BioKem

What BioKem does

BioKem Oil Services is an Australian privately-held industrial services company founded in 2013 and headquartered in Capalaba, Queensland. The company specializes in lube oil filtration, vacuum dehydration purification, and varnish mitigation for rotating and hydraulic assets, serving enterprise customers across power generation, oil and gas processing, mining and metals, and marine operations throughout Australia. BioKem claims to operate Australia's largest fleet of rental vacuum dehydrators and the country's largest varnish mitigation systems.

The core technology is the Vacuum Dehydration Oil Purification System (VDOPS), manufactured in the USA and described as the gold standard for oil purification, which removes free, emulsified, and dissolved moisture, gas impurities, and particulate contaminants through a multi-stage process including vacuum chamber exposure and fine microglass filtration. This is complemented by the Varnish Removal System (VRS) with resin media tailored to specific lubrication systems. Supporting equipment includes pump sets rated to 2000 GPM, lubricant oil heaters, filter carts, high-flow flushing skids, and diesel fuel filter rigs. BioKem is also the Australian distributor for Filters S.p.A (Italy), Swift Filters, and the Particle Pal Range of cleanliness monitoring instruments, and sells OEM-equivalent and Hydac/Pall interchange filter replacements.

The business operates three revenue streams: onsite professional filtration services delivered by field engineers, equipment hire (manned or unmanned), and filter/product sales. Services can be executed in kidney-loop mode while plant is live, minimizing operational disruption. Notable enterprise customers include Fortescue Metals Group, QGC (Queensland Gas Company), a Queensland Aluminium Smelter, a major Australian petrochemical facility, and an Australian coal-fired power station, with documented outcomes such as extension of hydraulic oil overhaul intervals from annual to seven-year cycles and $800K annual savings in eliminated oil sweetening costs. BioKem employs 11-50 staff and is currently hiring mechanical fitters and technicians, supporting field service capacity expansion.

Name

BioKem

Legal name

BioKem

Website

https://biokem.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BioKem Oil Services is an Australian private industrial company providing oil filtration, vacuum dehydration, and varnish mitigation services to enterprise customers in power generation, oil and gas, mining, and metals sectors across Australia, operating the country's largest rental vacuum dehydrator fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Oil Filtration Services

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Pumps & Pumping Equipment (3561)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Oil, Lubricants & Industrial Fluids Recovery/Recycling (IMAIAFAM)

Keywords

• Oil filtration services
• Lubrication oil purification
• Vacuum dehydration systems
• Varnish removal services
• Industrial filtration equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Redland Bay

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Oil Filtration Services: Onsite professional oil filtration services delivered by field engineers, including hot oil flushing, kidney-loop filtration, varnish mitigation, and particulate filtration to rejuvenate oil to better-than-new standards.
2. Equipment Hire: Rental of filtration and purification equipment including Vacuum Dehydration units, Varnish Removal Systems, Pump Sets, Filter Carts, High Flow Flushing Skids, Lubricant Oil Heaters, and Diesel Fuel Filter Rigs. Units available manned or unmanned.
3. Filter and Replacement Products: Sale of replacement filters and products including OEM equivalent filter replacements, Hydac and Pall interchange filters, hydraulic oil filters, coalescing filters, paddle flushing screens, varnish remedial products, patch test kits, and water filters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

BioKem Oil Services provides onsite industrial oil filtration, purification, and varnish mitigation services to Australian industrial customers across power generation, oil and gas, mining and metals, and marine sectors. The company combines professional field service engineers with hireable equipment (vacuum dehydrators, varnish removal systems, pump sets, filter carts, heaters, flushing skids) and distributes filter products from international brands including Filters S.p.A, Swift Filters, and Particle Pal. Services rejuvenate contaminated lube and hydraulic oils to better-than-new cleanliness standards while plants remain operational via kidney-loop configuration.

Product overview

BioKem Oil Services is an Australian company offering a comprehensive portfolio of oil filtration, purification, and maintenance services and equipment. The core offerings center on two flagship equipment systems: the Vacuum Dehydration Oil Purification System (VDOPS) for moisture, gas, and particulate removal, and the Varnish Removal System (VRS) for varnish mitigation. These are complemented by a full range of hireable equipment including Pump Sets, Lubricant Oil Heaters, Filter Carts, and High Flow Flushing Skids. BioKem also provides expert on-site services including Hot Oil Flushing & Filtering, Lube Oil Analysis, Batch Filtration Certification, and Commissioning services. As a distributor, the company supplies Filters S.p.A., Swift Filters, Particle Pal instruments, and OEM-compatible filter replacements across Australia. The portfolio spans equipment hire, professional services, and product sales to serve the industrial lubrication needs of turbines, compressors, hydraulic systems, and power generation facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hot Oil Flushing & Filtering Service On-site service maximizing equipment longevity by eliminating contaminants and ensuring optimal lubrication system cleanliness and efficiency through hot oil flushing and filtering programs.
• Lube Oil Analysis Expert testing and analysis service enhancing machinery performance, reducing costs, and preventing breakdowns through oil condition monitoring.
• Batch Filtration Certification Pre-delivery lubricant filtration and certification service ensuring oils meet OEM cleanliness specifications.
• Commissioning and Shutdowns/Turnaround Services Professional support for equipment commissioning, shutdowns, and turnaround operations including lube oil system preparation.
• Lubrication Oil Filtration Comprehensive filtration service for lubrication oils in rotational assets, removing wear debris and contaminants.
• Varnish in Lube Oil Management Detection and mitigation service for varnish formation in lubrication systems.
• Fuel Filtration Service Industrial fuel filtration service for maintaining fuel cleanliness and asset reliability.
• Heat Transfer Systems Service Maintenance and monitoring services for industrial heat transfer oil systems.
• Viscosity Correction Service Service to correct oil viscosity issues in lubrication systems.
• Microbial Contamination Management Service addressing microbial contamination ('diesel bug') in lubrication oils and fuels.
• Vacuum Dehydration Oil Purification System (VDOPS) A gold-standard oil purification system manufactured in the USA that removes moisture, gas impurities, and particulate contaminants from lubricating and hydraulic fluids through vacuum dehydration technology. Available in EX and non-EX models with auto-water drain function and real-time particle/moisture monitoring.
• Varnish Removal System (VRS) Australia's largest varnish mitigation system that removes suspended and plated varnish from lubrication systems while oil is hot or cool. Equipped with high-efficiency microglass filters for particle contamination removal, with tailored resin media for specific systems.
• Pump Sets High-velocity lube oil flushing and kidney loop filtration equipment featuring Positive Displacement Gear Pumps rated to 150 PSI (up to 400 GPM) and ANSI Centrifugal Pumps rated to 80 PSI (up to 2000 GPM), with Variable Frequency Drives, NEMA 4 control panels, and high-efficiency pleated microglass filter elements.
• Lubricant Oil Heaters Low-watt immersion heaters for mineral and synthetic oil systems with 32kw to 66kw circulation heaters for fluid temperature and viscosity control. Features thermostatic control, over-temperature cut-out, and mounted trolley options.
• Filter Carts Portable filtration equipment for on-site oil filtering and purification.
• High Flow Flushing Skids High-capacity flushing equipment for cleaning lubrication systems.
• Diesel Fuel Filter Rig Filtration equipment specifically designed for diesel fuel cleaning and purification.
• Filters S.p.A. Products Distribution Australian distribution of Italian-manufactured high-performance industrial filtration products from Filters S.p.A, including Boll filters and industrial filtration elements.
• Swift Filters Products Distribution Australian distribution of industrial filtration products from Swift Filters.
• Particle Pal Range Distribution Australian distribution of Filtertechnik Particle Pal series field instruments including Particle Pal Raptor and Particle Pal Plus for ISO 4406 cleanliness monitoring.
• OEM Equivalent Filter Replacements Replacement filters compatible with OEM specifications for various industrial applications.
• Hydraulic Oil Filters Filtration products specifically designed for hydraulic oil systems.
• Coalescing Filters

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 19 times greater equipment life from clean oil (British Hydraulics Research Association study)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 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

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Filters S.p.AcoreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian distributor for Filters S.p.A - Italian manufacturer of high-performance industrial filtration solutions. BioKem distributes Filters S.p.A products including Boll filters and industrial filtration elements throughout Australia.
• Swift FilterscoreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian distributor for Swift Filters - providing high-performance industrial filtration products and solutions to Australian industrial customers.
• Particle Pal RangecoreTechnology or IntegrationAustralian distributor for Particle Pal Range - Filtertechnik Particle Pal series field instruments including Particle Pal Raptor and Particle Pal Plus for ISO 4406 cleanliness monitoring.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• C.C. Jensen: Danish specialist in offline oil filtration and condition monitoring for industrial lubricants, with global reach. Directly comparable to BioKem's VDOPS-based lube oil purification and kidney-loop filtration services, serving similar turbines, compressors, and hydraulic systems in power, marine, and mining.
• MP Filtri: Italian hydraulic and process filtration specialist manufacturing filters, filtration systems, and condition monitoring instruments. Directly comparable to BioKem's hydraulic oil filtration offering, kidney-loop equipment, and distribution of branded filter elements and instruments.
• Filtertech: US-based manufacturer of oil purification and fluid filtration systems for industrial lubricants, coolants, and process fluids. Directly comparable to BioKem's vacuum dehydration and oil reconditioning services for turbines, gearboxes, and hydraulic systems.
• Stauff: German manufacturer and global supplier of hydraulic accessories, filtration, and fluid conditioning equipment. Comparable to BioKem in hydraulic oil filtration, in-line filtration equipment, and hydraulic system cleanliness offerings.
• Hy-Pro Filtration: US-based specialist in hydraulic and lube oil filtration, including vacuum dehydrators, filter carts, and condition monitoring (now part of Hydac). Directly comparable to BioKem's VDOPS, filter cart hire, and hydraulic cleanliness service offering.
• Norman Filters: UK-based manufacturer of industrial filtration equipment and replacement elements for hydraulic, lubrication, and process fluids. Comparable to BioKem's distribution of OEM-equivalent filter replacements and hydraulic oil filtration products.

Broad incumbents

• Hydac: German global manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic filtration, fluid conditioning, and tank-side systems, with Australian operations. Overlaps with BioKem on hydraulic oil filtration, fluid conditioning equipment, and industrial service delivery across the same target industries.
• Pall Corporation: Global filtration giant (now part of Cytiva) supplying industrial filtration systems, replacement elements, and condition monitoring. Comparable as a supplier of high-performance industrial filters, fluid cleanliness solutions, and OEM-equivalent replacement elements like those BioKem distributes.
• Donaldson Company: US-based global filtration company serving industrial, engine, and hydraulic applications with a broad portfolio of filters and fluid analysis services. Overlaps with BioKem on hydraulic and lube oil filtration consumables, replacement elements, and condition monitoring.

Emerging players

• Velcon: US-based filtration company focused on aviation fuel filtration, also serving industrial fuel and oil markets. Partial overlap with BioKem's diesel fuel filter rig hire and fuel filtration services, addressing fuel cleanliness for industrial and power customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/biokemoil
• Facebookfacebook.com/biokemoilservices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/biokem-oil-services

Compliance1 record

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 BioKem