The Dura Lube Corporation was formed in 1986, originally intended as an engine additive for heavy duty trucks. The company gained wide exposure in the mid-1990s through infomercials and wide retail distribution of its engine and fuel additives.

Products

Today, the company provides engine treatment products for gas and diesel applications and produces various engine, fuel, and transmission treatment products, as well as industrial grease and exterior appearance products. It offers its products online and through big box retailers like

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and major automotive dealers like

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and Pep Boys . The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Gahanna, Ohio. As of its acquisition on June 24, 2005, Dura Lube Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Into Great Brands Inc.

Additive controversy

Dura Lube was heavily marketed in the 1990s via television

infomercial An infomercial is a form of television commercial that resembles regular TV programming yet is intended to promote or sell a product, service or idea. It generally includes a toll-free telephone number or website. Most often used as a form of dire ...

s and print advertising. The company's advertising at that time made certain specific claims that provided quantitative performance comparisons of oils treated with company's product to untreated oils. In a case filed in 1999, the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

proved that the company did not have a reasonable basis to substantiate these claims based upon available testing.

Settlement

The company along with several others including Valvoline Engine Treatment, Slick 50 Engine Treatment, STP Engine Treatment, and Motor Up Corporation, was investigated by the

in 1999-2000 and was found to have no competent or reliable evidence substantiating these claims about its performance. In March 2000, Dura Lube and competitor Motor Up both settled Federal Trade Commission charges that performance claims for their engine treatments were deceptive and unsubstantiated. The two settlements barred false and unsubstantiated claims about the performance, benefits, efficacy, or attributes of these products. In addition, As one of several industry companies penalized by the FTC, Dura Lube paid $2 million in consumer redress to be distributed by the FTC. The FTC had previously halted allegedly deceptive ads for Prolong Engine Treatment, Valvoline Engine Treatment, Slick 50 Engine Treatment and STP Engine Treatment.

Ownership

As a result, the original ownership filed bankruptcy and the company assets were sold to a venture capital group in Columbus Ohio named Into Great Brands Inc.

References

{{reflist Oil companies of the United States False advertising