LAUGFS Lubricants leads industry innovation with Tribology Park

The LAUGFS Tribology Park facility

The R&D Centre

LAUGFS Lubricants Ltd. recently opened Sri Lanka’s first ever Tribology Park at the BOI Export Processing Park in Malwatta, Nittambuwa, to serve Sri Lankan and regional customers with innovative lubrication solutions. Equipped with advance, cutting-edge technology, the facility boasts a state-of-the-art Research and Development centre, providing innovative tribology solutions especially customised for Sri Lankan driving conditions.

“With the R&D work carried out by our teams of scientists and technologists at this modern facility, we’ll be able to introduce many innovative products and solutions to specifically cater to the local driving conditions,” explained LAUGFS Lubricants Director/CEO Dr. Gamini Amarasekera who is a veteran scientist in Tribology. “This localisation will be critical for enhanced efficiency and performance of vehicles, as factors such as fuel quality, ambient temperature, air quality, road and traffic conditions etc. vary significantly based on geographic conditions,” he further elaborated.

Most modern vehicles, machinery and equipment currently in the market are designed considering operating environments in larger and developed markets such as North America, China, Japan and Europe. However, operating environments in these countries are significantly different to tropical countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Myanmar. As a result, the designed output and efficiency of these vehicles and machinery cannot be effectively achieved when operated in different environments.

Similarly, the lubricant technology widely available in Sri Lanka originates mainly from Europe, North America and Japan, where the environment and climatic conditions significantly differ from Sri Lanka’s tropical climate. Therefore, the research and development work carried out at the new Tribology Park will allow LAUGFS Lubricants to provide localised lubricant solutions to better cater to Sri Lanka’s driving conditions.

“The innovative Tribology solutions offer a combination of local expertise coupled with global technology; the best of both worlds. Unique lubricant formulations are created using cutting-edge research and innovation combined with the unmatched experience and insights LAUGFS has gained in the local lubricant industry,” explained Dr. Amarasekera.

LAUGFS Lubricant’s Tribology Park is the first and only innovative centre in Sri Lanka to carry out research and development work in the local Lubricant industry. The new products developed at the facility will not only benefit the local customers, but will also bring in multiple benefits to the country’s economy. By helping to extend the life span of automobiles and machinery, this will serve to save foreign exchange outflow, which would otherwise have been spent on spare parts. The facility also provides many employment opportunities for young local professionals, who are provided with resources and international exposure to carry out R&D work using cutting-edge technology.

Equipped with modern instruments, a young professional team including formulation scientists, chemists, engineers and technical staff leads this facility. In addition, the Tribology Park provides young graduates from local and foreign educational institutions, with the opportunity to train not only in lubrication science, but also in many disciplines such as health and safety, environment protection, manufacturing, process improvements and planning.

Established in 2008, LAUGFS Lubricants offers a range of high quality automobile and industrial lubricant products. It has Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) approvals for Volvo, Renault and Porsche vehicles and is the only Sri Lankan lubricant company to hold licenses from the American Petroleum Institute, which defines global industry standards for motor oils.

LAUGFS Lubricants is a subsidiary of LAUGFS Holdings Limited, one of the largest diversified business conglomerates and a trusted name in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1995, LAUGFS today has expanded across 20 industries in Sri Lanka and overseas, establishing a strong presence as a leader and pioneer in the power and energy, retail, industrial, services, leisure, logistics and real estate sectors. With over 4,000 employees and an annual turnover exceeding Rs. 28 billion, LAUGFS continues to expand and empower millions as a trusted Sri Lankan brand.