Eurol builds the future

Eurol is literally and figuratively building the future. The company recently opened a new state-of-the-art high bay warehouse in Almelo for the storage and distribution of lubricants. The eighteen-metre high warehouse has room for 15,000 pallets.

Eurol XL is unique in its kind: nowhere else in the Netherlands is there a building with so many spaces for pallets of lubricants. The logistics centre, with a total floor area of over 12,500 m2, includes an automated high bay warehouse including an order picking and shipping warehouse. In the high-bay warehouse, pallets are automatically placed in the racks by computer-controlled robots. “With our new warehouse right next to the CTT barge terminal in Almelo, we are strengthening the logistics services we provide our customers”, says managing director Martijn Pfeiffer.

Worldwide
The expansion into Almelo is a new milestone in Eurol’s history. Over the past 45 years, the company has grown from its home base in Nijverdal to become a major international player. Eurol products are now available in 85 countries worldwide. The product range includes a full selection of lubricants, technical fluids, and cleaning and maintenance products. They are used in a large number of sectors ranging from the automotive, transport, two-wheeler and motorbike markets to agriculture, earthmoving, industry and shipping.

Despite its international expansion, Eurol remains a Dutch family business with its roots in Nijverdal. And to be clear, Eurol will be staying here too. However, with the opening of the location in Almelo, Eurol is even better able to fulfil its ambition every day: to create added value for the customer. “The market is constantly changing and that drives our thinking at Eurol”, says Pfeiffer. “For example, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. We see growing enthusiasm for the use of sustainable products. We develop lubricants that contribute to lower CO2 emissions, fuel savings and longer machine life”.

Broadening the horizon
“Lubricants are fundamentally a sustainable product. Good lubrication reduces energy consumption and emissions, regardless of the application or technology. We see this becoming more and more important and it also offers new opportunities to broaden our horizons. For example, we are now also active in the railway sector with environmentally friendly, biodegradable lubricants. The growing awareness of sustainability also gives us the opportunity to do what we do best: offer great flexibility to our customers and develop products for specific applications. To give an example, we have developed very specific types of lubricants for electrically driven vehicles and machines”.

Sustainability is also a prominent feature in our buildings and business processes. “Our new building in Almelo is highly sustainable: we heat the building completely with heat pumps (no gas connection) and it has an extra high insulation rating (Rc 6) that exceeds the requirements of the Buildings Decree. Sustainability is also an important theme in Nijverdal. Traditionally, raw materials are heated in a gas-fired hot room. Step by step, we are replacing that with electrically heated processes”.

Supply of raw materials
Eurol produces over 600 different types of lubricants, which are packaged in all kinds of different formats. In day-to-day operations, optimum coordination between logistics and production is essential for business processes to run smoothly. Pfeiffer: “We purchase the raw materials used in production in bulk quantities. These are supplied from refineries and storage locations in Germany, France and the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. Nijhof-Wassink takes care of the supply of various types of oils to our production site in Nijverdal. We produce 24/5 and the supply of raw materials is coordinated with the factory planning. This means the raw materials have to be there when we need them, and transport is an essential link in this process.

Reliable and flexible
Eurol has been working with Nijhof-Wassink for many years. “Flexibility and reliability are extremely important to us. Nijhof-Wassink’s service sets a high standard in those areas. They have the same attitude as we do towards our customers: they are flexible and think in terms of solutions. Sometimes something unforeseen happens that changes the production planning. Nijhof-Wassink has the flexibility to anticipate this well. They are a highly reliable logistics partner for us; Nijhof-Wassink fits us like a glove”.

Eurol facts and figures

• Established in 1977
• Branches in Nijverdal and Almelo
• 250 employees
• Sales in 85 countries

Picture: Martijn Pfeiffer (Eurol)