CLEVELAND, Ohio – February 27, 2023 – As lithium prices continue to escalate, Lubrizol is committed to supplying alternative high-performance, cost-effective industrial grease-thickening solutions to grease manufacturers around the world. As part of this commitment, Lubrizol has opened a new grease lab in Navi Mumbai, India, to support the testing and development of calcium sulfonate greases with strong potential in the industrial grease market.

Lithium soaps have long been a widely used thickener for grease applications, but vehicle electrification has led to a dramatic rise in lithium demand in recent years. Over the long term, grease manufacturers will face supply constraints as supply will be favoring battery manufacturers.

Calcium Sulfonate complex greases-based formulations can be an effective alternative to lithium soaps. OBCS (Over-Based Calcium Sulfonate) provides reliable thickening properties, good compatibility with base oils and additives, and suitable performance for long-term use. Lubrizol’s new India lab will support the rigorous testing required for OBCS formulations to demonstrate their full potential.

“India is a unique market with unique demands,” said Sanjeev Kaul, Chairman and Managing Director, Lubrizol Additives India. “There is limited support available in the form of third-party testing labs in India focused on greases. With this lab, we are supporting small- to mid-size grease manufacturers in the region with grease development and testing services and support that can promote the development of calcium sulfonate based greases and increase their sales.”

The lab will grant grease manufacturers access to:

Performance testing, enabling manufacturers to measure performance properties in action
Benchmark testing, allowing manufacturers to compare product performance against industry standards
Training, helping manufacturers equip their formulation teams with grease selection, testing and application knowledge

“Lithium demand isn’t slowing, and grease manufacturers will very soon require a reliable thickening alternative,” said Kaul. “We want to help manufacturers throughout the region stay ahead of the curve and sharpen their competitive edge with possible alternate solutions.”

Lubrizol offers end-to-end solutions to the manufacturers through technical training, product testing, and guidance to formulate finished grease solutions. These include Lubrizol^® GR9251, a calcium sulfonate precursor designed to have high water spray-off resistance, which lowers grease consumption, along with superior cold-flow properties and a manufacturing process that makes grease easier to produce.

Lubrizol is committed to offering global support for grease manufacturers, granting access to the necessary testing capabilities to deliver new solutions to the marketplace. For more information, visit www.Lubrizol.com.

Lubrizol Opens New Grease Lab to Support Development for Lithium Alternative in India