IMPERATOR
IMPERATOR SAS is a Baisieux, France-based manufacturer of lubricating greases and specialty industrial lubricants, operating an 18,000-tonne-capacity plant as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants serving enterprise customers across automotive, aviation, steel, and food sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1905
- HeadquartersBaisieux, France
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What IMPERATOR does
IMPERATOR SAS is a French manufacturer of lubricating greases and specialty industrial lubricants, headquartered at 340 Rue de Breuze, 59780 Baisieux, in the Hauts-de-France region, where it has operated since 1974. The site is presented by the company as the leading European production facility for a diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases, with an annual production capacity of approximately 18,000 tonnes spanning ten major formula families and multiple packaging formats. Core products include conventional lubricating greases (graisses lubrifiantes) and specialized polyurea-based greases (graisses polyurées) manufactured in a dedicated workshop built in 1994. The company operates an on-site quality control laboratory equipped with infrared spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence, automated titration, and grease-specific test rigs (tribology, EMCOR, Shell Roller, oxidation testing), together with pilot-scale production tools used for R&D and formulation optimization.
The business is structured as a wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants (under the TotalEnergies group) since 2000, with commercial activity consolidated into the parent in 2011. Sales, distribution, and customer-facing functions are handled through the TotalEnergies Lubrifiants professional services network, including a dedicated commercial service line (0800 771 522) for product inquiries, off-catalogue requests, and technical data sheets. End markets are industrial enterprises across automotive, aviation, steel, and food-processing sectors, with the food segment supported by NSF certification and the automotive segment by ISO 16949 automotive QMS certification. The company also holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 50001 certifications and maintains partnerships with universities and engineering schools for work-study and internship pipelines.
IMPERATOR operates a B2B hardware-sales model with quote-based pricing and multi-year contracts; no public pricing is disclosed. The company traces its corporate lineage to a Ducatillon family oil mill founded in 1905 and a separate grease business established in 1936, with the current operating entity dating to a 1968 founding event and additional history through the 1991 acquisition of the GEERAERT ET MATTHYS grease activity. With approximately 100 employees and 18,000 tonnes of nameplate capacity, IMPERATOR functions as a focused specialty manufacturing asset within a much larger energy-major lubricants division, with limited recent evidence of organic expansion, M&A, or product launches in the input data.
IMPERATOR firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IMPERATOR
- Legal name
- IMPERATOR SAS
- Website
- https://imperator-lub.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1905
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- IMPERATOR SAS is a Baisieux, France-based manufacturer of lubricating greases and specialty industrial lubricants, operating an 18,000-tonne-capacity plant as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants serving enterprise customers across automotive, aviation, steel, and food sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IMPERATOR industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Lubricants Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)
- SIC
- Petroleum Refining (2911)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro) (EUALAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial Lubricants (Hydraulics, Gear, Compressor, Turbine, Metalworking) (EUALAJAG), Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)
Keywords
Where IMPERATOR is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Baisieux
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
IMPERATOR business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Lubricating Greases Manufacturing and Sales: IMPERATOR is a manufacturing site producing a diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases and specialties. As the first European production site and a subsidiary of TotalEnergies, commercial activities are handled by TotalEnergies Lubrifiants. The company produces thousands of tons annually across 10 major formula families and multiple packaging formats.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B industrial products - pricing available upon request through commercial service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
IMPERATOR product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMPERATOR manufactures a diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases and specialty lubricants at its Baisieux, France facility, with an annual production capacity of 18,000 tonnes across 10 major formula families and multiple packaging formats. The company serves industrial sectors including automotive, aviation, steel, and food industries. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants, commercial activities are handled through the TotalEnergies Lubrifiants commercial network.
Product overview
IMPERATOR is the premier European manufacturing site for a diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases and specialties. The product portfolio centers on lubricating greases (graisses lubrifiantes) including specialized polyurea greases (graisses polyurées), produced at the Baisieux facility with an annual capacity of 18,000 tonnes. The company operates as a 100% subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants, with products distributed through TotalEnergies Lubrifiants commercial channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lubricating greases (Graisses lubrifiantes) Diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases manufactured at the Baisieux facility, serving automotive, aviation, steel, and food industry sectors across 10 major formula families with multiple packaging formats and 18,000 tonnes annual production capacity.
