Mobil’s strategy for the India market is to provide value-centric lubrication solutions

Shankar Karnik

General Manager

Industrial Lubricants, ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt. Ltd.

What role does lubricants play in the operations of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)? How is ExxonMobil helping OEMs advance operational productivity and increase efficiency?

Extreme operating conditions and rough terrain are common impediments when it comes to machine failure and unscheduled equipment downtime. This has an invariable impact on seamless functioning of the machine and overall profitability of the business. An effective lubrication program can keep up with the dynamics and demands of the sector it caters. An ideal lubrication program would ensure consistent protection and performance of equipment, in turn sustaining productivity and minimizing financial losses. Mobil™ industrial lubricants are specially formulated to protect equipment in the harshest conditions. Mobil’s proven products and lubrication expertise keeps stationary and mobile equipment working at maximum efficiency, extending equipment life, oil drain intervals and improving the energy efficiency of equipment.       

Which are the sectors driving the demand for commercial lubricants? Which are the major markets that you focus on and what are the factors contributing to it?

The demand for commercial lubricants is gradually rising. Lubricants, over the time have become imperative to catalyze growth and advance productivity of various ‘large, small and medium enterprises’ operating within several industries like manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, steel, plastics, etc. To cater to the demands of these industries, we offer a comprehensive range of lubricants and greases that are proficiently formulated to deliver exceptional performance and equipment protection for their intended applications. Backed by years of industry expertise, the team behind Mobil Industrial Lubricants continues to set new benchmarks in lubrication excellence. We have been able to win trust of our customers through safe, sustainable and productivity centric solutions.

Could you brief us on the roadmap and strategies initiated to become a successful lubricants player?

Mobil’s strategy for the India market is to provide value centric lubrication solutions. We are bringing our finest specialty lubricants to meet the growing demand for high-quality and improved-efficiency materials that enhance productivity and profits. Our Mobil SHC^TM Elite Series of lubricants is designed to provide outstanding service in terms of oil drain interval and equipment protection. Similarly, Mobil™ greases – whether conventional or synthetic – offer long regreasing intervals and exceptional protection even in extreme conditions. Mobil DTE Series of hydraulic lubricants help provide reliable equipment performance and enhanced productivity. This lubricant expertise at ExxonMobil is developed through trusted OEM relationships, groundbreaking research and an extraordinary legacy of lubrication achievements. 

Brief us on ExxonMobil’s R&D efforts for the lubricants and EB industry.

As a company, we place enormous emphasis on ongoing investment in research and development (R&D), working side-by-side with the world’s leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to develop the most effective products and maintenance solutions. This process begins in our Research & Engineering facilities and is conducted hand-in-hand with leading equipment builders, as well as the users and maintainers of such equipment. Our application-specific expertise and close working relationships with the world’s leading OEMs enable us to provide our customers with products that have global consistency. We will continue to expand our footprint commensurate with growth that this market offers. We also plan to invest in programs to ensure that we have the right kind of support structure, technology and application expertise to deliver productivity, reliability and sustainability benefits to our customers.   

What are the emerging trends in industrial lubricants industry?

According to the Outlook for Energy report 2019 by ExxonMobil, China and India are expected to contribute 50 percent to the world’s energy demand growth by 2040. With this growing demand, industries are slowly moving towards more energy efficient solutions. Lubricants will play an important role in the contribution to this energy demand. Given this scenario below are a few emerging trends which will influence the operations of the industry:    

• Synthetic lubricants: One potential area where energy efficiency can be achieved is by choosing high-performance synthetic lubricants. Synthetic lubricants can help companies amass energy savings by directly reducing electrical energy consumption or lowering friction and operating temperatures
• Technologies for oil analysis: A robust oil analysis program can enhance productivity by providing data and insights on oil drain interval. This can in turn result in equipment reliability, productivity and potential cost savings. Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis program delivers precise analysis and actionable recommendations, which can lead to cost savings, strong productivity and increase energy efficiency.

What are some other offerings by the company, which contribute to the seamless operations of OEMs?

Mobil’s lubrication solution comprises of three critical components – our ‘expertise’, our state of the art ‘products’ and our world class ‘services’.  The services play a critical role and help our customers in meeting their energy efficiency and productivity goals. This range of technical services come under the Mobil Serv^SM umbrella and are designed to help our customers to optimize their lubrication programs that results in better performance and longevity of their machinery. The host of services under Mobil Serv cover oil analysis, engine inspection, hydraulic inspection, gear inspection, energy efficiency study and lubricant recommendation programs among many.        

Mobil Serv two key offerings

Mobil Serv^SM Lubricant Analysis (MSLA) is a customized service solution to Mobil customers for a detailed analysis of the lubricants to arrive at data driven solutions.        

Engine inspection and hydraulic inspection are conducted by Mobil’s well-trained engineers in the respective fields to report and document the condition of internal components. The post inspection data is used to arrive at the optimum time to replace critical components and recommend maintenance practices to help improve system reliability.

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