ExxonMobil: Delivering tangible performance benefits

By OEM Update Editorial February 10, 2017 3:00 pm IST

ExxonMobil is a pioneer in international oil and natural gas. Marketed in nearly 200 countries and territories worldwide, the company is an industry leader in synthetic lubricants, a full range of Mobil lubricants is available in the automotive, commercial, marine and industrial business sectors. In an email interaction, Shankar Karnik, General Manager, Industrial, ExxonMobil Lubricants Pvt. Ltd shares his views on the usage of synthetic lubricants, the recent partnership with Micromatic Machine Tools and the company’s plans for the future.

Could you brief us on the benefits of synthetic lubricants in industrial machinery?
Synthetic oil is a lubricant consisting of chemical compounds that are artificially made. These are manufactured using chemically modified petroleum components rather than whole crude oil, but can also be synthesised from other raw materials. Synthetic lubricants help in failure prevention and wear reduction of the moving parts of engines, transmissions and other mechanical systems.

These synthetic lubricants provide distinct advantages that far exceed the capabilities of conventional oils. Mobil SHC synthetic lubricants offer long oil life and can extend equipment life, creating less waste and potential energy savings while helping increase worker safety by minimising potentially hazardous maintenance.

Mobil SHC synthetic gear oils help in getting longer equipment life, excellent resistance to oxidation and protection against wear, extended drain-life, energy efficiency and high-temperature capability. These high-performance synthetic lubricants can perform in extreme conditions as compared to conventional, mineral-based fluids that really cannot deliver the same level of protection. Hence operators need to look at upgrading to synthetic lubricants that can help minimise unscheduled downtime and maximise performance. They are not only designed to take you beyond greater productivity, they offer sustainability benefits as well.

How do you see the acceptance of Mobil Industrial Lubricants in India?
At ExxonMobil, we consider enhancing energy efficiency a core component of our comprehensive sustainability strategy, which we refer to as ‘Advancing Productivity’. This strategy defines how we apply our lubricant technologies, engineering services and application expertise to help companies enhance safety, achieve their environmental care-related goals and maximize productivity.

Additionally, as technology leaders, we place an enormous emphasis on ongoing investment in R&D, working side-by-side with the world’s leading EBs / OEMs to develop the most effective products as well as maintenance solutions. We deploy an advanced, scientifically engineered ‘balanced formulation approach’ that enables us to develop lubricants that deliver exceptional performance across all critical areas for each application.

How industrial lubricants enable manufacturing customers achieve higher productivity and sustainability goals?
Our innovative products and services help deliver tangible performance benefits in the areas of safety, environmental care and productivity.

Safety – long lubricant life: Innovations in product formulations and services can deliver long lubricant life, which can help minimize employee-equipment interaction and mitigate the potential risk of employee injury

Environmental Care – ExxonMobil’s commitment to minimising environmental impact has created technologically advanced products and services. This is achieved through optimized oil drain intervals, which can help reduce used oil volume and product packaging ; Long component life, to help reduce worn equipment disposal and maintenance-related waste and energy efficiency benefits. Many of our advanced-technology lubricants lower overall traction versus mineral oils, helping to reduce the amount of fuel or energy consumed while operating, and have potential to reduce energy costs and associated emission

Productivity – increase equipment uptime: Our products and services are designed to protect equipment’s lubricated components from wear and corrosion, which can help minimize unexpected downtime and maximise uptime, helping you be more productive

Last year you announced a collaboration with Micromatic Machine Tools. How is the partnership working?
Yes, we have collaborated with Micromatic Machine (MMT) as an official lubricant partner. We are among the first lubricant companies to build a technology and innovation-centered relationship with India’s largest machine tool manufacturer, MMT. MMT as you are aware provides exclusive recommendation for Mobil branded lubricants to its customers and we are supporting them with their advanced range of industrial lubricant products and services, backed by the leadership and expertise from the company’s Equipment Builder (EB) Group. The partnership reinforces Mobil Industrial Lubricant’s commitment to facilitate ‘Make in India’ goals.

Are you looking forward to replicate the same with other machine tools players? Please update.
ExxonMobil is proud to work with many of the most successful equipment builders around the world. Today, some of the many milestones we have when it comes to working with equipment builders include:

• Our flagship 3X3X3 products and services launch simplifying operations for the manufacturing sector.
• Haas Automation, one of the world’s leading machine tool builders, uses a number of our Mobil SHC-branded synthetic oils and greases as factory fill for the equipment it produces and to power the operations of its expansive production facility in Oxnard, CA.
• We will continue to assist many of the world’s leading EBs / OEMs in new machine designs while making recommendations on lubricants and lubrication systems product development.

What are your future expansion plans in India as far as increasing market penetration is concerned?
Given that manufacturing sector is going to see thrust there will also be increased consumption, which, will also bring in the need for to curb wastage. Herein energy conservation as well as efficiency would take up paramount importance. The industrial sector is a major consumer of energy, accounting for about half of all the electricity consumed around the world. With this industrial evolution, newer energy efficient technologies are and will be contributing to the cause of bringing down energy demand.

As per our ‘Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040’ report, the population is expected to reach about nine billion in 2040 from the current seven billion globally. Hence the next wave for us is to work towards future sustenance initiatives while ensuring that we stay invested in the market to ride the growth wave in technology, programs and Mobil brand to sustain our position as the leader in lubrication; we will help our customers become globally competitive, improve their fuel economy and energy efficiency achieve sustainability objectives by enhancing their productivity while protecting environment and ensuring operational safety of people.