- Polyurea lubricating greases (Graisses polyurées) Polyurea-based lubricating greases produced in a dedicated workshop constructed in 1994, representing advanced formulation technology for specialized industrial applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- 18,000 tonnes of annual production capacity
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use IMPERATOR
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
IMPERATOR technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
IMPERATOR partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- AGEFIPH (Association de Gestion du Fonds pour l'Insertion des Personnes Handicapées)coreIMPERATOR collaborated with AGEFIPH to complete a disability diagnostic assessment over a three-month period, involving teams and union representatives. This partnership marks the start of new inclusion initiatives focusing on two pillars: supporting and maintaining employment for people with disabilities, and raising awareness and training all collaborators to evolve practices.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights5 records
IMPERATOR competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Molykote (DuPont): Specialty lubricants brand owned by DuPont, focused on pastes, silicone/fluorinated greases and high-performance industrial lubricants. Comparable niche-product positioning to IMPERATOR's specialty greases, especially in extreme-temperature and food-grade applications.
- Rocol (ITW Pro Brands): Specialty industrial lubricants and greases brand under Illinois Tool Works, focused on MRO and production environments. Comparable to IMPERATOR in target customer base (industrial maintenance, manufacturing) and specialty grease offering.
- Fuchs Petrolub SE: Largest independent lubricants manufacturer globally, with a substantial specialty greases portfolio serving automotive, industrial and food-grade customers. Directly comparable to IMPERATOR in product category (lubricating greases and industrial fluids) and customer base, though at vastly greater scale.
- Axel Christiernsson International AB: Pure-play European specialty grease manufacturer headquartered in Sweden. Closest scale and focus comparable to IMPERATOR — both produce diversified high-quality lubricating greases and specialty products for industrial customers across Europe.
- Lubrication Engineers: US-based specialty industrial lubricants and greases manufacturer serving heavy industry, manufacturing and food processing. Closely comparable to IMPERATOR in the specialty, certified-lubricants segment and in customer profile.
- Klüber Lubrication (Freudenberg Group): Specialty lubricants subsidiary of Freudenberg, focused on high-performance industrial greases and oils. Comparable to IMPERATOR in the specialty, high-margin segment of the grease market, particularly for demanding applications such as automotive, food and heavy industry.
Broad incumbents
- Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil): Global energy major's lubricants arm, producing grease ranges such as Mobilith. A direct substitute supplier for many of the same industrial and automotive grease customers that IMPERATOR serves through TotalEnergies.
- Shell Lubricants: World's largest lubricants marketer with a complete grease product line (e.g., Shell Gadus). Competes with IMPERATOR-supplied TotalEnergies products across industrial and automotive grease channels globally.
- Castrol (BP): Global lubricants brand under BP, producing a broad portfolio including industrial and automotive greases. Overlaps with IMPERATOR's product range through TotalEnergies' lubricants channels, but operates as a full-spectrum incumbent rather than a focused grease specialist.
Emerging players
- SKF (Lincoln Industrial / Lubrication Solutions): Bearings and seals giant with a dedicated lubrication solutions business (Lincoln, former SKF Lincoln). Comparable to IMPERATOR in industrial grease supply, with particular strength in automatic lubrication systems and greases for bearing applications.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IMPERATOR social profiles
Digital presenceIMPERATOR compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
IMPERATOR financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IMPERATOR leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
IMPERATOR funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IMPERATOR M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IMPERATOR
What does IMPERATOR do?
IMPERATOR manufactures a diversified range of high-quality lubricating greases and specialty lubricants at its Baisieux, France facility, with an annual production capacity of 18,000 tonnes across 10 major formula families and multiple packaging formats. The company serves industrial sectors including automotive, aviation, steel, and food industries. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of TotalEnergies Lubrifiants, commercial activities are handled through the TotalEnergies Lubrifiants commercial network.
Is IMPERATOR a public or private company?
IMPERATOR is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was IMPERATOR founded?
IMPERATOR was founded in 1905. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is IMPERATOR based?
IMPERATOR is headquartered in Baisieux, France, in the Europe region.
How does IMPERATOR make money?
One revenue line is on record: lubricating Greases Manufacturing and Sales.
Who are IMPERATOR's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Molykote (DuPont), Rocol (ITW Pro Brands), Fuchs Petrolub SE, Axel Christiernsson International AB, Lubrication Engineers and Klüber Lubrication (Freudenberg Group). Broad incumbents are Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil), Shell Lubricants and Castrol (BP). SKF (Lincoln Industrial / Lubrication Solutions) is listed as an emerging player.
Does IMPERATOR have an API?
No public API is recorded for IMPERATOR.
What industry is IMPERATOR in?
IMPERATOR's product category is Industrial Lubricants Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAJAJ, Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro), with a secondary code of EUALAJAG, Industrial Lubricants (Hydraulics, Gear, Compressor, Turbine, Metalworking). Its NAICS code is 324191 and its SIC code is 2911.