Smith and Allan

What Smith and Allan does

Smith and Allan Ltd. is a UK-based independent lubricant manufacturer and industrial paint specialist, founded in 1925 in Darlington and now in its fourth generation of family ownership. The company manufactures and distributes its own Smith & Allan branded portfolio of oils, greases, wood preservers, and food-grade lubricants (e.g., Limitless Super motorcycle oils, Select XL classic motor oils, Powertech Pro racing 2-stroke oils, Lithium EP2 grease, Cedol wood preserver, and Butchers Block Oil with NSF/FDA certifications). It also distributes third-party lubricant brands (Shell, Fuchs, Valvoline, Petro-Canada, Panolin) and industrial paint brands (own Tekaloid and Tractol, plus PPG Sigma Coatings and Coo-Var). A bespoke colour matching service covers BS4800, BS381C, RAL, and Vintage shades for industrial paint customers.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model: an in-house delivery fleet serves the North East England region with bulk and barrel solutions for industrial users, while overnight couriers handle nationwide small-order delivery. A physical retail store in Darlington supports walk-in sales and same-day click & collect, and a fully functional e-commerce storefront with a vehicle registration search tool enables nationwide direct-to-consumer sales. Pricing is unit-based on SKUs ranging from a few pounds (e.g., 400GM grease cartridges from £3.07) to higher-value industrial SKUs, plus a £5+VAT fee per bespoke colour match.

Smith and Allan serves 11+ customer segments spanning agriculture, plant & haulage, off-highway, automotive/passenger car, industrial, mining, forestry/horticulture, motorsport, food & beverage, marine, and classic & vintage cars. The business is differentiated by 95+ years of brand heritage, ISO 9001 certification (SGS-verified), UK Lubricants Association membership, and a long-standing additive technology partnership with Shell. The company has 51-100 employees and is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, M&A activity, or external funding.

Name

Smith and Allan

Legal name

Smith and Allan Ltd.

Website

https://smithandallan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Smith and Allan is a fourth-generation family-owned UK independent lubricant manufacturer and industrial paint specialist, founded in 1925 in Darlington, serving agriculture, automotive, industrial, food-grade, and classic/vintage car customers via own-brand and distributed Shell, Fuchs, Valvoline, and Petro-Canada products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAEAMAB

Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Lubricants & Industrial Fluids

SECONDARYIMAEAMAE

Gear Oils & Transmission Fluids

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Lubricants & Industrial Fluids

SECONDARYEUALAJAD

Packaging, Filling & Private Label / Contract Manufacturing

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Oil & Gas (Upstream, Midstream, Downstream and Refining)/Lubricants & Base Oils (Blending, Additives, Distribution)

Keywords

• Industrial lubricant manufacturing
• Motorcycle and engine oils
• Industrial paint supply
• Classic and vintage lubricants
• Colour matching service

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Lubricants and Oils: Sale of own-brand and third-party lubricants, oils, and greases. Products are sold in various formats including 5L, 20L, 205L barrels and bulk/barrel solutions for larger industrial customers.
2. Product Sales - Industrial Paints: Sale of industrial paints including Tekaloid 318, Tractol 329, and colour-matched bespoke paints in BS4800, BS381C, RAL and Vintage colour ranges.
3. Colour Matching Service: Bespoke colour matching service charging £5.00 + VAT per match. All BS4800, BS381C, RAL and Vintage shaded paints are manufactured to order as bespoke products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Smith & Allan manufactures and distributes its own-brand lubricants, oils, greases and industrial paints (Smith & Allan, Tekaloid and Tractol lines) and resells third-party lubricant brands including Shell, Fuchs, Valvoline, Petro-Canada and Panolin. The business also provides a paid bespoke colour matching service for BS4800, BS381C, RAL and Vintage paint shades, available in-store and by post. Products are sold in sizes ranging from 250ML bottles and 400GM grease cartridges up to 205L barrels and bulk tanker deliveries for industrial accounts.

Product overview

Smith and Allan is a UK-based independent lubricant manufacturer and industrial paint specialist offering a diversified portfolio of own-brand and third-party products. The core offering consists of Smith & Allan branded oils (motorcycle oils, classic motor oils, 2-stroke racing oils), greases (lithium EP2 multi-purpose grease), and wood care products (butchers block oil, decking oils). The company also distributes third-party lubricant brands including Shell, Fuchs Lubricants, Valvoline, Petro-Canada, and Panolin. Industrial paints are offered under own sub-brands Tekaloid and Tractol, with a colour matching service for bespoke BS4800, BS381C, RAL and Vintage paint shades. Additional services include a vehicle registration search tool to identify compatible products and technical advice support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Smith & Allan: The company's own brand of lubricants, greases, and oils including Limitless Super motorcycle oils, Select XL classic motor oils, Select Mini oils, Powertech Pro racing oils, Lithium EP2 greases, Butchers Block Oil, and Cedol Wood Preserver & Decking Oil.

