Karter

What Karter does

Karter Lubrificantes is a privately held Brazilian lubricant manufacturer founded in 2001 and headquartered in Jacareí, São Paulo. The company designs, formulates, and produces a portfolio of more than 50 products across light automotive engine oils, diesel automotive lubricants, agricultural equipment lubricants, transmission and gear oils (API GL-4 and GL-5 grades), industrial hydraulic/gear/compressor/heat transfer oils, base oils, and a range of greases (lithium, calcium, and specialty variants including Lithium Complex and Calcium Sulfonate). Underlying technology centers on petroleum-based and synthetic base oils combined with proprietary additive packages — notably anti-foam systems that reduce surface tension in air bubbles and detergent/dispersant chemistries that keep impurities in suspension to prevent sludge formation. The company also offers Private Label contract manufacturing, producing custom grease formulations under client brand names.

Karter operates an ISO 9001:2015-certified manufacturing facility with ANP product registration and compliance to international specifications including API SP, ACEA C3, and ILSAC GF-6B. The go-to-market is sales-led and channel-driven: a national network of resellers and distributors targets mechanics, workshops, and fleet operators across all Brazilian territory, supplemented by direct sales representatives for enterprise accounts and a 'Quero revendar' recruitment channel for new partners. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed, with B2B contracts structured through sales representatives and a contact form requiring CNPJ for business verification. Brand-building is reinforced through official sponsorship of NASCAR Brasil Series 2025/2026, including the proprietary Karter Boost push-to-pass technology deployed on Vitor Genz's Ford Mustang #46 with Full Time Racing Team. Revenue derives from one-time product sales across the branded portfolio and professional-services revenue from Private Label manufacturing. The company is founder/management-owned with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Karter

Legal name

Karter Lubrificantes

Website

https://karter.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Karter Lubrificantes is a Brazilian lubricant manufacturer producing 50+ engine oils, transmission fluids, greases, and industrial lubricants for automotive, diesel, agricultural, and industrial end-users across Brazil via a national distributor and reseller network, with additional Private Label contract manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants) (EUALAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Automotive Lubricants (PCMO, HDMO, ATF, Gear Oils, Coolants) (EUALAJAH), Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro) (EUALAJAJ), Packaging, Filling & Private Label / Contract Manufacturing (EUALAJAD), Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)

Keywords

• Lubricant manufacturing
• Engine oils
• Industrial greases
• Hydraulic fluids
• Automotive lubricants

Headquarters

HQ city

São Sebastião

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lubricant Product Sales: Sale of branded lubricants including engine oils, transmission fluids, greases, hydraulic oils, and industrial lubricants through distribution network and direct sales.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Custom grease manufacturing service where Karter produces products under client brand names, including formulation development, labeling, and quality control.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Karter Lubrificantes manufactures and distributes a portfolio of more than 50 branded lubricating oils and greases for automotive light vehicles, diesel engines, agricultural equipment, industrial machinery, transmissions, gears, and hydraulic systems, formulated with proprietary anti-foam, detergent, and dispersant additive packages. The company also offers Private Label contract manufacturing services that produce custom-formulated greases labeled under client brand names.

Product overview

Karter Lubrificantes is a Brazilian lubricant manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of automotive, agricultural, and industrial lubrication products. The product lineup includes: Automotiva Leve (light automotive engine/transmission oils), Automotiva Diesel (diesel engine lubricants), Linha Agrícola (agricultural equipment lubricants for tractors and chainsaws), Transmissão e Engrenagens (gear and transmission oils including GL-4 and GL-5 grades), Linha Industrial (hydraulic oils in K and AW series, gear oils, compressor oils, and heat transfer fluids), and Graxas (lithium greases, calcium greases, and specialty greases including Lithium Complex and Calcium Sulfonate). The company also offers Private Label manufacturing services for custom grease production. Products are backed by ISO 9001:2015 certification and comply with international standards including API, ACEA, and ILSAC specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Light Automotive Lubricants (Automotiva Leve) Engine oils and transmission fluids for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, contributing to safe driving and durability of parts.
• Diesel Automotive Lubricants (Automotiva Diesel) High-performance lubricants for diesel engines and transmissions in trucks, buses, and agricultural diesel equipment, providing enhanced performance for automotive parts and systems.
• Agricultural Line Lubricants (Linha Agrícola) Lubricants formulated to protect engines, transmissions, and hydraulic systems for tractors and chainsaws, reducing wear and maximizing productivity in the field.
• Lithium Greases (Graxas de Lítio) High-performance lithium greases developed to protect components against wear, corrosion, and high loads, ensuring durability in extreme operating conditions.
• Calcium Grease (Graxa de Cálcio) Calcium greases with good adhesion and water resistance for use in vehicles and industrial machinery, including Retrak Chassis Brown, White, and Graphite variants for pins, grease fittings, bushings, and leaf springs.
• Specialty Greases (Graxas Especiais) Specialty greases including Lithium Complex (Complex K) for high temperatures and extreme pressure, and Calcium Sulfonate for structural stability and corrosion protection.
• Transmission and Gear Oils (Transmissão e Engrenagens) Lubricants developed to protect gears and transmission systems, reducing friction, wear, and noise while improving efficiency and component durability, including GL-4 (K 80, K 90, K 140, K 250) and GL-5 (SK 90, SK 140, SK 80W90, SK 85W140) grades.
• Industrial Line Lubricants (Linha Industrial) Lubrication for hydraulic systems (K Series and AW Series), gears (S Series and SK Series), bearings, chains, compressors (Compressor VG-150), slideways (Barg Series), and heat transfer (Heat K Series), ensuring smooth operations and minimizing wear on industrial machinery.
• Base Oils (Óleos Básicos) Base oil products for use as raw materials in lubricant formulation.
• Private Label Grease Manufacturing Custom grease production service where Karter produces high-quality greases to meet specific company needs, with products labeled under the customer's brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products certified to API and ACEA standards ensuring international quality compliance

