An innovative entrepreneur and chemical engineer, William (Bill) Kiefer started the company in his family’s suburban New Jersey garage, specializing in high temperature bakery lubricants.
Bel-Ray’s first product was a specialty lubricant manufactured for Nabisco for use in high-temperature bakery ovens. This launched the company’s Industrial Division. The company’s goal: to provide industrial customers with new, inventive products that offered optimum performance and measurable value.
In the late 1960’s, Kiefer recognized the need for premium quality, extreme-endurance lubricants to extend equipment life in the mining industry. He worked diligently with his R&D team in the company’s state-of-the-art laboratory. The result: the first pumpable lubricant for large walking draglines. With that creation, the Bel-Ray Mining Division was born.
The 1970’s brought the firm’s expansion into the Powersports market. Its line of performance-enhancing, wear-resistant oils and greases for motorcycles and other high-speed bikes offered ground-breaking innovation. Bel-Ray built a strong presence in that arena and became a well-known sponsor in the motocross racing circuit.
New technologies soon led to the creation of an extensive line of non-toxic, food-grade lubricants. These were designed for “clean” industries such as food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetics processing.
Through continued research and field-testing, Bel-Ray further expanded with its ranges of biodegradable mining and industrial lubricants. Specialized eco-friendly marine products followed, increasing their market base.
Reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility, Bel-Ray developed an Environmental Carbon Management (ECM) system to reduce energy usage and the release of greenhouse gases.
Bel-Ray continues to proudly manufacture all of its products in the United States. These locally-made products by skilled professionals have traveled the globe and beyond. Bel-Ray lubricants have serviced submarines, weathered chilling arctic cold, defied harsh desert dust and heat, raced to championships wins and even traveled to the moon.
Today Bel-Ray operates with the belief, and challenge, instilled by its founder: