Evolving technology, changing consumer demands and tightened regulations are just a few of the forces behind the ongoing transformation of the global manufacturing market.

To stay competitive, manufacturing companies are striving to increase productivity and reduce downtime in order to meet deadlines while still maintaining product quality.

Many companies already apply Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) evaluations to measure operational performance, knowing that reducing TCO over the lifetime of machinery enables them to extract the best possible value from the asset. However, the impact of lubrication on TCO is too often underestimated.

An international survey of manufacturing companies commissioned by Shell Lubricants found that while the majority (59%) of companies recognise that effective lubricant selection and/or management can help reduce costs by 5% or more, they undervalue the opportunity – fewer than 10% realise that the impact of lubrication could be up to six times greater1.

Our Shell Lubricants team believe lubrication can deliver significant business value. When considering the potential savings, we expand upon the typical definition of TCO to include productivity, and the costs of lost production resulting from equipment downtime2.

In general, the cost of lubricants accounts for around 1% to 2% of a manufacturing company’s total maintenance expenditure. Shell Lubricants technical experts have helped manufacturing companies achieve savings that equal their total lubricants spend and further impact up to 30% of maintenance budget, by adopting the right approach to lubrication. Savings derive primarily from lower maintenance costs, reduced equipment downtime
and productivity improvements.

There are two key elements to seizing this opportunity; the first is selecting the right lubricant or grease, the second is effective lubrication management. Have a look through this site as we explore the substantial business benefits possible from effective lubricant procedures and hear case studies that illustrate how manufacturing companies have successfully worked with Shell Lubricants to upgrade their lubrication and extract value by reducing TCO and improving equipment productivity.

Yin Jie, Shell Lubricants Global Sector Manager for General Manufacturing.

Lubricant selection

Lubricant selection

By selecting the right lubricant, you could improve the performance of your products and realise significant cost savings.

How to select a lubricant
  1. This study commissioned by Shell Lubricants and conducted by research firm Edelman Intelligence, polled 493 decision-makers in the manufacturing industry in eight countries (Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Russia, the UK and the US) from November to December 2015.
  2. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is defined by Shell Lubricants as the total amount spent on industrial equipment, including cost of acquisition and operation over its entire working life, including costs of lost production during equipment downtime.

Services

Shell LubeChat

LubeChat-rich-body-3

Shell LubeChat

Our new online chat tool gives you answers to questions about oils and lubes.

Find out more about Shell LubeChat

Shell LubeAdvisor

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Shell LubeAdvisor

Our experts can advise you on which oil to use to improve efficiency and reduce your operating costs. 

Find out more about Shell LubeAdvisor

Shell LubeAnalyst

Shell LubeAnalyst logo

Shell LubeAnalyst

This early warning system lets you identify potential oil or equipment failures before they become critical. 

Find out more about Shell LubeAnalyst

Shell LubeCoach

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Shell LubeCoach

We coach your team to deliver better performance through this in-depth lubrication training programme.

Find out more about Shell LubeCoach

Shell LubeMatch

Shell LubeMatch logo

Shell LubeMatch

Use this free online service to find the right lubricants for your vehicles and equipment in seconds.

Find out more about Shell LubeMatch

Shell LubeVideoCheck

Shell LubeVideoCheck logo

Shell LubeVideoCheck

This sophisticated fibre optic tool lets you inspect the inside of your engine without dismantling it.

Find out more about Shell LubeVideoCheck

Shell Lubricants for Manufacturing

Gear oils

Gear oils, Shell Omala

Gear oils

Explore Shell’s range of gear oils to see how you can prolong asset life, prevent breakdowns and increase the efficiency of your machinery.

Learn more about Shell Omala gear oils

Compressor oils

Compressor oils, Shell Corena

Compressor oils

Whatever your technical needs and operational conditions, explore our range of compressor oils to discover how Shell can help you get the most from your equipment investment.

Learn more about Shell Corena compressor oils

Greases oils

Greases oils, Shell Gadus

Greases

The longer your grease lasts, the longer your components last, and the less lubrication maintenance for your equipment. With a full product range of Shell Gadus greases, you can select the grease to best meet your needs.

Learn more about Shell Gadus greases oils

Hydraulic fluids

Hydraulic fluids, Shell Tellus

Hydraulic fluids

Find out how Shell hydraulic fluids can maintain or even improve the efficiency of your hydraulic systems with the latest synthetic, ashless technology.

Learn more about Shell Tellus hydraulic fluids

Slideways oils

Slideways oils, Shell Tonna

Slideways oils

You can reduce maintenance costs and lost production time by choosing a higher quality slideway oil from Shell’s range. 

Learn more about Shell Tonna slideways oils

more in manufacturing

Our case studies

Find out how customers have benefitted from working with Shell Lubricants and found ways of saving time and money.

Our services and team

The Shell Lubricants Team have delivered millions in savings for a number of customers worldwide in the last five years.

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