Publisher’s Note

In September Tata Motors signed a deal with French Lubricants major Total Lubricants for supply of lubricants. It will lead to Tata Motors' service network and its commercial vehicle customer support across global markets. It would be the French company’s first partnership with an Indian OEM.

Total also intends to help to enhance skill levels of Tata Motors’ networks across the globe and will lead to Indian manufacturers taking a closer look at high performance lubricants and of ways of maintaining their performance. The objective, as always, is to keep an eye on the bottom line. It could be that without a thorough assessment, unnecessary oil changes are being carried out and leads to taking a fine decision on when to change the oil.

That, in turn, leads to oil analysis factors through sampling frequency and machinery required for such analysis. Contaminant dispersion and outside temperatures are accountable in any system, small or large, as in the case of mining equipment. The essentials of most lubrication systems are the grease pump, a motor to drive that pump and some sort of injector or valve to control or measure lubricant volume, as with a programmable logic controller (PLC) to program the frequency of the lubrication replenishment cycle in large or complex systems.

An article in this issue deals with prevention of foaming and air dispersion in Industrial Gear Oils which call for the three types of products - heavy duty lubricating oils, circulating and hydraulic oils and general purpose grease. As used for industrial purposes, walking draglines may require lubricants for large bearings that support the frame as it moves through the process.

Then, there is the development of multipurpose products designed to meet several different applications from a single lubrication system, along with the challenge to identify the the right lubricating oil, and the ways of keeping it going. Appropriately, the end page basics enumerate reasons why reclamation and recycling lubricants is practical for high volume users. Again, that bottom line has facilitated the need for such search and research.

All in all, the Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ initiative gathers momentum in the industrial sector – and the industrial oils segment as small startups strive to emulate the path taken by world leaders such as Tata Motors and Total Lubricants. It is heartening to note the number of small to mid sized lubricant manufacturers and distributors in India who follow the growth model by offersing a range of lubricants and oils as well as assistance, oil analysis, training, and workshop services. The auto sector remains the most visible, but there is also client service of diverse industries throughout the region.

Warm Regards,

Udey Dhir