What Interlub does

Interlub S.A. de C.V. is a privately held Mexican specialty industrial lubricant manufacturer headquartered in Zapopan, Jalisco, founded in 1984 by Peter Freudenberg to commercialize German lubrication technology across Mexico and Latin America. The company develops and sells a portfolio of more than 2,300 specialty formulations spanning biodegradable lubricants, food-grade oils and greases (114 NSF-registered products under H1, H2, 3H, A1, A4, and A8 categories, plus ISO 21469, Kosher and Halal), synthetic and mineral oils, assembly pastes, and anticorrosion products. Its products are engineered for extreme operating conditions in steel, mining, food processing, aluminum extrusion, and paper manufacturing, drawing on a proprietary R&D methodology called 'Ciencia Fricción' (Friction Science) and a 12-point lubrication excellence framework aligned with ICML 55 standards. The company also runs named technical programs such as Smart Touch (a 5-step consulting engagement), Diagnóstico 360° (plant assessment service), and Interlub Xpert (mobile lubrication calculator app), supported by an in-house technical team that includes instructors certified by STLE and trained in tribology at MIT.

The business generates revenue primarily from one-time product sales of lubricants distributed through a combination of direct field-consultant sales, a wholly-owned regional subsidiary network (Mexico HQ plus Brazil and Colombia), and an international distributor/agent network of 25+ named partners covering 40+ countries. A secondary revenue stream comes from professional services: training seminars and webinars (free with registration or paid custom programs for groups of 20+) and the Diagnóstico 360° plant consulting assessment. A nascent e-commerce layer exists at shop.interlub.com for cartridge-format products via the EasyMaint system. Named enterprise customers include Tier-1 steel producers (Ternium, Tenaris, ArcelorMittal, Gerdau, DeAcero, Grupo Mexico, Peña Colorada, Simec, Tamsa), major food companies (Bimbo, Bachoco, Mondelez), and cement/oil & gas operators (Cemex), and the company has documented customer-quantified outcomes such as a 50% reduction in lubricant consumption at an unnamed beer-can plant using Interlub Gear 150. Pricing is quote-based, multi-year in some contracts, and not publicly disclosed, consistent with B2B specialty chemicals rather than commoditized industrial supply.

Operationally, Interlub employs 251-500 staff, maintains its Zapopan manufacturing and corporate base alongside the related Interglass S.A. de C.V. entity, and has no public listing, no institutional investors disclosed in source material, and no M&A activity. Its defensibility rests on regulatory certifications, formulation depth, a 40-year track record in Latin American industrial markets, and a hybrid sales model that pairs technical consulting with channel partners—an unusual combination for a mid-sized regional manufacturer.

Name

Interlub

Legal name

INTERLUB S.A. de C.V.

Website

https://interlub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Interlub is a privately held Mexican specialty industrial lubricant manufacturer founded in 1984, developing more than 2,300 formulations including 114 NSF food-grade registrations, serving steel, mining, food, aluminum, and paper enterprises across 40+ countries via direct sales, regional subsidiaries in Brazil and Colombia, and a global distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants) (EUALAJAC), Gear Oils & Transmission Fluids (IMAEAMAE)

Keywords

• Industrial lubricants
• Specialty greases
• Food-grade lubricants
• Biodegradable lubricants
• Tribology consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Zapopan

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Industrial Lubricant Product Sales: Interlub manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of industrial lubricants including oils, greases, pastes, anticorrosion products, and biodegradable lubricants to industrial customers across multiple sectors. Products are sold directly and through a global distributor network.
2. Training and Education Services: Interlub offers paid or free seminar and webinar programs on industrial lubrication, tribology, and reliability. The company has trained over 15,000 people in more than 15 countries. Capacitaciones a la medida (customized training for teams, minimum 20 participants) are also offered.
3. E-commerce (EasyMaint Cartridge System): Interlub operates an online shop (shop.interlub.com) selling lubrication products in cartridge format, including the EasyMaint system for improved maintenance workflows.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Interlub develops, manufactures, and sells high-performance specialty industrial lubricants — oils, greases, pastes, anticorrosive products, and biodegradable lubricants — formulated for extreme operating conditions in steel, mining, food, aluminum, and paper industries. The company complements its lubricant portfolio with technical consulting services (Diagnóstico 360° plant assessments), a Smart Touch lubrication excellence program, and paid/free training seminars on industrial lubrication and tribology.

