The global metal cutting and machine tool accessories market is growing by 8.65 per cent every year. The automotive market dynamics will have a direct impact on the demand. New emerging sectors such as defence and aerospace, consumer durable, green investment in auto sectors are likely to bolster the demand for metal cutting machines, explains AP Pandey, Managing Director, Brugarolas India Pvt Ltd.

 

Can you take us through the history of Brugarolas?

Brugarolas SA was founded in 1885 in Barcelona, Spain and it is the first grease producer in Spain. With our 133 years of experience, our customers consider us as a reliable supplier in industrial lubricants. We are having our R&D to develop our own technology products. Our product range includes industrial oils, greases, metal forming and metal working lubricants, rust preventing products and food grade NSF H-1 lubricants. We have more than 4,500 products in our product range for all types of industries. In 2017, Brugarolas SA started its own subsidiary company namely Brugarolas India Pvt Ltd, to provide highest quality products to Indian customers.

 

What has been the effect of regulations on machine tools industry and its suppliers? 

As you are aware, the Indian market is a growing market and the machine tool industry is considered the mother of all industry sectors which is also witnessing growth. Due to a new Reach Regulation, we are forced to adapt the new rule (UE) Nº 2017/776 which updates appendix VI from regulation CLP (10ª Technical update (ATP)), and adds to it, among others, the harmonised classification for certain formaldehyde releasing substances, classifying them as carcinogenic, mutagenic and toxic for reproduction.

 

As a consequence of the obligations from the Regulation and Royal Decree 665/1997 about the security of employees against the risk related to be exposed to carcinogens during the workday, replacement of these substances is required before December 1, 2018. I believe in future, the same law will be in place for the Indian market as well. Brugarolas, in order to comply with the law, and above all, to protect the health of the people, employees and customers, has removed the mentioned substance from our products. Brugarolas developed new products and we have re-checked our Servol and Besal range. We are now in need of informing our customers about the new regulation while offering the new products, in case a customer is interested in the Indian market. 

 

What types of products do you offer to metal cutting sector in India?

We provide high quality products for metal working sector for the Indian market which is suitable for Indian conditions. Our product range consists of mineral base, semi-synthetic and synthetic range of cutting fluid. Our products are having less consumption, longer sump life and longer tool life. Even if the product cost is on the higher side, the overall operation cost will be less compared to other products in market. Currently our main focus is to educate customers about our new range of metal working lubricants. We got very good results in the last six months at the customer end, which is good news for us.

 

Who are your major customers? 

Our product is being used by the automotive industry and auto component manufacturers, food and pharmaceutical industries, steel industry, machine tool industry, tap and valve industry, plastic industries, cement industries, mining industries and quarry industries.

 

What are your plans for the automotive & auto component industry in India?

Automotive and auto component manufacturers are our major customers in India. Since Brugarolas is a global company, we are working with auto OEMs worldwide and we are global suppliers for automotive industries. In India, we are supplying to all automotive companies.

 

How is the demand for your products? What is driving this demand?

Since industrial lubricants are consumable products, the machine is running the demand of industrial lubricants. Our product performance is good and once a customer starts using our product, we always get a repeat of the orders. Also, most of the time, the customers recommend our products to other customers.

 

What changes are you witnessing in metal cutting and machine tool accessories segments?

The global metal cutting and machine tool accessories market is growing by 8.65 per cent every year. The automotive market dynamics will have a direct impact on the demand. New emerging sectors like defence and aerospace, consumer durable, green investment in auto sectors, etc are likely to enhance demand for metal cutting machines

 

Any launches planned at IMTEX this year…

We are going to launch the new range of metal working fluids at IMTEX 2019 which is environment friendly and safe to use for machine operators.

 

What are your expectations from IMTEX 2019/ToolTech 2019?

Our expectations from IMTEX 2019/ToolTech 2019 would be to get more visitors, who can be potential customers for our lubricants in future. Also to create a brand image in the Indian market is our main target, through exhibiting in IMTEX 2019.

 

Any message for visitors/exhibitors at IMTEX/ToolTech 2019…

We wish to welcome all the visitors and exhibitors. We would like to take this opportunity to convey Brugarolas India’s presence in the Indian market and to introduce our range of high performance lubricants.

 

How do you intend to expand your business in India?

Our main challenge is to deliver high quality global standard products at lower cost to Indian customers and secondly, to convince them to use high quality products which may be more expensive in the beginning, but will prove to be more economical in the long run. We have already already started producing our standard lubricants in India, which will definitely boost our sales in the Indian market.