Selling industrial lubricants

End users benefit from value-added programs like lubricant consolidation and in-plant training

By -- Industrial Distribution, 1/1/2001

Distributors face the difficult task of trying to both remember and promote the value-added characteristics inherent to many products produced by the multiple manufacturers they represent.

Although it is the responsibility of manufacturers to explain the "value-adds" of their products to their distributor partners, for complex products like industrial lubricants it can still be very difficult for distributors to determine the "value-add."

The value-add of industrial lubricants can be difficult for distributors to grasp primarily because they are too often viewed as hazardous chemicals.

The truth is, most industrial lubricants available in returnable bins, drums, pails, cartridges, and other non-aerosol small containers, are non-hazardous. Also, distributors working with manufacturer partners will find several value-adds to promote and offer to customers, such as: lubricant consolidation, food-grade lubrication programs and in-plant training.

The most important "value-add" that distributors can promote to their customers is lubricant consolidation. Many small- to medium-size lubricant manufacturers specializing in industrial lubricants can provide this through their distributor partners. For example, common industrial oil requirements in a factory call for a heavy way and bearing oil, an SAE-90 gear oil and an AGMA-5 gear oil. Specialty lubricant manufacturers can offer one product that meets these three requirements.

Multi-functional hydraulic oils are products that can provide lubricant consolidation. For example, many factories require ISO-68 hydraulic oil, SAE-20 air compressor oil, and ISO-68 oils for both gear and bearing oil recirculating systems and oil-mist systems. Specialty lubricant manufacturers can provide one product that meets all four of those applications.

Providing customers with lubricant consolidation is true "value-added." It reduces lubricant inventory and drum disposal, and cuts costs. Most important, it helps reduce the potential for costly lubricant misapplication.

Lubricant consolidation is not limited to general industry. Food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processors are seeking "value-added" from their lubricant suppliers for many reasons. Since the United States Food and Drug Administration ended its authorization program for non-food compounds and proprietary substances, there are many questions about the efficacy of existing H-1 lubricants as well as new food-grade/FDA ingredient-compliant lubricants that may have been introduced after the abolishment of the USDA's authorization program. Lubricant consolidation for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processors can help avoid confusion, and, ultimately, help protect the consumer.

Also, the use of food-grade lubricants eliminates lubrication as a critical control point in Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points programs, which many food processors are obliged to establish. The most effective food-grade/H-1 lubrication programs in HACCP systems are those with the fewest lubricants possible.

The way for distributors to reinforce lubricant consolidation at their customers is through in-plant training, another "value-added" service offered by lubricant suppliers. Every lubricant manufacturer provides training, which is most effective when conducted on-site. It's helpful for all of the plant maintenance personnel, project engineers, and purchasing managers to attend on-site training.

For distributors, working with suppliers to promote lubricant consolidation reinforced by in-plant training is a very manageable approach to selling industrial lubricants.

Jim Girard is vice president and general manager of the Lubriplate Division of Fiske Brothers Refining Co. of Newark, N.J. and Toledo, Ohio.