Oil switch brought record saving

Our collaboration focuses on efficiencies in production, but also on resolving technical issues of various kinds. Key people at FUCHS Lubricants are Sales Engineer Jenny Odén and Application Engineer Per Nilsson. Both emphasise that they want more than to be a supplier who ‘just’ delivers products to the factory gates.

“We want to be a part of the customer’s business and help them cut costs and achieve efficiencies,” says Per. “This basically means that we work closely alongside the customer to improve and simplify as far as possible.”

A streamlined range
One assignment related to Nynas’s range of lubricants, the aim being to reduce the number of products and simplify handling.

“With a large range, there’s a lot to keep an eye on,” says Jenny. “There’s a lot of administration of purchases and deliveries, but stock management and practical handling are also an issue. There’s also a higher risk of mistakes when many products are used in lubrication and maintenance.

“A review can also reduce the environmental impact,” she continues. “Having fewer products means less transport and emissions. If the customer also switches to our green lubricants, there are even more benefits to be had.”

Our eco-friendly products can reduce energy consumption or fuel consumption in the customer’s systems.

“Another advantage is that they’re biodegradable or based on renewable raw materials, and many of our products have both these properties,” says Per.

Costly breakdowns
After a product review, Nynas’s range of products could be reduced by 10-15%. This paved the way for more improvement measures, this time related to pumps and gearboxes.

“We’d been having breakdowns in the feeder pumps we use in production,” says Fred Norberg. “A breakdown costs SEK 250,000-300,000 including repairs, spare parts, loss of production and personnel costs.”

Most of the refinery’s operations take place outdoors. To prevent the pumps from freezing during the winter, Nynas used to pre-heat the pump oil with an immersion heater. Crucially though, the heat compromised the oil’s properties and caused the pumps to seize up. Per Nilsson suggested that Nynas should switch to a synthetically based product called Mereta 150*. It can withstand temperatures as low as -50°C, and therefore does not need pre-heating. The oil switch-over encompassed around ten pumps and gearboxes.

“Since then we’ve had no problems,” says Fred, “and the service interval is also longer. The old oil needed changing every year, while we only change Mereta 150 every three or four years. This makes quite a difference since a feeder pump uses 100 litres of oil.

“I’m delighted that we now have everything running smoothly, and am very pleased with all the help from Jenny and Per,” he says in summing up.

Major savings
Since the switch-over, both FUCHS and Nynas have compiled data on the savings that have been achieved. These include, for instance, costs for lubricating oil, but also for oil changes, repairing and maintaining immersion heaters and pumps, and for the immersion heaters’ electricity consumption. And last but not least, there have been major savings now that the pumps no longer break down.

“All in all we’re talking about an annual saving of SEK 400,000. This shows the results that can be achieved by working systematically and using the right products,” says Per Nilsson.

And Jenny Odén agrees: “This is a good example of how we work and how we think when it comes to cost cutting in the customer’s business. Fred Norberg has also played an important part in this. He has established understanding and motivation in the client company, and that has been crucial.”

_{* New name RENOLIN UNISYN CLP 150 N}