Products and services

• Smith & Allan Lithium EP2 Multi-Purpose Grease High-quality multi-purpose lithium grease based on refined mineral oils with extreme pressure and performance additives, for plain and rolling element bearings in automotive, construction, agricultural and industrial applications.
• Smith & Allan Limitless Super 10W-40 Semi-Synthetic Motorcycle Oil Semi-synthetic motorcycle lubricant providing wear control, rust and corrosion protection, oxidation resistance and cold-temperature performance for on and off-road four-stroke motorcycles.
• Smith & Allan Select XL 40 Low Detergent Classic Motor Oil High-quality low-detergent engine lubricant with refined mineral base stocks and over 1200ppm ZDDP, formulated for naturally aspirated four-stroke petrol and diesel engines in classic vehicles manufactured post 1960.
• Smith & Allan Select Mini 20W-50 Classic Mini Oil High-quality multigrade mineral lubricant designed for combined engine and gearbox use in classic Mini vehicles from 1959 to 1993 and other Austin, BMC and Leyland vehicles of that era.
• Smith & Allan Powertech Pro Comp 2T Racing 2-Stroke Oil High-performance synthetic ester-based 2-stroke oil for oil injection and pre-mix systems in high-output 2-stroke motorcycles, delivering extreme protection at maximum RPM and resistance to ring sticking and seizure.
• Smith & Allan Butchers Block Oil - Food Safe Pure, non-toxic, tasteless and odourless white mineral oil free from allergens, gluten and GM substances, approved for use in and around food preparation areas for commercial butcher blocks and utensils, certified to NSF 3H, NSF H1, Star K Kosher and Halal standards.
• Smith & Allan Cedol Wood Preserver & Decking Oil High-quality cedar cladding, decking and fencing oil that penetrates deeply into timber surfaces, protecting against extreme weather and UV fading using pure, odourless, non-toxic and environmentally acceptable crystal clear base stocks.
• Tekaloid Industrial Paint Range Industrial paint sub-brand including Tekaloid 318 High Gloss Coach Enamel and Tekaloid 816 Undercoat, formulated for the protection and decoration of agricultural vehicles, caravans and construction equipment.
• Tractol Industrial Paint Range Industrial paint sub-brand including Tractol 329 High Gloss Single Pack Machinery Enamel, designed as a rapid drying finish for agricultural and construction equipment.
• Groz Grease Guns and Greasing Equipment Range of Groz lever grease guns and bucket top greasers designed for use with Smith & Allan grease cartridges, providing high-pressure greasing solutions for workshop and field use.
• Bespoke Colour Matching Service Paid bespoke colour matching service at GBP 5.00 + VAT per match covering BS4800, BS381C, RAL and Vintage shade specifications, available in-store at Darlington while customers wait or by post, with bespoke matched paints manufactured to order.

Quantifiable outcome

• Next day delivery available for orders placed before 2pm on items 20KG or over in-stock
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Shell OilscoreTechnology or IntegrationLong-standing strategic relationship with Shell Oils as one of the world's largest additive manufacturers. Smith & Allan has forged strong and lasting relationships with Shell, using their oils as part of their product offerings and benefiting from Shell's additive technology expertise.
• ShellmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShell branded products are sold through Smith & Allan's distribution network, including Shell oils and lubricants.
• Fuchs LubricantsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFuchs branded lubricants are part of Smith & Allan's product portfolio, distributed through their e-commerce and retail channels.
• ValvolinemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorValvoline branded automotive products are stocked and sold by Smith & Allan.
• Petro-CanadamajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPetro-Canada lubricant products are distributed through Smith & Allan's network.
• PanolinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPanolin specialty lubricants, including biodegradable options, are available through Smith & Allan.
• PPG - Sigma CoatingsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPPG Sigma Coatings industrial paint products are sold through Smith & Allan, complementing their own Tekaloid and Tractol paint brands.
• Coo-VarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoo-Var industrial paint products are part of Smith & Allan's paint portfolio.
• GrozminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGroz hand tools and grease equipment (grease guns, pumps) are sold through Smith & Allan.
• SamoaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamoa lubrication equipment and products are distributed by Smith & Allan.
• BartolineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBartoline wood care products complement Smith & Allan's wood preserver and decking oil range.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• FUCHS PETROLUB SE: German-headquartered global lubricant manufacturer distributed through Smith & Allan as a partner. Larger incumbent with overlapping industrial, automotive, and specialty lubricant lines.
• Castrol: Major global lubricant brand (BP-owned) competing across automotive, industrial, and marine segments. Overlaps with Smith & Allan's passenger car, marine, and industrial product lines.
• Shell Lubricants: World's largest lubricant brand and a distribution partner of Smith & Allan. Competes in nearly every category Smith & Allan serves, but at vastly greater scale.
• TotalEnergies Lubricants: Global lubricant major with broad automotive and industrial lubricant offerings. Competes across Smith & Allan's industrial, agricultural, and passenger car segments.

Direct peers

• Morris Lubricants: UK-based independent lubricant manufacturer founded 1869, with comparable product range (oils, greases) and overlapping customer segments including agriculture, automotive, and industrial. Closest direct competitor in the independent UK lubricant manufacturer space.
• Comma Oil & Chemicals: UK-focused lubricant specialist with strong automotive aftermarket presence including motor oils and additives. Comparable go-to-market in consumer/DIY automotive segments through UK retailers.
• Millers Oils: Independent UK lubricant manufacturer with strong motorsport, classic car, and specialty automotive focus. Direct competitor in classic/vintage lubricants and performance oils segments.
• ROCOL: UK-based industrial lubricant and maintenance product manufacturer (owned by ITW). Competes in industrial MRO lubricants, greases, and food-grade lubricants.
• Tekaloid/Tractol-style Paint Specialists: Coo-Var (a Smith & Allan distribution partner) is a UK industrial paint manufacturer with comparable Tekaloid/Tractol-style industrial coatings and colour matching services, directly comparable for the paint business line.

Emerging players

• Whitmore Manufacturing: US-based specialty lubricant manufacturer focused on rail, industrial, and heavy-duty applications. Comparable in niche industrial lubricant specialization and small-batch custom blending.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smithandallan
• Facebookfacebook.com/smithandallan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smith-and-allan
• Instagraminstagram.com/smithandallan/?hl=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Smith and Allan