At Oil Analysis Laboratories Ltd, we take pride in our transparent and robust business structure, designed to support our commitment to quality, reliability, and integrity.

 

Legal Registration and Ownership

Oil Analysis Laboratories Ltd is a registered legal entity in England and Wales, ensuring that we operate within a well-defined legal framework. We are a family-owned business, free from the influence of large multinationals, hedge funds, or political bodies. This independence allows us to maintain our integrity and focus on providing unbiased and high-quality analysis services.

A laboratory that performs all the testing

We do not subcontract analysis to other labs or even send samples abroad. We test all samples in our own labs, using our own instruments and quality processes to ensure our clients get the consistency of data they expect. All testing in our 2 laboratory buildings as seen below and customers are welcome to contact us to arrange a visit to see for themselves.

Organisational Hierarchy

Our organisational hierarchy is structured to prioritise quality and efficiency at every level, with senior management encouraging quality from the top down. The hierarchy ensures clear lines of responsibility and accountability, facilitating effective communication and decision-making throughout the company.

Defined Methods and Quality Policies

We have established comprehensive method statements and quality policies that govern our operations. These documents outline the procedures and standards we adhere to, ensuring consistency and accuracy in our analysis. Our quality policies are available for review on our website here, reflecting our commitment to transparency and accountability.

Financial Integrity

We operate with financial transparency and integrity, with no murky shell companies or tax haven listings for our business. As a homegrown British business, we are proud to contribute to the local economy while serving a global customer base. Our financial practices are designed to ensure sustainability and growth, reinvesting profits back into the business to enhance our capabilities and services.

Ethical fair treatment of workers

We believe happy and fairly treated workers lead to higher level of quality to our customers. Hence why we have the following approvals in this area.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

We believe that continuous improvement and innovation are key to maintaining our leadership in the industry. Our business structure supports ongoing development, with dedicated personnel focused on research and development, quality improvement, and customer feedback. By staying ahead of industry trends and advancements, we ensure that our services remain at the cutting edge of oil analysis technology.

We pride ourselves on our independence. The only service we offer is laboratory analysis. Our commitment to impartiality means we avoid any potential conflicts of interest by not engaging in the sale of other products or services. For example, we do not:

• Manufacture or service machinery, avoiding vested interests in results such as warranty claims.
• Sell filtration or lubricants, ensuring no upselling based on analysis reports.
• Offer auditing services or compliance plans, maintaining objectivity in quality control processes.
• Operate under the influence of large multinationals or government bodies. We are a family-owned business with no external pressures from hedge funds, banks, or alike.
• Recommend specific brands of lubricants or favour particular products and services.
• Allow customer influence on our reports. While customers may provide their own limits or logo, the final diagnosis is performed by Oil Analysis Laboratories and includes the diagnostician's name.
• Collect samples, ensuring we can highlight if a sample collection method is not ideal.

We implement additional measures to ensure impartiality:

• Laboratory technicians and chemists see only barcoded bottles with the test name, limiting customer identification.
• All samples are electronically barcoded, and data is entered electronically to reduce transcription errors.
• Final diagnoses are performed by separate staff from those conducting the tests.
• Records of key tests and data transfers are kept electronically, ensuring accuracy and traceability.

At Oil Analysis Laboratories, the confidentiality of our customers' data is paramount. We have stringent measures in place to protect your information at every stage of the analysis process.

Staff Confidentiality Agreements

All members of our staff are required to sign comprehensive confidentiality agreements as a pre-condition of their employment. These agreements legally bind our employees to protect customer data and ensure that sensitive information is handled with the utmost care and discretion.

Secure Data Handling

We employ robust data encryption protocols on a secure firewalled server to safeguard electronic data transfers. Our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) ensures that all data, from sample reception to report generation, is securely stored and accessed only by authorised personnel. The system regularly requires users to update their passwords to ensure access is not compromised. This system tracks every interaction with the data, providing an audit trail that enhances security and accountability.

Anonymised Sample Processing

To further protect customer privacy, our laboratory technicians and chemists process samples using anonymised barcodes. This method limits the possibility of identifying the customer behind each sample, ensuring that the focus remains on the data rather than the client.

Continuous Monitoring and Improvement

Our commitment to confidentiality is an ongoing process. We continuously monitor our systems and processes to identify potential vulnerabilities and implement improvements.

Customer Trust

We believe that trust is the foundation of our relationship with our customers. By maintaining rigorous confidentiality standards, we aim to provide peace of mind that your data is safe with us. Our transparent practices and commitment to safeguarding your information underscore our dedication to maintaining the highest levels of trust and integrity in our services.

At Oil Analysis Laboratories, our tagline "for when failure is not an option" underscores our commitment to delivering reliable and timely results. To support this commitment, we employ a comprehensive resource management strategy that ensures we can consistently meet our customers' needs, even under challenging circumstances.

Capacity and Redundancy

We understand that maintaining consistent performance requires more than just meeting current demands; it involves planning for the unexpected. Therefore, we maintain a significant reserve capacity across all core tests. This strategic buffer allows us to continue operating smoothly even in the face of staff absences, instrument failures, or sudden increases in workload.

