For Molydal, a company founded in 1958 and specialised in industrial lubricants, the transition from petroleum-based to bio-based lubricants provides real benefits in terms of efficiency, image and future.
“We sell industrial lubricants for maintenance as well as for the manufacture of a number of products,” explains Thierry Vidal, Key Account Manager at Molydal. “Our product range is divided into three categories: greases and assembly pastes; oils for cold metal processing (stamping, cutting, machining, etc.) and all products used for the maintenance of industrial equipment, such as degreasers, aerosols, lubricants, etc. We also offer equipment for the application of our lubricants. “
A few years ago, as the price of a barrel of oil continued to rise, the CEO, Jean-Louis Pauphillat, decided to look for plant-based alternatives to petroleum products, “to ensure the sustainability of the company and our supply of raw materials,” recalls Thierry Vidal. “We then joined the IAR cluster and we turned, via our R&D department, to plant-based innovation.”
5 projects submitted, 3 approved
With the support of the Pôle IAR, Molydal is going to set up 5 innovative projects “3 of which have been selected and subsidised at 50% by the State! “ The first project concerned a lubricant for metalworking. The second was on a lubricant for the valve chains of hydroelectric dams. The third was a grease for presses used in the manufacture of wood pellets. For the three projects developed, the benefits are notable “both in terms of image and performance”, Thierry Vidal continues. “For our customers, using ecologically acceptable products is a real plus, especially at a time when ecological and health awareness is on the rise. They were therefore very quickly interested in our innovative products.”
Especially since, and Thierry Vidal admits that this was an unexpected surprise, “some of the products developed from plant resources have proved to be more effective than petroleum-based products. So, even if the prices of our products remain higher, our customers are benefiting because they will consume less, and indirect costs such as waste treatment or wear and tear on industrial tools will also decrease. ”
“This journey towards biobased products has helped us a lot in boosting our R&D and marketing efforts. We are convinced that there will be more and more biobased products. We made the right choice! ” Concludes Thierry Vidal.