WICHITA, Kan., June 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Lubricants (UL), a manufacturer and distributor of premium lubricants announced today that its partnership with D&D Sexton, Inc. has saved more than 20,000 barrels of crude oil from being either extracted or imported for motor oil production.  UL collects, re-refines, blends, packages and redistributes its own oil, including ECO ULTRA®. D&D Sexton is one of the Midwest's leading common and contract refrigerated carrier and, as of November 2010, one of the earliest fleet adopters of Universal Lubricants' ECO ULTRA® line. Each of D&D Sexton's 415 power and reefer trucks rely on ECO ULTRA 15w40 to uphold on the road performance while also complementing the company's wider energy and environmental initiatives.

ECO ULTRA is an American Petroleum Institute (API) licensed line of automotive and industrial lubricants that rely on used oil as feedstock to its re-refinery that produces top quality sustainable base oil.  ECO ULTRA meets Original Equipment Manufacturers' (OEM) specifications and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) requirements. It's increasingly being selected as the motor oil of choice for a growing number of fleet operators across the country.

"Since we first piloted ECO ULTRA in an initial six-month test, we saw real proof that a motor oil made from a re-refined base performs as optimally as one made from virgin crude," said Ed Boes, D&D Sexton's terminal manager. "And now, a little more than one year and 28 million miles later, we're only more convinced that ECO ULTRA is the best option for us. The product both cost-effectively aligns with D&D's operational needs and allows us to safely extend our drain intervals, boosting its value even further. We're proud to be one of the first fleets using ECO UTLRA to reach a milestone of 20,000 barrels of crude spared, but really, the advantage has been all ours."

The U.S. produces approximately 1.1 billion gallons of used motor oil every year, of which approximately 800 million gallons is collected for re-use.  However, less than 20 percent of that 800 million gallons collected is re-refined.  Most of the collected oil is burned as an industrial fuel, reducing supplies of limited petroleum reserves and perpetuating the need to import foreign oil.  What's more, an estimated 200 million gallons of used motor oil is disposed of improperly, damaging the environment. 

UL is dedicated to reversing this trend with its Closed Loop Process™ by completely controlling every aspect of the proprietary system. The company collects, re-refines, blends, packages and redistributes its own oil, including the ECO ULTRA line—without ever losing guardianship within the chain—in an infinitely repeatable, sustainable cycle.

"For more than a year, ECO ULTRA has kept D&D Sexton's trucks on the road in top condition, for longer periods of time," said John Wesley, UL's chief executive officer. "With each truck's average 12 gallon oil change using ECO ULTRA, D&D Sexton has saved America from importing 24 barrels of foreign oil; in just a few months those savings have added up to make a significant difference and this is just the beginning of an even larger national impact as more and more fleets see the strategic, economic and energy value of following D&D Sexton's example."

For more information about UL's ECO ULTRA® products, visit www.ecoultraoil.com.

About Universal Lubricants

Universal Lubricants, since its founding in 1929, has balanced tradition with innovation to emerge over the past four decades as a driving force in used oil collection, base oil refining and distribution. The Company collects, re-refines, blends and re-distributes its own motor oil—never losing guardianship within the chain—to ensure that every quart, every gallon is of the highest quality for optimal performance. Universal Lubricants, with its Closed Loop Process™, boasts a national presence supplying ECO ULTRA® throughout the country by operating 36 facilities in 16 states. This includes one of the world's most technologically advanced re-refineries in Wichita, Kansas. The Company employs 465 workers and is a Pegasus Capital Advisors portfolio company.

A leader in R&D and in the marketplace, Universal Lubricants will continue to drive progress and drive performance in the motor oil industry. For more information visit www.universallubes.com.

SOURCE Universal Lubricants