GFC Presentation
Presentation
The GFC’s main objectives are to ensure a forum of technical exchanges for its experts in the domain of transportation fuels, lubricants and other fluids, and develop performance test methods in response to the national and European needs expressed by its members.
GFC members are found among companies and organisations belonging to one of the three following colleges:
- Oil and chemical industries, and additive manufacturers,
- Vehicle and Engine industries and their components suppliers,
- Users, laboratories, universities and technical colleges.
All these amount presently to some forty small companies, large groups and public organisations.
Structure :
Technical Committees
At the last general assembly, it was decided to create a new committee on methods for electrified vehicles (CTVE) and to bring together the engine lubricants (CTLM) and transmission lubricants (CTLT) committees.
The Executive Committee
The three colleges of activities are represented; It oversees the four technical committees. Cooperative working groups operate in each committee.
The GFC manages publications, lists existing methodologies and disseminates and updates them. It ensures the news of the Website, organizes Study Days, ensures inter-industry mixing during development activities in working groups, and offers access to all other useful information.
GFC test methods are valuable international references and become an essential tool for the development of our industries. These methods are the basis of most specifications and classifications defining product performance levels. They can, as is often the case, be used by standard bodies such as AFNOR or CEN.
Purpose
The Groupement Français de Coordination is a non-profit organization gathering ompanies belonging to one of the following three colleges:
- Oil and Chemistry Industries, manufacturers of additives;
- Manufacturers and equipment manufacturers of automobile, ground and maritime transport;
- Users, laboratories, universities and technical schools.
Companies can be a full member or associated participant.
The GFC is mainly technically directed to the development of methods of characterization of the technical performances of lubricants, fuels and other fluids used in the transport.
The work of development is made in groups of cooperative work.
The GFC does not establish specifications as regards the quality of products others than the equipment and reference materials necessary for the execution of the tests of performances.
The GFC was previously the French representative in theEuropean body CEC; CEC was restructured in 2001: it does not consist any more of national associations and work is based on call for tenders in a laboratory to develop the methods and organize a round test robin.
The GFC has for vocation to create methods but also to take back methods not being followed any more by the CEC, without competing with the CEC.
The GFC is also ready to welcome groups of surveillance of CEC which would not be any more born by the new organization, in agreement with these.
All these evolutions lead to an internationalization of the GFC, and the constitution was modified to this end; English is used if necessary in working groups.
The statistical approval of the works of the GFC is done by specialists on basis equivalent to those of the CEC methods.
The GFC continues more than ever, in complementarity to " new CEC ", to insure the development, the maintenance and the operation of the necessary methods and to offer a forum of technical exchanges to more than forty members (SME, big groups, bodies) of the automobile and of the other forms of transportation.
Membership
Engine Indutries and Suppliers
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Oil Industries
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Users
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Structure
The evolution of the GFC in 2000 following the re-structuring of CEC
From now on, Industrial Associations only, and no longer National Organisations, are members of CEC.
The development of a new CEC method, previously based on good will and job sharing, is now performed by way of tenders, and one laboratory deals with the method and organises a round robin test. This practice presents advantages but risks to limit the number of methods. For example, the previous ECTC thought this structure was not adaptable to their activity and asked GFC to host them as CTAF.
The objective of the GFC is to create methods and also take over methods no longer supported by CEC, without any competition with CEC.
Equally, the GFC is ready to welcome surveillance groups no longer supported by the "new" CEC, if they so wish.
This evolution is leading to the internationalisation of GFC. Its constitution has been modified accordingly. When necessary, the English language can be used in working groups.
Finalised CEC test methods will keep their own reference, e.g. CEC C-XX- / T or A.
In other cases, the approach is the following:
- CEC test methods re-worked by GFC will have a GFC/CEC reference, e.g. GFC-CEC C-XX-T-AA.
- Future test methods developed by GFC will bear a GFC reference, e.g. GFC F-XX-A-AA.
The statistical approval of GFC procedures will continue on a basis equivalent to CEC methods.
The GFC continues more than ever, complementarily to the "new CEC", to ensure the development, maintenance and necessary exploitation of the methods needed by industry. Moreover, GFC offers a forum of technical exchanges to some fifty members (small and medium size companies, large groups, laboratories, users ...) belonging to the automotive and other transport industries.
Organization
Untill 2023, GFC consisted of four technical committees:
- Engine Fuels Technical Committee (CTCM)
- Engine Lubricants Technical Committee (CTLM)
- Transmission Lubricants Technical Committee (CTLT)
- Other Fluids Technical Committee (created in 1991) (CTAF)
At the last general assembly, it was decided to create a new committee on methods for electrified vehicles (CTVE) and to bring together the engine lubricants (CTLM) and transmission lubricants (CTLT) committees in one committee CTLVT (Technical committee for lubricants of thermal vehicles).
CTCM and CTAF remain unchanged
GFC technical work is carried out by working groups of three different types:
Working groups
Investigation groups: define new problems which GFC will examine, and report their findings to the relevant technical committee, i.e.
- Available information
- Work already carried out or ongoing
- Subjacent factors involved
- Practical importance of problem
- Define the need for undertaking tests or developing a standard test method
- Guidance on future work.
Project groups: develop testing programmes or establish standard test methods. Such projects stem from either investigation group report recommendations or a request from the Executive Committee.
Surveillance groups: monitor and maintain methods approved by the Executive Committee, and modify them as necessary.
Link to CEC
The CEC is formed by 4 organisations:
- ACEA : Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles.
- ATC : Additives Technical Committee (Europe)
- ATIEL : Association Technique de l'Industrie Européenne des Lubrifiants
- CONCAWE : The Oil Companies' European Organisation for Environement, Health & Safety.
How to join CEC
CEC coolants methods are available from GFC for sales and updates.
To order CEC Fuel and Lubricants methods, please contact directly CEC:
CEC Secretariat
Avenue Jules Bordet 142
1140 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32.2.761.16.84
Email: info@cectests.org