The 2012 AGM for the European Lubricating Grease Institute took place in Munich, 28 April to 1st May, which was a well attended event with over 300 delegates from 28 countries. The AGM event programme combined the formal business of the institute, with a series of technical and grease market presen- tations, site visits to BMW, OELCHECK and FZG facilities, as well as the main Gala dinner held in BMW World.


The economic environment, currently facing European businesses can best be described as ‘having a high degree of uncertainty’, which then combines with the ongoing sector specific business issues for the grease industry and the wider future social-environmental challenges facing the world. Interesting and challenging times!


Industry focused events, where ideas and issues are presented and discussed, help us to raise our awareness and understanding of the issues at hand, assimilate and transfer the needed information for individual businesses, as well as develop relevant networks across the industry. The ELGI 2012 AGM fulfilled these criteria and brought into focus some of the key drivers and challenges facing the grease industry of developing and marketing products that offer: • reduced friction to provide increased energy efficiency for equipment


• improved protection and reduced wear for equipment, leading to improved reliability


• longer product life to reduce maintenance costs and consumption • improved material compatibility


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These were recurrent themes across a number of the presentations, which combined with other general market drivers highlight such as: • sustainability and availability of raw materials


• more complex OEM approvals down to specific manufacturing plants


• shift of risk up the supply chain to producers from OEMs


• demand for more pre-greased and sealed bearings


• drive toward lifetime lubrication • new materials being used in equipment


• higher product performance to meet the demands of higher power outputs from smaller machines


• the speed of technological development reducing cycle times between new equipment


These are by no means all the market drivers, but are an illustration of the competing challenges that producers face, leading to a world of ‘increased complexity’ for formulators, as highlighted by Dipl. Ing Karl-Josef Minis in his presentation on the German Grease market.


The aspect on use of new materials in equipment was picked up by Dr. Detlev Hesse in his presentation on speciality lubricants for brake systems, which indicated the severe range of operating conditions, differing performance needs and environmental criteria required for products across the entire brake system from pedal to pad.


Staying on the technical theme for the moment, Mr Jamie Spagnoli gave an excellent presentation on the development of a false brinelling test for wind turbines, for which he was awarded the 2012 ELGI Best Paper Award. It was interesting to hear about the operating environments for wind turbines, with the subsequent stresses and demands that are then created, and how that translates into the high demands on the greases used to protect the various bearings. Given the demands on both equipment and grease, one could clearly see the need for an improved test to assist OEM’s and the industry.


We also heard from the various ELGI and NLGI Working Groups about some of the excellent work they are doing in the areas of Food, Railway, and Bio- based greases, as well as the work on Industry Quality Certification.


On a non technical note, Mr. Paul Whitehead gave an excellent overview on the cost impacts of REACH, which so far have cost industry around 2-2.5bln for the first 4,000 substances registered under phase 1. The expectation is that there are still 30-35,000 substances to be


LUBE MAGAZINE No.110 AUGUST 2012


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