Ian Bowmer, European sales manager for the industrial division of Bel-Ray, said Denmark has a growing food processing and production market, closely scrutinized and audited. The demand for food grade products is driven by the producers, customers, supermarkets and export customers, who have the production facilities audited to European standards for food production, which includes the use of NSF H1 registered, food safe lubricants, Bowmer told Lube Report. Bel-Ray has the most extensive range in Europe, so we are a good fit for all food producers and processors in Denmark.

According to Bowmer, Bel-Ray has worked in the Danish market before but had been without a distributor there for 18 months. Socko Teknik is a young and ambitious partner who has a vastly experienced sales team that are very keen to develop and grow the Bel-Ray brand in Denmark, Bowmer said.

He explained that Bel-Ray conducted thorough market research in Denmark, checking the details and compatibility of many potential industrial partners before choosing Socko Teknik. We felt that the existing product portfolio was synergistic with what we were doing and that the nationwide coverage from their centrally located warehouse and offices would serve both companies well, Bowmer said. Socko Teknik operates from Vejle in central Denmark.

Farmingdale, N.J.-based Bel-Ray has produced non-toxic, food grade lubricants since 1968. The company sells more than 100 food grade products for the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, cosmetics, personal hygiene and packaging industries. The companys industrial lubricants include chain lubricants, gear lubricants, hydraulic oils, compressor oils and greases.