Viscosity Improvers are kind of a big deal. A company like ExxonMobil Chemical makes its own. So does Castrol for specific blends. Castrol patented their best Viscosity Improver, and you can find the patent number on Castrol EDGE EP gold jugs and bottles, for example. Most petrochemical manufacturers make Viscosity Improvers. However, they are not all the same. Not even close. You can trust a good quality motor oil that uses high-quality Viscosity Improvers to stay in grade. Other oils will not, that's why there are so many discussions about oils shearing. And then there are motor oils like Mobil 1 FS 0W-40 that are designed to barely be a forty-grade due to fuel efficiency and cold-climate concerns.