Lubrizol

Corporate brand

A global specialty chemicals company supplying lubricant additives, advanced materials and chemical ingredients to transportation, industrial and consumer markets.

Last updated November 1, 2026

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Overview

Lubrizol is a United States-based specialty chemicals company whose products are used mainly as performance-enhancing ingredients rather than as finished consumer goods. Its principal activities are organized around lubricant and fuel additives, advanced materials, specialty polymers, coatings, personal-care ingredients, pharmaceutical excipients, medical-device materials and related industrial chemicals. The company sells to manufacturers and formulators in transportation, industrial production, consumer products, healthcare, packaging, construction and other technical markets. The business began in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1928 as the Graphite Oil Products Company. Its first product was a graphite lubricant and applicator intended for early automobiles. The company changed its name several times during its early development, becoming The Lubri-Graph Corporation in 1929, moving to Wickliffe, Ohio, in 1931, adopting The Lubri-Zol Corporation in 1934 and using the name Lubrizol from 1943. It later became a publicly traded company and developed a strong position in engine-oil additives, fuel additives and other transportation-fluid technologies. Lubrizol's expansion beyond transportation additives accelerated during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Its research and commercial development addressed passenger-car motor oils, gear oils, hydraulic fluids, viscosity modifiers and products designed to support fuel efficiency and emissions performance. The 2004 purchase of Noveon International broadened the company substantially into specialty materials, including engineered polymers, coatings, personal-care ingredients, pharmaceutical and medical-device materials, and chemicals for packaging, paints and textiles. This created a second major platform generally known as Lubrizol Advanced Materials, complementing Lubrizol Additives. Berkshire Hathaway announced an agreement to acquire Lubrizol in March 2011, and the transaction closed in September of that year. Lubrizol has operated as a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary since then. In 2014, it acquired Weatherford International's engineered chemistry and drilling-fluids businesses, creating Lubrizol Oilfield Solutions as a third business segment. The company discontinued that segment in 2017 after substantial losses, returning its principal organizational focus to Lubrizol Additives and Lubrizol Advanced Materials. Lubrizol also expanded manufacturing and technical capacity internationally, including investments in China, life-sciences facilities and its Indian joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation. The brand is primarily business-to-business. Its named technologies and materials may appear in formulations or components made by other companies, including lubricants, fuels, cosmetics, medicines, coatings, plastics, medical devices and industrial products. Key branded materials include Carbopol, Estane, TempRite, Hycar, Sancure, Algan, Performax and Myflam. Lubrizol's public profile has also been shaped by industrial incidents, most notably the 2019 fire and explosions at its Rouen, France, site and the 2021 explosion and fire at the Chemtool facility in Rockton, Illinois. These events generated regulatory scrutiny, evacuations and public concern, although the company continues to operate globally under Berkshire Hathaway ownership.

