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Castrol industrial case studies

Castrol Industrial Case Studies

We help make it happen

Across the industrial sector, we work with businesses to overcome challenges and develop solutions to new problems. Here’s how we help make it happen.

Renault Sport F1 Team

The race for the world championship. We help make it happen

Renault Sport Formula One Team

Castrol has worked with Renault Sport F1 for 2 years supplying Hysol XBB and Tribol to help translate marginal gains during the manufacturing process into increased performance on the track.

 

The mission

Ultimately, the ambition of the Renault Sport F1 team is to win championships. Together, Castrol and Renault are racing ahead to achieve that goal by translating technological and product innovations on the factory floor into success on the track.

 
Working with Renault to optmise lubricant efficiency, stability, and performance in the manufacturing process was critical in doing that. 

 

The partnership

While Renault’s ambition is to win the world championship, Castrol’s ambition is to give Renault a leading edge by improving the way they manufacture vital components for the F1 car.  

 

 

But to do that, It’s important to have the right technical partner onboard. What gave Castrol the edge when we were choosing a partner to work with was the breadth and depth of their industrial experience as they cover a range of fields and specialisms we need.Bob BellChief Technical Officer - Renault Sport Formula One Team

 

The product

Castrol Hysol and Castrol Tribol
The main products used to improve overall performance and efficiency in the manufacturing of component parts were Castrol Hysol XBB and Castrol Tribol. 
Machine coolants are a hugely important part of the manufacturing process and form a large part of what Castrol supplies in this relationship. We also use Castrol greases, slideway oils and gearbox oils for the machines. The ability to use Castrol products to reduce downtime in the manufacturing process is crucial for us. The products we require must work under extreme conditions, so we not only need products that can perform in demanding environments, but we need to get the right support from our technical partner on an ongoing basis. We work under tight tolerances and are always looking to manufacture the component parts as quickly as possible to get them to the track. Castrol helps us throughout the entire process.Raphael WillieManufacturing Manager - Metallic - Renault Sport Formula One Team

The performance

Unearthing the marginal gains needed in the factory to achieve the marginal gains on the track is the focus of the Renault Sport F1 team and Castrol partnership. For example, in the machine shop where many car components are manufactured, the ability to speed this process up and get those components to the track quicker than ever before enables Renault to have an edge in their performance.

 

 

For us, perfection on track is a result of perfection in the factory. And the machines that produce the parts for our F1 cars are reliant on Castrol products. With Castrol, we’ve got the commitment to apply resources to long terms solutions that others haven’t thought of. Castrol helps us do that in a whole range of areas.Bob BellChief Technical Officer - Renault Sport Formula One Team
Wind Energy Efficiency

The growth of wind

Wind Energy Efficiency

Renewables are here to stay, and so is Castrol

Castrol has been providing gear oils to the wind sector since the early ‘80s,  and has played a crucial role in helping it to become the $94.5bn market it is today. And the key to that success has been a stringent  focus on research, development, and becoming fully immersed in the wind  industry.
 
The renewables market is only going to grow as companies and countries move away from fossil fuels, and the speed of that growth will owe a lot to wringing efficiencies out of renewable technologies  wherever possible.
 
That’s where Castrol comes in.

Designing products for today and tomorrow

Castrol is passionate about harnessing its relationships with customers,  distributors, employees, investors and original equipment manufacturers  to figure out the wind sector’s key challenges so that we can come up  with the most viable and effective solutions.
 
Castrol’s research into gear oils revolves around the following core aims:

Efficient and reliable products
Create efficient and reliable products
Extend equipment life
Extend the life of customer equipment
Extend the life of the gear oils
Extend the life of the gear oils themselves
Reduce need for maintenance
Reduce the need for equipment maintenance

With the industry continually evolving, it is essential that Castrol designs products that are not only capable of delivering optimal performance today, but can increase the effectiveness of wind technologies going forward.

