Living and breathing sustainability

Today, anyone involved in the production of goods cannot avoid the question of whether or not their actions and behaviours are sufficient to address sustainability considerations. Even when purchasing and using operating materials such as metal working fluids (MWF), the question of whether or not a production process is implemented in a sustainable manner can be a decisive factor.

What does sustainability mean in this context? Perhaps the best explanation is that all measures and technologies should be applied in accordance with the latest state of the art, in order to help achieve the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Oemeta sub-divides all sustainability considerations into three dimensions and draws upon these 17 UN Goals to help implement them.

When it comes to the use of process materials, it is by definition not possible to address all of these goals but rather move towards the individual goals that are particularly relevant for us.

Ecological, economic, social dimension

Ecological dimensions

  • Development of climate-neutral metal working fluids
    • 60% of base oils come from renewable resources
    • Many HYCUT products are certified as bio-based products by USDA
  • Green electricity from regenerative sources of energy
    • Improving the CO2 footprint through, for example, electric-drive company cars, optimising production processes for sustainability at our customers’ sites, and improving environmental compatibility
    • Improving human compatibility
  • Certified according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and DIN EN ISO 14001

Economic dimensions

  • Processing waste water using modern systems
  • Optimising production processes for sustainability at our customers’ sites
    • Minimising consumption
    • Waste minimisation
    • Minimising energy consumption
    • Partnerships for promoting sustainability (e.g. filtration)
  • Awarded the “Sicher mit System” (Systematic Safety) seal of approval by the professional association BG.

Social dimensions

  • Establishment of a company health management programme
  • Optimisation of the OAG knowledge management system
  • Regional support (e.g. fund-raising activities)
  • Engagement in environmental/climate projects

Product philosophy

How do Oemeta’s products make the company a particularly valuable partner when it comes to implementing sustainable production processes?

To answer this question, we must first take a look back at the past. This shows that sustainability was already at the heart of Oemeta’s corporate strategy, although the term itself was not yet in use. A few relevant milestones are presented below:

70s

Easy-care metal working fluids

In the mid-1970s, Oemeta introduced the boron-containing easy-care MWF to the market. This led to a significantly lower consumption of toxic biocides, longer product service lives and lower waste volumes.

80s

ESTRAMET

At the beginning of the 1980s, Oemeta was the world’s first manufacturer to introduce to the market a mineral-oil-free, water-miscible, high-performance MWF composed of base oils sourced from renewable raw materials. This led to significantly lower application concentrations during processing of aluminium alloys and a lower environmental risk thanks to the use of biodegradable raw materials.

90s

HYCUT

During the mid-1990s, Oemeta introduced a revolutionary multifunction oil system to the market. HYCUT is mineral-oil-free and composed of renewable raw materials. Its multifunction range of applications makes it suitable for developing an internal circular economy. This makes it possible to combine occupational safety and environmental protection, resource conservation, and performance and cost optimisation considerations in a single concept. This is impressively demonstrated in an example Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the production of crankshaft bearings for cars.

2005

Biocide-free metal working fluids

As of 2005, Oemeta introduced a new generation of fully biocide-free MWFs to the market. Thanks to this product series it is possible to completely dispense with the use of physiologically critical biocides whilst still ensuring a long service life and a stable operating state of the MWF.

2010

Compatible MWF/cleaner systems

Marketing the HYCUT multifunction oil system has demonstrated the sustainability potential that can be unleashed through the use of mutually compatible component cleaners and MWF products. Since 2010, we have had a product series that allows for the recycling of MWFs in aqueous cleaners. This enables a significant reduction in the consumption of raw materials and the resulting waste volumes.

2013

Development of products based on reraffinates

The proportion of used industrial lubricants has been increasing for many years. These are prepared using elaborate processes. This elaborate recycling process, also referred to as rerefining, enables suitable base oils to be generated for industrial use in a circular process. Oemeta has been using these raw materials since 2013.

2015

Gas-to-Liquids/GTL oils

This product series presents an effective solution to the increasing requirements of the demanding grinding and machining processes of tomorrow. Oemeta’s new cutting and grinding oils are based on the latest generation of oils. Extremely pure, synthetic base oils are extracted from natural gas by means of processes known as Gas-to-Liquid or “GTL”. These are free of organic nitrogen and heavy metals as well as zinc and chlorine compounds.

2019

ESTRAMET S 77

In 2019, Oemeta launched a new water-miscible metal working fluid. ESTRAMET S 77 is a metal working fluid composed of synthetic ester oils, which, if mixed with water, forms a translucent emulsion. This new product can be used in concentrations from 3.5%, which reduces consumption in comparison to similar high-performance metal working fluids. Up to 50% less concentrate is required for new filling and refilling.