Product overview

Interlub is an industrial lubricant manufacturing company offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialty lubricants including biodegradable lubricants, food-grade lubricants (NSF registered), synthetic and mineral-based oils, greases with various thickeners and additives, assembly pastes, and anticorrosive products. The product portfolio includes specialized lines such as the Bio line (biodegradable lubricants including Interfluid Bio RE, Bioshovel Gear, Gear Bio, Ecocable, Biocable NH, Liplex Bio, Intergrease Bio Curve, Bioguard HV, Interoil Bio HL, Bio Cleaner, Intercad Bio), food-grade H1/H2/3H certified products (Aliplex, C Synt FGL, Cad Food HT, Interoil FGL, Hidrosynt FGL, Interpaste White, Sucrosynt-C, Bakeryrelease, Gumrelease), and specialty products with molybdenum disulfide additives (Ultraplex Moly Plus, Sintaplex 280 Moly, Gear Synt Moly, Unigraf NH, Interplex Cup Moly). The company serves multiple industries including steel, mining, food, aluminum extrusion, and paper through its technical consulting and training services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Interlub Xpert: Mobile application for lubrication calculations, offered to seminar attendees and webinar participants.
• Smart Touch
• Ciencia Fricción
• Diagnóstico 360°

Products and services

• Biodegradable Lubricants (Bio Line) A family of biodegradable lubricants including Interfluid Bio RE (synthetic high-viscosity oil for open gears), Bioshovel Gear (open-gear grease for excavators), Gear Bio (synthetic gearbox lubricant), Ecocable and Biocable NH (anticorrosive cable oils), Liplex Bio and Intergrease Bio Curve (biodegradable greases for rails/curves), Bioguard HV (biodegradable hydraulic oil), Interoil Bio HL 110 (peristaltic pump fluid), Liplex Bio Moly Plus (extreme-load grease), Intercad Bio (chain lubricant), and Bio Cleaner (water-based surface cleaner). Designed for environmentally sensitive industrial applications.
• Food-Grade Lubricants (NSF H1/H2/3H Certified) A portfolio of 114 NSF-registered lubricants and cleaning products for the food and beverage industry, including Aliplex 2 and Aliplex CA 102 (H1 greases), C Synt FGL 46 (H1 compressor oil), Cad Food HT 220 (H1 chain oil), Interoil FGL 68 (H1 multi-purpose oil with ISO 21469), Hidrosynt FGL 46 (H1 hydraulic oil), Interpaste White H1 (assembly paste), Sucrosynt-C (H1 open-gear grease), Interlub Bakeryrelease and Gumrelease (3H anti-adherents for direct food contact), and Glassmold 2 (H2 for glass pre-molds). Kosher and Halal certifications available.
• Specialty Greases with Molybdenum Disulfide (MoS2) A line of MoS2-enhanced specialty lubricants including Ultraplex Moly Plus (grease for slow-speed bearings and bushings in mining/steel), Sintaplex 280 Moly (synthetic grease for high-speed bearings in electric motors and extractors), Gear Synt Moly (synthetic gearbox oil), Unigraf NH (compressor oil with MoS2), and Interplex Cup Moly (low-speed grease for bearings and bushings under temperature and water exposure).
• Industrial Gear Oils and Specialty Greases Heavy-duty industrial gear oils and specialty greases for bearings, open gears, and steel/mining equipment. Notable products include Uniplex EXP 2 (water-resistant grease for bearings under extreme loads) and Interlub Gear 150 (gear lubricant delivering up to 50% consumption reduction in food industry applications, validated in a beer can manufacturing case study).
• EasyMaint Cartridge System (E-commerce) Cartridge-format lubrication products sold through Interlub's own e-commerce storefront (shop.interlub.com), designed to streamline industrial maintenance workflows with easy-to-handle grease cartridges.
• Diagnóstico 360° Plant Assessment Service A comprehensive on-site plant assessment and technical consulting service that analyzes industrial lubrication needs, identifies cost-saving opportunities, and recommends specific lubricant programs. Delivered by Interlub's technical field consultants as a sales and value-creation tool.
• Smart Touch Lubrication Excellence Program A structured 5-step lubrication excellence program covering lubricant selection with a specialized technician, productivity improvement, application-specific lubrication program design, constant monitoring of critical variables, and documentation of key indicators with consultant feedback. Aligned with ICML 55 standards.
• Industrial Lubrication Seminars and Webinars Training programs on industrial lubrication, tribology, and reliability, including the Seminar de Lubricación Industrial Interlub (6 hours over 2 days via Zoom) and topical webinars such as 'Lubes & Bearing: Principales fallas en rodamientos y el impacto de la lubricación.' Capacitaciones a la medida (customized team training, minimum 20 participants) is also offered. More than 15,000 professionals trained across 15+ countries.
• Interlub Xpert Mobile App A mobile application for lubrication calculations, offered to seminar attendees and webinar participants to support on-the-job tribology and lubrication selection decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Adequate lubrication reduces maintenance costs by up to 60% and significantly decreases equipment wear acceleration
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• ICML (International Council for Machinery Lubrication)coreOthersInterlub aligns its training programs and lubrication excellence methodology (12-point program) with ICML 55 standards for asset management and lubrication. The company trains professionals on ICML 55 requirements as part of its Lubricación de Excelencia program.
• NLGI (National Lubricating Grease Institute)coreOthersInterlub participates in NLGI working groups and tracks the development of new HPM (High Performance Multipurpose) grease certification specifications. The company references NLGI standards (NLGI consistency grades, NLGI certification programs) in its product development and training.
• NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation)coreOthersInterlub has 114 products registered with NSF International under categories including ISO 21469 (hygienic manufacturing), H1 (incidental food contact), H2 (no food contact), 3H (food contact surface release agents), A1, A4, and A8 (cleaners). NSF registration validates ingredient safety and manufacturing hygiene per FDA standards.
• OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)supportingOthersInterlub uses the OECD 301B test (degradation above 60% in 28 days) as the standard for claiming 'easily biodegradable' status for its lubricants. OECD standards provide the third-party scientific basis for Interlub's environmental claims.
• AGMA (American Gear Manufacturers Association)supportingOthersInterlub references AGMA standards (ANSI/AGMA 9005-E02) and AGMA-recommended lubricant specifications for open gear applications in its technical articles. AGMA guidelines inform Interlub's product recommendations for ball mill ring gears, pelletizing disc gears, and other heavy-duty gear applications.
• MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)supportingOthersInterlub instructor Oscar Castro holds multiple diplomas in tribology from MIT, representing a human-capital partnership that informs the company's training curriculum.
• STLE (Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers)supportingOthersInterlub instructor Carlos León holds Advanced Lubrication certification from STLE (Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers), providing technical credibility and continuing education alignment for the company's training programs.
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization)coreOthersInterlub references multiple ISO standards in its products and training: ISO 6743-9 (grease classification), ISO 4406 (oil cleanliness), ISO 21469 (hygienic lubricant manufacturing), and others. ISO standards underpin both product specifications and training curricula.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Royal Purple (Calumet): U.S.-based specialty synthetic lubricant brand owned by Calumet, focused on high-performance industrial and motorsports applications. Comparable premium specialty positioning but smaller global reach than Interlub.
• Nynas: Specialty naphthenic base oils and industrial lubricants producer serving transformers, tires, and industrial lubrication. Comparable specialty chemicals producer with a narrower product focus than Interlub but similar industrial customer profile.
• Bel-Ray: Specialty industrial and motorsports lubricant producer with presence in mining, marine, and food-grade segments. Comparable in scale and product breadth to Interlub, with similar emphasis on application-specific formulations.

