What Clarion Lubricants does

Clarion Lubricants is a specialty lubricants brand operated by CITGO Petroleum Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas. Clarion focuses on two certified product categories: (1) food grade lubricants, including NSF 3H-registered white mineral oils for direct food contact and NSF H1-registered hydraulic fluids, gear oils, greases, compressor lubricants, and synthetic specialty products for incidental food contact in food processing machinery; and (2) environmental lubricants (Clarion Green), including inherently biodegradable hydraulic oils, gear lubricants, and synthetic fluids meeting EPA 2013 Vessel General Permit requirements for use in environmentally sensitive areas such as open water, inland waterways, ports, and forests. The portfolio holds Kosher (Passover) and Halal certifications, enabling use across diverse religious dietary compliance environments.

Underlying technology centers on petroleum-based and synthetic lubricant formulation, leveraging CITGO's vertically integrated infrastructure of three refineries (829,000 barrels per day combined capacity), three dedicated blending and packaging plants, and 43 petroleum product terminals and pipelines. Products are engineered to meet specific industry certifications (NSF, FDA 21 CFR 178.3570, EPA VGP, U.S. Coast Guard static sheen test, EPA LC50 aquatic toxicity), with specialty synthetic formulations using high-oleic natural esters and ashless additive systems in the Green product line.

Clarion's business model operates through multiple go-to-market channels: lubricants marketers and distributors for industrial and commercial customers, direct e-commerce via clarionlubricants.com for SMB buyers, and CITGO's broader retail and B2B infrastructure. Products are unit-priced with packaging ranging from aerosol sprays to 55-gallon drums ($1,337-$1,588 per drum), with pricing varying by specialty synthetic grade. The customer base spans food processing plants, marine/port operators, and industrial manufacturing facilities requiring regulatory-compliant lubricants, though no named customer logos or revenue concentration is disclosed.

Name

Clarion Lubricants

Legal name

CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Website

https://clarionlubricants.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1905

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Clarion Lubricants, a CITGO Petroleum Corporation brand, manufactures NSF-certified food grade lubricants and EPA-compliant biodegradable environmental lubricants for food processing plants and marine/industrial operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants) (EUALAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gear Oils & Transmission Fluids (IMAEAMAE), Bio-based Lubricants, Functional Fluids & Industrial Additives (EUAAAIAF), Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)

Keywords

• Food grade lubricants
• Environmental lubricants
• White mineral oils
• NSF registered lubricants
• Biodegradable hydraulic fluids

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Refining Operations: CITGO refines high-quality fuels and specialty products at three refineries with combined capacity of 829,000 barrels per day. The company is the 5th largest independent refiner in the U.S.
2. Fuel Marketing: Marketing of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and industrial products through branded retail station network of nearly 4,100 locations.
3. Lubricants: Production and marketing of agricultural, automotive, industrial and private-label lubricants under CITGO, Mystik, and Clarion brands through lubricants marketers and distributors.
4. Jet Fuel: Jet fuel production at Lake Charles and Lemont refineries with distribution through terminals throughout the Gulf, Midwest and Northeast.
5. Brand Licensing: Brand License Program allowing independent station operators to brand as CITGO locations with access to CITGO fuel, marketing support, and loyalty programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Clarion Lubricants manufactures and sells specialty lubricants in two main lines: NSF-registered food-grade lubricants (3H and H1 white mineral oils, food machinery hydraulic and gear oils, greases, synthetic compressor and refrigeration fluids, chain lubricants, and silicone sprays) for the food processing industry, and Green/Environmental biodegradable lubricants (anti-wear hydraulic oils, gear lubricants, and synthetic fluids) compliant with the EPA 2013 Vessel General Permit for use in environmentally sensitive operations. Products are sold through the Clarion e-commerce portal and a network of lubricants distributors.

Product overview

Clarion Lubricants, a subsidiary of CITGO Petroleum Corporation, offers two primary product lines: Food Grade lubricants and Environmental (Green) lubricants. Food Grade products include white mineral oils, hydraulic fluids, greases, synthetic and specialty lubricants that are NSF H1 (incidental food contact) and NSF 3H (direct food contact) registered, FDA compliant, Kosher, and Halal certified for use in food processing facilities. Environmental products include biodegradable hydraulic oils, gear lubricants, and synthetic fluids designed for environmentally sensitive areas such as open water, inland waterways, ports, and forests, meeting EPA 2013 Vessel General Permit requirements. The portfolio includes CompressorGard, SynBar Fluids, Synthetic Gear Fluids, ClariPac Oils, and various spray products, serving food processing, pharmaceutical, and marine applications with a focus on safety and environmental compliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TriCLEAN: TOP TIER+ gasoline brand with enhanced cleaning agents for improved engine performance
• Club CITGO
• CITGO Fleet Cards
• Clarion Green
• Clarion Food Grade
• Mystik Lubricants
• CITGO Illuminate

Products and services

• Clarion Food Grade White Mineral Oils NSF 3H registered white mineral oils for direct food contact applications, sold in 5-gallon pails and 55-gallon drums, intended for food and beverage processing operations.
• Clarion Food Machinery A/W Oils NSF H-1 registered food machinery anti-wear hydraulic oils for use in food processing hydraulic systems where incidental food contact may occur.
• Clarion Food Machinery Gear Oils NSF H-1 registered gear oils formulated for gearboxes in food processing machinery with incidental food contact risk.
• Clarion Food Machinery Greases NSF H-1 registered general-purpose food machinery greases for bearings and moving parts in food processing equipment.
• Clarion Food Machinery HT EP Greases NSF H-1 registered high-temperature extreme-pressure food machinery greases for heavily loaded bearings in food processing equipment.
• Clarion PM Hi-Temp Food Machinery 100 Greases NSF H-1 registered premium high-temperature food machinery greases for severe high-heat applications in food processing.
• Clarion Chain and Trolley Lube NSF H-1 registered lubricant for chains, conveyors, and trolley systems in food processing operations.
• Clarion Food Grade FR Fluid NSF H-1 registered fire-resistant hydraulic fluid for food processing hydraulic systems where fire safety and incidental food contact are both concerns.
• Clarion ClariPac Oils Food-grade oils sold in pail and drum packaging configurations for food processing lubrication applications.
• Clarion FG White Mineral Oil Spray Aerosol food-grade white mineral oil spray for direct food contact applications requiring convenient in-plant application.
• Clarion FM Silicone Spray NSF H-1 registered food machinery silicone spray lubricant for use on food processing equipment where incidental food contact may occur.
• Clarion CompressorGard NSF H-1 registered food-grade synthetic compressor fluid for use in food processing compressed air systems.
• Clarion SynBar Fluids Synthetic food-grade bar and chain fluids for food processing applications.
• Clarion Synthetic Gear Fluids Synthetic food-grade gear oils for industrial gearboxes in food processing and other industrial applications.
• Clarion Synthetic Refrigeration Fluid Synthetic refrigeration fluid formulated for industrial refrigeration compressors used in food processing and other industrial operations.
• Clarion Green A/W Oils Biodegradable anti-wear hydraulic oils for environmentally sensitive applications where EPA 2013 VGP and aquatic toxicity compliance are required.
• Clarion Green BIO Biodegradable lubricant designed for environmentally sensitive operations requiring EPA VGP compliance and reduced environmental impact.
• Clarion Green Gear Lubes Biodegradable gear lubricants for environmentally sensitive operations including marine and waterway applications.
• Clarion Green Synthetic Fluids Biodegradable synthetic hydraulic and lubricant fluids for environmentally sensitive applications requiring EPA VGP compliance.
• Clarion Green Synthetic Gear Lubes Biodegradable synthetic gear lubricants for environmentally sensitive operations including marine and waterway gearboxes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3% average fuel volume growth at participating Club CITGO locations YOY from September 2024 to September 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WEX (Fleet Card Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationCITGO partners with WEX for fleet card processing and management. WEX personnel help navigate fleets to the appropriate card product that matches their fleet size. The partnership provides online account management and reporting for CITGO Fleet Cards.
• NSF InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationNSF International provides certification for Clarion Food Grade lubricants under NSF H-1 (incidental food contact) and NSF 3H (direct food contact) categories. Products also achieve NSF/ANSI Certification for Standards 60 and 61.
• Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification of Clarion lubricants as Kosher (Passover), enabling use by consumers requiring Kosher-certified products.
• Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHalal certification for Clarion food grade lubricants under Islamic food supervision requirements.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• JAX Inc. Manufacturer of NSF-certified food grade lubricants, white mineral oils, and specialty greases. Directly competes with Clarion in food processing machinery lubrication.
• Panolin AG: Swiss specialty formulator of EAL-compliant biodegradable lubricants for marine and environmentally sensitive applications. Direct competitor to Clarion Green in VGP-compliant lubricants.
• Petro-Canada Lubricants (HF Sinclair): Pure white mineral oils and NSF H1 certified food grade lubricants. Directly comparable to Clarion's food grade white mineral oil portfolio with similar end-use applications.
• Lubriplate Lubricants: Specialty lubricant manufacturer focused on NSF H1 food grade lubricants, white oils, and greases. One of the most direct comparables to Clarion's food grade product line, serving food processing and pharmaceutical end markets.
• Renewable Lubricants Inc. Manufacturer of bio-based and readily biodegradable industrial lubricants including hydraulic and gear oils. Closely comparable to Clarion's Clarion Green BIO product line.
• Klüber Lubrication: Specialty lubricant manufacturer offering NSF H1 food grade and biodegradable industrial lubricants. Comparable product breadth and specialty positioning to Clarion, with broader geographic reach.

Broad incumbents

• ExxonMobil Lubricants: Major integrated oil company with extensive industrial lubricant portfolio including food grade offerings, competing with Clarion across industrial and food processing end markets.
• Shell Lubricants: Major oil major with global lubricants business including food grade and EAL-compliant product lines (e.g., Shell Cassida). Provides scale competition to Clarion in food processing.
• Quaker Houghton: Global specialty chemicals and industrial lubricant leader that acquired Chemtool in 2021. Overlaps with Clarion's industrial and food grade lubricant offerings at much larger scale.
• Fuchs Lubricants: One of the largest independent specialty lubricant manufacturers globally, with food grade and industrial lubricant lines overlapping Clarion's portfolio, but serving a much broader customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CITGO
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CitgoFuelingGood
• Facebookfacebook.com/CITGOFuelingGood
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citgo
• Instagraminstagram.com/citgofuelinggood/?hl=en

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 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 Clarion Lubricants