Biodegradable lubricants for the GWW

Every day on social media these days you see how the civil engineering sector is busy innovating and doing business in a circular and sustainable way. And on whatever website you look, whether from a large or smaller infrastructure company, they are all talking about quality, safety, CO2 ladder and the environment. Especially with news about electrification and delivery of new equipment. 

But if you were now to go all green with your fleet of vehicles and machinery, then switching to biodegradable oils and greases could be the next step. In itself (bio)logical. But can it be done? Excellent lubrication, save costs and the environment? After all, the lubrication of rotating equipment and hydraulic systems must be properly regulated to prevent failures and downtime. And at the same time, the risk of environmental pollution must be as small as possible. BIOMAX biodegradable lubricants are the perfect solution. 

Nowadays it is possible to use significantly less oil and at the same time use a biodegradable variant where necessary. Speaking is Taco Mets, Technical Director at Van Meeuwen Lubrication, a family business that has been active for ninety years as a specialist in high-quality lubricants and lubrication maintenance. Taco continues: "We are proud to be the exclusive distributor for BIOMAX lubricants in the Netherlands and Belgium for many years. Thanks to the special technology and biodegradable properties of these lubricants, we help infrastructure companies take a big step towards sustainability, including protecting the environment in the event of a leak, for example. In fact, BIOMAX lubricants are ideally suited for environmentally critical applications. Even in the most sensitive ecosystems."

Lubricants are typically viewed as commodities, with low prices and service issues dominating purchasing decisions. Taco emphasizes that BIOMAX oils and greases are by no means bulk commodities. "The reliable operation of rotating equipment depends largely on the quality of the lubricant used," he explains. "The performance of an oil or grease directly and significantly affects how long, how reliably, how efficiently and at what cost your equipment will operate. Think about the replacement of parts, the time you spend on it, the downtime involved, the number of oil changes and the higher energy costs due to unwanted friction and wear."

Its performance is mainly based on the unique properties of BIOMAX lubricants that make machines run smoother, cooler, quieter, longer and more efficiently. With less vibration and wear, even under very heavy loads. This is due to the extra-thick, high-strength Synerlec® lubricating film, which effectively prevents metal-to-metal contact. Thanks to this special lubricating film and the very heavy load capacity, BIOMAX oils have an extremely long service life, often more than five times longer than is usually the case. "On top of that, BIOMAX's formulation makes the oil insensitive to the presence of water," continues Taco. "At downtime, the water is easy to drain. Furthermore, in many cases you can mix the oils with the used oil and they do not affect existing seals. The optimal adhesion to the running surfaces prevents the formation of rust and corrosion. Finally, a substantial CO2 reduction is also possible through the use of high-quality oils and greases with a longer service life and less consumption of natural resources."       

Additional security

BIOMAX products carry the EU Ecolabel and are classified as EAL (Environmental Acceptable Lubricant). Two characteristics that are important. "The EU Ecolabel is the official European eco-label for non-food products and services, aiming to encourage more sustainable production and consumption," Taco said. "The label is recognized by all European Union countries and indicates production with a lower environmental impact of raw materials, energy, water, pollutants, waste and packaging."