Broad incumbents

• Castrol (BP): Global lubricant brand of BP serving industrial, marine, and automotive customers. Competes with Interlub in industrial gear oils, hydraulic fluids, and grease lines but as part of a much broader portfolio rather than a specialty-only focus.
• ExxonMobil Product Solutions: Petroleum major with industrial lubricants and grease product lines (Mobil Industrial, Mobilgrease). Competes in mining, steel, and heavy industry where Interlub also sells; differs in breadth of crude-to-consumer integration and global account coverage.
• Shell Lubricants: Lubricants arm of Shell serving industrial, commercial, and consumer markets globally. Overlaps with Interlub in food-grade (Cassida) and heavy-duty industrial lubricants but at vastly greater scale and with direct relationships to Tier 1 OEMs.

Direct peers

• Fuchs Petrolub: Germany-based global specialty lubricants manufacturer serving automotive, industrial, and food-grade end markets. Closest direct competitor to Interlub in finished specialty industrial lubricants, with comparable breadth across heavy-duty, food-grade, and biodegradable lines.
• Lubrizol (Berkshire Hathaway): Specialty chemical company producing lubricant additives and finished industrial fluid formulations. Comparable R&D depth in additive chemistry and adjacent position to Interlub's Ciencia Fricción methodology.
• Quaker Houghton: U.S.-headquartered specialty industrial lubricant and chemical supplier focused on metalworking, primary metals, and aerospace. Closely comparable business model to Interlub, with deep vertical specialization and a global direct-sales footprint.
• Klüber Lubrication: Specialty industrial lubricants subsidiary of Freudenberg (notable coincidence with Interlub's founder surname) serving heavy industry, food processing, and OEM segments. Direct competitor in high-performance, application-specific industrial greases and oils.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Interlub