Leading innovator in non- petroleum, plant-based lubricants Evolve Lubricants announced its launch in South Africa in June 2024. Since then, the high-performance lubrication manufacturer has seen a steady rise to prominence in South Africa’s lubricant market.

Evolve Lubricants sales and distribution partner Q-Lub South Africa director Freddy Bezuidenhout says it is not only about providing high- performance products, but also about pushing the boundaries of sustainability and innovation.

“Evolve Lubricants is redefining the future of lubrication by offering bio-based, plant-derived oils that promise superior performance and environmental benefits across diverse sectors, including mining, agriculture, transport and energy,” he notes.

The story of Q-Lub South Africa and Evolve Lubricants began with a chance encounter between Bezuidenhout and Javier Quiroz-Derpsch in Jeffreys Bay, in the Eastern Cape. Bezuidenhout identified an opportunity to introduce Evolve’s bio-based lubricants to South Africa, focusing on industries such as mining, transport and sustainable energy.

Evolve Lubricants offers a comprehensive range of plant-based lubricants and hydraulic oils designed to meet the rigorous demands of industrial machinery and equipment. The products deliver superior thermal stability, oxidation resistance and wear protection, ensuring optimal performance and longevity for industrial operations, and adhere to all industry standards.

“Our products have undergone extensive testing in extreme conditions and are recognised for their ability to perform in high heat and low temperatures, offering long-term benefits in engine protection,” states Bezuidenhout.

High Performance

Evolve Lubricants is not just about being sustainable; its products are engineered for high performance. According to Quiroz-Derpsch, the company’s strategy is 60% focused on performance and 40% on sustainability, as performance is still the main driver of sales in South Africa. He notes that some of the key benefits of Evolve lubricants include longer drain intervals, where oil change intervals are extended by two to three times, thus reducing maintenance costs and improving productivity.

“Evolve lubricants also improve fuel efficiency by 2% to 5%, which is a significant benefit for transport companies with fleets covering thousands of kilometres. Using our oils can save thousands of litres in fuel, avoiding tons of carbon emissions,” he notes.

In addition to these performance benefits, Evolve lubricants are entirely petroleum- free, a unique achievement among high-performance engine oils. The company combines plant-derived oils with synthetic additives to create a product that not only supports sustainability but also delivers superior functionality. Evolve’s formulations are patented worldwide and are the only high-performance plant-based engine oils currently available.

Unlike fossil-based lubricants, Evolve’s plant-based oil, together with a patented additive formulation, allows it to reach more stable viscosity indexes and to develop a broader range of viscosities suitable for all applications.

Evolving Opportunities

Evolve Lubricants is poised to capitalise on emerging markets, including wind energy and agriculture, for future expansion.

What began as a small operation has now grown into a thriving business with expansion plans across South Africa. Evolve has ambitious plans to eventually establish a local bottling plant in South Africa to reduce costs and create local work opportunities.

Bezuidenhout’s goal for South Africa is to expand the footprint and steadily capture part of the 400-million litres of oil consumed yearly by the South African market, he says.

Challenges

Regrettably, the South African market is not without challenges for Evolve Lubricants. One of the primary obstacles is consumer perception, with many South African businesses opting for cheaper oil, believing that all oils are the same.

“Convincing companies to pay a premium – despite the long- term cost savings – for superior performance, requires identifying the right decision-makers. In many cases, these decision- makers may not initially see oil as a potential cost-saving factor, focusing instead on expenses like diesel,” Quiroz-Derpsch points out.

Moreover, there is the pervasive issue of greenwashing, where companies claim to be sustainable without adopting truly sustainable practices. This often leads to scepticism about products marketed as “eco-friendly”. Quiroz-Derpsch emphasises that, despite the push for sustainability, many companies remain reluctant to invest in products that are slightly more expensive, even if they offer long-term benefits.

Despite this scepticism, Evolve Lubricants is a powerful example of how sustainability and high performance can go hand in hand. The company is breaking barriers in the South African market, offering bio-based lubricants that not only reduce environmental impact but also provide tangible performance benefits across a range of industries, Bezuidenhout concludes.