TALKING HEADS professionals discuss Small is beautiful
GEIR is the European waste oil regeneration industry section of the Union of the European Lubricants Industry (UEIL) and represents two-thirds of regeneration refineries in Europe.
oil producer and lubricant manufacturer. Besides the automotive use, there is a broad variety of industrial applications that need special and tailored products, however, in smaller or medium quantities. These are the customers who are attracted by the offer made by the regeneration industry.
GEIR mainly focuses on ensuring higher collection and regeneration rates of waste oils in all EU Member States by contributing to the relevant EU legislation on Waste Management, Chemicals, Industrial Emissions and Best Available Techniques and green Public Procurement.
Always true?
“I’ve never seen a small company do really well.” “Big is beautiful in our industry...” Lord John Browne, former Chief Executive of BP.
Well, regeneration industry in Europe is a niche business in the Oil & Gas sector, comprising a number of single enterprises. However, the branch is growing and investing constantly. High pressure hydrogenation and solvent extraction technologies have been operating in EU re-refineries for more than a decade and technological upgrade is ongoing.
This is appreciated especially by medium-sized lubricant companies throughout Europe. With them, not only portfolio management is of matter. The demand is rather driven by regional, on-demand deliveries and direct technical discussion between base
Is this all odds and ends? Not at all, as figures show clearly. The European market demands for approx. 4.3 million tons of base oil, while medium-sized lubricant manufacturers need approx. 1.5 million tons per year. Today, the European regeneration industry is able to deliver 0.9 million tons of base oils. This represents more than 50% of all base oil needed by those medium-sized businesses. The total base oil market share of regeneration amounts to 17% already! In its entirety, regeneration represents the 2nd largest provider of high-quality base oils in Europe.
The European regeneration industry is capable and prepared to increase its market share up to 30% of the total base oil market.
How about quality? As stated before, regeneration industry has invested, and still intends to do so in the future, in state-of- the-art technologies and product qualities. Today, regenerated base oils matching API Groups I, II and III are available. For a number of products and formulations, the industry has already received the approvals of OEMs. Of course, especially with view to cost, it is always a show of strength for a medium-sized regeneration business to aim for such an approval. However, the process is ongoing and promising.
And the environment? It is a fact that regeneration refineries have to compete with virgin base oils mainly produced by big oil companies and have to achieve comparable quality requirements. However, besides bio-based base oils, the regeneration industry represents the “green area”
Continued on page 13 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.143 FEBRUARY 2018 11
Christian Hartmann, President, GEIR
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