Rocol Lubricants

What Rocol Lubricants does

Rocol Lubricants South Africa (legal: ROCOL) operates as the official Appointed Master Distributor for ROCOL, LPS, DYKEM, and SCRUBS brands across Sub-Saharan Africa, plus a manufacturing role for the regional HAWK automotive car care line. Founded in 1878 as Ragosine and Company around a proprietary yellow lubricating oil, ROCOL has been a division of ITW (Illinois Tool Works, a Fortune 150 US-listed industrial) since the 1990s, with primary manufacturing in Leeds, UK.

The core product is technologically advanced industrial lubricants organized into six sub-brands. FOODLUBE provides NSF H1, ISO 21469, Halal, Kosher, and Vegan-certified food-grade lubricants (chain fluids, greases, sprays, automatic lubrication systems) for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical plants, now PFAS-Free certified by NSF in 2024. AEROSPEC and LPS supply aerospace-approved airframe greases, landing gear lubricants, corrosion inhibitors, and maintenance chemicals qualified to Boeing and Airbus specifications. SAPPHIRE is the premium industrial grease range for high-load industrial machinery. EASYLINE Edge is a patented line-marking applicator system. DYKEM provides industrial layout fluids and tamper-proof torque-marker pastes; SCRUBS supplies industrial hand-cleaning wipes. Proprietary technology differentiators include DETEX metal-detectable plastic components for HACCP compliance, CHAINGUARD 230 (ester-based chain oil rated to 230°C without carbonisation), and patented Cross Check Plus Aviation Grade torque seal (US Patent 10,934,452).

The business model is predominantly B2B hardware sales of consumable lubricants and maintenance chemicals, with quote-based pricing and direct technical sales consultation via phone and site visits, supplemented by an e-commerce storefront (shop.rocol.co.za) for SMB and tail-end customers. ROCOL Lubricants South Africa generates revenue by distributing and locally manufacturing within the Sub-Saharan Africa territory under appointment, while ROCOL Ltd. UK retains primary manufacturing. End-customers span 14+ verticals — food & beverage, automotive manufacturing (specified by Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, Denso WEBB, BASF), aerospace (Airbus, Boeing), mining, marine, pharmaceuticals, power generation, metalworking, water works, packaging, and gas & plumbing — with Coca-Cola, a leading South African beverage manufacturer, and a leading pharmaceutical OEM documented as case-study users.

Name

Rocol Lubricants

Legal name

ROCOL

Website

https://rocol.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1878

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rocol Lubricants South Africa serves as the official Sub-Saharan Africa master distributor for ROCOL, LPS, DYKEM, SCRUBS, and the regional HAWK brand of the ITW-owned ROCOL group. It sells NSF, ISO, and OEM-approved industrial lubricants to food & beverage, automotive, aerospace, mining, and pharmaceutical enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants

NAICS

Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants) (EUALAJAC), Fuel Additives & Lubricant Additives (IMAEAMAL), Automotive Lubricants & Fluids (IMAEAMAA), Marine Lubricants Supply & Services (Cylinder/System Oils) (TLAHAKAJ), Bio-based Lubricants, Functional Fluids & Industrial Additives (EUAAAIAF), Gear Oils & Transmission Fluids (IMAEAMAE)

Keywords

• Industrial lubricants
• Food grade lubricants
• Aerospace lubricants
• Metalworking fluids
• Line marking systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Johannesburg

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Lubricant Sales: Sale of technologically advanced specialist industrial lubricants including food grade, aerospace, automotive, mining, marine and general industrial lubricants
2. Automotive Car Care Products: HAWK brand car care products including engine flush, injector cleaners, radiator products for African market
3. Site Safety Products: EASYLINE Edge line marking systems and site safety solutions

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ROCOL Lubricants South Africa manufactures and distributes technologically advanced specialist industrial lubricants for industrial customers across Sub-Saharan Africa. The portfolio includes food-grade lubricants (FOODLUBE), aerospace lubricants (AEROSPEC), automotive manufacturing lubricants, marine and offshore products, mining and heavy industry lubricants, metalworking fluids, line marking systems (EASYLINE), maintenance chemicals (LPS), industrial marking products (DYKEM), and automotive car care (HAWK). The company also offers the ROCOLcare lubrication management support service.

