I had the fortune to attend the Technische Akademie Esslingens 22nd international tribology colloquium at the end of January. Aside from the three days packed with in-depth academic presentations on tribolgy, there was a room dedicated to an entire day of discussions focused on sustainability. This was a first for the event, according to a representative of Bosch, who served as the rooms moderator. It was standing room only for every session.

The concept of sustainability is liberally bandied about these days, not always with consensus as to a definition of what it means. Not so at the TAE conference, where it was remarkable to see a range of presentation topics that all agreed on the foundation of sustainability as it relates to the base oil and lubricants industry.

Sustainability is often touched upon in this magazine, and this edition is no exception, with an article that looks at base oil made from estolides. We also investigate the future of viscosity modifiers and offer a snapshot of the rise of German independent Fuchs, also gaining a reputation for its endeavors in sustainability.

Expect to see more content regarding this increasingly essential environmental and economic approach in the months to come.

– Simon Johns

Simon@LubesnGreases.com