reach out to your contact at McPherson in Customer Service, Sales or Credit as they are all aware of this change. We are excited about these changes and believe they will enhance our service to you and hopefully make doing business with us easier and more efficient. We appreciate our relationship with you and will work to make these changes as smooth as possible.

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 14:04:12 +0000

In the past two decades, several significant advances have been made in diesel engine technology to curb exhaust emissions:
�?High-pressure common-rail fuel injection (HPCR): Enables very precise control of engine fuelling and improves
spray characteristics for a cleaner, more efficient burn
�?Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR): Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission reduction device that recirculates exhaust gas back through the engine to reduce combustion temperatures
�?Selective catalytic reduction (SCR): An emissions control device built into the exhaust system that turns NOx emissions into nitrogen and water using a catalyst and urea solution (diesel exhaust fluid/DEF/AdBlue)
�?Diesel particulate filter (DPF): Controls particulate matter (PM) emissions by filtering them out of the exhaust; the accumulated PM must be burned off periodically in a process called regeneration.

Exhaust after-treatment systems have become very effective at reducing emissions, but also add a layer of complexity. Aside from a higher vehicle and equipment purchase price to offset production and development costs for new hardware, fleet managers and equipment operators need to manage a new consumable in diesel exhaust fluid and to incorporate after treatment systems into their maintenance planning. Twenty years ago, while not recommended, fleet managers and equipment operators may have chosen to get by with excessive oil consumption or a minor cooling leak until their next scheduled maintenance. Similar issues in today’s vehicles, however, must be addressed immediately in order to avoid damaging �?or even destroying �?their after-treatment systems. With this heightened sensitivity, quality diesel fuel can help soften the effects of duty cycles on after-treatment equipment.

Additionally, these exhaust after-treatment systems can impact fuel economy. Fortunately, modern electronic control systems provide engine manufacturers with some flexibility to balance engine efficiency and environmental requirements. For example, HPCR allows unprecedented control of engine fueling and has become a key player in the diesel engine’s evolution. Full electronic control provides injection timing flexibility coupled with fast and precise injection events, while extremely high injection pressures improve fuel spray and mixing. This combination provides cleaner and more efficient combustion compared to older technologies and improves both fuel efficiency and emissions performance.

The Road Ahead for Diesel

We now find ourselves in an era where fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions are at the regulatory forefront. Stringent requirements for fuel economy will necessitate more holistic changes to vehicle design. From an engine technology perspective, this includes lower viscosity lubricants, low friction coatings, higher performance common rail fuel injection systems, and advanced thermal management. However, engines, drivelines, aerodynamics, running gear, and driver-assist features must all contribute in order to meet future regulations.

More sophisticated technology incorporated into modern diesel engines will lead to an increased need for higher quality fuel. In response, fuel suppliers are putting emphasis on product testing to ensure the proper fit. ExxonMobil, for example, has prioritized rigorous testing procedures for their Mobil Diesel Efficient fuel product in both modern and legacy vehicles. Testing has found that by improving injector cleanliness, Mobil Diesel Efficient fuel improves fuel economy by an average of 2 percent in Class 8 heavy-duty trucks while reducing NOx emissions. Evidently, the power of today’s fuel and engine solutions is rooted in their balance of fuel economy and environmental benefits.

McPherson Oil is proud to be one of the few companies to offer Mobil Diesel Efficient fuel to our customers. For more information on this new innovative fuel, please contact us today!

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 02:34:05 +0000

With the need for drivers growing along with the economy while more and more drivers reach retirement age and record turnover continues at many carriers, not to mention looming regulations expected to further sour veteran and prospective truckers alike on trucking, it would be nice to report there’s a silver-bullet solution to the driver shortage. There isn’t. At least not until driverless trucks become an everyday reality.

So, for now into the foreseeable future, successfully finding and keeping drivers will rest on knowing your audience and then speaking to their needs and wants. With that thought in mind, here are three key areas to focus on to help draw in more prospects and help quell churn in your operation:

Pay up
There is the value of providing, if not the highest pay, at least pay that is stable. The traditional approach – paying drivers by loaded miles driven – is certainly lucrative for very productive drivers. Yet there are factors affecting the actual hours driven that are beyond a driver’s control. As a result, many drivers end up with “lumpy pay.” That is, their earnings are often reduced by unexpected events, including bad weather, equipment breakdowns, and slowdowns during loading and unloading.

Any time they are unable to stay on the road or take on more work, drivers are effectively working for free, if not losing money. To work around this, some carriers have moved to offer “guaranteed pay” to offset those unplanned impacts on pay. Some fleets are addressing the uncertainties of driver pay by negotiating with shippers to cut wait times and/or secure detention pay for drivers to help make up for lost time. While moving away from mileage-based pay to a fixed salary will guarantee drivers a set amount, it won’t offset the fact that many drivers won’t perform as well as others. Paying by the hour would encourage drivers to work more hours – but not necessarily work more efficiently.

Home and health
Long hours behind the wheel wear on the body, and long days and weeks away from home tax the spirit. A recent survey by HireRight found that while half of the respondents cited pay as the numberone reason drivers are leaving, that was followed closely (41 %) by their wanting more time at home. Concern about health issues (21 %) also rated high – as did better benefits (34%).

Encourage and facilitate a healthier lifestyle by providing information on exercise, eating habits, and quitting smoking. Consider providing smokingcessation programs, exercise facilities at terminals-some carriers even install work-out gyms -and screening for sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and other medical issues that tend to afflict drivers. Above all, strive to get drivers home as often as possible and on a regular basis. Some carriers are relaying freight to help get drivers routed home more regularly.

Expand the pool

Fleets have had trouble finding good drivers as long as there has been a trucking industry. Much of the problem was long related only to driver churn – the same pool of qualified drivers kept circulating or churning, among carriers in search of the “best” employment deal. But now the pool of drivers is shrinking even as the demand for truck capacity rises rapidly. What to do is widen the pool. The most obvious way is by recruiting more women to become truckers. It’s a large labor force to tap – it’s estimated that right now, women comprise only 5-7% of the commercial truck driving population. Recommended strategies for drawing -and keeping -more women drivers include:

Ensure recruiting ads appeal to both men and women. Women In Trucking recently highlighted ads that appealed specifically to women. The three top ads, from Walmart, Republic Services, and Prime, emphasized truck driving as a career choice.

Consider women when specifying driver features. Specs considered female-friendly, such as automated transmissions, adjusted height and placement of cab grab handles, easier access to oil and coolant checks, and adjustable foot pedal height, will appeal as well to any driver who doesn’t fit the “burly trucker” stereotype and younger adults who may never have driven a manual transmission and expect a more comfortable work environment.

Address concerns about security. This could include cab security systems, training drivers about personal security, and allowing dogs that act both as a security alert and traveling companion. Make sure your company’s sexual and gender harassment policies are enforced. Discrimination and harassment issues have resulted in high-profile legal cases against trucking companies, especially involving training programs where male trainers were teamed up with female trainees on the road.

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 16:37:46 +0000

Low-temperature diesel performance is among the top concerns of on-road fleets and off-road vehicles. Diesel fuel is impacted by ambient temperatures, so its performance characteristics need to be managed throughout the year to ensure proper equipment and engine operation �?especially in cold environments. Why is diesel impacted by low temperatures?

Diesel fuel contains paraffin wax molecules, which means that at low temperatures, the wax precipitates, or separates, from the fuel as wax crystals. In normal diesel at normal temperature, the waxes are happily dissolved in the diesel fuel and burn right along with everything else, thus helping to provide some of the diesel’s energy value. But when it gets cold, the wax becomes undissolved, and the fuel clouds up. This is the first step – the cloud point – towards the fuel gelling up. As the temperature falls, these crystals grow and cover the fuel filter surface, which can lead to fuel starvation, loss of engine power, and eventually stalling. Wax plays an important role in fuel by enhancing cetane, which improves cold starting. The only way to keep diesel fuel running is to add a cold flow improver to your fuel tank. Cold-flow improvers are used to modify the shape of the wax crystals so that fuel keeps flowing through fuel filters at lower temperatures. However, this must be done before it gets cold. Once it reaches a cloud point, the cold flow improver additive cannot reverse the gelled fuel once its passed the gel point. Since the weather is not always predictable, a cold-flow improver provides an added margin of safety for cold-weather operability. Kerosene blending is another option for cold-weather treatment. However, kerosene is typically more expensive and would need to be blended at significant levels to achieve the same results. In both instances, each has to be purchased in addition to the fuel and stored for such a time when it is needed. However, there is an alternative.

Mobil Diesel Efficient fuel has taken the additives out of the buying equation. It is the first and only fully formulated, additized diesel fuel with a proven fuel economy claim in the United States. Its patented additive technology is a multifunctional detergent system that is injected and blended into ASTM D975 base fuel with precision at the fuel terminal. In the colder months of November – March, Mobil Diesel Efficient contains a cold weather additive that keeps fuel from gelling and keeping the user from purchasing additional additives.

McPherson Oil is a proud authorized distributor of Mobil Diesel Efficient. For more information about it’s other properties and how it can help keep your engine clean leading to less downtime, let us know! We would be happy to show you all that Mobil Diesel Efficient has to offer.

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 02:24:54 +0000

Unanswered questions and rapid evolution have always been part of trucking, but today fleets seem to be facing an endless list of uncertain future scenarios that could and almost certainly will change their businesses in one way or another. No one has developed a reliable crystal ball yet, but here are five predictions that look like sure things to impact anyone running a truck fleet over the next decade or so.

ONE: Clean Air: Trucking is in the midst of the next clean air initiative, which enters the end of Phase 1 in 2017 to be followed by an asyet finalized Phase 2. And given efforts in California and elsewhere to push for even lower truck emissions, it’s safe to predict clean air initiatives will continue to reshape trucks and trucking. Alternative fuels will gain market share, not based on a cost advantage over diesel, but on their GHG emissions profiles. Smaller engines mated to automatic transmissions will become the standard spec, as will aerodynamics that will reshape both tractors and the trailers they pull.

TWO: Regulation: Federal regulation isn’t going to slow up. While the current uncertainly surrounding hours-of-service and electronic logging devices will be cleared up soon, it’s highly probable that regulators will then move to a more scientifically valid approach to driver fatigue. The era of big data is not only driving new logistics imperatives but will also be adopted by regulators to usher in new approaches to measuring and monitoring truck and fleet safety.

THREE: Autonomous Vehicles: Trucks represent the first viable application of this technology. However, even over the next 10 years, we’re looking at highly automated trucks, not autonomous ones without drivers. Look for a rapid shift to more advanced smart safety systems such as automated emergency braking as well as wide deployment of remote truck and driver management systems powered by telematics. Platooning also looks promising, but its benefits will be limited to specific applications that can take advantage of its unique operating limitations.

FOUR: Last-Mile: The most expensive part of the delivery for the new class of giant retailers, look for Amazon and others to push for a logistics overhaul in the final leg of online purchases. While drones are more talk than reality at this point, some type of disruptive technology is likely to bring that change. If you doubt that, talk to taxi fleets about Uber and other shared ride services.

FIVE: Infrastructure: Congestion and limits on highway investment will bring pressure to end long-haul routes, which in turn will allow radical changes to tractor designs optimized for efficiency. And the never-ending shortage of qualified drivers will only reinforce that decision. Also look for those operational changes to bring a reorganization of fleet structures, with mega fleets and their small contractors pushing out the mid-sized fleets that won’t have the operational flexibility to adapt.

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 02:53:54 +0000

A critical factor in every fuel and lubricant-related business’ success is its ability to manage its lubricant and fuel inventory.

Both of these products can be a significant cost to a company when mismanaged and can even lead to theft, overruns, shortfalls, and run-outs, which in turn can cause increased costs and loss in productivity. Here are five tips that will help you improve your fuel and lubricant management:

Tip #1 – Establish a comprehensive monitoring system

A comprehensive fuel and lubricant management system will include all of the following: 1. Monitoring of purchases – keeping track of these will help you keep an accurate count of the quantity and identity of the lubricants and fuel entering your facility. 2. Keeping track of inventory transactions – Keeping track of these will give you a detailed understanding of the storage and use of the lubricants and fuels that have entered your facility. 3. Inventory Management – good inventory management will help ensure that you always maintain the proper inventory levels needed for production and other important operational processes. 4. Record keeping – proper record keeping will help protect against costly overruns or shortfalls. This component includes maintaining accurate records in the three previous components as well as up-to-date information on material composition, properties, and the latest regulatory and safety information for the lubricants and fuels in inventory. 5. Reporting – through proper record keeping and the other components above, you’ll have the information you need to create informative reports that will inform employees and ensure you and your customers remain up-to-date on the latest industry developments

Tip #2 – Improve communication

There’s no way around it. Communication is one of the most important aspects of maintaining an accurate and reliable lubricant and fuel management system. The team that runs the program must regularly communicate with each other and make sure that they are all “on the same page” – particularly when it comes to:

– Product names
– Vendors
– Product Numbers
– Bar codes
– System entry
– Distribution
– Product Locations
– And much more!

The bottom line is inconsistent procedures and information can lead to frustrating and very costly mistakes. Communication is the key!

Tip #3 – Limit Access to the management system

Too many users, particularly users who are not that familiar with the program, will only increase inefficiency and the risk of costly mistakes being made. That’s why you need to restrict access to your fuel and lubricant management system to a select few knowledgeable employees. Ideally, you would restrict access to only those who are responsible for fuel and lubricant management. The truth is most management programs are not user friendly and allowing new and first-time users to access the program is a recipe for disaster.

Tip #4 – Offer extensive program training

When it comes to operating an accurate and efficient fuel and lubricant management system, the value of good training can’t be overemphasized. Properly training your employees on the system is a terrific way to eliminate common mistakes and ensure everyone uses the same procedures. But you must go beyond simply showing your employees how to use the program. You also need to explain why the management program is in place to begin with and how it benefits each of them as well as the company as a whole. When your employees understand this, they will be much more likely to carefully carry out their responsibilities.

Tip #5 – Check inventory regularly

Let’s face it, mistakes are going to happen. You can implement all the procedures in the world, you can hire only the most careful and conscientious employees, and still inevitably mistakes are going to happen. It comes with being human. That’s why you need to conduct regular inventory checks to ensure that those small mistakes don’t grow into large, costly errors. Regular checks will help prevent costly overruns or shortfalls and will keep your database as accurate as possible, which in turn will help prevent wasted time and employee frustration.

Article Source: Ezine

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 21:23:28 +0000

As you know, there are various forms of gases that are compressed at petrochemical facilities, as well as in midstream operations in the natural gas industry. Mobil Pegasus Compressor Oil 264 and 460 is typically used to lubricate natural gas reciprocating compressors, but can also be used when compressing process gas depending on its composition. If the gas being compressed in part of your operations is sour, wet, or contaminated with scrubber solution, Mobil Pegasus Compressor Oil 264 or 460 should be used rather than an engine oil type lubricant. These products have proven successful in Canada, and we are extending these products to the U.S. market to ensure we have the product offer that meets your lubrication needs. We are delighted to inform you that Mobil Pegasus Compressor Oil 264 and 460 will be live in the United States effective immediately. Mobil Pegasus Compressor Oil 264 and 460 are designed to provide improvements in low-temperature performance, oxidation stability, and deposit control versus our current product offer for these applications, which help deliver incremental performance for your operations. Mobil Pegasus Compressor Oil 264 and 460 are compatible with Mobil DTETM 205 but to take full advantage of the performance of these oils, we recommended running your tanks down to 10% or less before switching to these products.

For additional information about these products, please contact us at 888.802.7500 or call your sales rep today!

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 02:06:40 +0000

We know that there are many questions surrounding grease and bearing lubrication. We’ve pulled together the most commonly asked questions regarding grease applications:

Can greases be mixed?

Mixing different greases, even those with similar thickener types, can sometimes lead to ineffective lubrication resulting in damage to the lubricated components. If not spotted soon enough this may lead to equipment failure.

Can I add grease between flushing intervals?

Many rolling element bearings require relubrication of small quantities of grease between grease flushing intervals. This is best done with a low-pressure grease gun. If seals are in good condition, the quantity of grease needed may be small and infrequent. Check the amount of grease in the bearing �?remove fitting or grease plug to allow excess grease to come out.

Check bearings and seals for excess leakage.
Apply a few “shots�?of grease at a time.

How can you avoid incompatibility?

Ahead of applying a new grease, thoroughly clean �?or flush out �?the previous grease from the bearing. This avoids compatibility issues and helps ensure that the new grease can perform at an optimum level.

If this cannot be carried out, mitigating actions should focus on minimizing the amount of the displaced grease remaining in the application, such as by increasing relubrication frequency to facilitate a purge of old grease in a timely manner.
How important is cleaning excess grease and dirt?

Be sure to clean up all excess grease and dirt from the bearing and surrounding areas. Excess grease and dirt on external surfaces acts as an insulator and prevents heat dissipation. Additionally, excess grease on the external surfaces and floors can introduce a safety hazard to personnel.

How much grease should be applied?

Bearing manufacturers frequently recommend the amount of grease to apply to a bearing by weight or volume. The grease gun can be calibrated by counting the number of shots to dispense a known amount of grease.
How often should you relubricate?