Product overview

ROCOL Lubricants is a UK-based manufacturer of technologically advanced specialist industrial lubricants operating since the 1870s, now part of ITW (Illinois Tool Works). The company offers multiple sub-brands: ROCOL (industrial lubricants), FOODLUBE (food-grade lubricants with NSF H1, Halal, Kosher, Vegan certifications), LPS (US-based maintenance chemicals for aerospace and industrial), DYKEM (industrial marking products including layout fluids and torque seals), SCRUBS (hand cleaning products), HAWK (South African automotive car care), and FALCON (pipe repair). Key product lines include chain lubricants (FOODLUBE Chain Fluid/Spray, CHAINGUARD 230), greases (FOODLUBE Premier 1, SAPPHIRE range), automatic lubrication systems (FOODLUBE Autolube, Unilube), aerospace products (AEROSPEC, LPS 1), line marking systems (EASYLINE Edge), and anti-seize compounds. The company serves 14 industry verticals including Food & Beverage, Automotive, Aerospace, Mining, Marine, Pharmaceutical, and Power Generation, with products specified by Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, and other major manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FOODLUBE: Food-safe lubricant range including greases, chain oils, sprays, and corrosion protection products for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. NSF H1 registered, ISO 21469 certified, Halal, Kosher, and Vegan certified.
• AEROSPEC
• SAPPHIRE
• EASYLINE
• DETEX
• LPS
• DYKEM
• SCRUBS
• HAWK
• FALCON

