The lubricants arm of the Batoyle Freedom Group of Huddersfield has recently been acquired by the German company Fuchs Petrolub SE, recognised as one of the world’s biggest lubricant producers.
The business will be integrated into the firm’s daughter company, Fuchs Lubricants (UK). After a period of transition, manufacturing activity will be moved to the Fuchs plant based in Hanley, Staffordshire. All 70 members of staff from the Huddersfield business will have their jobs transferred to Fuchs.
A news release from Fuchs, which is based in Mannheim, announced that the acquisition of the UK lubricant business had been made because the German company wanted to utilise its product technology, as well as its staff and customer base.
Fuchs is especially interested in developing products that can be used in glass manufacturing, and the Batoyle Freedom business includes a product line that is used in its production at the hot end of the process.
Batoyle is one of the UK’s biggest independent manufacturers of lubricants, with five different divisions serving the glass, tube and wire, textile, industrial, and automotive industries. It exports its products to over 50 countries and its other product lines tie in well with Fuchs’ industrial and automotive divisions.
Fuchs is known for its high-quality products, such as Ecocool Ultralife A, a semi-synthetic coolant with high oil content, used when machining aluminium alloys, automotive aluminium castings or stainless steels. Batoyle’s range of industrial products also includes fluids for metalworking and industrial oils.
