New metalworking fluid offers greater sustainability in production

German lubrication specialist Rhenus Lub is setting new standards in sustainability with its latest biodegradable metalworking fluid Rhenus XT 85 GREEN — a high-performance sustainable alternative for all metalworking applications which features over 85% biogenic carbon. The advantage of this new lubricant is that it uses carbon dioxide (CO₂) as an active ingredient. In this way, CO₂ from plants is converted into a usable raw material by photosynthesis — and a cyclical model is created in which CO₂ is taken from the atmosphere, biologically transformed and returned to the atmosphere after use. The metalworking fluid therefore results in practically no net increase in greenhouse gas emissions even after the life cycle is complete (final thermal recycling). When it comes to minimising the environmental impact of the manufacturing industry, one key factor is the use of sustainable raw materials in process media, including lubricants.

Dr Hans-Jürgen Schlindwein, Rhenus Lub’s head of product management — metalworking fluids, said: “Even synthetic metalworking fluids, which manage without mineral oil, are not automatically sustainable. In contrast, rhenus XT 85 GREEN and the use of biogenic carbon result in a climate-friendly cycle and represent a new approach to the development of metalworking fluids.”

A measurably high and transparently traceable proportion of biogenic carbon is a key prerequisite for the classification of a lubricant as a sustainable product. This parameter provides information about the carbon contained in the product and therefore about a product’s chemical origins. It is also possible to describe how much carbon in the product ultimately comes from plants and is therefore renewable.

This means that, from now on, manufacturing companies can also use a metalworking fluid with a high proportion of biogenic carbon with a view to improving the product carbon footprint (PCF). The PCF encompasses all of the greenhouse gas emissions, and especially the CO₂ emissions, caused by a product over the various phases of its life cycle. These phases include development, manufacturing, transport of raw materials or precursors, production and distribution, as well as reuse and disposal. The higher the proportion of biogenic carbon, the lower the proportion of fossil constituents, thereby reducing unwanted CO₂ emissions, caused by a product over the various phases of its life cycle. These phases include emissions and the PCF.

As an added-value partner, rhenus Lub focuses on added value for its customers and makes above-average investments in R&D every year. Its clear focus is on developing high-performance metalworking fluids and lubricating greases that have the least possible impact on humans and the environment. Moreover, the lubricant manufacturer has provided a wide range of skin-friendly metalworking fluids for many years. The company also places particular importance on making greater use of regionally-sourced raw materials and finished products.

Rhenus Lub partner Isabella Kleeschulte said: “For us, as a family business, sustainability is nothing new. We have been committed to sustainability for generations. Driven by this sense of personal commitment, we have been an avowed member of the UN Global Compact since 2011 — when we were one of the first companies in Germany to join. Back then, we were already able to demonstrate our commitment to a sustainable way of doing business. Now, we are going one step further with our biodegradable metalworking fluid rhenus XT 85 GREEN.”