The German specialty chemicals company LANXESS and the British company Fuelcare, which specialises in fuel preservation, have entered into a partnership to market biocide solutions for fuels.
Oliver Rumford-Warr, Managing Director Fuelcare Ltd. Image Credit: LANXESS
Fuelcare will take over the marketing of the established LANXESS products Kathon FP 1.5 and Preventol D2 within Europe. In the United Kingdom, the products will be sold under the FuelClear M15 brand. The Kathon FP 1.5 chemistry is one of the only molecules with full ‘union-wide’ approval under the European Union Biocides Products Regulations. This represents a leap forward for the harmonization of fuel biocides across the European Union in terms of safety, efficacy and administration.
With this partnership, LANXESS and Fuelcare aim primarily to offer customers in the maritime and rail sectors, power generation, industry and manufacturing, as well as transportation and logistics effective solutions for the safe storage of their fuels.
Microbial Stability as a Key Success Factor
Microbial stability is critical during the storage and distribution of fuels, especially when water is present in tanks. At the interface between fuel and water, microorganisms multiply and form biomass, sludge, and corrosive by-products that clog filters, contaminate tanks, cause corrosion, and compromise system reliability. With the right biocide strategy, precise dosing, and technical support during maintenance, sludge formation, filter clogging, and corrosion can be prevented, thereby reducing the risk of operational downtime.
LANXESS and Fuelcare – Two Strong Partners
LANXESS offers a broad portfolio of biocides that combat bacteria and fungi in fuels. The products’ wide range of applications extends from the rapid decontamination of contaminated fuel and shock treatment of heavily contaminated systems to the preventive treatment of clean fuels. Antonio Hurtado, EMEA Sales Manager at LANXESS, welcomes the partnership with Fuelcare: “Fuelcare’s deep market expertise and service-driven business model make the company a strong strategic partner for LANXESS.”
Fuelcare specializes in preservation programs that extend the service life of fuels, reduce breakdowns caused by contaminants, and improve system reliability in technically demanding environments. “Fuel treatment goes beyond simply adding additives - it requires the right product, the right dosing strategy, and the right service support,” said Oliver Rumford-Warr, Managing Director of Fuelcare Ltd. “That is our expertise, and through our partnership with LANXESS, we can offer it to a wider customer base along with our automated dosing technology.”
Fuelcare is expanding operational, storage, and customer service capacity at its new headquarters in Shrewsbury, UK, as well as in Venlo, NL and Aberdeen, UK.