Valvoline Instant Oil Change, a chain of automotive service providers in the United States, announced that it has signed agreements with several national and regional companies to which it will provide automotive fluid maintenance and related services. The companies include:

• ULTEA Leasing, Madison, Wis., a fleet leasing, management and consulting company and a subsidiary of Heartland Financial;
  

• UHL Companies, Osseo, Minn., an HVAC solutions, repair and maintenance company;

• Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters and Joiners, St. Paul, Minn., a union of some 13,000 building tradesmen and women covering Minnesota, North and South Dakota and western Wisconsin; and

• Comcast Cable of Flint, Flint, Mich., which operates some 100 service vehicles. “We’re seeing a trend among regional companies toward outsourcing their fleet maintenance,” says Valvoline’s Manager of Fleet Service Doug Hurd. “They’re realizing they can more cost-effectively handle this process by sending their drivers to professional third-party providers than by maintaining the staff, space and equipment on-premise and doing it themselves. With the Valvoline Instant Oil Change program, they receive the added benefits of consolidated reporting, convenient payment options, evening and weekend hours with no appointment necessary and, of course, reliable, high-quality Valvoline products." “At the same time, a growing number of large regional and national leasing companies are adding Valvoline Instant Oil Change to their lists of participating service providers because of our convenient access via more than 730 locations nationwide, our sophisticated technology that provides for easily customized reporting and the familiarity of drivers throughout the country with the Valvoline brand,” Hurd adds. Valvoline Instant Oil Change’s full-service oil change includes: draining and replacing motor oil; installing a new Valvolineâ oil filter and gasket; lubricating vehicles according to manufacturer recommendations; and performing preventative maintenance checks of the air filters and breathers, serpentine belts, PVC valves and windshield wiper blades. Valvoline Instant Oil Change technicians will also check and top off power steering, transmission, battery, windshield washer, antifreeze/cooling system, differential and transfer case fluids in addition to testing batteries and tire pressure. Additional services include: cleaning fuel and air-intake systems; draining and replacing transmission fluid; flushing, checking and refilling the cooling system; and replacing worn parts such as windshield wiper blades and serpentine belts. According to the company, all Valvoline Instant Oil Change service center staff is certified by SuperPro, a proprietary training program, before being allowed to work independently on any vehicle, and Valvoline Instant Oil Change backs its service with a 100-percent satisfaction guarantee. Valvoline Instant Oil Change also provides an online fleet-maintenance tool via its Maximum Vehicle Performance (MVP) program, a computer-based tracking system that offers manufacturers’ recommendations for products and service and tracks the service history and mileage of each vehicle serviced by Valvoline Instant Oil Change. The MVP system allows Valvoline Instant Oil Change to provide timely reminders geared to specific driving habits. Fleet managers can also access vehicle service histories and update them with information on maintenance performed by other service providers by visiting www.vioc.com. Valvoline Instant Oil Change says it offers solutions for fleets of all sizes. To find out more about available program and benefits, contact a Valvoline Instant Oil Change fleet sales representative at (800) 622-6846 or visit www.vioc.com/serv_fleet.asp. About Valvoline Instant Oil Change Fleet Services
  The Valvoline Company entered the quick-lube business in 1986 and formally established the Valvoline Instant Oil Change name in 1988. With 734 company-owned and franchise service centers nationwide, Valvoline Instant Oil Change is one of the nation’s largest providers of automotive fluid maintenance services. The company plans to grow to nearly 1,100 locations by 2008. Valvoline Instant Oil Change Fleet Services says it offers local and national businesses convenient access to comprehensive service, consolidated reporting, multiple payment options, and high-quality Valvoline products, all with the objective of helping them streamline the maintenance process and maximize the return on their investments in capital and labor. Valvoline Instant Oil Change is a division of Ashland Inc.