 

 

We often act like a consultant; we help them figure out what is working well and what isn’t, because that’s the starting point for the development of any solution.Daryl LukeGlobal Product Manager at Castrol

Optigear synthetic X gear oil

Much of Castrol’s research in this area has been to understand the value of Optigear Synthetic X, and to discover exactly how it benefits wind turbine operators.

 

 

We were able to prove in industry standard laboratory tests that we could get sizeable efficiency gains using Optigear Synthetic X, But, of course, this doesn’t necessarily translate into real-life efficiencies.Phil BookerCastrol Global Account Manager

 

Through the use of a highly accelerated life test (HALT), which can accurately predict a product’s lifespan and its long-term performance levels, it was discovered that Optigear Synthetic X could improve turbine performance by as much as 1% when compared to the nearest competitor.  

Real-life benefits

The true value  of any product or solution can only be determined when put into a real-life scenario. By working with a large customer, it was quickly  established that by using Optigear Synthetic X, wind turbine operators  could see savings of as much as $3,700 per year, per turbine.

 

 

Optigear Synthetic X 320 is a great example of a product that goes above and beyond. The plastic deformation technology can not only extend the asset life while simultaneously reducing wear, but it can also deliver significant energy efficiency savings.Phil Booker

 

Supporting the wider issue 

As part of Castrol’s dedication to taking a more environmentally-conscious approach to all aspects of its operations, all gear oils are now carbon neutral. 
 
The green revolution is going to continue in the years and decades to come, and Castrol is dedicated to being at the centre of the global shift towards greener, more renewable energy production.

Find out more about Optigear Synthetic X, and discover how it can help your business operate more efficiently 

Castrol Optigear Synthetic X
Distributor - ILS Nordic

Two companies, one mission: Castrol and ILS Nordic

Castrol’s Swedish partner reflects its commitment to standing out from the competition

Castrol and ILS Nordic partnership

A shared commitment to unlock value

Castrol and ILS Nordic are on a mission to realize production efficiencies.

 

When we look at the overall customer portfolio we want to really focus on lowering our customers’ total production cost. If we cannot show value then we cannot add value.Thomas PedersenCEO of ILS Nordic


Best-in-class together

Castrol and ILS Nordic share the same commitment to excellence.

 

Like Castrol, ILS Nordic is committed to being best-in-class. Its roadmap to that objective is based on four core pillars: quality, flexibility, involvement and quick response. 

 

These values dovetail perfectly with Castrol’s and ensure the two companies approach each partnership with a common understanding.

Major gains

One of the partnership’s clearest gains thus far has been achieved by an industrial customer.

 

The customer had some problems with its tooling life, so Castrol and ILS went in and identified areas for improvement and provided demonstrable evidence that the customer could save on both cost and tooling requirements.

 

As a result of our partnership’s efforts, the customer has lowered its overall cost and become much more competitive against its rivals. 

Machining process

Real-life benefits

Now the two parties are looking forward to achieving similarly impressive results with other clients.

 

We’re really looking forward to the future together with Castrol as a partner. We’ve had a couple of really good years together, and we expect the coming years to be even better moving forward.Thomas Pedersen

 

Distributor - Telko

60 years of excellence: Castrol and Telko

How Castrol helped its distributor become an international leader

Castrol and Telko partnership

A lasting partnership

Telko is among Castrol’s clearest HPL experts

 

Telko is a lubricants distributor based in Finland, active in 16 countries. Castrol has been working with the company for over 60 years and the two sides have established a particularly close partnership.

 

Telko is one of our best experts in HPL products (high-performance lubricants). We have a long and well-established relationship with Telko since 1958.Ruth SelirandCastrol’s distributor business manager

 

More than just a supplier

Telko strives to work with customers as well as for them.

