Earlier this month, the American Petroleum Institute (API) officially announced the adoption of the new International Lubricant Specification Advisory Committee (ILSAC) and API categories. The announcement was made through an official letter distributed to all API members.

Oil marketers now have permission to claim that qualifying oils meet the requirements of ILSAC GF-6A and GF-6B, as well as API Service SP. However, oil marketers must avoid statements that imply API certification or licensing of the new specification and service category in advance of the official licensing date of May 1, 2020. For certification to be consistently shown across the industry, ILSAC GF-6A will still use the traditional “Starburst” as proof of certification and ILSAC GF-6B will use the newly designed “Shield” as proof of certification. While API Service SP will continue to use the “Donut.”

During the adoption of ILSAC GF-6A, GF-B and API SP categories, Lubrizol will assist customers in the process of applying for both new and existing products. For more information on the API adoption of the ILSAC and API categories, contact your Lubrizol representative.