1. Staffing: We ensure that our laboratory is staffed adequately at all times, with trained personnel ready to step in as needed. Our staffing model includes:
   • Cross-Training: Staff members are cross-trained in multiple functions, allowing for flexibility in task assignments and coverage during absences.
   • Overtime: We never use overtime or shift work to manage day-to-day operations, but we have the ability to use overtime to manage peak periods or emergencies effectively, ensuring that we can handle increased workloads without compromising on quality or turnaround times.
2. Equipment: We invest in high-quality, reliable equipment and maintain a proactive maintenance schedule to minimise downtime. Our equipment strategy includes:
   • Redundant Systems: Critical instruments and equipment are duplicated to provide immediate backup in case of failure.
   • Investment in New Technology: We continually upgrade our equipment to incorporate the latest advancements in oil analysis technology, enhancing our capabilities and efficiency.

Operational Efficiency

Operational efficiency is crucial to our ability to deliver consistent, high-quality results. We have implemented several measures to streamline our processes and optimise resource utilisation:

1. Lean Processes: Our laboratory operations are designed based on lean principles, minimising waste and maximising efficiency. This includes optimising workflow, reducing unnecessary steps, and ensuring that each process adds value to the final output.
2. Automated Systems: We leverage automation to increase precision and reduce manual errors. Automated systems are used for sample processing, data entry, and reporting, allowing our staff to focus on tasks that require human expertise and judgement.
3. Temperature-Controlled Environments: Our laboratories are maintained at optimal temperatures to ensure the accuracy of analysis data and provide a comfortable working environment for our staff. Consistent temperature control enhances the performance and longevity of our instruments and supports the well-being of our employees.

Reinvestment in Resources

To avoid backlogs and ensure we can handle peak workloads, we continuously reinvest in our laboratory's resources. This reinvestment strategy includes:

1. Staff Development: We invest in the professional development of our staff through continuous training and education. This ensures that our team is knowledgeable about the latest industry standards and techniques, enhancing our overall service quality.
2. Equipment Upgrades and capital expenditure: Regular reinvestment in new and advanced equipment keeps us at the forefront of oil analysis technology. Upgraded equipment improves our analytical capabilities, speed, and accuracy, allowing us to meet growing demands.
3. Infrastructure Improvements: We periodically review and upgrade our laboratory infrastructure to support our expanding operations. This includes enhancing our laboratory layout, upgrading IT systems, and improving data management capabilities.

Consistency and Reliability

Our ability to deliver consistent and reliable results is a key differentiator in the industry. We achieve this through:

1. Quality Control: Rigorous quality control measures are in place to ensure the accuracy and reliability of our analysis. This includes regular proficiency testing, internal audits, and continuous monitoring of key performance indicators.
2. Customer Feedback: We actively seek and utilise customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and use independent third party polling of customers to confirm they are happy with an impartial assessment.  This customer-centric approach helps us to continuously refine our processes and enhance our service offerings.
3. Performance Metrics: We track various performance metrics, such as turnaround times, proficiency testing results and customer satisfaction, to ensure we are meeting our high standards and making data-driven improvements.

We go beyond standard traceability, using historical round robin samples to validate methods, instruments, and calibrations. These samples, sent to hundreds of labs worldwide, provide statistically accurate data by averaging out individual lab errors, ensuring our calibrations are verified correctly.

We are a regular proficiency testing participant of 10 separate PT schemes that each test our data multiple times each a year. The breakdown of which is as follows :

• 4 programmes in Petroleum Products, Liquid Fuels, and Lubricants (Committee D02).
• 2 programmes in Engine Coolants and Related Fluids (Committee D15).
• 2 programmes in Electrical Insulating Liquids and Gases (Committee D27).

Please get in touch to find details of our participation.

We do not tie customers into contracts, simplifying the agreement on testing levels, pricing, and sampling requirements. Our reports include detailed methods and clickable links for further information on each test. We keep records of quality improvements, safety observations, customer feedback, and participate in multiple internationally recognised proficiency testing (PT) schemes. This ensures regular checks and continuous improvement of our methods.

Our integrated management system (IMS), Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), and training management system (TMS) handle quality feedback, risks, sample data, audit findings, and staff training records. These systems ensure continuous improvement, with full oversight and responsibility by the business owners.

We hold multiple accolades, including ISO9001 Quality, ISO 14001 Environment and ISO45001 Safety certifications, numerous awards, and independent assessments. Our achievements include:

• Winning the British Institute of Non-destructive Testing award for significant innovation in condition monitoring.
• Participating in proficiency testing schemes with ASTM International, with results comparing our data with hundreds of labs worldwide.
• Independently performed customer feedback and interviews by Leading Edge.
• OEM approvals.
• Responsible business practices for staff HR, Employment Law and Health and Safety.
• Fully compliant quality management systems.

 

You can find all our publicly listed quality policies here.

Please see below our current ISO9001, ISO14001 and ISO45001 Integrated management system certificate

Please see below our Rolls Royce approval letter

Please see below our proficiency testing participation letter from ASTM