Post on 15-Sep-2018
Interview with Jean-Pascal Borde, Managing Director of IKV Tribologie
Everything runs smoothly
Lubricants are among those products that enhance the quality of finished products, reduce maintenance costs and protect the function of any material as best as possible. They are used in a vast number of industries, with the automotive industry and its suppliers showing a huge interest in high-performance lubricants which can be adapted to diverse industrial ap-plications. For 20 years now, IKV Tribologie has been designing and manufacturing lubricants in line with its experience in tribology. The company’s products are exported to an interna-tional customer base.
IKV Tribologie specializes in cus-
tomized solutions designed to
meet individual customer speci-
fications. “Our high-performance
lubricants even work in harsh con-
ditions. Just take the fabrication of
a car tyre, for instance, that has to
withstand extreme temperatures.
We operate in a niche market, but
we clearly have the knowledge of
industrial technologies, material
specifications and quality criteria.
These, as well as price, define our
outstanding position in lubricant
manufacturing,” says Managing
Director Jean-Pascal Borde.
IKV Tribologie focuses on industrial
manufacturing processes and
maintenance applications as well
as applications in the automotive
sector aimed at improving comfort.
An example are noise-damping
greases which control motion and
noise in addition to their wear-
reducing function. The company’s
range of automotive interior trim
coatings are also designed to re-
duce squeaks and rattles in the
vehicle interior. Automotive solu-
tions generate 40% of the com-
pany’s turnover. In 2014, turnover
reached nine million EUR. With the
opening of a second production
hall, IKV Tribologie expects capac-
ity and sales to rise.
The company, with 28 staff mem-
bers at its French sites plus an-
other 15 people at its international
distribution branches, has earned
the respect of industrial custom-
ers and the automotive equipment
sector in particular. “We serve the
likes of Faurecia, Valeo, Magna,
Johnson Control and others. This
customer group really appreci-
ates our approach and our ability
to recommend the best-suited
lubricant for each application,”
says Mr. Borde. “Customers are
constantly asking for a more so-
phisticated production, which has
indeed become our driving force.
This is why we are pushing new
developments that match the exact
requirements of our customers.”
The company was founded in
1995 by Mr. Borde, who holds a
50% share in his company. “We
are highly export oriented, boast-
ing an export rate of 50%,” points
out Mr. Borde. Since 2005, IKV
Tribologie has operated sales of-
fices in the United Kingdom and
Turkey. Only in 2013, it strength-
ened its presence in Europe when
it opened new offices in Germany
businessEURO
PEAN
IKV Tribologie is a leading manufacturer of high-performance lubricants
For bearings, the company offers customized prod-ucts to ensure life-long lubrication
IKV TribologieZ.I. de la gare 26260 Saint-Donat-sur-l’Herbasse France
+33 4 75450645 +33 4 75452809
mailbox@ikv.fr www.ikvtribologie.com
in 2013 and in Italy in 2015. “Our
products are 100% manufactured
in France. Our international sales
offices enable us to be near our
customers, most of them local
OEMs,” adds Mr. Borde.
IKV Tribologie’s lubricants, includ-
ing oil, paste, grease and dry film,
resolve even the most difficult
situations in various environments
and are used for bearings, gears,
chains and other industrial com-
ponents. The company operates a
technical division for customized
product development and quality
control as well as a fully-equipped
R&D laboratory with a special fo-
cus on tribology and materials re-
search. “If required we can custom
design a product within a month.
In addition, we even manufacture
in small series, whereas many
large manufacturers only handle
large quantities.”
In December 2015, IKV Tribologie
opened a second production site
near its headquarters. “The new
site allows us to repatriate product
manufacturing that has been lo-
cated elsewhere. For instance, the
process of saponification and the
production of greases, amongst
others, will move back to our
premises. We are going to have
100% of the production in our
hands,” says Mr. Borde. “This will
improve quality and our ability to
deliver.” ❙
businessEURO
PEAN
IKV Tribologie’s lubricants improve tightness, absorption, protection and noise reduction