Duckhams Oil
Delivering a best in class oil finder for Duckhams Oil Trade licensee The Rapid Group.
Duckhams Oil
The Challenge
As the UK trade distributor for Duckhams Oil, The Rapid Group wanted to make it faster and easier for its network of more than 20,000 independent garages to identify the correct Duckhams lubricant for every vehicle. While existing API data provided the necessary product information, it couldn't deliver the bespoke search logic or user journey needed to reflect the way professional mechanics work.
The Rapid Group challenged Absolute Nexa to develop a completely bespoke Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) lookup tool that would simplify the oil selection process, reduce the risk of incorrect product recommendations and create a faster, more intuitive experience for trade users. The ultimate objective was to increase confidence in product selection, improve workshop efficiency and help drive sales of the correct Duckhams oil across its nationwide distribution network.
Our Approach
The project required a complex integration with the Olyslager API to provide accurate, real-time vehicle-to-product data. Due to the complexity of the underlying data and Duckham’s specific business requirements, an out-of-the-box integration was not capable of meeting Duckhams’ requirements.
We designed and developed a custom middleware API that acts as the processing layer between the external data source and the website frontend, providing greater control over performance, business logic and data processing.
Key technical solutions included:
Performance Optimisation:
Implemented intelligent caching and response optimisation to minimise third-party API requests and deliver significantly faster search results.
Custom Business Logic:
Developed bespoke processing and transformation logic for Olyslager data to support Duckhams' unique product recommendation rules. This functionality was unique to Duckhams and extended beyond the capabilities of the standard Olyslager integration.
Data Processing Layer:
Built a flexible middleware architecture capable of normalising complex vehicle compatibility data into clear, user-friendly recommendations.
Accelerated Development:
Leveraged AI-assisted tooling to validate and refine complex mapping and sorting logic, accelerating development while maintaining rigorous manual engineering oversight.
Impact
The completed platform transformed what was previously a complex technical lookup process into a fast, intuitive experience for both trade professionals and consumers, providing a scalable and maintainable foundation for ongoing growth.
- High Performance: Engineered to reliably support a huge volume of vehicle searches per day while delivering consistently fast and responsive search experiences.
- Optimised API Usage: Intelligent caching reduces unnecessary third-party API requests for repeat lookups, improving efficiency, reducing external dependencies and supporting long-term scalability.
- Trade-Focused Experience: Introduced a simplified recommendation format using clear numbered options rather than exposing raw technical data, making it easier for technicians and customers to identify the correct product with confidence.
- Operational Independence: Integration with our proprietary Absolute Control CMS enables the Duckhams team to independently manage product information, OEM approvals and distributor data without developer involvement, streamlining ongoing maintenance and reducing operational overhead.
The Outcome
We delivered a high-performance digital platform that simplifies how Duckhams’ customers and trade partners discover, understand and access the right products, while giving the Duckhams team full control over their product ecosystem.
- Streamlined Product Discovery: The oil finder transforms a traditionally complex vehicle-to-product lookup process into a simple, intuitive experience, helping users quickly identify the correct oil with confidence.
- Centralised Content Management: Through Absolute Control CMS, Duckhams can independently manage product information, technical data and supporting resources without requiring developer input, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing reliance on technical support.
- Connected Distributor Network: Integration with the Rapid Group member API ensures 130 stockist and distributor locations are always up to date and accessible through the “Where to Buy” experience, creating a consistent and reliable route to purchase.
- Seamless Physical-to-Digital Experience: QR codes on product packaging allow users to instantly access the oil finder from their mobile device, taking them directly from physical product labels to accurate vehicle and oil recommendations at the point of need.
- Scalable Foundation for Growth: The platform provides a flexible and maintainable foundation that supports future expansion of products, distributors and digital touchpoints as Duckhams’ needs evolve.
This wasn’t simply a case of connecting to an API. We needed to take the data and apply our own business logic to determine how it was presented to customers. Absolute Nexa understood that challenge and developed a completely bespoke solution around the way we operate. The result is a platform that does exactly what we need it to do.