When working with specialty oil suppliers, buyers only see the on-time truck, the clean paperwork, and the drum or tote that lands exactly where it should. But just like on a ship, there’s a lot of hard work going on out of sight. Let’s go below decks and take a look. Questions? Contact us!
Renkert Oil team members were delighted to join peers and partners at the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association (ILMA) Annual Meeting in Boca Raton, Florida, October 4–7.
The week was part industry update, part strategy session, and part reunion, and it reminded us that being a dependable specialty oil supplier is equal parts operational muscle and human relationships.
A lot goes into the oil supply chain that most buyers know nothing about. So in this article, we’re going “below deck”—inspired by the conference dinner’s nautical theme—to reveal what it takes to ensure operations stay smooth “above deck.”
Suzanne Kingsbury, Director of Quality
“Above Deck” vs. “Below Deck” with Your Specialty Oil Suppliers: What Customers Don’t See
Before the first order number is created, there’s a lot of quiet work. That’s where supply resilience begins.
- Supplier alignment: We meet with major refiners, additive partners, and carriers to confirm production windows, allocations, packaging runs, lead times, and rail/truck capacity.
- Risk controls: We pre-approve substitute grades with each customer and alternate supply lanes so a plant hiccup, storm, or port delay doesn’t become your problem.
- Paperwork readiness: We maintain current COAs (Certificates of Analysis), batch traceability, and food-grade documentation, ensuring a quick and clean receiving process.
- Receiving fit: We tune deliveries to your constraints—yard hours, dock access, hose lengths, and tank capacities—to prevent detention and redeliveries.
Protect Your Supply: Bad Weather Is Getting Worse
According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, from 1980 to 2024, the U.S. had 403 weather/climate disasters costing $1 billion or more each. The recent 5-year average (2020–2024) was 23 events per year vs. 9 historically. More frequent disruptions mean tighter routing buffers and contingency planning with your supplier.
Why ILMA Matters to Buyers
ILMA is where independents compare notes, sharpen skills, and align on what’s next. That pays off directly for your team.
- Market intelligence: Sessions, hallway conversations, and supplier briefings help us anticipate demand shifts and seasonal tightness rather than react to them.
- Training and standards: Best practices in quality, safety, and ethics flow straight into our day-to-day operations.
- Advocacy awareness: Policy and regulatory updates shape documentation, labeling, and handling—especially for food-grade and technical applications.
Meetings That Move the Needle
As it does every year, the conference agenda focused on the practical decisions that keep product moving for you.
- One-on-ones with core suppliers: We compared forecasts, confirmed base-oil runs, and reviewed allocation triggers so we can protect your key SKUs.
- Logistics playbooks: We mapped alternate routes and temperature-control options for colder months, including LTL/FTL (less-than-truckload/full truckload) contingencies.
- Customer listening: We gathered feedback on application needs, packaging preferences, and receiving SOPs (standard operating procedures) to reduce friction at the loading dock.
The Market Pulse: What We’re Preparing For
ILMA week is also a gut-check on what could disrupt supply and how to stay a step ahead.
- Seasonal cold: As temperatures drop, viscosity rises; we plan for heat-traced equipment, insulated lines, and realistic transit times.
- Equipment and carrier capacity: Holiday and winter schedules tighten; we’re building buffer days into promised windows.
- Grade flexibility: We’re validating substitute options—like GTL (gas-to-liquid) isoparaffins or lower-viscosity cuts—when they fit your application and spec.
- Warehouse discipline: We reinforce FIFO (first in, first out), temperature notes on receiving logs, and clear thresholds for when to warm product before transfer.
- Spec clarity: For each mineral oil product, we double-check pour point, cloud point, viscosity at 40 °C and 100 °C, and VI (viscosity index) so cold-weather behavior matches expectations.
Crew Matters: The People Who Support the Industry
Business runs on people. The week gave us an opportunity to thank our partners, our staff, and their spouses who bring warmth and support to our fast-moving industry.
Special shout-out to Hanne Proudfoot, Michelle Fox, and Jenifer Folse for the smiles that helped power a full agenda.
Mark Proudfoot, Vice President, and Hanne Proudfoot
Chris Fox, Account Manager, and Michelle Fox
Dan Folse, Sales Manager, and Jennifer Folse
Nautical-themed dinner caps, anchor shirts, and a big Renkert Oil logo at the entrance made for fun photos, but they also said something important: we show up for the industry. The relationships built in settings like these are what make quick pivots possible when the market shifts.
Work with Renkert Oil as Your Primary Specialty Oil Supplier
We want you to get practical benefit from all this below-deck work.
- Share your winter constraints now. Tell us dock hours, tank capacity, and temperature thresholds so we can right-size transit and equipment.
- Ask about substitutes and backups. If a grade, package, or route tightens, we’ll have a vetted Plan B ready.
- Plan realistic lead times. Build in a few extra days around holidays and cold snaps to avoid premium freight or redelivery.
- Refresh receiving SOPs. Align on hose specs, fittings, cleanliness for food-grade, and who signs off on COAs and temperature notes.
Keeping specialty oils flowing isn’t luck. It takes preparation, partnerships, and pride in the craft. Renkert Oil handles the below-deck work so your operations can stay full steam ahead.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
And we’ll see you at ILMA 2026!
More Fun Photos from ILMA 2025
Corporate and Commercial Photography by Randall Photography 1-602-761-0078, www.randallphotography.net