Energy
The EV Disruption
The impact of EV technology in tandem with upcoming bans on ICE vehicles are the definitive industry gamechangers for the global lubricants industry. With limited volumetric growth, more likely a market decline, marketers must develop increasingly granular strategies to tap into value and volume growth pockets, as well as look beyond the traditional five-year planning horizon. For some, this means services will become an integral part of the customer proposition to capture value. Changes are going to impact not just products and services but also lead to new power balances, channels, stakeholders, and value chain configurations.
Sustainability developments and initiatives will remain front and center for the industry, with more stringent regulations a certainty, and investments in renewables (e.g., wind, solar). Digitalization will perhaps have the most significant impact on the industry across the entire value chain. Digital transformation may help to accelerate the move to predictive maintenance, change lubricant supply change, ordering and buying decisions. In addition, development and expansion of autonomous vehicle fleets will present a marketing opportunity in several B2B segments.

Our Expertise
Assisting our lubricants clients in the transformation of the energy industry is at the heart of what we do. From tracking supply and demand across specific industry sectors to forecasting the supply chain outlook for biolubes and lubricants for wind turbines, Kline’s expertise across the lubricants value chain is unparalleled. Categories include:- Finished lubricants
- Lubricant basestocks
- Specialty products

Consulting Experience
Examples of our consulting experience are provided below. Please contact us to learn more about our project work and capabilities.
Finished Lubricants
- Strategy support: identification of premium “Value Pools” within industrial sectors (e.g., mining, power, etc.) at the intersection of product and application
- Market intelligence: deep dive into opportunities in greases by market, sector, and product type
- Market intelligence: identification, profiling, and screening of distributors
- Strategy support: e-commerce opportunities for consumer lubricants in China
- Forecasting/ predictive analytics: industry sector specific Futurecasting, with impact on lubricants, to understand shift from product to service and emergence of the solution-based model
- Strategy support: strategy review for European-based global lubricants player
- Technology & innovation: R&D strategy and roadmap review for Asian lubricant company in light of long-term market trends
- Strategy support: finding profitability improvement levers for global major’s industrial lubricants business
- Strategy development: growth strategy development for large regional lubricant blender (Middle East) outside of their home market
- M&A advisory: M&A opportunities Chinese metalworking fluids market
Lubricant Basestocks
- M&A due diligence: detailed market analysis of re-refining operation and determining market potential for basestock re-refinery
- Forecasting/ predictive analytics: evaluating baseoil market outlook and creating a customized price forecasting model for a large European baseoil producer
- Strategy support: lube block profitability analysis and operations optimization strategy for a European GI refinery
- Market intelligence: market analysis high viscosity base oil Group II
- Forecasting/ predictive analytics: 15 year finished lubricant and base oil forecast
- Market intelligence: Egypt base oil market study
- Market intelligence: Group III base oils market assessment
- Strategy support: Base oil supply strategy
- Strategy support: Group III base oils marketing assessment
Specialty Products
- Strategy support: opportunity identification in PE waxes, including evaluation of market potential and entry requirements
- Technology & innovation: market potential and penetration curve modeling for novel bio-based molecule
- Market intelligence: MC wax pricing analysis (SO1650)
- Market intelligence: Analysis PAO business strategy for selected competitors
- Market intelligence: wax pricing (China market analysis)
- Strategy support: PAO outlook to 2050
- Strategy support: FT was pricing model (base model and updates)
- Market intelligence: wax emulsion market study
- Market intelligence: profiles of major lubricant additive distributors in S. Korea
- Market intelligence: market assessment of performance additive ins metalworking fluids
- Market intelligence: global market and outlook for base oils and waxes
Insights
Featured insight:
Our clients in the lubricants, baseoils, and additives value chain require pragmatic and impactful ways to direct their strategies and commercial practices toward achieving the SDGs and carbon impact objectives relative to their industries. The paths that they set today will be of critical importance as regulators, investors, customers, and employees demand transparency, commitment, and a clearly defined, measurable plan of action.