Unfortunately, there’s no one single answer, because there’s a long list of factors that influence relubrication frequency. Generally, the smaller the bearing and faster the speed, the less frequent the interval for relubrication with grease. Larger, slower bearings require more frequent relubrication. Different types of bearings require different relubrication frequencies:

Radial ball = base interval
Cylindrical roller = 5 times as frequent
Thrust-ball and roller = 10 times as frequent

What are the responses of over and under lubrication?

An insufficient amount of grease could lead to bearing failure due to a lack of lubrication. On the other hand, over-lubrication can also lead to bearing failure and cause problems due to the migration of the lubricant into the windings.
How full should a bearing be?

A bearing should never be greased more than two-thirds full �?leaving one-third air space �?to allow for optimal operation.
How to handle replacement bearings

Store your bearings in their original packaging. The best ways to store bearings are horizontally in a dry place and in their original, unopened package. Never place bearings on a dirty surface. Rotate your bearings while they’re in storage. For greased bearings, periodically turn over sealed and shielded bearings to prevent the grease from settling on one side. Use identical bearings for replacements. If needed, contact your authorized bearing distributor or manufacturer for interchange information. Never wash new bearings before installation. The bearing manufacturers take great care to package and ship bearings that are dirt-free and ready for lubrication. There’s really no need to wash them or remove the protective slushing compound.

Have additional questions? We’re here to help! Whether there is an issue or if you need a lubrication analysis, our team of Certified Lubricant Specialists can help with your greasing issues and questions. Contact us today and let’s see how we can assist you!

*Source: Mobil

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 02:16:59 +0000

Those in the construction industry have had a long battle with thieves who attempt to steal their highly valuable construction machinery. Whether it is an excavator or simply a cement mixer, the theft of construction equipment was once rife in the industry and it was seemingly accepted that some theft would always happen. However much has been done to battle this and we have seen a significant reduction in the amount of equipment that is being stolen from construction sites. Site managers are being more cautious and there are much better practices to improve security nowadays. The first thing that any site manager should do is install good security practices across the site. This means that everyone who works on the site should take responsibility for the equipment and ensure that it is stored securely and safely. The site should be locked up overnight to ensure that no one can get onto the site and find where you have kept your equipment. In storage yards, it is important to have CCTV cameras where possible which will further deter thieves. Time and again, those in construction spend lots of time ensuring the site is secure whilst neglecting the place where the majority of the unused equipment is stored. All equipment should be registered on an equipment database. This means that if your items are taken, it is much more likely that they can be traced. When buying plant equipment be sure to check the registration number on databases in order to ensure that the product is legitimate and does not belong to someone else. You may also want to consider branding your equipment. This will deter criminals as the equipment is easily identifiable as yours. The best way to ensure that your equipment is safe, however, is to install security systems on all your valuable machinery. These systems usually have GPS tracking, an immobilizer, a tow-away alarm, and a tamper alarm. This means that you can trace the item in the event of a theft, immobilize it so that it will not turn off. Also, if the thief manages to manually take the item by towing it away or attempts to cut power to the security system, you will be alerted instantly. These features work together and mean that your equipment is almost 100% safe. By doing all of the above, you can play your part in helping to kick out theft from the construction industry. If thieves realize that we are all doing our part to catch them, they will be much less likely to target this industry.

Source: Ezine / Tibbett

McPherson Oil

McPherson Oil — Sun, 01 Nov 2020 02:54:08 +0000

We are delighted to inform you that we are introducing two new viscosity grades to the Mobiltrans AST series as a rolling change, beginning November 1, 2020. Mobiltrans AST fluids are designed for use in hydraulics and drive train applications for off-highway mobile equipment and offer a wide operating temperature range.

Material Codes
New Product Code New Material Description
121601 M-TRANS AST 20 BULK
121647 M-TRANS AST 20 ST DRUM 55USG
105574 M-TRANS AST 30 BULK
121486 M-TRANS AST 30 ST DRUM 55USG
100745 M-TRANS AST 40 BULK
110645 M-TRANS AST 40 ST DRUM 55USG
120369 M-TRANS AST 40 BLK BIN 1KG
120373 M-TRANS AST 40 PAIL 5USG

Note: with the addition of two new grades, we will be adding the viscosity description to the current Mobiltrans AST product, now called Mobiltrans AST 40. Current material codes, product performance, and technical claims are not affected by this change. As we transition over to the new package labels, you may receive product with either the old name or new name until inventory with the old names are depleted.