TWO-STROKE: IT’ S MORE THAN JUST SOMETHING YOU SPILL ON THE SERVICE STATION FORE COURT

Although Silkolene is a motorcycle brand that is now part of the global FUCHS group, its roots are very much in the UK where its operated since 1908. “Although sold in over 50 countries, every litre of FUCHS Silkolene is blended and quality controlled here in Stoke,” said Joost van Genderen, head of the FUCHS Motorcycle Division.

I’d never given much thought to how two-stroke arrived in my toolbox but was surprised at how complex the process is. “Before any oil is accepted it’s sampled and examined for quality,” explained Joost. “From that moment on its tracked through the production system. Give me the batch code for any FUCHS Silkolene product and I can tell you exactly when it arrived on site and who was responsible for each stage of its production.”

Having been accepted by the laboratory technicians the base oil passes through a system that looks like rocket science. Additives are measured by computer and nothing leaves the mixing silo until samples have been analysed on site and passed by quality control. The stringency of standards is illustrated by the fact that there are two separate production lines on site. One produces lubricants for medical use but the type of machinery and processes in use on the commercial line are exactly the same. FUCHS Silkolene is also innovative in the way its oil is packaged and distributed. “We’re investing heavily in environmentally friendly packaging,” said Joost “There’ll always be the need for a bottle of twostroke but bulk purchases are moving towards bladder bags – essentially a heavy-duty version of the wine box. This reduces waste both in packaging and in oil residue as it’s easier to get more oil out of the bladder. The packaging is also much lighter, reducing transport costs. At the moment we’re not packaging two-stroke oil in this way but we’re constantly driven by the needs of our customers and if the demand’s there it’s something we could offer quite easily.”