 

Telko serves a fleet of leading companies across a portfolio which includes:

Automotive
Automotive
Food and Beverage
Food
and Beverage
Quarry and Mining
Quarry
and Mining
Wind Turbine applications
Wind
Turbine applications

As Morten Nedergaard, director of Telko’s Denmark and Norway division explains, “the customers Telko is working together with are really leading industrial customers in our market.”

 

To serve these customers, Telko strives to go beyond the usual supplier relationship and work with customers as well as for them. Instead of simply supplying products, Telko wants to offer holistic solutions. In Nedergaard’s view, “Telko’s strengths is really deep knowledge about the products. We are really a team of specialists.”

 

A shared commitment

Castrol has helped Telko provide an even better service.

 

Drawing on its vast experience across a range of fields, Castrol has joined Telko’s mission to over-deliver in its client relationships, working with the distributor to provide an even better service to its customers - considering both industry trends and the wider environmental impact.

 

 

With the innovative solutions that we have across industrial sectors, we are able to add value to our customers so they can face the challenges that they have. Pioneering, together with the distributor, finding new areas where our products can make a difference - that’s the way of corporation we’re looking for. Challenging ourselves and also responding to the challenges in the market.Ruth Seriland

 

A symbiotic relationship

Information-sharing is at the core of the Castrol-Telko partnership.

 

During their six decades of working together, Castrol and Telko have developed a symbiotic relationship. Telko provides information from the field and Castrol uses it to refine its product range, delivering mutual benefit.

 

 

it’s very important that we, as a distributor in the market, collect information and supply it to the Castrol team. That is important for the Castrol team to develop new generations of lubricants. It is really a cooperation between two companies. This pioneering business gave us a lot of knowledge about the capabilities of the product. That knowledge is used in the new products today by Castrol and it used by us as a distributor to develop new customers.Morten NedergaardDirector of Telko's Denmark and Norway division

 

Mining and Quarrying

Driving the bar upwards

Telko sees Castrol as vital to its long-term strategy.

Telko says it is committed to continuously improving its service and going even further beyond what the customer expects. 

 

As Morten Nedergaard explains, “when you succeed and you find the right product, and you see that the customer saves money and they really feel they have the right support from the distributor, that is really what keeps us living. That’s what gives us energy.”

 

The company sees Castrol as vital in its long-term strategy.

 

We look forward to working with Castrol in the future... We still have a lot of opportunities in the markets. We see Castrol as a really good partner in developing modern products for the modern industry.

 

We see Castrol as a really good partner in developing modern products for the modern industry.
Renault Engine Plant

Renault engine plant

Driving efficiencies at a massive scale: We help make it happen

Renault Engine Plant

Castrol has worked with Motores, one of Renault’s biggest mechanical plants, supplying Hysol XBB and the compatible cleaner Techniclean XBC. These hyper-optimized solutions have enabled Motores significantly reduce their water consumption while also working towards evolving environmental standards.

 

The mission

Motores, based in the Spanish city of Valladolid, serves 1.5 million engines a year - 40% of Renault’s entire engine production. This giant plant is constantly looking for marginal gains in its attempt to drive efficiencies, comply with ever-tightening environmental regulations and meet Renault’s relentless demand for self-improvement. 

 

Castrol’s smart lubricants, allied with long-term vision and technical support, have helped meet these challenges.

Anne-Catherine Brieux

The partnership

In its partnership with Castrol at the Motores plant, Renault demands more than just a lubricants supplier. It needs a genuine partner, one that can help anticipate industry changes and keep improving.

 

What are we looking for in our lubricant suppliers?” asks Anne-Catherine Brieux, general manager of the Motores plant. “We’re looking for the most cost-effective product to go with very effective facilities, with digital monitoring.

In addition to its core lubricant solutions, Castrol has furnished Smart Control machines to remotely monitor the performance of the fluids, backed up by technical support to anticipate problems and find solutions. 

 

Brieux says that the partnership with Castrol “is not a [typical] supplier-customer relationship. Castrol is not expecting the request from Renault, but is very proactive in making new innovation proposals.”