History

Lubrizol was established in 1928 in Cleveland, Ohio, as the Graphite Oil Products Company. The founding group included Frank A. Nason, his son Francis A. "Alex" Nason, Thomas W. James, and brothers Kent H. Smith, Vincent K. Smith and A. Kelvin Smith. Its initial commercial product was a graphite lubricant and applicator designed for automobiles, placing the young company in the developing market for automotive maintenance products. The company adopted the name The Lubri-Graph Corporation in 1929 and moved to Wickliffe, Ohio, in 1931. It became The Lubri-Zol Corporation in 1934 and shortened the name to Lubrizol in 1943. Over the following decades, the company developed from a small automotive-lubricant supplier into a broader additives business. It became publicly traded in the 1960s and increasingly concentrated on technologies intended to improve vehicle cleanliness, fuel efficiency and fluid performance. During the 1980s, Lubrizol introduced or expanded additives for passenger-car motor oils, gear oils, hydraulic fluids and viscosity-modifier applications. It also explored businesses outside transportation, including biotechnology, agribusiness and specialty chemicals. This diversification reflected the company's effort to apply formulation and materials expertise to markets where small quantities of a chemical could significantly alter the performance, durability or processing characteristics of a finished product. A major turning point came in 2004, when Lubrizol acquired Noveon International for cash and assumed debt. Noveon's activities gave Lubrizol a much broader advanced-materials platform. The resulting portfolio included chemicals for packaging, paints and textiles; personal-care ingredients for products such as lotions and shampoos; engineered polymers; performance coatings; and materials used in pharmaceutical and medical-device applications. These activities became associated with Lubrizol Advanced Materials, while the legacy additives activities continued under Lubrizol Additives. Lubrizol announced a long-term investment program in 2010 to increase global additives capacity, including manufacturing expansion in China. The company also invested in life-sciences capacity, including excipient, polymer and contract-manufacturing facilities. Berkshire Hathaway announced its agreement to purchase Lubrizol on March 14, 2011, for $9.7 billion in cash. The acquisition closed in September 2011. A related governance controversy arose because Berkshire executive David Sokol had acquired Lubrizol shares before Berkshire's announcement; Sokol resigned after the disclosures. In December 2014, Lubrizol purchased Weatherford International's engineered chemistry and drilling-fluids businesses. The transaction created Lubrizol Oilfield Solutions, a third operating segment intended to extend the company into oilfield services and chemicals. The business did not meet expectations, and Lubrizol announced in February 2017 that it was closing the segment after reported losses of $365 million. In March 2017, Lubrizol took a majority stake in Lubrizol India Private Ltd., its joint venture with Indian Oil Corporation. The company's industrial footprint has also brought environmental and safety scrutiny. A January 2013 incident at Rouen involved decomposition in a tank containing zinc dialkyldithiophosphate and the release of strongly odorous mercaptan gases. Earlier incidents at sites in the wider Rouen area occurred in 1975 and 1989, and a fire damaged the Oudalle facility in 2003. In September 2019, a major fire and explosions at the Rouen site led to evacuations, school closures and public-health precautions. A separate fire occurred at the company's Oudalle site near Le Havre during the same period. In June 2021, the Chemtool plant in Rockton, Illinois, experienced a large explosion and fire, prompting a one-mile evacuation zone. Today, Lubrizol remains a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary with two principal business platforms: Lubrizol Additives and Lubrizol Advanced Materials. Its products are generally sold as ingredients, additives, resins, polymers or intermediate materials to industrial customers worldwide rather than directly to consumers.

2017
Closed Oilfield Solutions
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
Lubrizol discontinued the oilfield segment after reported losses.
2014
Entered oilfield chemicals through Weatherford acquisition
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The company bought Weatherford businesses and formed Lubrizol Oilfield Solutions.
2011
Became a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
Berkshire Hathaway completed its cash acquisition of Lubrizol in September.
2004
Acquired Noveon International
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The acquisition expanded Lubrizol into advanced materials, engineered polymers, coatings and life-sciences applications.
1943
Became Lubrizol
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The modern Lubrizol name was adopted.
1934
Adopted The Lubri-Zol Corporation name
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The company changed its name again as it developed its lubricant business.
1931
Headquarters moved to Wickliffe
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The company relocated from Cleveland to Wickliffe, Ohio.
1929
Name changed to The Lubri-Graph Corporation
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The company adopted a name reflecting its graphite-lubricant origins.
1928
Company founded as Graphite Oil Products Company
[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
The company was founded in Cleveland, Ohio, with a graphite lubricant as its first product.

Products and positioning

A global specialty-chemicals and performance-materials supplier focused on formulation technology, industrial performance, transportation efficiency and advanced polymer applications.

Transportation and industrial additives
Lubrizol Additives
Lubrizol Additives supplies performance chemicals for engine oils, transmission and gear fluids, hydraulic fluids, fuels and industrial lubricants. These additives can help control deposits, wear, oxidation, corrosion, viscosity and emissions-related performance. The business serves vehicle manufacturers, lubricant marketers, fuel companies and industrial formulators, with products typically incorporated into finished fluids rather than sold as standalone consumer goods.
Advanced materials and specialty chemicals
Lubrizol Advanced Materials
Lubrizol Advanced Materials develops specialty polymers, resins, coatings, additives and chemical ingredients for consumer, industrial and healthcare applications. Its portfolio covers personal care, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, packaging, paints, textiles and engineered plastics. The business grew significantly through the acquisition of Noveon International and includes technologies sold under several established material and formulation brands.
Personal-care and pharmaceutical polymers
Carbopol
Carbopol is a family of acrylic polymer technologies used as rheology modifiers, thickeners, stabilizers and suspension aids. Formulators use the materials in personal-care products, topical preparations and other applications where texture, viscosity and controlled delivery are important.
Thermoplastic polyurethane
Estane
Estane is Lubrizol's thermoplastic polyurethane platform. Its materials are used where flexibility, abrasion resistance, toughness and processing performance are required, including industrial components, cables, films, footwear and medical or consumer applications.
Engineered polymers
TempRite
TempRite is a branded family of engineered polymer materials associated with demanding applications requiring controlled performance, processability and durability. The materials are supplied primarily to industrial and product manufacturers.
Performance coatings and polymers
Hycar and Sancure
Hycar and Sancure are Lubrizol materials brands used in polymer, coating and surface-treatment applications. Their technologies support properties such as adhesion, flexibility, film formation and resistance in industrial and consumer formulations.

Controversies

2021
Chemtool Rockton explosion and fire
The Chemtool manufacturing plant in Rockton, Illinois, suffered a large explosion and fire, leading authorities to establish a one-mile evacuation zone during emergency response operations.
Source
2021
Chemtool Rockton plant fire
A fire destroyed Chemtool's Rockton chemical plant. The cause remained under investigation, and the Illinois EPA referred an enforcement action related to the fire and pollutant release to the Illinois attorney general's office.
Source
2019
Rouen fire and explosions
A major industrial fire and explosions at the Rouen facility and a neighboring site prompted evacuations, school closures and warnings about contact with soot and potentially exposed food or crops.
Source
2019
Falobi sues Lubrizol over alleged racial harassment
In 2019, Taye Falobi filed a lawsuit against Lubrizol alleging that the company knew about racially based harassment and a hostile work environment and did nothing in response. The report describes the filing as an allegation and does not report any court determination on the claims. The source presents the matter as a lawsuit brought by Falobi against Lubrizol over the alleged harassment and working conditions.
Source
2013
Mercaptan release at Rouen
Chemical decomposition in a tank at the Rouen site released a strongly odorous mercaptan plume that was detected over a wide area. Residents reported odors and some health complaints, and authorities required process-monitoring and emergency-response improvements.
Source
2011
David Sokol share-purchase controversy
David Sokol, then a senior Berkshire Hathaway executive, purchased Lubrizol shares before Berkshire announced its acquisition. The disclosure led to criticism concerning conflicts of interest and was followed by Sokol's resignation from Berkshire.
Source

2017
Closure of Oilfield SolutionsStrategy
Background
The oilfield chemicals operation had produced significant losses after its creation through the Weatherford transaction.
Action taken
Lubrizol shut down the Oilfield Operations business segment.
Aftermath
The company returned to a two-platform structure centered on Lubrizol Additives and Lubrizol Advanced Materials.
Reported segment losses. $365 million (Before closure announcement in February 2017)
Source
2014
Weatherford engineered chemistry acquisitionM&A
Background
Lubrizol pursued growth in oilfield chemicals and drilling fluids as an extension of its specialty-chemicals capabilities.
Action taken
It acquired Weatherford International's engineered chemistry and drilling-fluids businesses.
Aftermath
The assets were organized as Lubrizol Oilfield Solutions, which was later discontinued.
Transaction value. $825 million (December 2014)
Source
2011
Berkshire Hathaway acquisitionM&A
Background
Berkshire Hathaway pursued Lubrizol as a global specialty-chemicals business with established industrial and transportation markets.
Action taken
Berkshire Hathaway agreed to acquire Lubrizol for cash and completed the transaction in September.
Aftermath
Lubrizol became a privately held Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.
Acquisition value. $9.7 billion cash (2011)
Source
2010
Global additives capacity investment programStrategy
Background
Growing demand for lubricant and fuel-performance technologies led Lubrizol to plan additional international capacity.
Action taken
The company launched a phased, ten-year investment plan that included expansion such as a plant in Zhuhai, China.
Aftermath
The program supported the company's international manufacturing and supply network.
Source
2004
Acquisition of Noveon InternationalM&A
Background
Lubrizol sought to reduce its dependence on transportation additives and build a broader specialty-materials business.
Action taken
It acquired Noveon International for cash and assumed debt, adding engineered polymers, coatings and life-sciences materials.
Aftermath
The transaction formed the foundation of the Lubrizol Advanced Materials platform.
Transaction value. $920 million cash plus $920 million assumed debt (2004)
Source

Recent events

2017
Lubrizol eliminates Oilfield Solutions segment[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
Other
The company shut down its oilfield operations after the segment had generated reported losses of $365 million, ending a short-lived expansion into oilfield chemicals and drilling fluids.
2014
Lubrizol acquires Weatherford engineered chemistry and drilling-fluids businesses[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Lubrizol acquired businesses from Weatherford International and used them to establish Lubrizol Oilfield Solutions.
2011
Berkshire Hathaway announces agreement to acquire Lubrizol[1]Lubrizolen.wikipedia.org
M&A
Berkshire Hathaway announced a cash acquisition of Lubrizol valued at approximately $9.7 billion. The transaction closed in September 2011, making Lubrizol a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary.

Sources10 sources

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