From time to time, JobbersWorld hears from inventors, entrepreneurs, and others about new and innovative ideas they believe will improve the products and/or services in the lubricant and fuel business. While some are not really new ideas or perhaps flawed, or maybe only in the ideation phase of development, others are seemingly sound, innovative, and close to commercialization. In an effort to shine a light on the latter, JobbersWorld will periodically publish a new column titled Inventions & Innovations. This column is not an endorsement of the products and service discussed. Instead, it is presented to help keep our readers informed of inventions and innovations that may soon be seen in the marketplace.
The Catalytic Converter Cleanse™ (CCC), by ESL TEKnologies, LLC (“ESLT”) is the first featured in this column.
Thomas F. Glenn, President
Petroleum Trends International, Inc. – Publishers of JobbersWorld
The Catalytic Converter Cleanse™ (CCC), by ESL TEKnologies, LLC (“ESLT”) is currently in the advanced proof of concept stage of development, and if all goes as planned, it could have a significant impact on extending the life of catalytic converters, and the types of engine oils used in passenger cars.
According to John T. (Cork) Jaeger, Jr., President & CEO of ESL TEKnologies, “The new business offers a proprietary solution to a widespread problem that plagues older vehicles.” As many are painfully aware, the problem rears its head when their car fails emissions inspection due to a bad catalytic converter(s). And for the many unfortunate enough to have been in this situation have found, replacing catalytic converters is expensive. Further, considering the age of vehicles when converters typically fail, the cost of replacement can sometimes be hard to justify.
Original equipment manufacturer (“OEM”) warranty on a catalytic converter is eight years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first. Catalytic converters are excluded from coverage by vehicle service contracts. If a vehicle older than eight years or with more than 80,000 miles fails an emissions test due to catalyst poisoning caused by phosphorus content build-up that deactivates the catalyst housed in the converter, the only remedy is to replace it. Considering that the typical cost of replacement ranges from $933 to-$4,4141, ESLT identified a problem in need of a more cost-effective solution.
Jaeger says the ESLT solution is a catalytic converter cleanse; a novel new maintenance service now in the process of proof of concept. ESLT developed the Catalytic Converter Cleanse™ to fully clean and restore the catalytic converter with a guarantee that the vehicle will not fail an emissions test due to catalyst poisoning. And according to Jaeger, “The market for the service is large. As of the end of 2022 there were an estimated 284 million passenger vehicles in the US of which 111 million were within the age limit for the OEM catalytic converter warranty. This leaves a total addressable market of 173 million vehicles.”
The ESLT Catalytic Converter Cleanse is a maintenance service performed by a trained technician using a proprietary process and equipment specifically designed for that purpose. “The service removes the phosphorus contaminants on the surfaces of the catalyst and restores the catalytic converter emissions system performance to “like new” operating condition without removing the converter from the vehicle,” notes Jaeger. Adding that, “For a fraction of the replacement cost, ESLT’s new CCC service will fully clean and restore the catalytic converter and guarantee the vehicle will not fail an emissions test due to catalytic poisoning.
Although much of the technology is proprietary, Jaeger shared that the process cleans the surfaces of the catalyst with proprietary fluid and equipment. The fluid type has been identified and a supplier has been selected. Further, the equipment prototype is in late-stage design and the equipment manufacturer has been selected. In addition, field trials are planned at and with assistance of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency maintenance department at a date to be announced.
Importantly, Jaeger says, “The service carries a guarantee that is backed by an A-rated insurance company. The vehicle will not fail an emissions test due to catalyst poisoning after the cleanse is performed provided that the vehicle is properly maintained as per the OEM maintenance guidelines.”
The guarantee is offered at two levels depending on the quality of the motor oil used for routine maintenance. Understanding that phosphorous in motor oil is a leading cause of catalyst poisoning responsible for deactivating catalytic converters, if a standard grade of motor oil is used to maintain the vehicle post CCC service, the guarantee is shorter and for fewer miles. If a low phosphorous (less than 300 ppm), high molybdenum motor oil is used, the guarantee is longer and for more miles. Jaeger notes that, “The insured guarantee is central to the CCC value proposition.”
ESLT will market and distribute the CCC service through value added resellers (“VAR”). “The first such VAR has been selected and it is an established firm that offers automobile service and maintenance marketing, promotion, and sales training to more than five hundred (500) franchise auto dealer clients. Jaeger says “The firm will promote the CCC service for reconditioning higher mileage used cars sold by dealer clients and market the CCC service to dealer customers with older or higher mileage vehicles to bring them back to the dealership. ESLT will entertain requests from other VARs and is actively seeking VARs to target independent repair shops, fleets, and other auto dealers.”
About the team of innovators developing CCC
Jaeger and co-inventor Glenn Mazzamaro applied for a US Patent to protect the CCC invention more than a year ago. Mazzamaro is Vice President, Petroleum Additives at Vanderbilt Chemicals and inventor of low phosphorus, high molybdenum engine oil technology with strong ties to ESLTek. Mike McMillan is a former Section Manager at GM Research for lubricants and factory-fill specifications, and was the longtime Chairman and co-founder of ILSAC. McMillan is a co-owner and member of the board of advisors at ESLT. David Sulfridge is a certified property and casualty underwriter (CPCU), a former senior executive at Aon and The Warranty Group, and founder and president of DLS Associates, Inc., a consulting firm advising ESLT and other product innovators. And, Mike Fogarty, founder of Fogarty LLP and patent consul to ESLT and the predecessor firm dating to 1997.
About ESL TEKnologies, LLC.
ESLT is a technology development company operating within the lubricant industry. All of its development work is focused to bring product and service offerings that create organic growth opportunities. The company is based in Dallas TX and is guided by long term Investors and advisors dating back to 2009.
For more information about CCC, contact Cork Jaeger
About Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC.
Vanderbilt Chemicals is a wholly owned subsidiary of R.T. Vanderbilt Holding Company, Inc., located in Norwalk, CT, with its founding dating back to 1916 in New York City by Robert Thurlow Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt Chemicals is a trusted global supplier of rubber chemicals, plastic and petroleum additives with emphasis on sustainability and innovation. The company employs 420 men and women, selling throughout the United States and in some 80 countries around the world.