Fuchs Petrolub

Infobox_Company
company_name = Fuchs Petrolub AG
company_
company_type = Public (FWB|FPE)
foundation = 1931
founder = Rudolf Fuchs
location = Mannheim, Germany
locations = main manufacturing locations include:
Mannheim, Germany,
Belper, England
area_served = Worldwide
key_people = Jürgen Strube (Chairman of the supervisory board), Stefan Fuchs (CEO)
industry = Lubricants
products = Lubricants, speciality products
revenue = €1.365 billion (2007)cite web |url=http://www.fuchs-oil.de/fileadmin/fuchs_upload/pdf_addons/English/GB_2007/GB_2007_e_geschuetzt.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007 |publisher=Fuchs Petrolub |accessdate=2008-06-04]
operating_income = profit €195.2 million (2007)
net_income = profit €120.3 million (2007)
num_employees = 3,790 (2007)
divisions =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.fuchs-oil.de www.fuchs-oil.de]
footnotes =
intl = yes

Fuchs Petrolub AG is the world's largest independent manufacturer of lubricants, and related speciality products. [ [http://www.fuchs-oil.de/history.html Fuchs history] ] The company's headquarters are at Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, where the company was founded in 1931.

Fuchs products

Fuchs produces a wide range of high-quality products, which include automotive lubricants (engine motor oils and transmission, for motor cars, motorcycles, agricultural, plant and stationary engines), metalworking lubricants, industrial, civil engineering, and hydraulic products. Fuchs also produces the Planto range of biodegradable products.

Automotive products

* Fuchs Titan is a range of products aimed at motor cars, trucks, buses, agricultural and plant equipment.

* Fuchs Silkolene is a highly regarded product range specifically for motorcycles.

Industrial products

* Fuchs Renolin are a range of hydraulic and industrial gearbox lubricants.

Civil Engineering products

* Fuchs Renocast are a range of mould release agents, used when casting concrete.

Mechanical Engineering products

* Fuchs Ecocut and Ecocool are fluids for metalworking, specifically cutting and general machining.

* Fuchs Renoform and Trenoil are used for forming metals, be that die drawing, rolling or pressing, in both hot and cold processes.

* Fuchs Thermisol are a range of quenching oils, used for heat treatment processes, including annealing and tempering.

General application products

* Fuchs Renolit are a range of greases used across their entire portfolio, including aviation and food processing.

* The Fuchs Anticorit range are non-toxic protectives for anti-corrosion, across a wide variety of applications, and are particularly suited to packaging, storage and transportation

Fuchs Lubritech

Fuchs Lubritech is a division that specializes in specialty lubricants, coatings and services for all industrial applications, especially mining, and other types of processing and manufacturing plants.

The "Silkolene" brand name

The Silkolene brand name has a long history, with the company originating in England. Initially, it was called Dalton and Company, being named after its' founder, and sold Silkolene products. However, recognising the strength of the Silkolene brand, in the early 1980s, the company was renamed Silkolene Lubricants. Towards the end of the 1980s, in 1989, Silkolene Lubricants was acquired by the German Fuchs group, and the products were subsequently renamed Fuchs Silkolene.

The products themselves gained a high international regard. The Sikolene company developed specialist lubricants for aviation, including oils for the Merlin engine, as used in the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster, to name a few. Silkolene dedicated many years on technical cooperation with the US Air Force, and was also involved with the supersonic passenger aircraft, Concorde. The company amassed expertise with synthetic lubricant technology, and Silkolene became a recognised world leader in the field of synthetic lubricants, including esters.

Synthetic lubricant technology continued, and in the early '90s, developments continued to include Aerospace engineering, along with motorsports, including rallying and motorcycle racing. An early partnership was with Honda UK Motorcycle Race Team. With positive market exposure, coupled with a very high degree of research and development (R&D), and success in competition, Silkolene products became the market leader in the UK.

Presently, Silkolene products continue to be manufacturered at Belper in England. They are now also made in Germany, the US, and SE Asia.

Fuchs in motorsports

Fuchs, like many of their competitor brands of lubricants, have a strong worldwide presence in motorsports, particularly in Europe and the USA.

In the 2-wheel automotive segment, the Fuchs Silkolene brand sponsors many different classes of motorcycle racing, including prototype based racing: MotoGP, and production based "SuperBike" and "SuperSports" racing: World SuperBikes, World SuperSports, British SuperBikes. The brand has also been involved with Motorcross, and Speedway. Fuchs have a current long term partnership with Kawasaki motorcycles, although they also sponsor Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha. Silkolene have also participated in the Isle of Man TT races, arguably, the toughest test in the world for any motorcycle.

See also

*Lubricants

References

External links

* [http://www.fuchs-oil.de/ Fuchs Petrolub AG official website (in German, with English link)]
* [http://www.fuchs-oil.com/ Fuchs Petrolub AG official website (in English, with German link)]
* [http://www.fuchs.com/ Fuchs USA official website]
* [http://www.fuchs-europe.com/ Fuchs Europe Schmierstoffe GmbH, a subsidiary of Fuchs Petrolub AG (limited content in English, with German link)]
* [http://www.fuchs-europe.de/ Fuchs Europe Schmierstoffe GmbH, a subsidiary of Fuchs Petrolub AG (comprehensive content in German, with English link)]
* [http://www.fuchslubricants.com/ Fuchs Lubricants UK Plc official website]
* [http://www.silkolene.com/ Fuchs Silkolene motorcycle products (in English)]
* [http://www.fuchs-silkolene.com/ Fuchs Silkolene motorcycle products (in German)]
* [http://www.fuchs.com.au/ Fuchs Lubricants Australia]
* [http://www.fuchsindia.com/home.htm Fuchs lubricants India]