When Garcia joined MMP, he realized immediately that the company’s current maintenance system and hydraulic fluids were not doing the job he needed them to do. MMP needed a change. Garcia felt their existing fluid, supplied by a leading global oil company, provided poor performance and required too much time for preventative maintenance. They were also experiencing frequent unscheduled downtime due to varnish build-up, oil leaks as a result of oil seals becoming brittle and cracking, and issues with servo valves and pump failures.

Initially, Garcia set out to trial two new hydraulic fluids: a leading competitor and HYDREX AW 46. He ran the two fluids in the same machines, under the same conditions. The trial revealed better seal compatibility and less oxidation with HYDREX AW 46, and as a result Garcia was convinced that it was the best option. Unlike many competitive hydraulic fluids that are made using all or part Group I base oils, Petro-Canada uses only Group II & III base oils to ensure that their hydraulic fluids offer superior protection and oxidation stability. They have been tested to demonstrate excellent compatibility with a variety of seals, while potential impurities in some Group I products can cause seal degradation over time. “Petro-Canada is a brand I trust and the product is superior,” says Garcia. “And once I decided to switch to HYDREX AW 46, I knew I wanted to switch our entire inventory to Petro-Canada products wherever possible.”

Since making the switch in 2009, MMP has experienced at least a 50 percent improvement in servo valve and hydraulic pump life. Scheduled downtime for preventative maintenance has been cut down to a total of two days per year – a 60 percent reduction. “We were very happy with the results,” says Garcia. “With HYDREX AW 46, Master Molded has virtually eliminated unscheduled downtime. We no longer have the issue of varnish build-up and as a result, the valves aren’t failing.”