The French lubricant manufacturer YORK based in Toulon has been an important part of the MOTOREX-BUCHER Group since 2015. At YORK, strong customer focus takes center stage just as it does throughout the entire group, and YORK’s activities concentrate on the markets in France, Italy, Belgium and Spain. YORK mainly supplies customers in the transport industry, the public sector and in the mountain railway and aerial tramway, agriculture and forestry sectors. And it is the market leader in France for biodegradable lubricants. YORK collaborates closely with the MOTOREX parent company, the national companies, and the Group’s production plants, so technological advances can be achieved more efficiently and jointly implemented. Managing director Olivier Sauvestre spoke with us about the company and the benefits that clientèle have reaped.
Why did YORK begin focusing early on rapidly biodegradable performance fluids?
Right from the start, YORK began specializing in developing and producing high-quality lubricants, focusing on two niche product segments: fuel-saving low-friction oils and biodegradable oils. The objective was to optimally fulfill the requirements posed by manufacturers, users and the ever more demanding equipment technologies. The requirements profile in these areas is primarily shaped by the following three criteria: the competition-based economic environment, the challenging operating conditions, and the increasingly stringent environmental regulations. Those are just a few of the many reasons why YORK grew up on performance and bio-fluids.
WHAT WAS THE COMPANY’S VERY FIRST SUCCESSFUL BIO-PRODUCT?
There were even two, actually! (laughs) The first two successful biologically degradable lubricants from YORK were created in 1991 and 1992. They were developed due to the strict environmental regulations specified for ski areas in France. I YORK 777 BIO: a 100 % synthetic, biodegradable hydraulic oil based on saturated ester, for ski-slope snow groomers. I YORK 768 BIO: a 100 % synthetic, biodegradable compressor oil based on saturated esters, for compressors and snow guns.
WERE THE PRODUCT FORMULAS DEVELOPED IN YOUR OWN LABORATORIES?
Yes. The challenge is to harmonize the product’s performance and stability characteristics at very low and high temperatures with its biodegradability under extreme operating conditions. Our research and development department had to draw on entirely new generations of base oils and additives. The product formulas therefore had to be very balanced – a huge challenge! At the time, we took pole position in a pioneering role in Europe. The products subsequently underwent exhaustive practical testing in collaboration with producers such as Kässbohrer, Prinoth and Technoalpin (formerly York Neige).
WHAT INDUSTRIES DOES YORK SUPPLY WITH READILY BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS?
Once we had successfully tested our products in the mountains, we offered our biodegradable lubricants in areas of activity where equally high importance is placed on sustainability. This included applications in tunnel construction, on golf courses, in the forestry sector, and throughout the entire public and administrative sectors.
CAN SUSTAINABLE LUBRICANTS TODAY BE CALLED THE NEW STANDARD?
Low-viscosity fuel economy motor oils have meanwhile become standard, as they comprehensively meet the requirements of the new EURO 6 and, soon, EURO 7 engines. As for biodegradable products, they have yet to become standard in France, which at this level is somewhat behind Switzerland and Germany. But they are most certainly the future.
DO USERS EXPLOIT THE ENTIRE PERFORMANCE RANGE OF, FOR EXAMPLE, BIODEGRADABLE HYDRAULIC OILS?
Our biodegradable hydraulic oils not only contribute to protecting the environment: they’re also more efficient than mineral-based hydraulic oils. This results in significantly longer oil change intervals (two to five times longer, depending on what care routines are performed and the level of soiling). So, yes, many customers utilize this full potential.
WHEN DID YORK JOIN THE MOTOREX-BUCHER GROUP?
The YORK and MOTOREX brands merged on January 1, 2015, pooling their forces together. We're jointly committed to serving the European market with our innovative and environmentally friendly lubricants. In addition, various cooperative arrangements with machinery and component manufacturers have created a global network that we can jointly deploy even better for our customers and partners.
WHAT SYNERGIES HAS THIS COOPERATION GENERATED?
There are countless areas in which we’ve been able to implement fast-acting measures. For example, our research and development teams are working closely together to develop the lubricants of tomorrow. We’ve also streamlined and consolidated the approval procedures with the aforementioned machinery and component manufacturers for products of both brands. What’s more, our purchasing departments have worked hard to diversify and secure our supply sources – which proved decisively important in 2021 and 2022 when shortages threatened: contrary to many of our competitors, we succeeded in avoiding major supply shortages and continued serving our clientèle. This is precisely why it’s helpful having multiple production locations that can all call on existing formulas and produce them to an identical quality standard. At the same time, we’re regularly investing in our production plant in Toulon to increase the storage and production capacities. The synergies gained are also plain to see at the commercial level. We share marketing activities such as a series of joint international trade fair appearances, including the Interalpin in Innsbruck, Austria and the Mountain Planet trade show in Grenoble, France. Although MOTOREX is much larger than YORK, we have very similar corporate structures. Over the past eight years we’ve mutually boosted one another – of that I’m convinced.
HOW HAVE CUSTOMERS BENEFITED FROM THE MERGER?
YORK and MOTOREX products are available to our customers in every European country, and now in the USA as well. YORK has a particularly strong presence in French-speaking and southern Europe. MOTOREX is represented worldwide, while in Europe its presence is concentrated in central, northern and eastern Europe. We thus complement one other perfectly. Moving forward, shoulder to shoulder: YORK and MOTOREX pursue the same goals. For major companies or machinery manufacturers who seek a lubricant supplier of equal standing which is active throughout Europe, the MOTOREX Group is now the ideal partner. And the new production plant in the United States now lets us offer this same service in the USA and Canada.
HOW IS THE PRODUCTION PLANT IN TOULON ORGANIZATIONALLY STRUCTURED?
We have a team of staff working in research and development in Toulon. Our laboratory is outfitted with state-of-the-art equipment that is supplemented and replaced with the latest generation of laboratory technology on a continual basis. Our control standards are identical to those applied at the other labs within the group. In production, we have multiple mixers with capacities ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 liters. Two additional large-scale mixers will be added over the course of this year. We also increased the capacity of our base oil storage facility to 1 million liters last December by installing eight new 50,000-liter stainless steel tanks.
WHAT MARKETS DOES YORK COVER IN ADDITIONTO FRANCE?
YORK earns 70 % of its sales revenue in France and 30 % from exports, mainly to Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Andorra and Spain. And our interest in certain stable African markets is growing, in particular in Morocco and Gabon.
WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY PROUD OF IN THIS COMPANY?
Since the merger, we’ve increased our sales revenue markedly – and, moreover, in a market whose volume decreases slightly every year. We’ve kept what makes YORK strong: the flexibility and responsiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. At the same time, we can now rely on a powerful, world-renowned corporate group. Our image as a specialist for technologically outstanding premium lubricants has been strengthened, and now enjoys universal recognition. I’m particularly delighted that these solid results have been achieved with a team of employees that has almost doubled in the past seven years, and from which only very few colleagues have departed. I think our workforce is proud to work at YORK, and we owe our solid business results to their tireless commitment.
WHAT ARE YOUR WISHES FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY?
It’s my hope that we can continue the successful development achieved to date, cover the entire territory of France with a dense network of client consultants within the coming five years, and further strengthen the group by continuously cooperating with the various affiliated entities. And that currently applies in particular to our new American colleagues and friends as well – to whom I wish to extend a very warm welcome.