Anne-Catherine Brieux and engineers at the Renault engine plant

The product

The core products selected for the Motores project are ideally suited to the challenge of minimising waste and environmental footprint.

 

XBB, free from boron and formaldehyde, complies with the most stringent environmental regulations. XBC, meanwhile, can be recycled back into the coolant system, dramatically reducing water usage and keeping waste to a minimum. The Smart Control system dovetails with these core products by controlling all the key parameters in the coolant and the cleaner 24/7.

Engine manufacturing process

The performance

Thanks to Castrol’s innovations Renault has saved 1 million litres of water this year alone, and there have even been savings in the core product. More than that, though, they have found a company which shares their desire for continuous improvement, a partner for the long term.

 

 

The biggest test, the biggest challenge we face is the increasing demand for consistent quality that Renault sets itself, so that its pieces are always increasing in quality,Gustavo OlmedoPowertrain Liquids Technical Manager at Motores.

 

To succeed in the challenges that we face, we need a supplier that looks beyond the obvious. Not one that simply sees fluid, parameters, quality, but one that also looks at, for example, the systems. And we’ve found this supplier in Castrol.

 

Castrol helps me achieve my objectives through their technology. Their products have great technology, their technical contribution and their support at the factory
Grob-Werk

Maintaining a global machine: Grob and Castrol

Grob can’t afford its systems to go down. Castrol keeps them running

Castrol and Grob partnership

An international pedigree

Grob has earned a global reputation in the industrial systems market

 

Grobwerke Mindelheim (Grob) has been working in the manufacture of tooling and machine systems for over 90 years. The company’s product line ranges from assembly to electromobility systems and, as the company’s Department Sales Manager Klaus Eberts explains, its reputation is built on “highly innovative production and automation systems.”

 

The company is active across a range of sectors from medical to automotive, and its consistent excellent is reflected in a list of customers which includes several international brands. 


Quick, responsive service

Grob relies on constant technical availability

 

As Maintenance Manager Alexander Boehm explains, Grob can only serve its global customer roster if it is always on.

 

Our main job is to ensure the technical availability of our production systems, so that we can manufacture workpieces for our customers in order to supply the assemblies accordingly,” Boehm says. “Should problems arise, we have to react quickly to restore the technical availability of the system.

This means that Grob needs dependable partners, with global availability.

MARTIN DEMMINGER

A personal, proactive approach

Grob and Castrol have forged a strong partnership over the past two decades.

 

Castrol has been working with Grob for the past two decades, supplying a range of products. Today Grob uses the XBB cooling lubricant range, as well as slideway oils and corrosion protection products, applied to machines prior to delivery.

 

For over 20 years we have been providing a high standard of product quality as well as maintaining personal contact with a large number of Grob employeesMartin DemmingerAccount Manager

 

I love visiting customers and implementing projects with them and solving their daily challenges.

When problems arise, Castrol adopts a proactive approach to their resolution. When Grob recently ran into problems with one of its products, Castrol was able to pour all its resources into finding the right solution.

Castrol instant resolution

Instant resolution

Grob is extremely impressed with the way Castrol resolves issues

 

Grob is full of praise for the speed of Castrol’s service, and views Castrol as an integral part of its own operation.

 

Given the multitude of factors that can influence a machining process, it is important for us to be able to rely on stable partners,” says Alexander Boehm. “One of the things that contributes to this is Castrol’s products. Should problems arise, they will be immediately solved.

However, perhaps the real key is the two companies’ shared commitment to innovation. As Boehm says, “it is the permanent further development of products that influences the success of the partnership between Castrol and Grobwerke.” 

Gehring Group

Castrol’s cutting fluids give Gehring a decisive competitive edge

Castrol and Gehring partnership

A well-earned reputation for excellence

Gehring Group has been in operation for over 100 years, and has developed a world-class reputation for delivering production systems with high productivity and high precision for the automotive and truck industries. 


