FUCHS starts its 2025 Training plan
Before launching the new service, Sparkes & Sparkes made sure it was 100% prepared. The Santo Tirso company, which specializes in rebuilding and repairing manual gearboxes of any make or model, wanted to understand everything about the lubricants to be applied to dual-clutch gearboxes (DCT): how they work, their benefits and the manufacturers' requirements. FUCHS, their exclusive partner since 2018, took up the challenge and prepared specific training. "Our aim was to qualify the Sparkes & Sparkes team comprehensively. There are three types of DCT gearbox with different operating modes and lubrication requirements. Detailed knowledge is essential to be able to provide excellent service and explain to the customer how everything works and what the advantages are. At FUCHS, we have unique experience with lubricants for DCT gearboxes. Many of our products in the FFL range have been OEM-filled by the VW group since 2003, and two of them are the only ones in the world with the relevant VW approvals. We also have official approvals from ZF, Mercedes-Benz and GETRAG," says mechanical engineer Miguel Pinto Ribeiro, Business Development Manager Automotive at FUCHS, who conducted the two-hour training.
"We really enjoyed it. It was interesting and important to know how the oils work, before starting with the DCT boxes," comments Diamantino Costa, General Manager of Sparkes & Sparkes, who took part with his team of mechanics in the training held at FUCHS in April. He then launched the service in response to the evolution of the market, which already has a significant number of vehicles with these new gearboxes. "We see huge potential here and we have high expectations," says Diamantino Costa, adding: "We hope to achieve 30 percent of our turnover in the first year." SPARKES & SPARKES has more than 1,000 gearboxes in stock, not counting DCTs, and carries out hundreds of repairs a month. It relies on FUCHS to guarantee the long life of its gearboxes.
For the world's largest independent lubricant manufacturer, a key point of the partnership is precisely to keep customers up to date with innovations. The SPARKES & SPARKES training was already the third this year. In 2024, seven face-to-face trainings and two webinars were held. "In 2025, we plan to hold eight face-to-face training sessions and three webinars," says Miguel Pinto Ribeiro and stresses: "Of course, we're always open to challenges from our customers.
customers!"
