Here is the Press Release, DC has allowed it since September 1, 2005 according to this press release. Chrysler Group to License its ATF+4® Transmission Fluid - 8/16/2005
The Chrysler Group announced yesterday that, “in response to marketplace demands and evolving vehicle technology,” the company has established a licensing program for ATF+4® -- its advanced, synthetic automatic transmission fluid. Beginning September 1, 2005, the fluid will now be made available to retail outlets and through independent repair facilities for Chrysler, Jeep®, and Dodge vehicle automatic transmissions.
According to the press release, independent lubricant manufacturers and major oil companies will be able to apply for licenses to blend and package ATF+4®. “There will be two classifications of licensees, re-branders and blenders,” Rebecca Cox, Director of The Center for Quality Assurance, told ILMA. “Re-branders will purchase ATF+4® from approved blenders and package it in their own containers. Blenders will make the product and sell it directly to the re-branders or, if desired, to the marketplace. ” Cox noted that the licensing cost for re-branders is $5,000 per year. The licensing cost for blenders is $5,000 per year, plus an additional $1/gallon for every gallon sold.
Chrysler worked with the Lubrizol Corporation to develop the transmission fluid. "Lubrizol's additive package will be available for any ILMA member who is an approved blender licensee," Lubrizol's Mark Pringle, General Manager of North American sales, said. He added that any independent who doesn't have enough volume to be a blender licensee could buy finished lubricants from licensed blenders and apply as a re-brander.
All ATF+4® licensees will be required to be facility-accredited and will undergo periodic market sampling to ensure the ATF+4® produced is of the required quality. “The time required for accreditation depends on the response of the ILMA member,” Cox said. “Re-branders must send in a packaged product sample to The Center for Quality Assurance for testing. If the results are acceptable, the re-brander will submit a licensee application. The Center will conduct a site visit for each applicant to ensure product delivery verification, handling and process control for ATF+4®. ”
Cox added that re-branders must send their ATF+4® product packaged for testing with a label sample, to ensure the labeling requirements are met. She also noted that the accreditation process for blenders is “probably a more time-consuming process than for re-branders,” because licensee applicants will have to undergo testing for conformance to the exact performance requirements of ATF+4® as well as in-plant process control review and follow up friction testing of production batches for a set time period.
Cox, who congratulated ILMA on its recent ethics initiative, said that The Center for Quality Assurance will be testing licensees as least once a quarter, but more testing may be conducted based on volume manufactured.
“There is no limit to how many ATF+4® licenses can be approved,” Cox said. “The Center realizes that ILMA members have been waiting for a program such as this for quite a while, and will do all it can to encourage and speed licensing. The Center’s goal is to get the program out as quickly and smoothly as possible. ” Cox is currently working on final licensee procedures and once those are available, ILMA will post the information on its Web site.
“The licensing of ATF+4® has been on ILMA’s radar for some 30 months, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that Chrysler has finally delivered a licensing program that ILMA members can benefit from,” ILMA Executive Director Celeste M. Powers said. “I’m looking forward to hearing from the membership about the program and seeing the results for our independent blenders in the marketplace. ” ILMA and the Automotive Oil Change Association had filed separate complaints with the Federal Trade Commission in 2004 over Chrysler’s ATF+4® marketing practices.
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