Gehring uses Castrol’s XBB range of cutting fluids to give customers the high performance they demand today, while also future-proofing their operations.

 

Gehring is a world leader of solutions for honing technology. We now face market changes to sustainable solutions, therefore it’s very important to create a new ecosystem that allows us to follow this transformation path.”Sebastian SchöningCEO, Gehring Group

The Castrol EDGE

Castrol is the preferred and recommended supplier of cutting fluids for Gehring honing machines. Specifically, Gehring use Castrol’s XBB range, which is free from biocide and Boron, and offers the most sustainable and stable cutting fluids on the market.


As Andreas Osbar, European Industrial Sales Director at Castrol, explains:

“Castrol helps its customers in three ways:

Optimise manufacture and application
Through Castrol’s products and services we optimise the manufacturing and application performance of our customers.
Save maintenance and overall costs
We help them save costs; maintenance, fluid, and overall costs in the factories.
Optimise environmental footprint
We optimise their environmental footprint.
We help Gehring by integrating Smart Control, which is a digital fluid monitoring system, into Gehring’s new core system, and that helps Gehring’s customers optimise their honing machine performance.”

A long-term partnership that delivers real results


Gehring and Castrol are true partners, working together with the same open attitude to innovation and collaboration to deliver the best results.
And it’s a proven partnership thathas been successful for decades.

 

 

With Castrol we have a partner that we trust based on a long-term relationship, working together on very innovative solutions.”Sebastian SchöningCEO, Gehring Group

 

 

 

Both are extremely open and approachable when it comes to entering and exploring partnerships, helping one another with challenges that we face, and the Smart Control integration is good evidence of that.”Andreas OsbarEuropean Industrial Sales Director, Castrol

 

A recipe for future success

Both Gehring and Castrol are committed to continuous improvement in fluid technology, helping to further refine and enhance the honing process for manufacturers. 

Castrol is perfectly placed to help Gehring continue to benefit from competitive advantage, by offering:

Global presence
A truly global presence to partner Gehring across all territories
Leading-edge technology
Leading-edge technology, innovating tailor-made products for customers
Brand renowned for trust
We optimise their environmental footprint.

Find out more about Castrol Hysol XBB cutting fluids

Gehring Image
LEADEC

Castrol and leadec deliver end-to-end fluid management offering

Castrol and Leadec strategic Memorandum-of-Understanding

A standardised approach to fluid management across Europe
 

Castrol, the leading global lubricant manufacturer, has signed a strategic Memorandum-of-Understanding (MoU) in Europe with Leadec, a global market leader for industrial services.

 

Leadec is an expert in engineering, installing, automating, and operating factories and buildings, as well as relocating equipment for manufacturing industries. Leadec’s strong roots in the automotive sector are the perfect complement for Castrol’s expertise in lubricants.

 

The Castrol and Leadec Group partnership combines Leadec’s expertise in industrial services and Castrol’s expertise in industrial lubricants. This unique partnership means that industrial customers can:

Reliability on value-added services
Rely upon the same value-added services from a single source across Europe
End-to-end offer
Benefit from an end-to-end offer which comprises engineering and planning, standardized on-site services, and TCO-saving programs
Collective know-how regarding smart factory
Leverage the collective know-how regarding smart factory, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance
Industry trends like e-mobility and industry 4.0 demand integrated services. By bringing together the best of both worlds, Leadec and Castrol can provide their customers with future-oriented offers – because optimized service structures and new business models in factories, seen as eco-systems, will play a central role for all companies”Markus Glaser-GallionCEO of the Leadec Group
An assembly line inside an automotive vehicle factory

A winning combination

Together, Castrol and Leadec will be able to offer a standardised approach to fluid management across Europe, leveraging local expertise and ensuring a consistent, high-quality service for customers.

