Purolator launches 20,000-mile oil filter at Walmart | Tire Business

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Excitement was in the air at the Purolator Filters plant in Fayetteville as professional drift drivers took the corner of a makeshift track before crashing into a barrier of used tires — all to the cheers of employees on their lunch breaks.

First, aside from a century of producing oil filters, the plant doesn't usually get this much action. Second, the drifters — driving go-carts — were fine. It was all part of an event where the business opened its doors to media and social media influencers to showcase its team and tout the new Purolator 20K Premium Oil Filter.

The new filter, painted a subtle gold, is named for the number of miles it will cover — 20,000. The product launched in mid-March and is exclusive to Walmart Inc.

"It's a very new innovation we're bringing to the market: A filter that will last for 20,000 miles," Rodrigo Reyes, senior vice president of automotive aftermarket Americas, said.

"Thanks to our engineering groups that we're able to develop all the standards necessary for that, and this is something that we believe is going to be incredibly appealing and successful in the marketplace."

It might seem fitting that Purolator, which was founded in 1923 and lays claim to being the inventor of the modern oil filter, would be the one pushing the extreme boundaries of what an oil filter can do. This isn't the first 20,000-mile filter from Purolator (that would be the high-end Boss), but it's the first made to fit more than 95% of consumer vehicles for less than $10.

"When I grew up, 3,000 miles was as far as you really wanted to go on an oil change, and now things have changed to the point where it's very easy for your vehicle to go 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 miles," Donald Chilton, product management director, said.

Chilton said the oil and additive packages in the oil are advancing enough to last 20,000 miles, and the filter needed to match that.

"They are pushing the boundaries as far as the additive package. They've been doing it for years. And so, most of us still want to change that oil at 5,000 miles when the monitor goes off, but the oil will go longer. We know that," Chilton said. "And now we actually have a product that will match up to that oil."

Developed over two years with Walmart, the company said it would price the product "aggressively" to build its profile. Chilton said comparable quality filters are around $15, and the Purolator 20K would be in the $8 to $10 range.

"We wanted to bring good technology and at a reasonable price," he said.

The Purolator 20K filter was engineered with high-density, synthetic blend media that captures more than 99% of dirt and contaminants, ensuring clean oil flow for peak engine performance, the company said.

Additional features include a silicone anti-drainback valve to prevent dry starts, a PuroSEAL gasket for improved leak protection and a PuroSTEEL casing that withstands extreme pressure. That's an official way of saying the filter won't leak on your garage floor.

Purolator executives also noted the importance of a modern oil filter being able to handle the additional pressure of a start/stop engine when it cuts out at a stop light, then starts again for acceleration.

The line (available in April in store and late March online) covers more than 95% of the vehicles in operation with 30 SKUs.

The new Purolator filter boosts sustainability from the obvious aspect of using less oil and less filters over time, but the company said it has looked across its processes to find many ways to reduce its carbon footprint.

"The filter itself is really an ideal component to be recycled. All the steel can be extracted that can be recycled using construction application. The paper can be incinerated and used for fuel and other applications as well," Brian Yates, product engineering director, said. He added that at least 10% of the rubber used is recycled, too.

Yates said the company looked at how to reduce waste in manufacturing.

The company runs six lines at a time, making 100 parts a minute — or 140 million filters a year. The magic is in how the shiny metal housings move along assembly lines that go up to the ceiling and disappear into another part of the facility — thanks to magnets. Each section of the process is overseen by a technician or two.

First through construction, then the furnace for paint (in this case gold) and on to get gaskets, then labels, then to be separated into individual boxes and cases of six and 12.

From there, random filters are pulled and taken into a testing area where they can go through a litany of quality control tests. One test, for example, puts the max amount of pressure on the filter that it is rated to handle. The filter must hold for a minute before additional pressure is added until it bursts.

Another test puts the filters under extreme heat conditions, while another uses a light viscosity material to simulate motor oil on a hot summer day. The filters are mounted gasket side down and, over 24 hours, leakage is measured.

Executives said it is all about putting the best product on the market.

Purolator is owned by German company Mann+Hummel Group, which has 80 locations worldwide and produces around a quarter of all the oil filters on the market.

Along with Purolator, the company goes to market in the U.S. with the WIX brand of filters, among others.

"As technology changes, filtration has to change as well, and things are going to look different, and they're going to have to perform differently," Daryl Benton, vice president of sales and marketing, automotive aftermarket, said.

"We know filters and we know applications. You know, Ford has to know Ford; Chevy has to know Chevy; Toyota has to know Toyota; but we have to know everybody, because we make filters across the board."

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