Products and services

• FOODLUBE Range Comprehensive portfolio of food-grade lubricants including chain fluids, greases, sprays, automatic lubrication systems and corrosion protection products with NSF H1, Halal, Kosher and Vegan certifications for food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and clean environment applications.
• AEROSPEC Range Premium greases for general airframe, landing gear, flying controls and actuators approved for use on Airbus and Boeing aircraft, plus anti-seize and corrosion protective sprays.
• SAPPHIRE Range Premium performance grease range for demanding industrial applications including SAPPHIRE Premier, SAPPHIRE Endure, SAPPHIRE Aqua 2 (water washout resistant), and SAPPHIRE Dynamic for highly loaded slow moving systems.
• LPS Range High-performance maintenance chemicals including lubricants, degreasers, corrosion inhibitors and precision cleaners for aerospace, industrial and energy facilities worldwide.
• DYKEM Range Industrial marking products including layout fluids, Cross Check torque seal tamper-proof indicators, staining colors and paint markers for metalworking, quality control and anti-tampering applications.
• SCRUBS Range Pre-moistened hand cleaning wipes and towels combining advanced cleaning formulas with dual-textured towels for removing oil and dirt without water, soap or drying towels.
• HAWK Range South African manufactured automotive car care products including engine flush, fuel injector cleaners, radiator products and maintenance chemicals delivering superior value for the African market.
• FALCON Quick Wrap Fast curing permanent repair bandage that cures in less than 10 minutes for emergency pipe repairs carrying water, oil, steam, gases and solvents.
• CHAINGUARD 230 100% ester-based chain oil operating at temperatures up to +230°C for paint shop conveyor chains in automotive manufacturing, with no carbonisation over 40+ days trial.
• EASYLINE Edge Applicator Patented line marking paint machine for factory floors, warehouses, car parks and playgrounds producing sharp lines lasting up to 2x longer than competitors.
• FOODLUBE Premier 1 Food-grade multi-purpose EP NLGI No. 1 grease ideal for electric motors and fan bearings with wide temperature range (-30°C to +180°C), featuring DETEX metal detectable technology and NSF 537 PFAS Free Certification.
• FOODLUBE Chain Fluid Food-grade, multipurpose, extreme pressure grease with PTFE designed for effective lubrication of chains and conveyors in food, pharmaceutical and clean environments, with excellent water wash-off resistance and corrosion protection.
• FOODLUBE Spray Food-grade multi-purpose lubricant spray with long lasting protective film, good corrosion protection and temperature range from -20°C to +110°C.
• FOODLUBE Autolube Electromechanical automatic lubrication system with 120ml capacity dispensing over 1-12 months, for bearings, slides and bushes in food and pharmaceutical environments.
• FOODLUBE Chain Fluid Unilube Gas-operated automatic lubrication system containing FOODLUBE Chain Fluid, ATEX certified, IP68 rated, with transparent housing for monitoring lubricant levels.
• SAPPHIRE Dynamic Multi-purpose calcium sulphonate thickened grease optimised for highly loaded, slow moving systems operating at elevated temperature.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gearbox failures eliminated - no repairs needed since switching to FOODLUBE Hi-Torque 460
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments7 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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• ROCOL (UK Manufacturer)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1878UK-based manufacturer of technologically advanced lubricants since 1870s. ROCOL South Africa is the official Appointed Master Distributor for Sub-Saharan Africa.
• ITW (Illinois Tool Works)coreOthersParent company - ROCOL is a division of ITW, a multi-national US owned Fortune 150 company. ITW provides corporate governance and resources while ROCOL operates as an independent business unit with its own brand identity and operations.
• LPS (US Manufacturer)coreTechnology or IntegrationUS-based leading manufacturer of high-performance maintenance chemicals for aerospace, military, industrial and energy development facilities. ROCOL South Africa distributes LPS products in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• DYKEM (US Manufacturer)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationUS-based manufacturer of vivid and durable marking products including layout fluids and torque markers for tampering protection. Distributed by ROCOL South Africa.
• SCRUBS (US Manufacturer)secondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUS-based manufacturer of hand cleaner towels and industrial cleaning products. ROCOL South Africa is official distributor for Sub-Saharan Africa.
• HAWKcoreTechnology or IntegrationSouth African manufacturer of automotive car care products. ROCOL South Africa manufactures and distributes HAWK products with emphasis on product performance and price for African market.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Klüber Lubrication: Specialist industrial lubricant manufacturer (part of Freudenberg Group) with deep food-grade, aerospace, and automotive OEM penetration. Closely comparable in niche specialisation, certification stack, and OEM specification model.
• Fuchs Petrolub: Germany-headquartered global lubricants manufacturer serving automotive, industrial, food-grade, and metalworking segments with extensive OEM approvals. Directly comparable in product breadth and vertical specialisation, particularly in food-grade and industrial specialty lubricants.
• SKF Lubrication Solutions: SKF's lubrication business provides industrial lubricants and automatic lubrication systems for bearings and machinery - closely comparable to ROCOL's FOODLUBE Autolube and SAPPHIRE premium grease lines in industrial customer applications.
• Quaker Houghton: Global leader in industrial process fluids including metalworking fluids, hydraulic oils, and specialty greases. Comparable across metalworking, steel, aerospace, and food-grade lubricants with similar OEM-led distribution.
• CRC Industries: US-based specialty chemical manufacturer with strong presence in maintenance chemicals, corrosion inhibitors, and industrial lubricants - directly comparable to ROCOL's LPS-branded portfolio and aerospace/industrial maintenance product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Mobil Industrial (ExxonMobil): Global industrial lubricants major with strong food-grade and aerospace presence. Overlaps with ROCOL across the same vertical markets but operates at far greater scale and with broader geographic distribution.
• TotalEnergies Lubricants: Global lubricants major with industrial, automotive, food-grade, and marine product portfolios. Competes with ROCOL in food-grade certifications, marine biodegradable lubricants, and industrial specialty segments.
• Shell Lubricants: One of the world's largest lubricant producers with deep presence across industrial, automotive, marine, and food-grade segments. Competes with ROCOL on OEM specification in multiple verticals but at significantly larger scale.
• Castrol (BP): Global lubricant major owned by BP, with extensive industrial and automotive product lines including food-grade options. Much larger scale and broader portfolio, but overlaps in industrial lubricants and automotive OEM specifications.
• Henkel Loctite: Global adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings major with industrial maintenance product lines. Comparable in industrial MRO applications, though heavier weighting toward adhesives versus lubricants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rocol-lubricants

Compliance20 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Rocol Lubricants