Three years of Kiilto’s plant-based cutting fluids – what’s the situation now?
At the moment, operators across Europe are frantically trying to find ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and raw materials, and alternative raw materials are being sought in every sector. Again this summer, record-high temperatures hit various parts of Europe, reminding us of the existence of climate change and making the need to reduce carbon emissions even more pressing. In the post-pandemic world, it has become evident that the availability of goods is not a given and that reliable supply chains play an even more significant role in ensuring operational reliability.
There has been a clear transition towards greener alternatives over the past three years, and particularly major industrial operators and customers have started to demand low-emission or carbon-neutral solutions and objectives, which keep affecting subcontractors and the entire supply chain.
In 2019, when Kiilto started to produce only plant-based cutting fluids, we were the first in Finland to introduce green alternatives to traditional, non-renewable oil-based cutting fluids. At that time, the decision actually seemed somewhat risky. However, looking back, we can be happy with the choice we made then. Now we can already call ourselves experts in plant-based cutting fluids, and the best sign of our customers being happy with our choice is that the customers who have switched to plant-based products have noticed their benefits and continued using them.
Of course, it is not enough for the cutting fluid to be eco-friendly; the product must also have other competitive properties. The useful life and lubrication properties of the product have been excellent. Cutting fluids based on vegetable oil esters also have a competitive advantage when it comes to operational safety: even machine operators previously exposed to oil mist have been able to continue working, thanks to the new cutting fluid.
Environmental goals are reflected in everyday product development. In three years, Kiilto has switched to using recycled or reusable packaging also in many industrial applications. We also have several ongoing projects related to using recycled plastic in canisters. Even now, when there are problems in the availability of raw materials, we keep making small choices that help increase the amount of renewable raw materials in products.
Our products also continue the same eco-friendly theme, and we have launched, for example, the following new products: the Kiilto Pro Parts Cleaner with the Nordic Ecolabel, the easily biodegradable Kiilto Pro Corrosion Inhibitor, and the Kiilto Pro Biosolvent, which will be added to our selection soon. We are also currently developing something else, which we will tell you about in more detail later....
- Jussi Kauko, RDI Manager
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