Reduced total costs
Reduced total cost of ownership of fluid management programs, by reducing and better managing their water, lubricants, and energy consumption as well as machine availability. TCO programs will be conducted to assess and measure opportunities to reduce customers’ TCO.
Technical engineering and support
A comprehensive end-to-end offer, from technical engineering and planning to on-site services and the full portfolio of industrial lubricants, analytics, and technology support.
Fluid management 4.0
Ideally placed to address the challenges and opportunities of fluid management 4.0, including offers around smart factory services, condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and analytics.
Industry-leading metalworking fluids and offers
An addition to our existing industry-leading metalworking fluids and offers, including XBB coolants, XBC cleaner, and SmartControl monitoring.
Our pan-European partnership will make fluid management 4.0 a reality with improved smart factory services, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. With Leadec as our preferred partner, we can focus on our core competencies: our portfolio of industrial lubricants technology combined with adjacent services such as used oil analyses and laboratory support,” explainsAndreas OsbarMember of the Board at BP Europa SE
This partnership will launch first in Central and Eastern Europe, with further operations to be expanded across the rest of Europe and globally.

Contact us at castrolleadec@bp.com to find out more.

TATA CUMMINS

$3m in costs avoided. We help make it happen.

leadec banner image

Castrol Complete CMS protected Tata Cummins’ revenue in India, thanks to deep technical expertise, operational excellence and technology leadership.


The challenge

Tata Cummins manufactures automotive parts and mid-range engines for commercial vehicles. Expanding operations led to a need for a lubricant partner with deep technical expertise to deliver continuous improvement and stay ahead of stricter environmental standards.

 

The castrol partnership

We applied our complete CMS programme to drive major improvements for Tata Cummins.


1. Connect - operational excellence

Using the Continuous Improvement Plan (CIP), we harnessed innovative smart technologies and reviewed areas from procurement management to waste minimisation. 


Findings were shared, reviewed and implemented on an ongoing basis, driving up performance and efficiency continuously.

 

2. Maintain - technology leadership

With the advantage of industry-leading technology, we were able to continually drive marginal gains for Tata Cummins. Not only that, but the risk level across sites was reduced, operational efficiencies were enhanced and lubrication management was simplified. 


Tata Cummins was able to:

Achieve 36% cost savings
Achieve 36% cost savings
By converting to Alusol SL 61 XBB
This also simplified handling processes
Eliminate boron from the metalworking process chain
Eliminate boron from the metalworking process chain
By implementing Castrol Techniclean 80 XBC and Castrol Alusol SL 61 XBB
This realised a key environmental objective
By using a complete range of lubricant solutions – from predictive maintenance to the latest XBB technology in coolants and cutting fluids, Castrol has continuously delivered value to Tata Cummins over the past 25 years.”Tata Cummins

3. Succeed - optimising asset life and performance sustainability

The partnership has enabled Tata Cummins to reduce risks across sites, enhance operational efficiencies, minimise waste and simplify lubrication management. Significant positive results include:

40% increase in honing tool lifetime
40% increase in honing tool lifetime
240 KL reduction in coolant consumption per annum (90% cost savings)
240 KL reduction in coolant consumption per annum (90% cost savings)
90%+ drop in waste disposal charges for the according application
90%+ drop in waste disposal charges for the according application
$3,000,000 of savings over the last 25 years of the strategic partnership
$3,000,000 of savings over the last 25 years of the strategic partnership
Castrol's razor-sharp eye on total cost of ownership (TCO), marginal gains and market trends has given Tata Cummins the performance and operational assurance to help us meet our commercial goals.”Tata Cummins

What’s next for tata Cummins and Castrol?

Castrol continues to be the primary lubricant and CMS expert for TATA Cummins. We’re forging into the future with an eye on several key goals:

 

  • Enabling the full transition to Industry 4.0
  • Driving implementation of energy management services
  • Further development of predictive maintenance and management techniques
  • Providing digitalised data analytics
  • Continuously advancing innovative lubricant products

Learn more about castrol solution for automotive manufacturing

AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING