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Anyone passing through Madetswil in the Zurich Oberland will see red-red barrels stretching up to the ceiling, each with a capacity of 208 liters. Stacked three rows high, they’re waiting to be shipped by truck to Bern, Cologne (D), Australia—around the world. “But the logistics industry is quite overloaded,” says Sarah Mohr-Lämmle (49). “Sometimes we wait two weeks for collection.”
Bright red tin barrels have long been the trademark of the family business, which Mohr-Lämmle runs with his third-generation brother, Silvan Lämmle, 44. Some customers even buy empty ones to stand out for their next barbecue party. It used to say “Panolin” in white: Bernhard Lämmle (1910–1986), the grandfather of today’s bosses, registered his lubricants business in the trade registry under this name in 1949; After 17 years he moved it to its current location in Madetswil.
Here the company develops its own engine and hydraulic oils for cars, commercial vehicles and construction machinery, lubricants for mechanical engineering and specialty oils for the electrical industry. And so it became a typical Swiss supplier for the automotive industry: small but highly specialized. From the states but active worldwide. And it is family-owned and therefore immune to greedy shareholders. The company is making waves, especially with its eco-friendly, bio-based hydraulic oil, until it has to reinvent itself by the end of 2022. “Shell wanted to take over our Panolin organic oils,” says Silvan Lämmle. Oil giant buys mainstay from smaller Swiss rival; From where? He suspects it would be easier to develop such environmentally friendly oils. “But it was difficult for us to give up the company name that we and our children grew up with,” adds Mohr-Lämmle.
Within six months the two had completely turned the company around: the new name was Laemmle Chemicals. Petroleum products are now sold under the Roxor brand, at least in white, still in red barrels. As the possessive duo, the brothers are able to put everything back on track. “That was really fun,” says Lämmle. But this transformation would not have been possible without the efforts of employees who came together after the initial heartbreak.
Production with 700 materials
View of the production building. Anyone who thinks oil is dirty, large-scale chemicals will be surprised: There’s a faint smell of oil in the air, but everything is sparkling clean. On the third floor, products are mixed in three mixing tanks. Laemmle Chemicals stocks around 700 basic materials, from synthetic oil or mineral oil as a base to additives that often contain only trace amounts and determine product properties. Some ingredients need to be preheated so they can come together to form the mixture. When using another product, the boilers need to be completely cleaned; Engine oil residues have no place in lubricating oil for food processing. “We saved these oils,” says Lämmle. “This means we can continue to implement special projects such as lubricants for the chocolate industry.”
On the lower floors, red barrels or silver bottles are filled, stored and packaged. Since June production and transport have been CO₂ neutral, heating uses geothermal energy and many barrels have been purchased, used and remanufactured. Today Laemmle Chemicals offers approximately 600 different lubricating and hydraulic oils, cleaning agents and chemicals based on alcohol or water. Mohr-Lämmle says there are even 1,000 if you include the container size. “We are the market leader when it comes to Scheibenklar from the gas station,” adds Silvan Lämmle. The product range also includes a new hydraulic oil based on a circular economy rather than a biological basis. Its basis is processed used oil mixed with ten percent of our own developed additives to create new oil. This reduces resource use by a seventh, saves 45 percent CO₂ and means conventional oil has a longer service life; It needs to be replaced less frequently or not at all depending on the application.
Is the new generation already ready?
In the administration building there is a motorcycle belonging to the US brand Arch – Hollywood star and Arch founder Keanu Reeves (59) personally delivered it to Lämmles in 2019. Silvan Lämmle, a passionate motorcycle rider, met her by chance at a race track in Barcelona. It follows to the laboratory, where customers can have oil samples examined: If it is waterlogged, it contains metal shavings or other particles and therefore needs to be replaced. Four employees are working on new products next door. Family businesses are considered conservative; Does this make innovation difficult? “It’s quite the opposite,” Lämmle says. Only in a family business can such a change be overcome so quickly and followed by a new corporate culture and new ways of thinking.
Buildings for production and logistics purposes have gradually grown along with business plans so far. However, more space now needs to be used; ideally in a new building designed for new products. And if possible in Madetswil. “My sister and I grew up here and our employees come from the area and have roots here; we don’t want to give that up,” says Lämmle. That’s why selling the entire company was never an option. Instead, she and her sister now laid the groundwork for the next 20 to 30 years. And the fourth Lämmle generation may soon appear in the company.
Source: Blick
I’m Ella Sammie, author specializing in the Technology sector. I have been writing for 24 Instatnt News since 2020, and am passionate about staying up to date with the latest developments in this ever-changing industry.