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Instituto Jogue LimpominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental partnership for reverse logistics of used or contaminated plastic lubricant oil packaging (OLUC). Instituto Jogue Limpo is recognized for environmental education and waste management leadership, focusing on promoting sustainable disposal practices for lubricant packaging.
• NASCAR Brasil SeriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial sponsor of NASCAR Brasil Series 2025/2026. Karter provides technical partnership including Karter Boost push-to-pass technology for racing vehicles, driver sponsorships (Vitor Genz), and brand activation at racing events.
• Full Time Racing TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Full Time Racing team supporting Vitor Genz in Ford Mustang #46 competing in NASCAR Brasil Series. Sponsorship includes technical support, Karter Boost technology, and marketing activation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Petronas Lubricants Brasil: Petronas markets its Syntium and Urania lubricant lines in Brazil across automotive and industrial segments. Comparable portfolio scope and overlap with Karter in PCMO, HDMO, and industrial oils, with broad multinational distribution advantages.
• Mobil (ExxonMobil) Brasil: ExxonMobil's lubricants arm in Brazil offers the Mobil 1 and Mobil Delvac lines for automotive and heavy-duty diesel. Comparable across Karter's automotive and diesel segments with strong brand recognition and nationwide distribution; competes for the same mechanics and fleet accounts.
• TotalEnergies Lubrificantes Brasil: TotalEnergies markets automotive and industrial lubricants (Total Quartz, Total Rubia) in Brazil. Overlaps with Karter's full product line from PCMO through industrial hydraulic and gear oils, and competes in the same workshop and industrial distribution channels.
• Shell Brasil (Shell Helix / Rimula): Shell's Brazilian lubricants business spans passenger car motor oils, heavy-duty diesel, and industrial lubricants. Directly comparable product portfolio (PCMO, HDMO, greases, industrial) with nationwide distribution; competes against Karter on shelf space at workshops and resellers.
• Lubrax (Petrobras Distribuidora): Petrobras's lubricants brand and the market-leading lubricant in Brazil with the largest distribution network. Directly comparable as a broad-line lubricant manufacturer serving automotive, diesel, industrial, and agricultural segments across Brazil, though with substantially greater scale and parent-company backing.

Regional players

• YPF Lubricantes: YPF is a major Latin American integrated energy company with lubricants operations in Argentina and Brazil. Comparable as a regional Latin American lubricant manufacturer with full automotive/industrial portfolios, though primarily Argentina-based; provides a South American peer benchmark for scale and product mix.
• Ipiranga (lubrificantes): Ipiranga is a major Brazilian fuel and lubricants distributor with its own lubricant brands. Comparable as a Brazilian-focused lubricants player serving workshops and resellers; competes with Karter in domestic distribution but has a stronger fuel-station channel presence.

Direct peers

• Motul Brasil: Motul is a French specialty lubricant manufacturer with strong motorsport heritage and presence in Brazil, particularly in performance automotive and motorcycle segments. Closely comparable positioning in performance/specialty lubricants and motorsport-driven brand building (overlapping with Karter's NASCAR strategy).
• Castrol (BP) Brasil: Castrol is a global automotive and industrial lubricant specialist with a strong presence in Brazil. Closely comparable target customer (mechanics, workshops, automotive enthusiasts) and overlapping product portfolio in engine oils, gear oils, and greases; a primary direct competitor in the premium automotive segment Karter targets.
• Valvoline Brasil: Valvoline is a global lubricants specialist serving automotive, diesel, and industrial customers. Directly comparable product range (engine oils, gear oils, greases) and target customers, including DIY mechanics and workshops; competes in the same mid-premium tier Karter occupies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karter-lubrificantes
• Instagraminstagram.com/karterlubrificantes?igsh=ZGljcmM0OTBxMzMy&utm_source=qr

Compliance6 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 Karter